Florida Fly Fishing Seasons | Sea and Stream Outfitters

FLORIDA FLY FISHING SEASONS

Charlotte Harbor Redfish Fishing FALL IN BOCA GRANDE, FLORIDA

October, November, and December

Tailing redfish, busting snook, and laid-up tarpon are the main course for the Charlotte Harbor fly fisherman. The fall season is characterized by low tides that congregate the fish into very shallow water. The Florida redfish are tailing on the flats in large numbers, and the Boca Grande snook are found in inches of water ambushing baitfish. Casting a shrimp, crab, or baitfish imitation at the fish with proper presentation will yield big results.

Florida redfish are an exceptional fly rod game fish. After all, they love to attack flies and can be found tailing, backing, or pushing bait every month of the year in knee-deep water. They are primarily bottom feeders, and oftentimes, they are unaware that their tails are flopping out of the water awaiting your fly. The average size of Florida redfish is 4 to 8 pounds and measures 24 to 30 inches in length. Watching tailing Redfish is almost as rewarding as hooking up with one of these beautiful fish.

Charlotte Harbor Backcountry Snook Snook fishing is awesome this time of year. Large numbers of snook are found deep in the Florida mangroves crushing and destroying schools of small baitfish. Surface flies are the primary producers this time of year and yield vicious strikes. Poling the banks as well as wading the shallow water offers the year's best sight fishing for snook. The thrill of hearing, stalking, and sighting a busting snook will challenge any angler to maintain composure while presenting the fly. These rod-benders measure 22 to 32 inches on average and create the ultimate challenge for the skinny water angler.

Laid-up and cruising tarpon are found on the deeper flats and edges in the Charlotte Harbor bays. With the right weather and water temperatures, late season Boca Grande tarpon opportunities are available. Backcountry Florida tarpon fishing can be very good this time of year.

WINTER IN BOCA GRANDE, FLORIDA
Charlotte Harbor Redfish January and February

The cooler water temperatures this time of year send fish in search of warm water that is found deep in the Florida backcountry. Beautiful settings and awesome sight fishing is the norm. This is the time of year when shots come one at a time. It is you against one particular fish. Most of the fish are seen cruising the sand banks in search of shrimp and crabs. Food is not very prevalent, so the fish are very opportunistic feeders looking for anything that crosses their path. Tailing Boca Grande redfish are still very common on the grass flats, and sight fishing Captiva Island Redfish Fishing for Charlotte Harbor snook is great in the right places.

Generally, the weather this time of year is very pleasant, but it does get cold on the water. Bring your fleece, windbreaker, and polarized sunglasses and settle in on the boat for a relaxing day and some great fishing.

The occasional cold front will produce some of the best redfishing of the year. These fronts have a tendency of concentrating large numbers of fish into one area causing the fishing to be spectacular. The fish are eating more crabs and shrimp this time of year, and a nicely presented crab on the nose of a Florida backcountry redfish will lead to a beautiful chase and inhale of the fly.

Boca Grande Backcountry Redfish SPRING IN BOCA GRANDE, FLORIDA

March and April

Warmer water temperatures bring lots of baitfish back into the flats, and the game fish follow. In the spring, the Florida backcountry fishing comes alive as you fish for redfish, snook, and tarpon, sometimes all in the same day. Grand Slams are not uncommon this time of year!

Snook are one of the fastest and most elusive fish on the flats and love to jump when they feel the pull of your fly. They will strike your fly quickly, and as your heart pounds, they will leap out of the water trying to throw your hook. Poppers and surface flies are our main course for Boca Grande snook fishing this time of year. Cast the "hotlips" fly ten feet in front of a big single snook with his back out of the water, start chugging, and be ready for a violent strike.

In addition to the snook fishing, tailing and cruising redfish can be found all over the Florida flats. This is also the time of year when the tarpon begin their migration from Charlotte Harbor and further offshore to deeper tarpon flats along Pine Island Sound and surrounding islands. With the right weather conditions, shots can be taken at cruising, laid-up, and rolling tarpon in the Charlotte Harbor backcountry.

With the snook migrating out of the Myakka and Peace Rivers, the redfish feeding over sandy bottoms and grass flats, and the tarpon beginning to appear in the bay, there are definitely big numbers of fish to cast at this time of year.

Boca Grande Fly Fishing TARPON SEASON IN BOCA GRANDE, FLORIDA

Boca Grande Tarpon Fishing Tarpon make their appearance on the flats of Boca Grande, Pine Island Sound, and Charlotte Harbor in mid-March. Laid up tarpon are found floating on deeper flats and channel edges in the early season, and they love to eat little flies. As the season progresses, migratory schools of fish move along the Gulf Coast making their way north. Large schools of fish are found in the backcountry flats, passes, and beaches daisy chaining, milling, and cruising. Boca Grande tarpon fishing in May and June is considered the prime season, but the fishing stays good through July, August, September, and October. In October there are still good numbers of tarpon, and not many people fishing for them. Laid up tarpon fishing is as good as it gets in October with many fish still in Charlotte Harbor and on the Boca Grande beaches. Sea and Stream Outfitters will make sure one of these giants gets a hold of you.

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