Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Bokeelia, FL (Full Guide)

Bookelia offers some of the best fishing in Florida that is often very overlooked by anglers and tourists alike. Knowing the best times and seasons to fish these rich waters can really help your success rates.

The best times to fish Bokeelia is from April through July for barracuda, grouper, jack crevalle, ladyfish, permit, redfish, snapper, spotted seatrout, tarpon, and tripletail.   

Bokeelia is known for its productive fishery. Here, it’s possible to fish on flats, in nearshore and inshore waters. Anglers prefer to fish on docks, near the barrier islands, and in mangroves.

Best Time to Fish near Bokeelia

Bokeelia is the place where anglers can go fishing at any time of the year. With so many fish on offer, it’s possible to fish the local waters year-round. So, there’s never a bad time to come to the region. 

When trying to find out the best time to fish Bokeelia, anglers should take into account such two factors as weather and the fish species that they are targeting.

Keep in mind that it can be too hot to fish in Bokeelia during the summer months. That’s why anglers prefer to book short trips to go fishing either in the morning or in the evening. Such trips allow anglers to avoid the summer heat.

However, it’s colder in the region in the spring and in the fall. So, anglers can book a full-day trip. Fishing trips of this type will give you a day that you will never forget.   

It’s important to know that waters start to heat up in the region, so fishing is getting more productive in the spring. However, fewer fish species are active in the local waters in the late summer. So, a peak fishing season in Bokeelia is between April and July. 

Bokeelia Species Breakdown: Best Times

Amberjack

Amberjack is active during colder months. Amberjack fishing is good in Bokeelia between January and April and between October and December.

Winter is the best time of the year to target amberjack in the local waters. Amberjack bites well in the early morning and in the evening. Bokeelia is a good place to fish for amberjack near Bokeelia. 

Barracuda

Barracuda is active in Bokeelia throughout the year. A peak barracuda fishing in the region is between March and October.

It would be great to target barracuda either in the early morning or in the late evening. Barracuda can be found in the waters near Captiva.   

Cobia

The cobia fishing in Bokeelia starts in February and ends in November. The best months to catch cobia in the local waters are April, September, and October. Cobia bites well in the middle of the day. It’s a good idea to target cobia in the waters near Matlacha.  

Gag Grouper

It’s possible to fish for gag grouper in Bokeelia year-round. However, the best times of the year to target gag grouper in the region are between January and March and between November and December. Gag grouper is one of the top targeted species in Placida.  

Goliath Grouper

Goliath grouper is active in Bokeelia throughout the year. The best time of the year to catch goliath grouper in the region is between April and October.

If you would like to target goliath grouper in the local waters, go fishing either in the early morning or in the late afternoon. Boca Grande is one of the best fishing spots to target goliath grouper in the region.  

Mangrove Snapper

Angling enthusiasts can catch mangrove snapper in Bokeelia year-round. Fishing for mangrove snapper in the area is best between April and November. Mangrove snapper bites well either in the early morning or in the evening. Oftentimes, anglers catch mangrove snapper near Placida.  

Redfish

The season to catch redfish in Bokeelia begins in March and ends in December. The best times of the year to target redfish in the area are the late spring and the fall.

It’s recommended to catch redfish either in the morning or in the afternoon. It makes sense to visit Boca Grande if you would like to catch redfish during your fishing adventures.  

Spotted Seatrout

Angling enthusiasts can target spotted seatrout in Bokeelia at any time of the year. However, spotted seatrout fishing in the region is best between April and June.

It’s recommended to target spotted seatrout either in the morning or late at night. It’s important to know that spotted seatrout fishing is best on the northern side of Bokeelia.     

Tarpon

The Bokeelia tarpon fishing season starts in the early spring and ends in the early fall. The best time of the year to catch tarpon in the area is between May and July. Tarpon feeds actively in the early morning. It makes a lot of sense to go fishing for tarpon in the waters around Captiva.  

Tripletail

The season to fish for tripletail in Bokeelia begins in February and ends in November. Tripletail fishing is productive in the local waters between March and October.

The best time of the year to catch tripletail in the region is between April and June. Cape Coral is a good place to fish for tripletail near Bokeelia.   

