# Anyone fish Fort Myers area?



## LouDog (Dec 31, 2002)

Comming down from Va this weekend and would appreicate any info.

Thanks,
Lou


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## BlueDragon777 (Mar 16, 2007)

I'm on the west coast, by Port Charlotte. And for the past 3-4 times I've tried to fish out here on the west coast, I haven't had any luck. The news said that agriculter (Farmers using nitro, pesticides, fertilizers, ect.) is causing 'Dead zones' from rain run-off into the gulf. And just yesterday, the local news also said that many sharks and other stuff is washing ashore. I don't know about the Ft. Myers area, but just a few clicks north of there is where I've been trying.
Good luck :fishing:


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## kooler (Nov 2, 2006)

BlueDragon777 said:


> I'm on the west coast, by Port Charlotte. And for the past 3-4 times I've tried to fish out here on the west coast, I haven't had any luck. The news said that agriculter (Farmers using nitro, pesticides, fertilizers, ect.) is causing 'Dead zones' from rain run-off into the gulf. And just yesterday, the local news also said that many sharks and other stuff is washing ashore. I don't know about the Ft. Myers area, but just a few clicks north of there is where I've been trying.
> Good luck :fishing:


damn! now thats disapointing and disturbing news


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## yogai (Oct 21, 2005)

If you're boatless, hit up a few areas.

Ft. Myers pier

Sanibel pier (if you're willing to pay parking)- lots of fish, but probably way too crowded with lame tourists. basically don't bother since you're not on sanibel.

Ding Darling Wildlife refuge- This is a neat place on Sanibel (toll bridge) where you can rent a canoe and go out with a buddy or whatever and fish for snook, sheephead, small tarpon, redfish, and black drum in mangrove canals. Don't buy the shrimp from the angry hippies that work the place, it's too expensive and they give you larval shrimp lol. 

Matlacha area- I go here all the time in the summer and I'll be down there in 3 weeks for spring break. you can fish the bridges (one huge one built for fishing, two smaller ones, all within walking distance) or rent a boat and go around the mangrove areas lookin for fish. My favorite thing to do is pull an all nighter on the bridge starting around 4 pm and goin til the next morning. In that timespan you can catch black drum, red drum, sheephead, spadefish, spanish macks, cobia, snook, tarpon, grouper, rays, ladyfish, sand bream, pinfish, grunts, jacks, oyster toadfish  and mangrove snapper. I've often get many catches of 4-6 species species in one evening/night/morning. Just buy like 4 dozen shrimp from the baitshops right near the bridge or on your way in and some frozen shrimp. You can catch tons of pinfish and grunts with teeny bits of frozen shrimp on dropper rigs with teeny hooks. Or you can bring a cast net and go to the side of the bridge and catch bait (dont cast net from the bridge). So you can keep fishing all night pretty easily. casting lures down the side of the bridge can get ladyfish, jacks, macks, snook, and reds.

Equipment to bring should be a medium to medium heavy spinning rod for bottom fishing with live bait and a lighter rod for lures. I usually haul around a 4/0 with a long bridge rod for big stuff like tarpon and permit. If you have surf fishing gear that you would use for stripers or drum in VA, you could bring that too. A heavy bait soaking rod could be good for snook and reds beach fishing or bridge fishing, and a lure surf rod could be good for snook and macks.

Matlacha is in Cape coral, so it may be a 30 minute drive from wherever you're staying, especially if you're on Ft. Myers beach:--| . yeah that's what I think of Ft. Myers beach. Too crowded, too many huge buildings, too much drinking and nastiness.


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## LouDog (Dec 31, 2002)

THANKS!...I actually stayed on Matlachae (sp) and Sanabel Island...beautiful area. I'm going back in a couple weeks. Your info is greatly appreciated.

Lou


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## yogai (Oct 21, 2005)

well if you're on matlacha, go to the bridge. You know what bridge I'm talking about, because its like the biggest thing in the whole town. Some of the shop-owners might not like it if you park at their place during open hours. but it' too hot too fish and too slow before 4:00 or so anyway, so you can park in front of most places when they close. Or if you're place is on that main drag with the three bridges, just walk there. On most nights, especially weekends, there'll be at least a few other ppl there.

Ask the people at the nearby baitshops for exactly what's biting and what to use, but watch out for those fast-talking matlacha ppl  who'll sell you the store. And please don't forget to hit up "Sandy Hook" restaurant thats just past the bridges on your left. Good food there and I always go.

If you have a timeshare on sanibel, you can go to the police station near the end of periwinkle way to get a parking permit. Bring verification of the ownership to please the angry old lady there. This will cost $10 and you won't have to pay a dollar an hour when you're at the pier or other places that require pay-to-park. Just walk right onto the pier with no fear of the po-po. and it's good for 6 months. That's just something they like to hide from people  so they get more money. This doesnt apply if you're renting a condo from someone who actually owns that timeslot or if you're at a hotel. If you aren't a "resident", meaning you own a timeshare property and pay state taxes, it's like $200 for a parking permit and don't bother.

If you can get a permit for the low price then go ahead and try the pier, because it does have loads of fish. otherwise, go there sparingly with the parking price, and watch out for the black-and-white because they are pretty strict there and patrol very regularly checking for unpaid vehicles. THis is why you really need a permit.

And my sanibel restaurant recommendations, of course: The Hungry Heron, Island Pizza, Jerry's Grocer Store (for breakfast).

If you want anymore information to save time/money just pm me or say so in this thread and I can give you specifics


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

I'm taking my wife there (Sanibel Island Gateway) the first week in July. I was thinking I'd try to avoid fishing and just spend time with her at Lover's Key State Park, Sanibel Island, maybe even drive over to Ft. Lauderdale and do the glass-bottom boat thing.

Just out of curiosity, would I be missing any exceptional fishing?


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## yogai (Oct 21, 2005)

HuskyMD said:


> Just out of curiosity, would I be missing any exceptional fishing?



Yeah you would. I'll be there from first week of June to first week of July and I aint passin on the fishin fer no glass bottom boat.

But if you'll be spending time with your wife and not ditchin her to go fishin, then don't go fishing. I don't have a wife, but I know what's important.


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

is there any good surf fishing there (as in from sand, not a bridge)?

She probably wouldn't mind sunbathing while I cast a line...


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## yogai (Oct 21, 2005)

you can catch snook and jacks from the surf, not to mention rays and sharks (ugh). 

Don't fish in a crowded place. 
Fish in the evening or morning
outgoing tide, preferably as its getting pretty low
cast between sandbars or in breaks of sandbars in 3 or so feet

I use a 7'6" rod for 1/4-3/4 ounce lures with 15 lb braid and a 2 foot section of 20 lb flouro leader. The baits include:
bucktails (green and white patterns to look like pilchards)
doa shrimp
gulp shrimp on a jighead
mirro-lures
kastmasters or similar spoons
paddletail or pogy-style sof plastics

My favorite is bucktails and I just walk on the beach casting upcurrent and hopping it through troughs. Or you could put a mullet or shrimp onto a pyramid bottom rig and just sit.

Then there are those guys who use 4/0's and 10 foot bridge rods for sharks and tarpon, but that's a different story.

Don't bother if the water isn't green or gray. If any red tide is there, you're screwed


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