This is tarpon country in mid-June, and the silver kings are stacked in and around the passes near Fort Myers and Sanibel. Boca Grande Pass to the north continues to draw the crowds, but fish are also rolling along the beaches and through Captiva and Redfish passes. Pass crabs on the strong tides have been the standout, with the falling tide producing the most consistent action.
Snook are thick along the beaches, around the passes, and in the river mouths, offering excellent catch-and-release sport — the Gulf snook season is closed through the end of August. Whitebait and small swimbaits at first light draw aggressive eats from fish in the troughs.
Inside, redfish are working the mangrove shorelines and oyster bars of Pine Island Sound and the backcountry on the higher tides, and spotted seatrout are holding on the deeper grass flats. Live shrimp and gold spoons remain the dependable inshore choices.
Nearshore, the artificial reefs and structure are giving up mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, and the occasional cobia. Goliath grouper around the passes and wrecks offer heavy-tackle catch-and-release battles.
With the heat and afternoon storms in full summer mode, early starts pay. The tarpon bite around the passes should remain excellent through June — time your trip to the moving water and keep the snook gear handy for release fishing on the beaches.
Spots & Access This Week
The pass tarpon bite is centered on Boca Grande Pass to the north, but Captiva Pass, Redfish Pass, and the beaches off Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach are all holding rolling fish on the moving tides. For trailer-boat anglers, the Punta Rassa ramp on San Carlos Bay puts you closest to the Sanibel Causeway flats and the lower Sound, while the Pine Island ramps at Matlacha and the Pineland/St. James City area give the quickest run to the Pine Island Sound mangrove shorelines and oyster bars. Bowditch Point at the north end of Fort Myers Beach is the staging point for working the beach troughs at first light.
Inside, look for redfish and trout to concentrate on the higher water around the Sound’s bars and creek mouths; nearshore, the artificial reefs off the beaches are the move for snapper, Spanish, and the odd cobia.
This Week’s Tip
Time your tarpon effort to the falling tide and drift live pass crabs through the deeper cuts — the outgoing water consistently outproduces the flood here in June. Start early: summer’s afternoon thunderstorms build fast over the Gulf, and the calm, low-light window before 9 a.m. is both the safest and the most productive. Keep a spinning rod rigged with whitebait or a small swimbait ready for snook in the beach troughs on the way in, and remember Gulf snook season is closed through August — handle and release them in the water. Always confirm current FWC regulations before you fish.