Fort Myers/Sanibel Fishing Report — March 2025
Cobia following rays through Pine Island Sound; snook feeding aggressively. Updated every Thursday with current conditions, what’s biting, and where to focus your fishing effort.
What’s Biting in Fort Myers/Sanibel — March 2025
Check back every Thursday for updated fishing conditions and current bite reports for Fort Myers/Sanibel. See our Fort Myers/Sanibel fishing guide for full seasonal information.
Inshore: Cobia Following Stingrays
March in Fort Myers and Sanibel is when the inshore cobia migration peaks. The most productive technique is sight-casting from the bow as you idle the beach east of Boca Grande Pass and along Sanibel and Captiva. Cobia will school behind big stingrays on the flats — anywhere you see a ray fanning a sand cloud, look 10 feet behind it for a brown/silver shape gliding along. A 1.5–2 oz chartreuse bucktail or live pinfish on a 4/0 circle is the high-percentage approach. The fish are aggressive this month and will eat virtually any bait pitched in their face.
Pre-Spawn Snook on the Flats
Snook are coming alive on the flats inside Pine Island Sound as water temperatures push past 70°F. The deeper grass flats around Cabbage Key, Useppa, and Captiva Pass are holding pre-spawn fish stacked in 4–8 feet of water. Live pinfish or sardines free-lined with no weight is producing slot fish. Topwater plugs (Spook Jr, MirrOlure Top Dog) at first light on the shallow flats. The night dock-light bite hasn’t fully turned on yet but the warmest pockets after the next two warm nights should fire.
Sheepshead Transitioning, Trout in Creeks
Sheepshead fishing is winding down from its peak. The bigger fish are starting to move offshore for spawn, but you can still load the box on the inshore structure — Sanibel Causeway, the rocks at Boca Grande Pass, and the bridges have fish through mid-month. Fiddler crabs on a 1/0 jighead remains the standard. Seatrout are holding in the deeper creek mouths and warming flats during sunny afternoons.
Local Hotspots This Month
The Boca Grande Pass beach east of the lighthouse is the cobia hot zone for sight-casting. Captiva Pass on outgoing tide for snook pre-spawn. Tarpon Bay grass flats at first light for trout and the occasional early-season redfish. The Sanibel Causeway pilings for late-season sheepshead. Pine Island Sound back lakes for tailing redfish at low tide on calm mornings.
Conditions, Boat Ramps, Regs
Water temps 70–73°F and climbing. Florida saltwater license required. Cobia 33-inch minimum, 1-fish bag (verify current FWC). Snook stamp required for harvest, slot 28–32 inches, 1-fish bag. Sheepshead 12-inch minimum, 8-fish bag. Seatrout slot 15–19 inches, 5-fish bag. Top ramps: Punta Rassa for fast pass access, Burnt Store for Pine Island Sound, Tarpon Bay Marina on Sanibel. Tight lines.
Boat Ramps and Spring Strategy
Punta Rassa boat ramp is the fastest launch for Boca Grande Pass and the cobia beach. Burnt Store Marina ramp is the closest option for Charlotte Harbor and the Pine Island Sound channels. Tarpon Bay Marina on Sanibel for the back lakes and tailing redfish. Shore anglers: the Sanibel Causeway A and B fishing areas (small parking fee), the Tony Saprito (Bowman’s Beach) area, and the Captiva Pass jetties all give walk-on access. March weather is unstable — fronts can drop water temps 6-8°F overnight. Pick the post-front warming days for the most consistent bite. Tight lines.