Whether you want to do deep-sea fishing or light tackle the pristine waters surround Sanibel & Captiva Island provide excellent fishing opportunity for everyone. Whether offshore, inshore, back bay, pier, beach or wade sea fishing, fish can be found here year ‘round.
You can hire a fishing guide or captain and go for a half or full day charter; or you can rent your own boat from one of the marina. You can also, surf cast from the beaches or fish from one of the docks or bridges. Some of the popular places to fish are The Causeway, Blind Pass Bridge, the Pier on the bayside of Sanibel lighthouse and Bowman’s Beach. One can see many species of fishes here, popular ones are: Bass, Cobia, Drum, Flounder, Grouper, Mackerel, Mullet, Pompano, Redfish, Sea trout, Shark. Sheep head, Snapper, Snook and Tarpon.
You will need a license for fresh water and saltwater fishing which you can easily get at any marinas, The Bait Box and Bailey’s General store. However, if you fulfill any of the below conditions you don’t need a license.
A free list of regulations regarding fishing is also published by the Florida Marine Fisheries Commission which you can easily get at the same place you will purchase your license.
And, don’t forget your sunscreen, polarized sunglasses and hat.
The emerald green and gleaming blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico offers some of the best Deep Sea/Offshore fishing off the islands of Sanibel & Captiva. The Gulf of Mexico is a shallow waterway permitting fishermen to be 20 to 30 miles seaward and be in just 50 to 75 feet of water. There are no coral reefs, yet various manufactured reefs and boat wrecks offer awesome fishing and diving.
The Gulf of Mexico Offshore of Sanibel Island and Captiva can be categorized into two different classes; State and Federal waters. The emerald green waters out to nine miles from the shoreline are known as State waters, while the clean sparkling blue sea extending from nine miles and past is assigned United States government waters.
State waters, dependably inside of sight of area, are where a large portion of the fishing action happens and these waters offer species typical of our Inshore waters; Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Snapper, Shark, Tripletail, Florida Pompano, Grunts and littler Grouper are basic catches.
In the wilderness of more profound blue water outside of anyone’s ability to see of area, the genuine “offshore” or Deep Sea environment highlights the best Grouper fishing in the State of Florida. Remote ocean fishers are commonly centered focused types of fish that make great table fare, and offshore of Sanibel and Captiva this catalog is long; Gag Grouper, Red Grouper, Black Grouper, Scamp Grouper, Yellowtail Snapper, Red Snapper, Lane Snapper, Mangrove Snapper, Hogfish, Permit, African Pompano, Porgy’s and Cobia are regular catches year round.
Seaward fishers likewise typically experience bigger pelagic species, for example, the monstrous Goliath Grouper, Amberjack, King Mackerel, and different types of Shark. Offshore fishing guides must be authorized with a limited access government license to fish waters past nine miles from the shoreline, however strict and compelling administration measures have permitted our waters to remain a vibrant resource for eras of fisherman.
Sanibel and Captiva Islands offers prime fishing for some species including the popular snook, redfish, ocean trout and tarpon.
SNOOK: Because the natural surroundings around our islands contains various inlet river mouths, oyster bars and mangrove shorelines, there is a bounteous snook fishery here… 12 months a year.
REDFISH: Our islands have one of the healthiest, biggest redfish populaces in the State of Florida.
SEATROUT: Seatrout are turning out to be more ample and bigger because of good fishery administration. With more fish and bigger fish, the ocean trout is getting a huge admiration as highly south after saltwater gamester.
TARPON: Tarpon fishing is so dynamic around Captiva and Sanibel Islands; it justifies its own review. This area is the support of tarpon angling. The first tarpon got on rod and reel was in 1885 by W.H. Wood utilizing bait and thumb stall reel with linen line right here on Sanibel Island in Tarpon Bay.
The yearly migration of tarpon begins around mid-April and goes well into the month of July.
Tarpon fishing in well known Boca Grande Pass (renowned as the World Capital of Tarpon Fishing) with expert captain is generally drift fishing in large boat utilizing no less than 50# tackle.
The armada of Sanibel expert fishing guide fish mainly off the east end of Sanibel offshore, anchored up, chumming and utilize light to heavier tackle.
For the light tackle and fly fisherman, professional tarpon guides use skiffs from 16 feet to 23 feet cruise the beaches and back bay areas in hot pursuit of the migrating fish.
This area offers the best in tarpon fishing… such a large number of casts and so many opportunities.
Sanibel and Captiva Islands is a spot where fishers appreciate saltwater fly fishing at its best. Experienced fly rodders fish this region each month of the year due to plenty of fishes and the unrivaled sight casting opportunities. Fly fishers making the move from freshwater to the salt may need to exploit the local Professional Fishing Guides skilled in the art of teaching.
There are various different species that can be sought after on fly whether inshore or offshore: ladyfish, jack crevalle, spanish mackerel, kingfish, barracuda, cobia, license, pompano, struggle, snappers, shark, and so forth.
Off the beaches: The causeway beaches, the beaches closed to the Lighthouse end of Sanibel Island, Bowman’s Beach and the beaches off West Gulf Drive are areas to fish in shallow water with light handle utilizing live bait, artificial lures or fly poles. Early morning or in the evening, fishermen can walk the beaches and cast to snook, sea trout, whiting , flounder, mackerel or pompano.
Fishing pier: Fishing from the dock, or just close by it, offers catches of redfish, snook, sheepshead, dark drum, snapper and different species. Angling on the wharf as a rule obliges heavier tackle.
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge: great fishing along Wildlife Drive for mangrove snapper, seatrout, redfish, snook and here and there baby tarpon.
YOLO Watersports
11534 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva, FL 33924
(239) 472-9656
Captiva Watersports
15951 Captiva Dr, Captiva, FL 33924
(239) 472-6336
Yacht Charters inc
634 N Yachtsman Drive
Sanibel Island, FL 33957
(239) 472-2531
Adventures in Paradise Czruise:
Ph: (239) 472-8443
Captiva Fishing Charters:
15107 Captiva Dr Captiva, FL 3324
(239) 349-2158
Santiva Salt Water Fishing Team:
(239) 472-1779
Adventure Sea Kayak at Tween Waters Resort:
15951 Captiva Dr, Captiva, FL 33924
(239) 822-3337
Captain John Houstons Nativeguides fishing
15183 Captiva Dr, Captiva, FL 33924
(239) 822-3337
My Captiva Fishing Guide
15951 Captiva Dr, Captiva
(239) 810-0656
Sanibel Sport Fishing Charters:
940 S Yachtsman Dr, Sanibel, FL 33957
(508) 808-2988
Tarpon Bay Explorers
900 Tarpon Bay Rd, Sanibel, FL 33957
(239) 472-8900
Captain Ozzie Lessinger
(239) 910-7764
Blind Date Charters
(239) 810-2473
Tagger 11 Charters:
(239) 472-3841
Bait & Tackle
Whitney’s Bait & Tackle
1554 Periwinkle Way
Sanibel Island, FL 33957
(239)-579-0399
