Florida · Southwest
REDFISH FISHING
IN FORT MYERS
Fort Myers is an excellent destination for redfish fishing, with peak season in May, September, October and good catches in January, February, March. Book a charter and target redfish with local experts.
About Redfish Fishing in Fort Myers
Also known as Red Drum, one of the most sought-after inshore gamefish in the Gulf. Known for powerful runs and the distinctive spot on the tail.
Redfish — also called Red Drum — are the most popular inshore gamefish along the Gulf and South Atlantic coasts. They are bronze-copper in color with one or more distinctive black spots near the tail, which scientists believe confuse predators into attacking the wrong end. Juveniles (called "rat reds") are bright gold or copper, while bull reds over 30 inches take on a deeper bronze-red hue with a pronounced hump behind the head. Males and females are visually identical, though females grow larger and are the primary spawners.
Scientific name: Sciaenops ocellatus
Redfish Seasonal Calendar — Fort Myers
Month-by-month availability for redfish in Fort Myers, FL.
How to Catch Redfish in Fort Myers
Techniques & Bait
Live shrimp under a popping cork is the most reliable year-round technique. Soft plastic jigs (gold spoons, paddle-tail swimbaits on 1/4 oz jigheads) worked along oyster bars and grass flat edges are deadly. For trophy bulls in the fall, fresh-cut mullet or blue crab on a Carolina rig fished near passes and jetties is hard to beat. Sight-casting to tailing reds on shallow flats with gold spoons or fly-rod presentations is the pinnacle of the sport.
Recommended Tackle
Medium or medium-light spinning rod (7 ft), 2500-3000 size reel, 10-15 lb braided line, 20 lb fluorocarbon leader. For bull reds: medium-heavy rod, 4000 reel, 20-30 lb braid, 30 lb leader.
Best Inshore Fishing Spots in Fort Myers
Top spots where local captains target redfish and other inshore species.
Matlacha Pass
Matlacha Pass is a productive tidal waterway separating Pine Island from the mainland, known for its oyster bars and mangrove shorelines that hold snook, redfish, and spotted seatrout year-round. The pass funnels water between Charlotte Harbor and San Carlos Bay, concentrating baitfish on every tide change. The Matlacha Bridge pilings are especially productive for sheepshead and mangrove snapper during cooler months.
Pine Island Sound
Pine Island Sound stretches between Pine Island and the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva, offering vast grass flats and mangrove islands teeming with snook, redfish, and seatrout. The sound's shallow waters are ideal for poling skiffs and sight-fishing on calm mornings. Tarpon flood the sound from May through August, making it one of the premier tarpon fisheries on Florida's southwest coast.
Caloosahatchee River
The Caloosahatchee River flows through downtown Fort Myers and empties into San Carlos Bay, creating a brackish mixing zone loaded with snook, tarpon, and jack crevalle. Bridge pilings along the Edison Bridge and Midpoint Bridge hold snook and sheepshead year-round. The river's deeper holes and residential docks provide consistent action even during cold fronts when fish seek warmer freshwater inflow.
San Carlos Bay
San Carlos Bay sits at the confluence of the Caloosahatchee River and the Gulf of Mexico, bordered by Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach. Its grass flats and sandbars hold redfish, snook, seatrout, and flounder, while the deeper channels attract tarpon during summer migrations. The Sanibel Causeway islands provide excellent wade-fishing access to productive flats.
Other Species in Fort Myers
More fish you can target while visiting Fort Myers.
Redfish Fishing in Fort Myers — FAQ
The peak months for Redfish fishing in Fort Myers are May, September, October. During these months, Redfish are most active and abundant in the Fort Myers area.
Redfish fishing charters in Fort Myers are typically inshore trips. Prices vary by trip duration and group size. Most charters include all gear, bait, licenses, and fish cleaning.
Live shrimp under a popping cork is the most reliable year-round technique. Soft plastic jigs (gold spoons, paddle-tail swimbaits on 1/4 oz jigheads) worked along oyster bars and grass flat edges are deadly. For trophy bulls in the fall, fresh-cut mullet or blue crab on a Carolina rig fished near passes and jetties is hard to beat. Sight-casting to tailing reds on shallow flats with gold spoons or fly-rod presentations is the pinnacle of the sport.
No — when you book a charter in Fort Myers, your captain provides all required Florida fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Redfish regulations in Florida include minimum size limits and bag limits that vary by season. Your captain will know the current regulations and ensure compliance.
While targeting Redfish in Fort Myers, you may also catch Snook, Sheepshead, Tarpon, Mangrove Snapper, King Mackerel. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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