Tarpon, Sanibel Fishing Charters, June 15!

Current Red Tide & Water Quality Update Here (Page Down For Detail On Sampling & Location Table).

Captiva Fishing: Please Click For Rates & To Book A Captiva Fishing Charter Or Call 239-472-8658.

Live Weather Cams Here.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, June 12, 2019.

Please Click To Rent Homes Direct From Captiva Homeowners; No VRBO Booking Fees.

Vote Water For Florida’s Future!

Captiva Fishing Guide Report: Saturday, June 15: Tarpon Fishing Very Good Right Now!!! Captain Joe’s Charters – tarpon season began early this year, with resident fish very active in mid-March, and now nonresident fish have been rolling in groups of up to 200 in the bay! We have had a warm spring, red tide is gone and a lot of good fish have moved back into the gulf, bay, and passes; water is much, much better – tarpon, redfish, snapper, snook, and seatrout are currently present.

Redfish & snook are regulated as catch & release at this time.

Already seeing some positive impact.  Some very nice big redfish and snook around, more big redfish than snook.

The Caloosahatchee freshwater releases are also not an issue right now, but still a huge long-term problem.

Extremely frustrating.  We need wholesale changes in the Florida state government.  It is not a Republican or Democrat issue – it is a Big Sugar control everyone issue.  It is stunning how we continue to let the sugar industry and the agriculture north of Lake Okeechobee to damage the water and all of Florida.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

Turner Beach, the beach adjoining Blind Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs.

The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

Captiva Fishing Charters

For more information just use the menu for recent fishing reports, background on any species, and other recent fishing, water quality reports, and information.

April 26, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Tarpon, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites. 

Sanibel & Captiva, Birthplace Of Big Game Fishing!

Both resident tarpon and tarpon moving up from the south are in off Captiva currently. Tarpon season has begun early this year!

“Tarpon are large air-breathing fish of the genus Megalops; one species is native to the Atlantic, and the other to the Indo-Pacific Seas. They are the only members of the family Megalopidae.

The two species of tarpon are Megalops atlanticus (Atlantic tarpon) and the Megalops cyprinoides (Indo-Pacific tarpon). M. atlanticus is found on the western Atlantic coast from Virginia to Brazil, throughout the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and throughout the Caribbean. Tarpon are also found along the eastern Atlantic coast from Senegal to South Angola.^[3] M. cyprinoides is found along the eastern African coast, throughout southeast Asia, Japan, Tahiti, and Australia.

Both species are found in both saltwater and freshwater habitats, usually ascending rivers to access freshwater marshes.^[4] They are able to survive in brackish water, waters of varying pH, and habitats with low dissolved O2 content due to their swim bladders, which they use primarily to breathe.

They are also able to rise to the surface and take gulps of air, which gives them a short burst of energy.

The habitats of tarpon vary greatly with their developmental stages. Stage-one larvae are usually found in clear, warm, oceanic waters, relatively close to the surface. Stage-two and -three larvae are found in salt marshes, tidal pools, creeks, and rivers. The habitats are characteristically warm, shallow, dark bodies of water with sandy mud bottoms. Tarpon commonly ascend rivers into freshwater. As they progress from the juvenile stage to adulthood, they move back to the open waters of the ocean, though many remain in freshwater habitats.^[5][6]

Tarpon grow to about 4–8 ft long and weigh 60–280 lbs. They have dorsal and anal soft rays and have bluish or greenish backs. Tarpon possess shiny, silvery scales that cover most of their bodies, excluding the head. They have large eyes with adipose eyelids and broad mouths with prominent lower jaws that jut out farther than the rest of the face.^[3][4][5]

Tarpon breed offshore in warm, isolated areas. Females have high fecundity and can lay up to 12 million eggs at once. They reach sexual maturity once they are about 75–125 cm in length. Spawning usually occurs in late spring to early summer.^[5]

Their three distinct levels of development usually occur in varying habitats. The first stage, the leptocephalus stage, or stage one, is completed after 20–30 days. It takes place in clear, warm oceanic waters, usually within 10–20 m of the surface.

The leptocephalus shrinks as it develops into a larva; the most shrunken larva, stage two, develops by day 70. This is due to a negative growth phase followed by a sluggish growth phase.

By day 70, the juvenile growth phase, stage three, begins and the fish begins to rapidly grow until it reaches sexual maturity.^[3][7]

Stage-one developing Megalops do not forage for food, but instead, absorb nutrients from seawater using integumentary absorption. Stage-two and -three juveniles feed primarily on zooplankton but also feed on insects and small fish.

As they progress in juvenile development, especially those developing in freshwater environments, their consumption of insects, fish, crabs, and grass shrimp increases. Adults are strictly carnivorous and feed on midwater prey; they swallow their food whole and hunt nocturnally.^[5][6]

The main predators of Megalops during stage one and early stage-two development are other fish, depending on their size. Juveniles are subject to predation by other juvenile Megalops and piscivorous birds. They are especially vulnerable to birds when they come to the surface for air, due to the rolling manner in which they move to take in the air, as well as the silver scales lining their sides.^[8] Adults occasionally fall prey to sharks, porpoises, crocodiles, and alligators.

One of the unique features of Megalops is the swim bladder, which functions as a respiratory pseudo-organ. These gas structures can be used for buoyancy, as an accessory respiratory organ, or both.

In Megalops, this unpaired air-holding structure arises dorsally from the posterior pharynx. Megalops uses the swim bladder as a respiratory organ and the respiratory surface is coated with blood capillaries with a thin epithelium over the top. This is the basis of the alveolar tissue found in the swim bladder, and is believed to be one of the primary methods by which Megalops “breathes”. These fish are obligate air breathers, and if they are not allowed to access the surface, they will die. The exchange of gas occurs at the surface through a rolling motion that is commonly associated with Megalops sightings.

This “breathing” is believed to be mediated by visual cues, and the frequency of breathing is inversely correlated to the dissolved O2 content of the water in which they live.^[5][9]

Megalops is considered one of the great saltwater game fishes. They are prized not only because of their great size but also because of the fight they put up and their spectacular leaping ability. They are bony fish and their meat is not desirable, so most are released after they are caught. Numerous tournaments around the year are focused on catching tarpon.^[10]

Since tarpon are not commercially valuable as a food fish, very little has been documented concerning their geographical distribution and migrations.

