Keep on Fishin’
This primer will point you to some of the best places in Southwest Florida to reel in your catch of the day
Good fishing and prime real estate have something important in common: location, location, location. You want a place where the fish are plentiful and the surroundings are pleasant. Luckily, you don’t have to go far to enjoy both. Bonita Springs and its surrounding areas offer some of Florida’s most active and scenic fishing spots. The fish are biting best in these waters when the temperatures begin to heat up and cool down—spring (March to May) and fall (September to early December). “Fish are a lot like people,” says Steve Nagy, owner of Bonita Springs Fishing, a fishing charter company. “When it’s too hot, the fish tend to be sluggish and just want to hang out and not do anything.”
In the spring, however, the waters swarm with redfish, snook, trout, grouper, snapper, jack cravelle and even tarpon as schools pass through on their northern migration. “In the fall, you can get everything coming back south for the winter,” says Nagy.
If you are somewhat new to fishing, a complete novice, or a seasoned angler who just wants to sit back and enjoy the ride, opt for a fishing charter. Most of the local charters offer trips that are four, six or eight hours long, and provide all the essentials: rods and reels, live bait, snacks and best of all an escort to the prime fishing spots. You’ll get to experience fishing in Southwest Florida’s natural and artificial reefs, inland mangroves and grass flats and around the rim of Estero Bay and up to nine miles into the Gulf.
Charter captains also offer impromptu casting lessons and can easily fit you with the best rod and reel for your level of expertise. Have your own equipment and favorite artificial lure? Bring it aboard.
Of course, fish are not the only wildlife you may encounter during charter exhibitions. As you skim across the water or bob with the tide, keep a sharp eye out for dolphin pods, lolling manatees, low-gliding brown pelicans, noisy parakeets and perching egrets. “It is all easy on the eyes,” says Nagy.
THE FISH ARE BITING BEST IN THESE WATERS WHEN THE TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO HEAT UP AND COOL DOWN— SPRING (MARCH TO MAY) AND FALL (SEPTEMBER TO EARLY DECEMBER).