Seasons
Boca Grande Florida Fly Fishing Season
Fly Fishing Targeted Areas
Captain Skip Zink will take you to the best fishing areas based on the season and the type of fish you hope to catch. Charters can be scheduled as far North as off South Venice, throughout Charolotte Harbor, and as far South as off St. James City.
Popular areas include:
- Charlotte Harbor
- Bull Bay
- Boca Grande
- Turtle Bay
- Pine Island Sound
- Myakka River
- Peace River
January and February
Generally speaking this is a very pleasant time of year to be out on the water, Temperatures are cooling off this time of year and the fish move to warm deeper water. This spells Backcountry.
Tailing Reds are still up on the flats and sight fishing and stalking is the preferred game.
The fronts move in and out and can offer some exceptional fishing for reds. Poling along a flat or casting to the Mangrove edges or finding them on the sand holes can be exciting and rewarding during this time of year. The Pine island area along with Bull and Turtle Bays are some of our target areas. Great fishing and beautiful surroundings make a day on the flats enjoyable and memorable. Snook and also targeted at this time of year in many of the same areas that hold Redfish found in and around creeks and points. Watching a Snook come to ambush and inhale a fly is as exciting as it gets.
So bring a light jacket your polarized glasses and let’s go have some fun catching these fish of the flats.
March and April
As the water starts to warm the baitfish move back to the flats, and Reds and Snook come with them. In the spring the backcountry fishing heats up just like the water does. Redfish, Snook, and Tarpon, are all available at this time. This is Prime time for a Slam, Slams happen at this time of year! Skinny water Snook can make a reel scream and most anglers too. This is topwater time for the Fish, gurgglers and poppers are the fly that makes it happen.
Tarpon make their presence known cursing the bars in the last weeks of April. Whether looking for baby tarpon in the creeks or finding laid up fish at this time of year gets everyone fired up anticipating the migratory return of the Sliver King. So book early and pick your dates and let’s go have some fun and excitement while catching some great Boca Grande game Fish.
April-November
Schools of Reds are beginning to spread out and The Tails in the air time is here. Tarpon start make their presence known on the flats of Boca Grande, Pine Island Sound, and Charlotte Harbor in mid-March. Laid up tarpon are found on deeper flats and edges early in the season. and they love flies. As June arrives migratory schools of fish move along the Coast heading the north. Tarpon are found in the backcountry flats, passes, and beaches. Boca Grande tarpon fishing in May and June is considered the prime time. Tarpon fishing stays hot through July, August, September, and October. In the fall the Tarpon numbers remain strong and the number of fisherman is few and far between. Casting to Laid up Tarpon is the way to go and in October the fish in Charlotte Harbor and Boca Grande remain Hungry and willing to eat a well presented fly.
May
Tarpon time Tarpon time, The kick off month for the migration and return of the Silver King to Boca Grande . Book Early to get your dates.
The beaches and bars start filling with the annual return the the Tarpon. This world class fish is here in numbers and can stay until early fall if the conditions are correct.
June
The Tarpon remain Strong and crowds are thinning down, but the Red Fish are active and are up on the flats, Night time Snook fishing this time of year is fun and exciting. it’s all happening this time of year.
July
Its hot and so is the fishing. The Tarpon remain strong this month and it can be a excellent time for numbers of Tarpon on the beaches and back country, Also the Snook action stars heating up in July with the Snook spawning on the beaches, creek mouths and bay entrances. Reds are going off and the Snook are on the beaches. The numbers of anglers has died down, and with less pressure the fishing heats up!
August
The Snook are in strong numbers on the beaches, this is spawning time for these linesiders and Some of our larger Snook are caught this time of year from our the beaches.
August, September, October
Juvenile tarpon fishing is going off the hook! Tarpon fishing can be fantastic in August, not the super tanker fish but in the range of 20lbs. to 60lbs. The Tarpon move into the upper harbor to feed on a lady fish and glass minnows. Action can be fast on the right days with multipile hook-ups. Catching them crashing through bait is a fisherman’s dream coming true. Targeting these bruisers can be exciting as it gets and when the tides are right watch out for sore arms and screaming reels.
September, October, November
Redfish are a spectacular fly rod game fish. Redfish love to attack flies and can be found tailing, and pushing every month. They give themselves up by waving their bronze spotted tails above the water while they look for crabs, shrimp at this time of year. A fly put in font of one these fish will usually get hammered. Hooking a tailing red is exciting and a thrilling way to connect with one of these magnificent fish. These bulldogs of the flats run anywhere from 5lbs. to over 15 lbs.
Backcountry Snook fishing is on fire this time of year. Snook are found deep in the mangroves chasing small baitfish and looking for crabs. Top water flies are the excellent producers this time of year and make for some great takes. Poling the flats, wading the shallow water offer some of year’s best sight fishing. Wading is a great way to get up close and personal with these fly busting fish.
Laid-up and tarpon can still be found in some the cuts and holes that are found on the deeper flats.
Inshore Fly & Light Tackle 775-742-3991
Boca Grande Fly Fishing Guide