They inhabit both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and their range in the eastern Atlantic has been reliably established from Senegal to the Congo.

Tarpon inhabiting the western Atlantic are principally found to populate warmer coastal waters primarily in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, and the West Indies. Nonetheless, tarpon are regularly caught by anglers at Cape Hatteras and as far as Nova Scotia, Bermuda, and south to Argentina.

Scientific studies^[11] indicate schools of tarpon have routinely migrated through the Panama Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific and back for over 70 years. However, they have not been found to breed in the Pacific Ocean. Nevertheless, anecdotal evidence by tarpon fishing guides and anglers would tend to validate this notion, as over the last 60 years, many small juvenile tarpon, as well as mature giants, have been caught and documented principally on the Pacific side of Panama at the Bayano River, the Gulf of San Miguel and its tributaries, Coiba Island in the Gulf of Chiriquí, and Piñas Bay in the Gulf of Panama.

Since tarpon tolerate wide ranges in salinity throughout their lives and will eat almost anything dead or alive, their migrations seemingly are only limited by water temperatures.^{[citation needed]}

Tarpon prefer water temperatures of 72 to 82 °F (22 to 28 °C); below 60 °F (15.6 °C) degrees they become inactive, and temperatures under 40 °F (4.5 °C) can be lethal.”  Please see source & more information here.

Tarpon: Megalops atlanticus

Florida Regulations 

“Boca Grande Pass Regulations:

• Fishing with gear that has a weight attached to a hook, artificial fly or lure in such a way that the weight hangs lower than the hook when the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod is prohibited when fishing for any species year-round within Boca Grande Pass. If this gear is on board a fishing vessel while inside the boundaries of the Pass, it cannot be attached to any rod, line or leader and must be stowed. Natural bait is not considered to be a weight. If the jig fishes in an illegal manner it is prohibited.
• Any jig that allows the attached weight to slip down the shank so that it hangs lower than the hook while the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod is prohibited, and must be stowed so it is not readily accessible.
• During the months of April, May, and June, no more than three fishing lines may be deployed from a vessel at any one time.
• During the months of April, May and June, no person shall use, fish with, or place in the water any breakaway gear.

Learn more about recent regulation changes by reading our Frequently Asked Questions.

Unsure if the gear is prohibited? Call the regional office at 863-648-3200.

Map of Boca Grande Pass

Several buoys marking Boca Grande Pass were moved by the U.S. Coast Guard in 2016 to better align with the shifting channel. One buoy specifically (Flashing Red Buoy #12) was a reference point marking the boundaries of Boca Grande Pass for the purposes of specific gear restrictions. Red buoy #12 was removed and replaced with a new buoy (Charlotte Harbor Channel LB 6). This new buoy is about a quarter mile East-Southeast of the old buoy.  Please note that due to this buoy change, the boundaries of Boca Grande Pass have also changed.

Gear Requirements:

• Legal Gear: hook and line only.
• Snagging, snatch hooking, spearing and the use of a multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited

Tarpon handling guidelines

Tarpon is an iconic saltwater fish. When handled properly, these large fish are more likely to survive and evade predators. Follow these guidelines to ensure tarpon remains the strong and viable fishery it is today.

Know tarpon regulations

• Tarpon over 40 inches MUST remain in the water unless a tag is used.

• Tarpon tags may only be used to harvest potential IGFA record-sized tarpon. Taxidermy mounts can be made with length and girth measurements and a photograph.

• Don’t tow a tarpon unless it is necessary to revive it. If you must tow, go as slow as possible while still moving water over the gills.

Keep head and gills in the water

Do not target from bridges or piers – Releasing tarpon from bridges or piers requires specialized lifting gear or cutting the line, which leaves long amounts of line trailing behind the fish.

Use proper tackle

• Use barbless, single, non-offset circle hooks for natural bait.
• Use single hooks rather than treble hooks.
• Use tackle heavy enough to land the tarpon quickly, minimizing exhaustion, and helping the fish avoid predators after release.

Other tips

• Do not drag tarpon over the gunnel of a boat.
• Use a dehooking tool.
• Tarpon smaller than 40” should be supported horizontally when removed from the water. Tarpon larger than 40” must remain in the water.
• Do not fish for tarpon when large predatory sharks are in the area feeding.  If sharks show up, move to another fishing location.

State Waters Harvest Seasons

Habitat and Fishing Tips: 

Tarpon are found throughout Florida’s coastal environment during the summer months. During the winter months, coastal water temperatures in much of the state drop significantly and cause tarpon to concentrate in South Florida.

Tarpon, which feed primarily on fish, shrimp, and crabs, are powerful, explosive and acrobatic fighters. Tarpon also have great stamina, making them one of Florida’s most challenging and exciting nearshore sportfish.

Tarpon can be caught on flies, streamers, floating and diving lures, jigs, live bait and dead bait. The tackle to be used depends largely on the type of bait used, the location and the size of fish being targeted.

While tarpon are not a toothy predator, a long, heavy monofilament leader is very important to protect your line from being cut by the gill plate or tail.

Tarpon have poor food value and are almost exclusively a catch and release fishery. If you intend to keep a tarpon, you must purchase a tarpon tag in advance.

State Record: 243 lb, caught near Key West.  For more information on Tarpon, please see FWC.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.  Saturday, June 16, Tarpon Rolling, Captiva Island Fishing Charters, click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

And you can like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper left or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Fishing Charters, June 14, 2019: Redfish, Catch & Release!

Current Red Tide & Water Quality Update Here; Getting Clearer (Page Down For Detail On Sampling & Location Table).

Captiva Fishing: Please Click For Rates & To Book A Captiva Fishing Charter Or Call 239-472-8658.

Live Weather Cams Here.

Sanibel Fishing Charters, June 14, 2019: Redfish, Catch & Release!

Please Click To Rent Homes Direct From Captiva Homeowners; No VRBO Booking Fees.

Sanibel Island Fishing, May 21, 2019.

Captiva Fishing Guide Report: Friday, June 14: Redfish, Catch & Release, Captain Joe’s Charters – the weather is great, no red tide, and a lot of good fish in the gulf, bay, and passes; Tarpon, Sharks, Redfish, Spanish Mackerel, Snapper, Snook, and Seatrout are currently present.

Redfish & snook are regulated as catch & release at this time.

Already seeing some positive impact.  Some very nice big redfish and snook around, more big redfish than snook.

The Caloosahatchee freshwater releases are also not an issue right now, but still a huge long-term problem.

Extremely frustrating.  We need wholesale changes in the Florida state government.  It is not a Republican or Democrat issue – it is a Big Sugar control everyone issue.  It is stunning how we continue to let the sugar industry and the agriculture north of Lake Okeechobee to damage the water and all of Florida.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Redfish, June 14, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.

Redfish are now catch & release only.

Little Girl, Redfish, Catch & Release, Sanibel Fishing & Captiva Fishing, Sanibel Island, Saturday, March 24, 2018, [File Photo: Sunday, October 15, 2017}.

“The red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), also known as channel bass, redfish, spot tail bass, or simply red, is a game fish found in the Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to northern Mexico.^[1] It is the only species in the genus Sciaenops.

The red drum is related to the black drum (Pogonias cromis), and the two species are often found in close proximity to each other; they can interbreed and form a robust hybrid, and younger fish are often indistinguishable in flavor.^[2]

Red drum are a dark red color on the back, which fades into white on the belly. The red drum has a characteristic eyespot near the tail and is somewhat streamlined. Three-year-old red drum typically weigh 6-8 lb. The largest red drum on record weighed just over 94 lb and was caught in 1984 on Hatteras Island. Red drum and black drum both make a croaking or drumming sound when distressed.

The most distinguishing mark on the red drum is one large black spot on the upper part of the tail base. Having multiple spots is not uncommon for this fish, but having no spots is extremely rare. As the fish with multiple spots grow older, they seem to lose their excess spots. Scientists believe that the black spot near their tail helps fool predators into attacking the red drum’s tail instead of its head, allowing the red drum to escape.^[3]

The red drum uses its senses of sight and touch, and its downturned mouth, to locate forage on the bottom through vacuuming or biting. On the top and middle of the water column, it uses changes in the light that might look like food. In the summer and fall, adult red drum feed on crabs, shrimp, and mullet; in the spring and winter, adults primarily feed on menhaden, mullet, pinfish, sea robin, lizardfish, spot, Atlantic croaker, and mud minnows.

Red drum naturally occur along the southern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. Aquaculture activities involving them occur around the world.^[4] Immature red drum prefer grass marsh areas of bays and estuaries when available. Both younger mature red drum (3-6 years of age) and bull red drum prefer rocky outcroppings including jetties and manmade structures, such as oil rigs and bridge posts. Around this type of structure, they are found throughout the water column.”  Please see more information here.

Red Drum: Sciaenops ocellatus

Florida Regulations: (Harvest in federal waters prohibited)

Gear requirements:

• Legal Gear:  hook and line, cast nets
• Illegal Gear: Spearing (includes spearfishing, gigging and bow fishing) and/or use of multiple hooks in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited

Red Drum Management Zones

• Northwest: Escambia through Fred Howard Park Causeway near Pasco County
• South: Fred Howard Park Causeway through Monroe County (west coast) and Miami-Dade through Volusia counties (east coast)
• Northeast: Flagler through Nassau counties

State Waters Harvest Seasons

Habitat and Fishing Tips: Red drum, also called redfish, channel bass, spot tail, red bass or reds, are one of Florida’s most popular sportfish and the state’s most widespread estuarine fish.

Red drum are named after the “drumming” sound they make during spawning and when taken out of the water. The sound is produced by muscles rubbing against the inflated air bladder. Red drum inhabit the nearshore and offshore waters throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Key West. Juvenile red drum inhabit rivers, bays, canals, tidal creeks, and passes in estuaries for up to four years, after which they usually move to nearshore or open ocean waters as adults.

Red drum in Florida can reach lengths of 45 inches and weigh up to 51 pounds. The world record red drum was caught off North Carolina waters in 1984 and it weighed 94 pounds, 2 ounces.The oldest recorded red drum in Florida was aged at 40 years. Floating a live shrimp under a popping cork is a good way to fish for red drum.

They also chase crabs, mullet, pinfish, and killifish (mud minnows). Casting soft-bodied jigs, spoons and even top-water plugs will catch the attention of these powerful estuarine musicians.

State Record:

52 lb 5 oz, caught near Cocoa (1996)

Florida Rule

Please also visit:

Redfish Catch, Hold and Release Tournament Exemption Permit page

Red Drum Management

Management of red drum in Florida is considered a success story.  In the late 1980s red drum was overfished, thus several emergency closures were established to reduce fishing pressure. In 1989, the slot limit of 18-27 inches, the bag limit of one fish per person and a closed season from March-May were put in place. Red drum stocks have rebounded and are currently meeting or exceeding the FWC’s management goal of 40% escapement in most parts of Florida. Escapement is the proportion of fish that survive through age four relative to the fish that would have survived if there was no fishery.” Please see FWC for more information.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams. Sunday, September 30, Captiva Island Fishing Charters, Redfish, Passes & Oyster Bars.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

We would appreciate if you like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Fishing Charters, June 13, 2019: Snook, Catch & Release!

Current Red Tide & Water Quality Update Here (Page Down For Detail On Sampling & Location Table).

Captiva Fishing: Please Click For Rates & To Book A Captiva Fishing Charter Or Call 239-472-8658.

Live Weather Cams Here.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, June 13, 2019.

Please Click To Rent Homes Direct From Captiva Homeowners; No VRBO Booking Fees.

Vote Water For Florida’s Future!

Captiva Fishing Guide Report: Thursday, June 13: Snook, Catch & Release, Captain Joe’s Charters – weather is great and no red tide; a lot of good fish in the gulf, bay and passes; water quality is great right now – Sharks, Cobia, Tarpon, Spanish Mackerel, Kingfish, Redfish, Snapper, Snook, and Seatrout are currently present.

Redfish & snook are regulated as catch & release at this time.

Already seeing some positive impact.  Some very nice big redfish and snook around, more big redfish than snook.

The Caloosahatchee freshwater releases are also not an issue right now, but still a huge long-term problem.

Extremely frustrating.  We need wholesale changes in the Florida state government.  It is not a Republican or Democrat issue – it is a Big Sugar control everyone issue.  It is stunning how we continue to let the sugar industry and the agriculture north of Lake Okeechobee to damage the water and all of Florida.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

Turner Beach, the beach adjoining Blind Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs.

The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

Snook, Catch & Release, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Captiva Island Fishing Charters, Sanibel Island, June 13, 2019.

Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.

Captiva Fishing Charters

Redfish continue to be less prevalent and are now catch & release only; for more information just see recent fishing reports, background on any species, and other recent fishing, water quality reports, and information.

Snook, Catch & Release, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Sanibel Island Fishing Charters; please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  

lands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Snook, Catch & Release, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Captiva Island Fishing Charters, Sanibel Island, Monday, July 16, 2018.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.

a Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Snook, Catch & Release, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Captiva Island Fishing Charters, Sanibel Island, Monday, July 16, 2018.

“The common snook (Centropomus undecimalis) is a species of marine fish in the family Centropomidae of the order Perciformes. The common snook is also known as the sergeant fish or robalo. It was originally assigned to the sciaenid genus Sciaena; Sciaena undecimradiatus and Centropomus undecimradiatus are obsolete synonyms for the species.

One of the largest snooks, Centropomus undecimalis grows to a maximum overall length of 140 centimeters (4.6 ft) but common length is 50 centimeters (1.6 ft). The IGFA world record is 24.32 kg (53 lb 10 oz) caught in Parismina Ranch, Costa Rica by an angler named Rafael Montalvo.^[1][2] Of typical centropomid form, it possesses drab coloration except for a distinctive black lateral line. It can also possess bright yellow pelvic and caudal fins, especially during the spawn.^[3]

Centropomus undecimalis is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from the coast of the North Carolina to Brazil including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.^[17]

Many^[who?] believe that snook originated in Central America and that changes in the earth’s climate are what brought the snook to Florida. It is believed that during a great warming trend after the Ice Age, snook moved northward along the Mexico shoreline. They followed the perimeter of the Gulf of Mexico, down the west coast of Florida and up the east coast. There are massive snook in Central America, although they seem to look a little different because of the weather and water quality but besides that, they are the same.

There are no restrictions in most of Central America on the size or quantity of snook one can keep, consequently, many locals have been keeping and killing the massive snook for quite a while.^[18] Occurring in shallow coastal waters (up to 20 meters (66 ft) depth), estuaries, and lagoons, the fish often enters fresh water. It is carnivorous, with a diet dominated by smaller fishes, and crustaceans such as shrimp, and occasionally crabs.^[19]”  Please see more information here.

Image Credit: © Diane Rome Peebles

Snook

Snook is managed by two regions in Florida: Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Regulations apply in state and adjacent federal waters. No commercial harvest or sale of snook is permitted.

License Requirements:  Snook permit and recreational fishing license

Florida Regulations:

Allowable Gear: Hook and line only

Snook Map

2016 Snook Symposium

Snook is managed by two regions in Florida: Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Regulations apply in state and adjacent federal waters. No commercial harvest or sale of snook is permitted.

• How Florida’s snook permit benefits Florida’s snook population
• FWRI Snook Cold Kill Report

If you have questions about your snook permit, visit the Snook Permit page.

Research and Biology

To learn more about snook biology and research projects conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, visit their snook page. For source & more information, please see FWC/Snook.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

Please like us on Facebook!

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper left or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Tarpon, Sanibel Fishing Charters, June 12!

Current Red Tide & Water Quality Update Here (Page Down For Detail On Sampling & Location Table).

Captiva Fishing: Please Click For Rates & To Book A Captiva Fishing Charter Or Call 239-472-8658.

Live Weather Cams Here.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, June 12, 2019.

Please Click To Rent Homes Direct From Captiva Homeowners; No VRBO Booking Fees.

Vote Water For Florida’s Future!

Captiva Fishing Guide Report: Wednesday, June 12: Tarpon Fishing Very Good Right Now!!! Captain Joe’s Charters – tarpon season began early this year, with resident fish very active in mid-March, and now nonresident fish have been rolling in groups of up to 200 in the bay! We have had a warm spring, red tide is gone and a lot of good fish have moved back into the gulf, bay, and passes; water is much, much better – tarpon, redfish, snapper, snook, and seatrout are currently present.

Redfish & snook are regulated as catch & release at this time.

Already seeing some positive impact.  Some very nice big redfish and snook around, more big redfish than snook.

The Caloosahatchee freshwater releases are also not an issue right now, but still a huge long-term problem.

Extremely frustrating.  We need wholesale changes in the Florida state government.  It is not a Republican or Democrat issue – it is a Big Sugar control everyone issue.  It is stunning how we continue to let the sugar industry and the agriculture north of Lake Okeechobee to damage the water and all of Florida.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

Turner Beach, the beach adjoining Blind Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs.

The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

Captiva Fishing Charters

For more information just use the menu for recent fishing reports, background on any species, and other recent fishing, water quality reports, and information.

April 26, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Tarpon, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites. 

Sanibel & Captiva, Birthplace Of Big Game Fishing!

Both resident tarpon and tarpon moving up from the south are in off Captiva currently. Tarpon season has begun early this year!

“Tarpon are large air-breathing fish of the genus Megalops; one species is native to the Atlantic, and the other to the Indo-Pacific Seas. They are the only members of the family Megalopidae.

The two species of tarpon are Megalops atlanticus (Atlantic tarpon) and the Megalops cyprinoides (Indo-Pacific tarpon). M. atlanticus is found on the western Atlantic coast from Virginia to Brazil, throughout the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and throughout the Caribbean. Tarpon are also found along the eastern Atlantic coast from Senegal to South Angola.^[3] M. cyprinoides is found along the eastern African coast, throughout southeast Asia, Japan, Tahiti, and Australia.

Both species are found in both saltwater and freshwater habitats, usually ascending rivers to access freshwater marshes.^[4] They are able to survive in brackish water, waters of varying pH, and habitats with low dissolved O2 content due to their swim bladders, which they use primarily to breathe.

They are also able to rise to the surface and take gulps of air, which gives them a short burst of energy.

The habitats of tarpon vary greatly with their developmental stages. Stage-one larvae are usually found in clear, warm, oceanic waters, relatively close to the surface. Stage-two and -three larvae are found in salt marshes, tidal pools, creeks, and rivers. The habitats are characteristically warm, shallow, dark bodies of water with sandy mud bottoms. Tarpon commonly ascend rivers into freshwater. As they progress from the juvenile stage to adulthood, they move back to the open waters of the ocean, though many remain in freshwater habitats.^[5][6]

Tarpon grow to about 4–8 ft long and weigh 60–280 lbs. They have dorsal and anal soft rays and have bluish or greenish backs. Tarpon possess shiny, silvery scales that cover most of their bodies, excluding the head. They have large eyes with adipose eyelids and broad mouths with prominent lower jaws that jut out farther than the rest of the face.^[3][4][5]

Tarpon breed offshore in warm, isolated areas. Females have high fecundity and can lay up to 12 million eggs at once. They reach sexual maturity once they are about 75–125 cm in length. Spawning usually occurs in late spring to early summer.^[5]

Their three distinct levels of development usually occur in varying habitats. The first stage, the leptocephalus stage, or stage one, is completed after 20–30 days. It takes place in clear, warm oceanic waters, usually within 10–20 m of the surface.

The leptocephalus shrinks as it develops into a larva; the most shrunken larva, stage two, develops by day 70. This is due to a negative growth phase followed by a sluggish growth phase.

By day 70, the juvenile growth phase, stage three, begins and the fish begins to rapidly grow until it reaches sexual maturity.^[3][7]

Stage-one developing Megalops do not forage for food, but instead, absorb nutrients from seawater using integumentary absorption. Stage-two and -three juveniles feed primarily on zooplankton but also feed on insects and small fish.

As they progress in juvenile development, especially those developing in freshwater environments, their consumption of insects, fish, crabs, and grass shrimp increases. Adults are strictly carnivorous and feed on midwater prey; they swallow their food whole and hunt nocturnally.^[5][6]

The main predators of Megalops during stage one and early stage-two development are other fish, depending on their size. Juveniles are subject to predation by other juvenile Megalops and piscivorous birds. They are especially vulnerable to birds when they come to the surface for air, due to the rolling manner in which they move to take in the air, as well as the silver scales lining their sides.^[8] Adults occasionally fall prey to sharks, porpoises, crocodiles, and alligators.

One of the unique features of Megalops is the swim bladder, which functions as a respiratory pseudo-organ. These gas structures can be used for buoyancy, as an accessory respiratory organ, or both.

In Megalops, this unpaired air-holding structure arises dorsally from the posterior pharynx. Megalops uses the swim bladder as a respiratory organ and the respiratory surface is coated with blood capillaries with a thin epithelium over the top. This is the basis of the alveolar tissue found in the swim bladder, and is believed to be one of the primary methods by which Megalops “breathes”. These fish are obligate air breathers, and if they are not allowed to access the surface, they will die. The exchange of gas occurs at the surface through a rolling motion that is commonly associated with Megalops sightings.

This “breathing” is believed to be mediated by visual cues, and the frequency of breathing is inversely correlated to the dissolved O2 content of the water in which they live.^[5][9]

Megalops is considered one of the great saltwater game fishes. They are prized not only because of their great size but also because of the fight they put up and their spectacular leaping ability. They are bony fish and their meat is not desirable, so most are released after they are caught. Numerous tournaments around the year are focused on catching tarpon.^[10]

Since tarpon are not commercially valuable as a food fish, very little has been documented concerning their geographical distribution and migrations.

They inhabit both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and their range in the eastern Atlantic has been reliably established from Senegal to the Congo.

Tarpon inhabiting the western Atlantic are principally found to populate warmer coastal waters primarily in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, and the West Indies. Nonetheless, tarpon are regularly caught by anglers at Cape Hatteras and as far as Nova Scotia, Bermuda, and south to Argentina.

Scientific studies^[11] indicate schools of tarpon have routinely migrated through the Panama Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific and back for over 70 years. However, they have not been found to breed in the Pacific Ocean. Nevertheless, anecdotal evidence by tarpon fishing guides and anglers would tend to validate this notion, as over the last 60 years, many small juvenile tarpon, as well as mature giants, have been caught and documented principally on the Pacific side of Panama at the Bayano River, the Gulf of San Miguel and its tributaries, Coiba Island in the Gulf of Chiriquí, and Piñas Bay in the Gulf of Panama.

Since tarpon tolerate wide ranges in salinity throughout their lives and will eat almost anything dead or alive, their migrations seemingly are only limited by water temperatures.^{[citation needed]}

Tarpon prefer water temperatures of 72 to 82 °F (22 to 28 °C); below 60 °F (15.6 °C) degrees they become inactive, and temperatures under 40 °F (4.5 °C) can be lethal.”  Please see source & more information here.

Tarpon: Megalops atlanticus

Florida Regulations 

“Boca Grande Pass Regulations:

• Fishing with gear that has a weight attached to a hook, artificial fly or lure in such a way that the weight hangs lower than the hook when the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod is prohibited when fishing for any species year-round within Boca Grande Pass. If this gear is on board a fishing vessel while inside the boundaries of the Pass, it cannot be attached to any rod, line or leader and must be stowed. Natural bait is not considered to be a weight. If the jig fishes in an illegal manner it is prohibited.
• Any jig that allows the attached weight to slip down the shank so that it hangs lower than the hook while the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod is prohibited, and must be stowed so it is not readily accessible.
• During the months of April, May, and June, no more than three fishing lines may be deployed from a vessel at any one time.
• During the months of April, May and June, no person shall use, fish with, or place in the water any breakaway gear.

Learn more about recent regulation changes by reading our Frequently Asked Questions.

Unsure if the gear is prohibited? Call the regional office at 863-648-3200.

Map of Boca Grande Pass

Several buoys marking Boca Grande Pass were moved by the U.S. Coast Guard in 2016 to better align with the shifting channel. One buoy specifically (Flashing Red Buoy #12) was a reference point marking the boundaries of Boca Grande Pass for the purposes of specific gear restrictions. Red buoy #12 was removed and replaced with a new buoy (Charlotte Harbor Channel LB 6). This new buoy is about a quarter mile East-Southeast of the old buoy.  Please note that due to this buoy change, the boundaries of Boca Grande Pass have also changed. (see map below)

Gear Requirements:

• Legal Gear: hook and line only.
• Snagging, snatch hooking, spearing and the use of a multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited

Tarpon handling guidelines

Tarpon is an iconic saltwater fish. When handled properly, these large fish are more likely to survive and evade predators. Follow these guidelines to ensure tarpon remains the strong and viable fishery it is today.

Know tarpon regulations

• Tarpon over 40 inches MUST remain in the water unless a tag is used.

• Tarpon tags may only be used to harvest potential IGFA record-sized tarpon. Taxidermy mounts can be made with length and girth measurements and a photograph.

• Don’t tow a tarpon unless it is necessary to revive it. If you must tow, go as slow as possible while still moving water over the gills.

Keep head and gills in the water

Do not target from bridges or piers – Releasing tarpon from bridges or piers requires specialized lifting gear or cutting the line, which leaves long amounts of line trailing behind the fish.

Use proper tackle

• Use barbless, single, non-offset circle hooks for natural bait.
• Use single hooks rather than treble hooks.
• Use tackle heavy enough to land the tarpon quickly, minimizing exhaustion, and helping the fish avoid predators after release.

Other tips

• Do not drag tarpon over the gunnel of a boat.
• Use a dehooking tool.
• Tarpon smaller than 40” should be supported horizontally when removed from the water. Tarpon larger than 40” must remain in the water.
• Do not fish for tarpon when large predatory sharks are in the area feeding.  If sharks show up, move to another fishing location.

State Waters Harvest Seasons

Habitat and Fishing Tips: 

Tarpon are found throughout Florida’s coastal environment during the summer months. During the winter months, coastal water temperatures in much of the state drop significantly and cause tarpon to concentrate in South Florida.

Tarpon, which feed primarily on fish, shrimp, and crabs, are powerful, explosive and acrobatic fighters. Tarpon also have great stamina, making them one of Florida’s most challenging and exciting nearshore sportfish.

Tarpon can be caught on flies, streamers, floating and diving lures, jigs, live bait and dead bait. The tackle to be used depends largely on the type of bait used, the location and the size of fish being targeted.

While tarpon are not a toothy predator, a long, heavy monofilament leader is very important to protect your line from being cut by the gill plate or tail.

Tarpon have poor food value and are almost exclusively a catch and release fishery. If you intend to keep a tarpon, you must purchase a tarpon tag in advance.

State Record: 243 lb, caught near Key West.  For more information on Tarpon, please see FWC.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.  Saturday, June 16, Tarpon Rolling, Captiva Island Fishing Charters, click here for College Of Fishing Hats & Apparel.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

And you can like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper left or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, June 11, 2019: SeaTrout, Catch & Release!

Current Red Tide & Water Quality Update Here (Page Down For Detail On Sampling & Location Table).

Captiva Fishing: Please Click For Rates & To Book A Captiva Fishing Charter Or Call 239-472-8658.

Live Weather Cams Here.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, May 22, 2019

Current Red Tide & Water Quality Update Here (Page Down For Detail On Sampling & Location Table).

Captiva Fishing: Please Click For Rates & To Book A Captiva Fishing Charter Or Call 239-472-8658.

Live Weather Cams Here.

Please Click To Rent Homes Direct From Captiva Homeowners; No VRBO Booking Fees.

Captiva Fishing Guide Report: Tuesday, June 11: SeaTrout, Catch & Release, Captain Joe’s Charters – weather is great and no red tide; a lot of good fish in the gulf, bay and passes; water quality is great right now – Sharks, Cobia, Tarpon, Spanish Mackerel, Kingfish, Redfish, Snapper, Snook, and Seatrout are currently present.

Redfish & snook are regulated as catch & release at this time.

Already seeing some positive impact.  Some very nice big redfish and snook around, more big redfish than snook.

The Caloosahatchee freshwater releases are also not an issue right now, but still a huge long-term problem.

Extremely frustrating.  We need wholesale changes in the Florida state government.  It is not a Republican or Democrat issue – it is a Big Sugar control everyone issue.  It is stunning how we continue to let the sugar industry and the agriculture north of Lake Okeechobee to damage the water and all of Florida.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

SeaTrout, Catch & Release, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Captiva Island Fishing Charters, Sanibel Island, June 11, 2019.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Ladyfish, December 5, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.

Sea Trout caught in Redfish Pass, Sanibel & Captiva Islands & Fort Myers Charters & Fishing Guide Service.  Redfish are back and looking good; for more information just use the search box and search on any species for recent fishing reports, background on any species, and other recent fishing, water quality reports, and information.

Online on-demand workshop available. Provide input on this fishery. Workshop information. Comment online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: SeaTrout, Grass Beds, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites.  Better water moving north of Sanibel up through Captiva & North Captiva.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams.

FWC Commission Spotted Seatrout Update, February 22, 2019

At its February meeting in Gainesville, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced a proactive change to conserve spotted seatrout impacted by the prolonged red tide in southwest Florida while continuing to offer quality fishing opportunities.

Currently, anglers may harvest a single spotted seatrout per day that is larger than 20 inches. Starting Friday, Feb. 22, recreational anglers will no longer be allowed to harvest any spotted seatrout over 20 inches total length when fishing in state or federal waters from the Pasco-Hernando county line south to Gordon Pass in Collier County. This rule change will remain in effect through May 10, 2019. Red drum and snook are currently catch-and-release only in this region through May 10 as well.

While these species need additional time to recover, the red tide that was impacting southwest Florida has subsided.

Silver SeaTrout: Cynoscion nothus

“Appearance:

Also known as white trout.

• Grayish back, silvery sides and white belly
• Faint rows of spots may be present on upper sides
• All fins are pale yellow, except for the darker, dusky dorsal fin
• Pair of large canine teeth at tip of upper jaw
• Eyes large and snout short
• 8 to 9 soft anal fin rays
• Bottom half of tail more elongated than upper half

Similar Species: Sand seatrout, C. arenarius (more yellow color and larger size)

Size: Usually less than 10 inches (1 pound). Smallest seatrout species; usually no more than 1/2 pound (less than 10 inches).

Habitat:

Most common over sand or sandy mud bottoms offshore along both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of Florida. Migrate into bays during cold months.

Behavior:

Spawn offshore in deep water during spring, summer and fall. Feed on small fish and shrimp.

Additional Information

State Record: This species is not currently eligible for a state record. ”

Recreational Regulations  

Please see FWC for more information on Silver SeaTrout.

Spotted SeaTrout

“Cynoscion nebulosus, the spotted seatrout, also known as speckled trout, is a common estuarine fish found in the southern United States along coasts of Gulf of Mexico and the coastal Atlantic Ocean from Maryland to Florida. These fish are also found in estuarine locations around Cape Breton Island of Nova Scotia, Canada.

While most of these fish are caught on shallow, grassy flats, spotted seatrout reside in virtually any inshore waters, from the surf of outside islands to far up coastal rivers, where they often come for shelter during cold weather. Contrary to its name, the spotted seatrout is not a member of the trout family (Salmonidae), but of the drum family (Sciaenidae). It is popular for commercial and especially recreational fishing in coastal waters of the southeastern United States. Adults reach 19-32 inches in length and 3-15 pounds in weight.

Spotted seatrout live in the top of the water column and are most numerous along the coasts of the southeastern states, such as Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida. They are also common along the coasts of North and South Carolina and Virginia. Estuarine coasts are prime settlement areas. They are uncommonly seen north of Delaware Bay and along the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Spotted seatrout is the common name endorsed by the American Fisheries Society. However, this fish has many other common names, including speckled trout, speck, speckles, spec, truite gris (Louisiana French), trucha de mar (Mexican Spanish), spotted weakfish, spotted seateague, southern seateague, salmon, salmon trout, simon trout, winter trout, seatrout, Nosferatu fish, and black trout. Particularly large ones are nicknamed gator trout.^[1]

The spotted seatrout has prominent canine teeth. Like other fish of the family Sciaenidae, it has an elongated, soft dorsal fin with scales; it is separated from the spinous dorsal fin by a deep notch. It usually has two anal spines and the lateral line extends to the tip of the caudal fin. The back has distinct spots scattered on it, including on the dorsal and caudal fins.

Unlike some other members of the family Sciaenidae, the spotted seatrout does not have any chin barbels. In stained water, this fish’s background may take on a golden hue. Its shape and coloration is reminiscent of a brown trout. This fish is closely related to the weakfish, Cynoscion regalis.

The average size of spotted seatrout is 0.5-1.0 kg (1-2 lb), but in most areas fish up to 2.5 kg (5 lb) are fairly common. Fish weighing 3.5-4.5 kg (8-10 lb) are rare. The world record is 7.9 kg (17 lb 7 oz).

Small trout eat large amounts of shrimp and other crustaceans. As they grow larger, their diets shift toward fish, the larger, the better. Studies in Texas and Mississippi show that really big trout strongly prefer to feed on mullet; a large trout will find the largest mullet it can handle and try to swallow it. Often the mullet is half or two-thirds as large as the trout.^[2]”  Please see more information here.

“Online on-demand workshop available. Provide input on this fishery. Workshop information. Comment online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.

Image Credit: © Diane Rome Peebles

Spotted Seatrout: Cynoscion nebulosus

Florida Regulations:

Gear Requirements: Allowable Gear: Hook and line; cast net

Spotted Seatrout Management Zones:

• Northwest: Escambia County through Fred Howard Park Causeway near Pasco County.
• Southwest: Fred Howard Park Causeway through Monroe County line at Card Sound.
• Southeast: Miami-Dade County at Card South through Volusia County.
• Northeast: Flagler through Nassau counties.

State Waters Harvest Seasons

Habitat and Fishing Tips:

Seatrout are found inshore and nearshore in and around seagrass meadows, mangrove-fringed shorelines, deep holes and channels and above oyster bars. Free-line live shrimp or small pinfish or pigfish (grunts) near the bottom to entice trout out of grass-bed holes. Attaching a float will allow these baits to drift over the grass beds as you search for trout. Casting with soft-bodied jigs, top-water poppers and spoons can be effective.

Trout are very delicate, so returning unwanted or illegal fish promptly to the water is necessary to maintain a healthy population. Spotted seatrout are a good eating fish.

State Record: 17 lb 7 oz, caught near Ft. Pierce

Florida Rules

Spotted Seatrout Management in Florida

Spotted seatrout is managed for both commercial and recreational fishing in Florida.  Management in Florida began for spotted seatrout in the late 1980s when the fishery was declining. At the Nov. 2011 Commission meeting, the FWC made several changes to how spotted seatrout are managed, including splitting the South management zones in two and going from a total of three management zones (Northeast, Northwest and South) to four management zones (Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest.)

The management goal for spotted seatrout in Florida is a 35% spawning potential ratio (SPR). Stock assessments were conducted in 2003 and 2006 that showed the spotted seatrout population as relatively stable. The 2010 stock assessment includes data through 2009 and it showed that the Northeast, Southeast and Southwest zones are exceeding the 35% SPR management goal. The Northwest area is hovering right at 35%.

At the Nov. 2011 Commission meeting, the following rules were approved, becoming effective February 1, 2012:

Recreational

• Removal of season closures
• Northeast bag limit increased to 6 fish

Commercial

• Southeast and Southwest region defined
• Increase in seasons
  • Southeast: May 1- Sept 30
  • Northeast: June 1- November 30
  • Southwest and Northwest: June 1- October 31
• A commercial vessel limit of 150 with two or more licensed fishermen are aboard
• Sale of seatrout inventory will be allowed for 30 days after the season closes”

Source & more information @ FWC.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658 and here for Live Sanibel Traffic Cams; Captiva Island Fishing Charters, SeaTrout, Grass Flats & Oyster Bars.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

After a fierce storm, Turner Beach, the beach adjoining the Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs. The fishing is also renowned with sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

And you can like us on Facebook.

