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

Nokomis offers world-class fishing. Knowing the best times and seasons to fish near Nokomis helps anglers improve their results. 

The best times to fish near Nokomis are from April to October for amberjack, barracuda, black drum, black grouper, blackfin tuna, bluefish, bonito, cobia, gag grouper, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, red grouper, permit, redfish, sailfish, snook, Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, tarpon, tripletail, yellowtail snapper, and wahoo. 

Nokomis impresses anglers with its crystal-clear waters, beaches, and fish diversity. The destination is well-known for its most-prized inshore fishing grounds. It’s possible to fish on the reefs, flats, and in shallow bays. Anglers can also go further to enjoy fishing in deep waters.

Best Time to Fish in Nokomis 

There is no bad time to go fishing in Nokomis. So, anglers can visit the fishing location at any time of the year. However, it would be better to fish Nokomis when the chances to catch a lot of fish are high. Fishing in the region is the most productive between April and October.

Those anglers, who are going to target certain species during their Nokomis fishing trips, should study their bite times in advance.

The weather has an impact on fishing in Nokomis. The vast majority of fish species get active during the warm months. The activity of fish increases when it’s getting warmer in the early spring. On the other hand, fish are inactive when the water cools down in the late fall.   

Nokomis Species Breakdown: Best Times

Amberjack

Amberjack is active in the waters near Nokomis throughout the year. However, summer 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. Venice is the right place to target amberjack.  

Barracuda

The season to catch barracuda in Nokomis starts in March and ends in October. The best times of the year to target barracuda in the region are between April and May and between September and October.

Barracuda feeds actively in the early morning and late evening. Osprey is one of the best places to fish for barracuda. 

Black drum

The season to catch black drum in Nokomis begins in June and ends in October. Black drum fishing in Nokomis is the most productive between July and September. It’s possible to catch black drum at night. Black drum can be found in the waters near Englewood. 

Cobia

Cobia fishing season starts in Nokomis in March and ends in July. May is the best time of the year to target cobia in the local waters. Cobia is the most active in the middle of the day. Cobia is one of the top targeted species in Osprey.  

Gag Grouper

The gag grouper fishing season starts in July and ends in September. The early fall is the best time of the year to target gag grouper in the region. It’s recommended to go fishing for gag grouper early in the morning. Gag grouper is one of the main targets in the waters near Venice.  

Red Grouper

It’s possible to fish for red grouper in the waters near Nokomis in January and between April and December.

The peak season to catch red grouper in the region starts in November and comes to an end in January. Morning is the best time of day to go fishing for red grouper. Red grouper can be found near North Port. 

King Mackerel

King mackerel fishing season in Nokomis starts in the early spring and ends in the late fall. The best months to target king mackerel in the region are May and October. King mackerel is the most active in the early morning. It makes sense to fish for king mackerel near Venice.  

Permit

Permit fishing season in Nokomis starts in April and ends in October. The best time of the year to target permit in the local waters is between the late spring and the early fall. It’s a good idea to go fishing for permit near North Port.   

Redfish

The season to catch redfish in Nokomis starts in February and ends in October. The best time of the year to target redfish in the region is between March and July. Redfish feed actively during morning and afternoon hours. It’s possible to target redfish near Venice.  

Yellowtail Snapper

Yellowtail snapper is active in the waters near Nokomis year-round. Summer is the best time of the year to target yellowtail snapper in the area.

Yellowtail snapper bites well in the early morning and in the evening. Oftentimes, anglers catch yellowtail snapper in the waters near Sarasota. 

I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.

Recommended Fishing Guides/Charters in Nokomis

These Nokomis-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a great service. The captains are knowledgeable and professional 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
Fire Drill Charters	Nokomis, FL
Cash Money Charters	Nokomis, FL
Venice Reef Charters	Nokomis, FL
Untide Charters	Nokomis, FL
Fast Cast Fishing – Sarasota	Nokomis, FL
Birds Of Prey Charters	Osprey, FL
High Class Hooker Charters – Venice	Venice, FL
Fun Day Charters	Venice, FL
Angling With Adria Charters	Venice, FL
Siesta Key Sport Fishing Charters	Sarasota, FL
TNT Freedom Fishing Charters – Siesta Key	Sarasota, FL
Chasin’ Tail Fishing Charters	Sarasota, FL

Best Seasons to Book a Nokomis Charter

Nokomis is a year-round fishing destination. Seasonal fish species and species which are active throughout the year can be found in the local waters. Anglers should always prepare for their fishing trips in Nokomis ahead of time. They need to know what species they can catch when fishing in the region.   

