Home Forums Fishing Saltwater Feb-April in Fort Meyers area....

What can you catch surf fishing or in the gulf? Are there good fresh water opportunities available? Thanks kindly.

Those months can be very good redfish months and in March and April, as the water warms up, the snook fishing starts up. There are also tarpon starting up too. They also like the warmer water. Depending upon the water temps Feb can be so so, but it usually warms up pretty fast in the Gulf.

I've always though of March as sort of a transitional month for fishing. Redfish seem to handle the colder water a little better, snook don't like the cold at all, in fact, the winter of 2010 killed hundreds of thousands of snook from Tampa south and the area is still recovering. February can be excellent further south around Everglades City all the way to the south.

Ft Myers is situated in a nice spot for fishing. You have terrific flats fishing just to the north in Charlotte Cty, you have great tarpon fishing in and around Boca Grande, and good snook and tarpon fishing from there all the way through Estero Bay down to Naples, then to Marco Island, and south from there. Even the bass fishing is great. I grew up in North Naples and fished this area for many years. I still fish there a few times a year. I like May, June, and July the best. Nice thing is that there's always something around to catch.

As the water warms up, fishing on the beaches for snook and tarpon, early in the morning and at night can be very good. There are a lot of great spots for freshwater fishing. I guess it mostly depends on how you you plan to fish them. There are a few big lakes that you would need a boat. The rivers can mostly be fished from a canoe. There are golf course ponds and drainage canals that hold plenty of big bass.

Thanks Tom. Very informative. If you had to pick one two-week period (what we are planning next year) when wouldvyou go for casual surf fishing from a house on the beach and perhaps a trip or two into the Gulf?

I take it southern Fl-- the Keys, etc.--is 2-4 weeks ahead fishing-wise.

I would say the fishing gets better as the water gets warmer, so I'd say anytime in April or May, even June would be very nice. Without getting into the really high temps of the summer.

I'm headed there at the end of the month. I would have gone earlier but I couldn't get away. The Gulf temps should be warm enough to enjoy swimming. Offshore fishing will be more comfortable as you get into the warmer months too because the Gulf waters get pretty calm. So going further out isn't quite as difficult. I hate it when its rough. There aren't as many grouper as there used to be...probably an understatement, but there are plenty of snappers of various types that should be fun to catch. The spring/summer months are great for fishing along the beach in the early morning and around sunset.

When I'm in town, most evenings I like to fish from a canoe around the mangroves with a topwater lure for snook. Sometimes I hook up my elec trolling motor. I really enjoy fishing like that.

To cover more ground, you could rent a canoe and take it with you for a few days from the Estero River Bait shop on US41. There are probably other places around that rent them too.

As far as the Keys go, their top months seem to be Apr and May for tarpon, then the tarpon seem to move their way north along the Gulf. I don't think that the Boca Grande tarpon are part of this group, but who knows. Some people think that the Boca Grande tarpon hang out there to spawn in the pass and then move further north.

There's probably something going on in the Keys most of the year. Even in the winter months, the fishing in the Flamingo area can be terrific. You could spend a lifetime fishing the Keys and not see it all.