Recommended Fishing Guides/Charters in Bokeelia

These Bokeelia-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.

Recommended Fishing Charters	Location
Aqua Breeze Fishing Charters	Bokeelia, FL
Set On Everything Charters	Bokeelia, FL
Boca Grande And Beyond – Bokeelia	Bokeelia, FL
Chasin Your Passion Outfitters	Bokeelia, FL
Hooked4life Fishing Charters	Bokeelia, FL
Salty Charters	Bokeelia, FL
Salty C Pirates	Bokeelia, FL
Going Local Fishing Charters	Bokeelia, FL
Fish Often Charters	Bokeelia, FL
Locked In Fishing Charters	Bokeelia, FL
Maxed Out Charters – Bokeelia	Bokeelia, FL
Fisch Charters – Pine Island	Bokeelia, FL
R&R Fishing Charters	Bokeelia, FL

Best Seasons to Book a Bokeelia Fishing Charter 

A whole variety of trips are on offer in Bokeelia and in its surrounding areas. So, anglers can find the best fishing charter to match their needs easily and quickly. However, it’s incredibly important to book a charter at the right time. Now, we’ll give you insights into the best seasons to book a charter in Bokeelia. 

Spring 

It’s getting warmer in Bokeelia and fish get active during the spring months. In the spring, fishing is more productive in inshore and nearshore waters. The late spring means the beginning of a high fishing season in the region.

Among the species that anglers can target in the area during a spring fishing season are barracuda, black drum, cobia, jack crevalle, groupers, king mackerel, ladyfish, permit, redfish, snappers, spotted seatrout, tarpon, tripletail, and others.  

Summer

Fishing in Bokeelia is very productive during the summer months. The early summer is a peak fishing season in the area. On the other hand, the weather is hot in the region in summer. Heat is the main challenge that anglers face during their Bokeelia fishing trips in the summer.

So, it would be better to go fishing during the morning or evening hours. Summer is a great time of the year to target such species of fish as barracuda, groupers, jack crevalle, ladyfish, permit, snappers, spotted seatrout, tarpon, and tripletail.    

Fall

The weather is getting colder in Bokeelia in the fall. Nevertheless, fall fishing is very productive in the region. When fishing the region in the fall, anglers can target such species as barracuda, black drum, cobia, groupers, jack crevalle, king mackerel, ladyfish, redfish, and snappers.  

Winter

It’s not too cold in Bokeelia during the winter months. That means that anglers can continue fishing in the area in winter. Winter fishing allows angling enthusiasts to catch amberjack, black drum, groupers, king mackerel, and ladyfish. 

Best Time of Day to Fish Bokeelia

Angling enthusiasts should aim to fish Bokeelia at the right time of the day. It’s necessary to go fishing in the area when your favorite fish species are the most active. 

The best time of the day depends a lot on the fish species that you are targeting. It’s also important to note that the bite times of the top targeted species in Bokeelia largely depend on the time of the year. 

In summer, the vast majority of anglers decide to go fishing either in the morning or in the evening. Fish begin to feed actively when the water cools down. The vast majority of species are active in the area during the morning and evening hours. 

It would be better to fish Bokeelia in the afternoon in the early spring, the late fall, and during the winter months. The water heats up in the afternoon and the activity of fish increases.     

Bokeelia Fishing & Tidal Impacts

Tides mean the rise or fall of water levels. Tides affect fishing in Bokeelia. When planning fishing adventures, anglers should always analyze tide times for Bokeelia. Fishermen should find out when tides are high and when tides are low in the region. 

It’s not a good idea to fish Bokeelia during the highest and lowest tides. On the other hand, fishing is very productive in the area during the incoming and falling tides. 

When tides are rising or falling, water moves, and fish get active. Rising tides are the best tides to fish Bokeelia. Water brings oxygen as well as nutrients to the area during incoming tides.

So, fish begin to search for food actively and it’s easy to catch it. During the falling tides, anglers find it easy to reach deeper areas. That’s why fishing becomes more productive.  

Storms & Bokeelia Fishing

Storms affect fishing in Bokeelia. It’s important to know that fish are impacted by storms. During storms and rainstorms, fish move to deeper areas, stay inactive, and don’t bite. 

