Atsena Otie Key Fishing

Atsena Otie Key offers quiet refuge beaches within sight of Cedar Key's waterfront, with grass flats, oyster bars and a strong tidal channel all around. It is a short paddle or boat ride that feels a world away from the docks.

• Part of the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge; shore fishing allowed on the island beaches
• Spotted seatrout, redfish, flounder and black drum on the flats and bars
• Spanish mackerel, sharks and tarpon in the warmer months
• A nature trail to the old town's ruins and cemetery between tides

Atsena Otie Key lies just south of downtown Cedar Key, across the channel from the city's waterfront, in Levy County.

• Access is by watercraft only: paddle a kayak, rent a boat or take a boat tour or shuttle from Cedar Key
• Kayakers land on the beach; the island's old dock looks damaged on 2025 aerial photos, so do not count on it
• The refuge is open from sunrise to sunset and lists no entry fee
• The pin is the landing beach just south of the old dock; the refuge opens all of Atsena Otie Key, so its other beaches can be fished too
• The Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce lists local rentals and tours

The waters around the island mix grass flats, oyster bars and a deep channel, so the fish change with the season and the tide.

• Spring (Mar-May): spotted seatrout and redfish on the flats, Spanish mackerel arriving, sheepshead finishing their run
• Summer (Jun-Aug): tarpon rolling in the channels, sharks, trout early and late, ladyfish and jacks
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish and flounder at their best, trout feeding hard, Spanish mackerel on the bait
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum and sheepshead around the oyster bars; trout in the deeper holes on cold days

A light spinning outfit and a small bag of lures cover most of it; pack light for the paddle.

• A 7-foot medium-light spinning rod with 10-15 lb braid and a 20 lb fluorocarbon leader
• A shrimp or soft plastic under a popping cork over the grass for trout
• A gold spoon or weedless soft plastic along the oyster bars for redfish
• A jighead with a shrimp dragged slowly on the bottom for flounder and black drum
• Small silver spoons for Spanish mackerel when the birds are working
• Heavier gear and the free FWC permit if you target sharks from shore

NOAA's Cedar Key station shows two high and two low tides on most days, one pair bigger than the other, with a daily range of about 2 to 5 feet.

• A strong current runs through the channel between Cedar Key and the island; fish the moving tide and paddle with it where you can
• Low tide drains the flats and exposes oyster bars; plan your landing and departure around the water level
• The first of the rising tide pushes redfish and trout back onto the flats
• Calm mornings give the clearest water for sight fishing
• Afternoon sea breezes and summer storms can make the crossing rough

The island is undeveloped and help is across the water, so plan carefully.

• Check the tide and wind before crossing; the channel current is strong and boat traffic runs to the Cedar Key docks
• Oyster bars cut feet and hulls; wear shoes and watch for them at low tide
• Shuffle your feet for stingrays when wading
• Venomous cottonmouths are common on the Cedar Keys islands; watch your step on the trail and in the brush
• Bring water, sun protection and insect repellent; there is little shade on the beaches
• Lightning is a real danger on open water; get off the water when storms build
• Access is by boat and beach landing only; not suited to wheelchairs

There are no facilities on the island that visitors can rely on.

• The refuge lists no restroom, drinking water, food, bait or tackle, so do not count on a toilet
• A nature trail leads to the old town's cemetery and ruins; the refuge's volunteers report it open, though without its boardwalk
• Kayak and boat rentals and tours run from Cedar Key; buy bait and supplies before you cross
• Pack out everything you bring

• Launch at a slack or rising tide so the channel current is gentle for the crossing
• Beach the kayak well above the water line; the tide rises quickly here
• Work the edges where the grass flats drop into the channel for trout and redfish
• Fall is the best season, when redfish school and the summer crowds are gone
• Combine a morning of fishing with the short walk to the historic cemetery

Atsena Otie Key is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge.

• Open sunrise to sunset
• Shore fishing is allowed along the refuge's island beaches; Snake Key's beaches and a 100-yard water buffer around it close from March 1 to June 30
• All of Atsena Otie Key is open, but the interiors of the refuge's other islands are closed year-round
• No fires, camping or off-leash dogs, and no collecting of plants, animals or shells
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit; tarpon have their own rules, so check FWC
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything