Best Fishing Spots in Charlotte Harbor Florida
Charlotte Harbor, Florida is one of the most fertile fishing grounds that can be found anywhere in Florida. You can catch snook, redfish, spotted sea trout, sharks, tarpon, grouper, cobia and much much more right in the harbor.
Anglers come from all over the world to fish in Charlotte Harbor because its waters are so fertile. The highest paying tarpon tournament in the world is held right in the Boca Grande Pass which is one of the inlets that connects Charlotte Harbor to the Gulf of Mexico.
I am a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN on the Treasure Coast of Florida and have fished all over the state for over 40 years. Charlotte Harbor is one of those fishing road trips that I like to take every year.
In the article below, I will teach you all of the tips, tricks and techniques that I have learned over the many years of fishing Charlotte Harbor.
Watch the video below and catch more Charlotte Harbor Snook and Redfish
Charlotte Harbor, Florida is one of the most fertile fishing grounds that can be found anywhere in Florida. You can catch snook, redfish, spotted sea trout, sharks, tarpon, grouper, cobia and much much more right in the harbor.
Anglers come from all over the world to fish in Charlotte Harbor because its waters are so fertile. The highest paying tarpon tournament in the world is held right in the Boca Grande Pass which is one of the inlets that connects Charlotte Harbor to the Gulf of Mexico.
I am a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN on the Treasure Coast of Florida and have fished all over the state for over 40 years. Charlotte Harbor is one of those fishing road trips that I like to take every year.
In the article below, I will teach you all of the tips, tricks and techniques that I have learned over the many years of fishing Charlotte Harbor.
Watch the video below and catch more Charlotte Harbor Snook and Redfish
Snook and Red Fishing in Charlotte Harbor
The snook and redfish fishing in Charlotte Harbor is AMAZING! The problem with Charlotte Harbor is its size and the large amount of boat traffic that you will have to contend with. It is pretty hard to find a private fishing hole that you can fish without having to share it with other fishermen.
But that is okay as long as everyone is catching some fish.
Snook and Red Fishing-- Creek Mouths
My favorite place to target snook and redfish is creek mouths that empty into a grass flat or a deep channel of some kind. There are lots of tidal mud flats between the ubiquitous mangrove islands around the harbor. During the higher parts of the tides the snook and redfish will run up into those flats to hunt small bait fish, shrimp and crabs.
When the tide runs back out so do the snook and reds. If you can find the channel that all of those incoming and outgoing fish have to take to get to the flats, then you will have a good chance of catching a few of them.
BEST ALL AROUND ROD AND REEL COMBO FOR INSHORE FISHING
In my opinion, the perfect all around rod and reel combo for inshore fishing is a 3500 series reel and a 7 foot medium or medium/heavy strength, fast action rod. Fill the spool with 15 pound braided line and use a 20 pound leader.
I have used many different rods and reels over the last 40 years of fishing like Diawa, Shimano and Penn.
My favorite line of reels that are out now is the Penn Spinfisher series reels. They are smooth, tough; have great drag systems; and best of all a sealed body so sand and water don't get inside the reels.
They are perfect for surf fishing, wade fishing and kayak fishing. (Any fishing technique that makes it likely for water or sand to get in them)
You can expect to pay $150 plus for these reels. BUT they are worth it.
My second favorite non-sealed reels are the Diawa BG reels.
They are the reels that I use on my flats boat because I know that they are unlikely to get dunked in the water or to get beach sand in them.
You can expect to pay $100 plus for these reels. They are a great bargain in my opinion.
Baits and Lures: The best baits for snook around creek mouths is, without a doubt, a pin fish. You can fish them dead or alive and they will work great for catching snook. I like to use a sinker and fish the bottom with a dead or live pin fish.
The redfish like the pin fish too but a chunk of mullet or a live shrimp will also work well for them.
The best lures are some sort of jig bounced on the bottom with the current. Cast your jig up current and work it back to you on the bottom or very near the bottom for the best results.
I like Berkeley Gulp swimming mullets and shrimp jigs the best because they are scented. A DOA CAL 3 inch shad is another great lure to use. Combine these lures with a 1/8 ounce jig head and you are good to go.
Snook and Red Fishing-- Beaches
Snook and redfish love to cruise the many islands around the harbor. The key is to find one without too much boat traffic. This is another great spot to dead bait for snook and redfish. They will hug the beach within 10 feet of the shore as they swim with the tide looking for food. They are usually not alone so if you can get one to eat you can often get his buddies to bite too.