Spring

Many species get active in waters near Nokomis during the winter months. It makes sense to go fishing further offshore in the early spring. The main target in offshore waters is wahoo. Blackfin tuna can be found in offshore waters as well.

Inshore fishing allows anglers to catch redfish and spotted seatrout. April is a great time of the year to target tarpon. In the late spring, fishing is excellent in nearshore waters and offshore waters. Now, it’s possible to catch amberjack, cobia, sailfish, and tuna.  

Summer 

Summer is the peak fishing season in Nokomis. The early summer means the beginning of the fishing season in Nokomis. Fishing is good near the local reefs in June. Here, anglers can catch amberjack, cobia, tarpon, snook as well as mutton snapper and yellowtail snapper.

Anglers can also go further offshore to target mahi-mahi, sailfish, and tuna. In the late summer, it’s recommended to go fishing in the bays and flats. Here, anglers can target tarpon and snook. Fishing is also good in nearshore waters where anglers can catch barracuda and cobia.   

Fall

Fishing is good in Nokomis during the fall months. The fall is a great time of the year to catch snook in inshore waters. Black drum, redfish, snook, and tarpon can be found in Nokomis’s inshore waters.

Reef fishing is also very productive in the fall. Reefs attract cobia, kingfish, and snapper. It’s getting colder and many fish species are inactive in the late fall.

Winter

Anglers can enjoy fishing in the waters near Nokomis during the winter months. It’s a good idea to fish around reefs at this time of the year. Here, anglers can catch grouper and snapper. Anglers can also go fishing in the waters of the Gulf to target sailfish.

In January, anglers prefer to fish on flats where they can catch redfish, snook, and spotted seatrout. In the late winter, anglers have a good chance to catch redfish and snook. Amberjack can be found near reefs and wrecks. 

Best Time of Day to Fish in Nokomis

Anglers can go fishing in Nokomis in the morning, afternoon, evening, and at night. Angler’s choice mainly depends on the time of the year and targeted fish species. 

It’s too hot in the region in summer. That’s why anglers find it difficult to fish in the middle of the day during the summer months. So, it would be better to fish in the morning, in the evening, or at night to avoid heat between April and October. Water is cooler and that’s why many fish species get active during morning and evening hours in summer.

On the other hand, water heats up and fish get active in the middle of the day during colder months. That’s why it makes sense to fish in the local waters in the afternoon in the late fall, in the early spring, and in winter.

Many anglers prefer to go fishing early in the morning. However, morning fishing is not for everyone. There are anglers who don’t like to wake up early in the morning. So, they prefer to go fishing in the afternoon or in the evening.  

Keep in mind that anglers can catch more fish if they go fishing at the right time. That’s why anglers have to select the best time of day to fish Nokomis with their favorite species in mind. Anglers need to find out when their favorite fish species in the local waters feed actively. It’s recommended to learn hours to go fishing for top-targeted fish species in Nokomis in advance.  

Nokomis Fishing & Tidal Impacts

Fishing times depend on tide times. That’s why anglers should always study the tide times for Nokomis when getting ready for a fishing trip. It’s also important to know what Nokomis tides are best for fishing.

It’s necessary to figure out when tides are high and when tides are low in the area. It would be better to go fishing during the rising and falling tides. Water moves and that’s why the activity of fish increases when tides are either rising or falling in the area. 

On the other hand, anglers should avoid fishing when water levels are minimum and maximum. Water doesn’t move and that’s why fish don’t bite during the highest and lowest tides.   

Storms & Nokomis Fishing

Anglers should avoid fishing in Nokomis when the weather is bad. Strong winds, high waves as well as heavy rains create challenges for anglers and make fishing in the region dangerous. So, fishing during storms should be avoided for safety reasons.  

