| January |
Snook, Sheepshead, Seatrout |
Warm discharges, dock pilings, grass flats |
Snook in Cape Coral canals and warm discharges; sheepshead on structure |
| February |
Sheepshead, Seatrout, Snook |
Fiddler crabs on structure, soft plastics |
Best sheepshead month; seatrout in deep Pine Island Sound grass |
| March |
Cobia, Spanish Mackerel, Snook |
Sight-casting cobia, topwater |
Cobia following rays through Pine Island Sound |
| April |
Cobia, Snook, Tarpon (early) |
Live bait, topwater plugs |
Cobia peak; snook pre-spawn; first tarpon entering the Sound |
| May |
Tarpon, Snook, Redfish |
Live crabs and mullet, topwater at dawn |
Tarpon building toward Boca Grande; excellent inshore all month |
| June |
Tarpon (PEAK), Snook |
Live crabs at Boca Grande Pass — 20 min north |
Peak tarpon at Boca Grande — world’s most famous tarpon fishery |
| July |
Tarpon, Snook, Redfish |
Live bait, topwater at dawn |
Tarpon continue; excellent dawn topwater snook and redfish |
| August |
Snook, Redfish, Flounder |
DOA jigs, gold spoons, soft plastics |
All-around excellent inshore; flounder building in passes |
| September |
Snook, Redfish, Pompano |
Topwater, jigs, live shrimp |
Snook reopens; redfish schooling; pompano in the Gulf surf |
| October |
Redfish, Seatrout, Snook |
Gold spoons, popping corks |
Best fall inshore month on Pine Island Sound |
| November |
Seatrout, Snook, Grouper (nearshore) |
Soft plastics, live shrimp, bottom fishing |
Good trout on flats; gag grouper nearshore as water cools |
| December |
Sheepshead, Snook, Seatrout |
Crab on structure, warm discharges |
Winter pattern returns; sheepshead and snook near warm water |