Pensacola Gets 43 New Artificial Reefs

If you’ve spent much time fishing out of Pensacola Pass, here’s some good news.

Escambia County recently deployed 43 new artificial reefs just outside the pass, putting more structure on the bottom for fish to stack up on in the years ahead. The project included 217 concrete reef modules placed in 45 to 55 feet of water about 4.5 miles offshore.

New reefs mean new opportunities. It won’t happen overnight, but these spots will eventually attract baitfish, snapper, triggerfish, amberjack, and plenty of other Gulf species that depend on structure.

One of the reefs was placed in memory of Capt. Eddie Lively, a well-known Pensacola charter captain who spent his life on these waters.

For local fishermen, more reef habitat is always a win. It helps spread fishing pressure across more areas and gives fish another place to grow and thrive. Whether you’re dropping baits for snapper, looking for triggerfish, or just hunting for new numbers to check out, it’s good to see more structure being added to the Gulf.

We’ll be keeping an eye on these reefs over the next few seasons to see how they develop.