Fishing in SW
Florida
18# Caloosahatchee
Snook
Tarpon,
Snook, Redfish, Big Jacks
Catch
and release fishing only
Cost: $50 per hour, minimum
two hours. Bring a kid under 16 and save 10%.
See Booking page for more details
.
Trips for more than one angler can be arranged but small boats are designed
for one angler and the guide. Experienced fishermen welcome to bring their
favorite gear, I provide appropriate tackle.
Fish from first light (negotiable). No long boat rides.
All inclusive: guide, boat, licenses, soft drinks. Insured. Fishing from a
Hewes Bayfisher
No smoking on board.
Photographs taken. Bring your camera.
Wildlife - otters, alligators, raccoons, manatees. Great birding - herons,
eagles, ibis, egrets, storks, and many others.
Photo courtesy of SFWMD
Trips usually
start from Manatee World off Palm Beach Blvd. or Sweetwater Landings
off SR 31. You can click on the map above for driving instructions.
For an aerial view check out the TerraServer
site.
Bird Island
The Fishing
The waters of southwest
Florida have their origins deep in the heart of the state. Fresh
water from rain and springs feeds numerous creeks and streams which
flow into the Caloosahatchee River. Water is also released from
Lake Okeechobee into the ICW through a system of locks to the Caloosahatchee's
vast estuary. The river then flows into Pine Island Sound and the
Gulf of Mexico.
It is the tidal area,
east of Fort Myers and some 15 miles from the Gulf that I hunt
fish. Though miles wide at places, the many islands and creeks
almost always provide shelter from the wind. It is this rich estuary
that many fish winter and many more spawn in the spring.
The estuary is the life
blood of our fishery. Giant snook winter there, 100 pound plus
tarpon frequent the deep pools and channels while schools of reds,
jacks, ladyfish, and other species feed in the shallow bays and
creeks that teem with bait. The area has extensive mangrove shorelines,
grass flats, sheltered bays and structure, structure, structure.
It's great fishin'.
Links
SW
Florida Aquatic Nuisance Species
SW
Florida's Migratory Tarpon
Real
time data from the Caloosahatchee
Tide
data for SW Florida
Water
flows at Franklin Locks
News,
Weather in Fort Myers
Fishing
the Lee Island Coast and Beyond
The
Snook Foundation
Summary
of Recreational Fishing Laws - Saltwater