It’s also important to note that high waves, strong winds, and heavy rains make fishing in the area dangerous. If bad weather is expected in the region, fishing trips in Bokeelia are canceled for safety reasons. 

Anglers should always study weather forecasts for Bokeelia carefully when planning their fishing adventures in Bokeelia. The wettest season in the region is the late summer. It rains a lot and storms are expected in the area in August.     

Is Winter Fishing Bad or Good in Bokeelia?

The climate in Bokeelia is warm year-round. That’s why fishing can be good in the area during the winter months. It’s possible to target such species of fish as amberjack, black drum, grouper, king mackerel as well as ladyfish during winter fishing adventures.    

Night Fishing in Bokeelia

It’s possible to fish Bokeelia at night. Night fishing trips make it possible for anglers to avoid the heat during the warmest months of the year.

The best time of the year to experience night fishing in the region is in summer. Night fishing trips allow anglers to catch such species as black drum, grouper, snapper redfish, and tarpon.   

Top 5 Fishing Spots in Bokeelia

1. Boca Grande

Boca Grande impresses anglers with its rich wildlife. There are mangrove forests in the area. While fishing in the region, anglers can enjoy beautiful views of nature. Fishing in Boca Grande is best between April and September. It makes sense to fish on flats and in the mangroves in the region.

Such areas usually attract plenty of fish. Boca Grande is the right place to target such species of fish as amberjack, cobia, goliath grouper, mangrove snapper, king mackerel, permit, red snapper, redfish, snook, and tarpon. 

2. Matlacha

Matlacha is a good destination for anglers, who are interested in family fishing. The location offers excellent fishing to beginners and avid anglers. It’s the perfect fishing place for families with kids. The location is well-known for its abundant inshore fishing grounds. Angling enthusiasts can book a half-day trip to experience fishing in the region.

A peak fishing season in Matlacha is between March and July. The top targeted species in Matlacha include amberjack, black drum, blacktip shark, cobia, grouper, jack crevalle, kingfish, mahi-mahi, snapper, redfish, tarpon, snook, sharks, sheepshead as well as speckled seatrout.   

3. Captiva

Captiva is another good fishing location near Bokeelia. The destination attracts anglers of all skill levels. Anglers choose to fish in the mangroves and on shallow flats in the area. The best time of the year to fish Captiva is between May and October.

Among the species that it’s possible to target in the local waters are: amberjack, grouper, jack crevalle, kingfish, redfish, snapper, snook as well as tarpon and spotted trout.   

4. Placida

Angling enthusiasts can also go fishing in Placida. This destination allows anglers to experience flats fishing as well as fishing in inshore and nearshore waters. It’s the place where anglers can try such fishing techniques as spinning, light and heavy tackle.

Fishing in Placida is the most productive between April and July. Anglers can catch cobia, grouper, jack crevalle, redfish, snook, spotted seatrout, snapper, tarpon, and many other species in the region.      

5. Cape Coral

Cape Coral is the destination where anglers can experience freshwater and saltwater fishing. The region offers excellent fishing and beautiful natural views. There are channels in the area.

Here, anglers can enjoy fishing on reefs. The location is well-known for its productive offshore fishing grounds. Fishermen can book either a half-day or full-day fishing trip to explore the waters around Cape Coral.

The fishing season in the region is high between April and June. While fishing in Cape Coral, anglers can target amberjack, largemouth bass, bluegill, carp, cobia, catfish, grouper, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, tarpon, redfish, snapper, and snook.        

Shore/Surf Fishing: Best Times & Seasons

Bokeelia offers excellent fishing opportunities to shore anglers. There are many places where anglers can experience surf fishing in the region.

Shore anglers give a preference to fishing spots near grass flats and structures. Surf fishing is possible from piers. Bokeelia Fishing Pier attracts a lot of anglers. Fishing from this pier is fun and relaxing.

There is a cafe on the pier where anglers can buy meals. Surf fishing allows anglers to catch mutton, sheepshead, snapper, snook, redfish, trout, and many other species.

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Cape Coral. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Englewood. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Fort Myers. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Captiva. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Placida, check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Matlacha, check out this helpful guide.