May brings prime spring to Fort Myers and Sanibel, Florida.
Inshore – May 2025
Top targets: tarpon in pine island sound and matlacha pass, snook on beaches. Fish moving tides and structure early morning and evening.
Offshore – May 2025
Offshore: kingfish, cobia tapering, mahi in gulf. Find fish at temperature breaks and weedlines. Check NWS marine forecast.
- Fish moving tides for best inshore bites
- Dawn and dusk outperform midday
- Post-front windows often produce exceptional fishing
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Tarpon — Pine Island Sound Peak
May in Fort Myers and Sanibel is when tarpon dominate everything. Pine Island Sound is loaded with fish staging for the Boca Grande Pass run that peaks in June. Schools are rolling at first light along Cabbage Key, Useppa, and through the channels of Pine Island Sound. Live crabs and threadfin on a 7/0 circle hook is the textbook approach. Sight-casting to laid-up fish along the beaches and in calm pockets is producing for those willing to put in the boat time. Boca Grande Pass itself starts to fire toward the end of the month — the legendary run begins now.
Snook Pre-Spawn Blow-Up
Snook are in pre-spawn aggression mode throughout Pine Island Sound. Live whitebait or pilchards pitched tight to the mangroves on a high incoming tide is producing constant slot-fish action. The bigger fish (28–32 inches and up) are stacking at the pass mouths — Captiva Pass, Redfish Pass, Boca Grande — on outgoing tide. Live pinfish on a 4/0 circle hook free-lined into the current is the way.
Redfish and Trout Active
Redfish are spread across the flats and oyster bars throughout the Sound. Tailing fish on calm mornings at low tide near the islands east of Cabbage Key — sight-casting with gold spoons or weedless soft plastics is the most rewarding approach. Spotted trout are still on the grass flats at dawn. Topwater plugs in the first hour, then soft plastics on a 1/8 oz jighead. Live shrimp under a popping cork is foolproof.
Local Hotspots
Boca Grande Pass on outgoing tide — staging tarpon. Captiva Pass for snook in the cuts. Cabbage Key area for both tarpon and snook. Pine Island Sound back lakes at low tide for tailing reds. Tarpon Bay grass flats at dawn for trout. Matlacha Pass for the snook-on-mangrove bite.
Conditions, Ramps, Regs
Water temps 78–80°F. Florida saltwater license required. Tarpon over 40 inches release-only without tarpon tag. Snook stamp required, slot 28–32 inches, 1-fish bag, season closing June 1 (catch-and-release Jun-Aug). Redfish slot 18–27 inches, 1-fish bag. Best ramps: Punta Rassa for pass access, Burnt Store for Pine Island Sound. Tight lines.
Boat Ramps and Tarpon Strategy
Punta Rassa boat ramp for fast access to Boca Grande Pass and the beach runs. Burnt Store Marina is the easy launch for Pine Island Sound and Charlotte Harbor. Tarpon Bay Marina on Sanibel for back-lake redfish. For tarpon, the standard approach is to anchor or drift the pass on outgoing tide and chum/pitch live crabs. Bring 30 lb mono main line, 80 lb fluorocarbon leader, 7/0 circle hooks. Tarpon are released — bring a hook-out tool to handle leaders boatside. The afternoon thunderstorm pattern starts to build this month; keep an eye on radar. Tight lines.