Inshore action around Lee County (Sanibel, Matlacha, Fort Myers) is all about edges, passes, and mangroves. With the current early-winter warmth and clear skies, you’ve got a great window for casting nets for bait and sighting fish for spearfishing when regulations allow. Here’s a practical plan to maximize success.
Current conditions (season: early winter)
- Water and air are warm for the season (your area is around 86°F water today, clear skies, light winds ~6 mph). That keeps snook, redfish, and speckled trout active in shallow bays and grass flats. Gentle winds mean longer casts for nets and steadier sighting for spearfishing. Always check the latest FW C rules, especially for spearfishing closures and protected species.
Best inshore spots to prioritize
- Sanibel Island – Sanibel Causeway flats & east bridge area: target mangrove edges and grass pockets just inside the pass. Look for moving water and bait schools; this area tends to hold redfish, snook, and trout, especially at first light and around sunset.
- Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve: the winding channels and grassy flats between Matlacha and Pine Island give up redfish and trout in shoulder-season tides. Work along the mangroves, keep your depth shallow, and watch for tailing fish during tide swings.
- Estero Bay / Fort Myers Beach area: focus on sheltered bays and near Lovers Key, with edges that drop into seagrass. Good for flatties, light tackle redfish, and smaller snook in winter lighting.
- Caloosahatchee River mouth near Fort Myers: current channels and dock-edged pockets can hold snook, bass, and herding schools of bait at times; watch for boat traffic and eelgrass beds.
Cast netting (bait) tips
- Spots: weedy passes and inlets around the Sanibel/Fort Myers side, Matlacha Pass channels, and bridge pilings are productive for mullet, pilchards, and threadfin shad when bait schools are present.
- Net choice: a 4–6 ft cast net with a 3/8
