Bonita Springs, Lee County, FL
Partly Cloudy
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84°F
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Feels 94°
Naples Premier Offshore Fishing Charter
Pattern day — fish are predictable. Work structure and watch the feeding windows.
80-150lb mono leader with crimps
Tarpon require heavy, abrasion-resistant leaders; their mouths are tough and bony
Two-hook rig with sand flea bait
Classic beach setup — pompano love sand fleas; productive all year
Silver spoon (Hopkins, Acme)
Ideal for Spanish mackerel in the surf — fast retrieve, great flash
Classic shad-shaped hardlure plug
Beach staple — works for Spanish macks, bluefish, and mackerel
Local Fishing Resource
Boca Grande — the Tarpon Capital of the World — plus Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound
Open the Charlotte & Lee Counties Cheat Sheet
Centropomus undecimalis
Prized sport fish found around mangroves and inlets. Sensitive to cold temperatures.
Local Notes: Patrol the shoreline at night during summer. Topwater and live bait work near any structure or trough.
Trachinotus carolinus
Excellent eating fish found in surf. Silver body with yellow fins.
Local Notes: Run the first trough behind the breaking waves at Bonita Beach. Sand fleas on a pompano rig or a 1/4-oz jig with shrimp.
Scomberomorus maculatus
Fast-swimming pelagic fish with gold spots. Common in spring and fall.
Local Notes: Blitz along the beach at Bonita Beach during bait migrations. Casting silver spoons into the frenzy.
Sciaenops ocellatus
Popular game fish with distinctive black spot near tail. Found in shallow coastal waters.
Local Notes: Hunt the troughs and shell pockets along Bonita Beach. Cut mullet or live pinfish on a fish-finder rig.
Archosargus probatocephalus
Bottom feeder with strong teeth. Found around structures and pilings.
Local Notes: Hold around any structure, rocks, or sea walls near Bonita Beach. Fiddler crabs are most effective.
Cynoscion nebulosus
Popular inshore species with distinctive spots. Found over grass flats and sandy bottoms.
Local Notes: Work the nearshore grass patches visible from Bonita Beach with DOA Shrimp or live pilchards at first light.
Megalops atlanticus
Large powerful fish known for spectacular jumps. Migrates along Florida coast.
Local Notes: Roll along the beach at Bonita Beach in the early morning during spring migrations. Live mullet or crabs.