It makes no sense to fish in Nokomis during storms and rainstorms because fish move to deep waters and don’t bite. On the other hand, fishing can be good before and after storms. 

Rains can be expected in Nokomis between June and September. It rains a lot in the area in August. It’s necessary to study the monthly weather forecast before booking a fishing trip. It would be better to cancel a fishing trip if storms and rainstorms are expected in the region.     

Is Winter Fishing Bad or Good in Nokomis?

Winters in Nokomis are cool and short. And of course, cold weather negatively affects fishing in the region. Many fish species are inactive in the local waters due to cold weather during the winter months. However, anglers can still enjoy fishing in the area in winter. 

Winter is the time of the year when anglers can catch black grouper, gag grouper, and tripletail in the waters near Nokomis. Such species as amberjack, jack crevalle, yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, redfish, red snapper, snook, tarpon, and spotted seatrout can bite in the waters near Nokomis during the winter months as well.    

Night Fishing in Nokomis 

Summer is long and hot in the area. It’s worth noting that fishing in hot weather can be difficult. Night fishing is a great way to avoid the summer heat.

It’s possible to fish Nokomis during the daytime and nighttime. Anglers can catch such species as black drum, snook, redfish, tarpon, groupers, and snappers when fishing in the area at night.    

Top Fishing Spots in the Region

Roberts Bay

Roberts Bay is a fishing spot in Nokomis that might interest you. The bay is located approximately 7 miles from Nokomis. Fishing in Roberts Bay is best during the summer months. Such species as bass, mangrove snapper, sheepshead, snook, tilapia, and trout are the main targets in the bay. 

Venetian Waterway Park

Venetian Waterway Park is a fishing spot that has gained popularity among anglers. Fishing in the park is best between the late spring and early fall.

Among the most popular fish species here are barracuda, black drum, bluefish, bonito, cobia, gag grouper, hogfish, jack crevalle, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, permit, redfish, sailfish, snook, Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, sheepshead, tarpon, tripletail, and wahoo. 

Venice

Venice has something to offer to every angler. This fishing destination allows anglers to target both freshwater and saltwater species. There are many fishing spots that anglers can explore during their trips in Venice. It’s possible to fish on expansive grass flats and in estuaries.

Anglers can also go to the Gulf of Mexico to fish near offshore reefs and wrecks. If freshwater fishing is more to your liking, then visit the rivers. Fishing in Venice is best during the summer months. Venice is home to amberjack, barracuda, black drum, groupers, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, snappers, sailfish, and wahoo.         

Sarasota

Sarasota is one of the best fishing locations near Nokomis. It’s the place where anglers can catch near the reefs in nearshore waters or go 100 miles to enjoy fishing and catch trophy-sized fish in offshore waters. Fishing in the region is the most productive between May and October.

Among the fish species that anglers can target in the waters near Sarasota are amberjack, barracuda, billfish, black seabass, black tuna, bluefish, cobia, grouper, jack crevalle, king mackerel, mahi-mahi, redfish, sharks, snapper, snook, spotted seatrout, sheepshead, tarpon, and wahoo.

Osprey

Osprey offers excellent fishing. The peak fishing season in Osprey starts in the late spring and ends in the early fall. The main targets are amberjack, barracuda, cobia, jack crevalle, king mackerel, snook, spotted seatrout as well as redfish.  

Shore/Surf Fishing: Best Times & Seasons 

Some anglers decide to book a fishing charter to fish in Nokomis. However, there are anglers, who give preference to shore fishing in the region. Shore anglers usually target such species as flounder, snapper, snook, and tarpon in the local waters. 

There are a lot of shore fishing spots in Nokomis and its surrounding areas. It’s possible to surf fish from Nokomis beach. There are also many parks in the region. Parks have the ideal spots for shore fishing. Shore anglers can also fish from piers. The most popular fishing piers near Nokomis include Venice Fishing Pier, Osprey Fishing Pier, Sarasota Pier, El Jobean Fishing Pier, Palma Sola Fishing Pier, and others.

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Venice, check out this guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Niceville, check out this guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Sarasota, check out this guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Perdido Key, please check out this helpful article I wrote.