Fair winds and following seas,

Captain Joey Burnsed ~ please click calendar at the upper right or call 239-472-8658 to book a Sanibel & Captiva Islands, Boca Grande or Fort Myers fishing guide trip or shelling charter.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, June 10, 2019: Bull Shark, Catch & Release!

Current Red Tide & Water Quality Update Here (Page Down For Detail On Sampling & Location Table).

Captiva Fishing: Please Click For Rates & To Book A Captiva Fishing Charter Or Call 239-472-8658.

Live Weather Cams Here.

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters, June 10, 2019.

Please Click To Rent Homes Direct From Captiva Homeowners; No VRBO Booking Fees.

Vote Water For Florida’s Future!

Captiva Fishing Guide Report: Monday, June 10: Bull Shark, Catch & Release, Captain Joe’s Charters – the weather is great, no red tide and a lot of good fish have moved back into the gulf, bay and passes; water is much, much better – tarpon, redfish, snapper, snook, seatrout, and sharks are currently present.

Redfish & snook are regulated as catch & release at this time.

Some very nice big redfish and snook around, more big redfish than snook.

The Caloosahatchee freshwater releases are also not an issue right now, but still a huge long-term problem.

Extremely frustrating.  We need wholesale changes in the Florida state government.  It is not a Republican or Democrat issue – it is a Big Sugar control everyone issue.  It is stunning how we continue to let the sugar industry and the agriculture north of Lake Okeechobee to damage the water and all of Florida.

Please click here to Book A Charter or call 239-472-8658.

We’re located in Castaways Marina, Santiva, Sanibel Island, just before the Blind Pass bridge to Captiva Island.

Turner Beach, the beach adjoining Blind Pass, is frequently covered with a bounty of shells from Olives to Fighting Whelks to the more common Conchs.

The fishing is also renowned for sharks in the summer, tailing redfish on the bayside flats and snook under and off the Blind Pass bridge. Because Turner Beach faces Westward, the sunsets are spectacular and a popular viewing point for residents and visitors alike.

Caught some nice redfish last week, for more information just use the menu for recent fishing reports, background on any species, and other recent fishing, water quality reports, and information.

June 10, Sanibel Island Fishing Charters & Sanibel Island Fishing Charters: Bull Sharks & Blacktip Sharks, Catch & Release.  Please also visit the Sanibel, Fort Myers, Florida Fishing Report and Cuban Fishing sites. 

“The bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), also known as the Zambezi shark or, unofficially, as Zambi in Africa and Lake Nicaraguashark in Nicaragua, is a requiem shark commonly found worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers. The bull shark is known for its aggressive nature, a predilection for warm shallow water, and presence in brackish and freshwater systems including estuaries and rivers.

Bull sharks can thrive in both salt and freshwater and can travel far up rivers. They have been known to travel up the Mississippi River as far as Alton, Illinois,^[2] although few freshwater human-shark interactions have been recorded. Larger sized bull sharks are probably responsible for the majority of near-shore shark attacks, including many bites attributed to other species.^[3]

Unlike the river sharks of the genus Glyphis, bull sharks are not true freshwater sharks, despite their ability to survive in freshwater habitats.”

The name “bull shark” comes from the shark’s stocky shape, broad, flat snout, and aggressive, unpredictable behavior.^[4] In India, the bull shark may be confused with the Sundarbans or Ganges shark. In Africa, it is also commonly called the Zambezi River shark, or just “zambi”.

Its wide range and diverse habitats result in many other local names, including Ganges River shark, Fitzroy Creek whaler, van Rooyen’s shark, Lake Nicaragua shark,^[5] river shark, freshwater whaler, estuary whaler, Swan River whaler,^[6] cub shark, and shovelnose shark.^[7]

Some of the bull shark’s closest living relatives do not have the capabilities of osmoregulation. Its genus, Carcharhinus, also includes the sandbar shark, which is not capable of osmoregulation.^[8]

The bull shark shares numerous similarities with river sharks of the genus Glyphis, and other species in the genus Carcharhinus, but its phylogeny has not been cleared yet.^[9]

Bull sharks are large and stout, with females being larger than males. The bull shark can be up to 81 cm (2.66 ft) in length at birth.^[10] Adult female bull sharks average 2.4 m (7.9 ft) long and typically weigh 130 kg (290 lb), whereas the slightly smaller adult male averages 2.25 m (7.4 ft) and 95 kg (209 lb). While a maximum size of 3.5 m (11 ft) is commonly reported, a single record exists of a female specimen of exactly 4.0 m (13.1 ft). The maximum recorded weight of a bull shark was 315 kg (694 lb), but may be larger.^[3][11][12]

Bull sharks are wider and heavier than other requiem sharks of comparable length, and are grey on top and white below. The second dorsal fin is smaller than the first. The bull shark’s caudal fin is longer and lower than that of the larger sharks, and it has a small snout, and lacks an interdorsal ridge.^[10]

Bull sharks have a bite force up to 5,914 newtons (1,330 lbf), weight for weight the highest among all investigated cartilaginous fishes.^[13]

The bull shark is commonly found worldwide in coastal areas of warm oceans, in rivers and lakes, and occasionally salt and freshwater streams if they are deep enough. It is found to a depth of 150 m (490 ft), but does not usually swim deeper than 30 m (98 ft).^[14] In the Atlantic, it is found from Massachusetts to southern Brazil, and from Morocco to Angola. In the Indian Ocean, it is found from South Africa to Kenya, India, Vietnam, Philippines to Australia.^{[citation needed]}

Populations of bull sharks are also found in several major rivers, with more than 500 bull sharks thought to be living in the Brisbane River. One was reportedly seen swimming the flooded streets of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, during the 2010-11 Queensland floods.^[15] Several were sighted in one of the main streets of Goodna, Queensland, shortly after the peak of the January 2011, floods.^[16] A large bull shark was caught in the canals of Scarborough, just north of Brisbane within Moreton Bay. Still greater numbers are in the canals of the Gold Coast, Queensland.^[17]

Bull sharks have been recorded in the Tigris River since at least 1924 as far upriver as Baghdad.^[19] The bull shark is generally prolific in the warm, coastal waters and estuarine systems of the Mozambique Channel and southward, including Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mozambique.^{[citation needed]} The species has a distinct preference for warm currents.^{[citation needed]}