Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Guides

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters

Sanibel Island is a small barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, just west of Fort Myers. The island is 15 miles long and 5 miles across at its widest spot, and is a vacationer’s dream destination. The sandy beaches and quaint restaurants are the perfect combination for those looking to get away from it all. A favorite activity for those visiting Sanibel Island is collecting shells. The beaches are full of them, so it’s no wonder why many families participate in this pastime. Travelers also visit the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, a fun place to see a variety of shell types and sizes. There are plans to add an aquarium soon, making this a great place for families to spend the day. The nearby J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is part of the U.S. National Wildlife Refuge system and takes up much of the island. The refuge protects the many mangrove shores that host a variety of wildlife species, including various birds, turtles, and fish. It’s a wonderful place to visit and explore. Fishing and crabbing are allowed except in areas marked “closed to public entry”. Sanibel Island is also known for its lighthouse, a unique skeleton structure towering 10 feet. The history of the lighthouse is pretty incredible, and the park is definitely worth a visit. It’s located on the eastern tip of the island and is a great place to fish from the shore. Anglers can also fish from the pier located near the lighthouse. Redfish, black drum, sheepshead, and snook are often caught in this area.

Sanibel Island Inshore Fishing

There are a ton of options for Sanibel Island inshore fishing charters. J.N. “Ding” Darling refuge, Blind Pass, and Causeway Islands are just a few places for anglers to cast their lines. It truly is an inshore angler’s paradise on Sanibel Island. But no matter where you park yourself or your boat, get ready for redfish, snook, or trout to tug the line. Redfish, or red drum, are tan colored with a distinct black dot at the beginning of their tail. They are part of the drum family that are known for the grunting noises they make. Redfish are found in shallow waters around Sanibel Island, and sometimes anglers will spot their backs or tails as they feed in the shallow waters. They tend to feed on shrimp, crab, and mullet. Sight fishing for redfish is very popular around Sanibel Island. Guides will use popping corks, a top-water lure that imitates crab and shrimp, to get the reds attention. It’s like ringing a dinner bell, calling the fish to come eat. This same technique is also used for snook. Anglers like fishing for snook because of the fight they put up. They are similar to the freshwater largemouth bass, even feeding on the same shiners (pinfish) and then jumping and thrashing when hooked up. Snook (rhymes with “hook”) are silver colored with an identifiable black line running down their sides. Like redfish, snook feed on shrimp and crab and are called to dinner with popping corks. They are bottom feeders found near shallow waters and are typically more active in the “golden hours” - sunrise and sunset. Sanibel Island charters that target snook are fishing year round, with peak seasons in the spring and fall when temperatures are a bit cooler. Another popular inshore fish species in Sanibel Island is trout, also known as spotted seatrout or speckled trout. Their name comes from the many spots found along their top and sides, although they are not technically trout. Speckled Trout are actually related to the drum family and make the same grunting sounds as redfish. Trout like the deeper waters and will eat on shrimp and crab as juveniles, switching to small bait fish as they get larger (they can weigh over 5 pounds). Use light tackle when fishing for trout in Sanibel Island, drift live or cut bait along the bottom to get them on the line. Other inshore species found near Sanibel Island include mangrove snapper, tarpon, ladyfish, sheepshead, jack crevalle, and sharks.

Sanibel Island Offshore Fishing

Anglers looking for an offshore fishing trip in Sanibel Island will fish the bountiful Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf is a unique body of water, where vessels will travel 20 to 30 miles offshore and still be in only 50 to 70 feet of water. And there may not be any coral reefs, but there are plenty of artificial reefs and shipwrecks that provide some really great fishing grounds. The most popular fish species to target for offshore charters in Sanibel Island include snapper, grouper, amberjack, mahi mahi, cobia, king mackerel, and shark.

Book A Sanibel Island Fishing Charter

Remember to pack your sunscreen and a hat when fishing Sanibel Island; they don’t call Florida the “Sunshine State” for nothing! Everything else, all your fishing gear, is provided by your Sanibel Island fishing charter. Start the adventure today by finding a local guide.