Baits and Lures: A chunk of mullet, a dead pin fish or a chunk of lady fish will all work very well if the fish are hungry and near your offering. The water in Charlotte Harbor is usually very clear so use as light of a leader as you can get away with to get the most bites. I would rather get a hook up and lose it than not get any hook ups at all because my leader is too heavy.
My favorite lures for targeting these fish is the Berkeley Gulps or the DOA CAL 3 inch shad with a 1/8 ounce jig head. This is a great lure to cover a lot of water with if you are walking the beach or casting to the beach from a boat. I like to cast up current parallel to the beach when possible and bounce them off of the bottom or swim them within a foot of the bottom.
I created a FREE ONLINE SNOOK FISHING COURSE that you can see on this website. Just click on the blue words and it will take you right to the video course.
The snook in the picture below was caught off of one of Cayo Costa's beaches. Cayo Costa is an island in Charlotte Harbor. The snook were cruising about 6 feet from shore and you could sight fish for them as you walked the beach.
Snook and redfish love to cruise the many islands around the harbor. The key is to find one without too much boat traffic. This is another great spot to dead bait for snook and redfish. They will hug the beach within 10 feet of the shore as they swim with the tide looking for food. They are usually not alone so if you can get one to eat you can often get his buddies to bite too.
Baits and Lures: A chunk of mullet, a dead pin fish or a chunk of lady fish will all work very well if the fish are hungry and near your offering. The water in Charlotte Harbor is usually very clear so use as light of a leader as you can get away with to get the most bites. I would rather get a hook up and lose it than not get any hook ups at all because my leader is too heavy.
My favorite lures for targeting these fish is the Berkeley Gulps or the DOA CAL 3 inch shad with a 1/8 ounce jig head. This is a great lure to cover a lot of water with if you are walking the beach or casting to the beach from a boat. I like to cast up current parallel to the beach when possible and bounce them off of the bottom or swim them within a foot of the bottom.
I created a FREE ONLINE SNOOK FISHING COURSE that you can see on this website. Just click on the blue words and it will take you right to the video course.
The snook in the picture below was caught off of one of Cayo Costa's beaches. Cayo Costa is an island in Charlotte Harbor. The snook were cruising about 6 feet from shore and you could sight fish for them as you walked the beach.
Snook and Red Fishing-- Mangroves
The mangrove roots at high tide are another great place to target snook and redfish. I probably sound like a broken record at this point but I use very few techniques to catch these fish. I like to target snook and reds around the mangroves with dead bait right up next to the mangrove roots. I mean RIGHT NEXT to the mangrove roots. If your bait is more than a foot away, then you are too far out.
The key is to find a mangrove island that will funnel the fish to you. If you can find a side of a mangrove island that has a deeper channel adjacent to it, then you can bet that predators will be cruising that spot at some point during the higher parts of the tide.
Just make sure that there is bait in the area and you can be assured that the predators are around too. Dead bait fishing requires you to be a very patient fisherman. BUT if is well worth it when you catch a monster snook or redfish.
Best Baits: I like a chunk of mullet, lady fish or a whole pin fish with the tail cut off the best. If you don't need a sinker, then don't use one. BUT if the current won't allow your bait to stay put, then you will need one. Use as little weight as possible and keep it 18 to 24 inches away from the hook with a barrel swivel.
Snook and Red Fishing-- Docks
Docks are another great place to target snook and redfish. Docks are like an inshore artificial reef for fish, shrimp and crabs. The older the dock, the better for fishing. As the dock pilings age, they will accumulate barnacles, oysters, sponges, grasses and other stuff that make the basis of the food chain.
Once all of those creatures have colonized the pilings other creatures will be attracted to them. Shrimp, crabs and small bait fish will find food and shelter among the pilings.
Guess who likes to eat shrimp, crabs and small bait fish. That's right! Snook and redfish like to eat all of those creatures and we like to eat snook and redfish.
The best docks are those that are at least 5 or 6 feet deep at high tide. You also want to find docks that have clean water and lots of tidal flow. Both snook and redfish like the tide to bring them their food.
Best Lures: I like to fish docks with lures because you might have to fish 20 or 30 docks to find the fish. If you are dead or live baiting you will take all day to cover that many docks. May favorite lures are....wait for it.....
Berkeley Gulps and DOA CALs with a 1/8 ounce jig head. I am sorry that I am so predictable and boring but those lures work the best for me. I am sure that there are other lures that are amazing snook and redfish catchers but those two work well. If it aint broke don't fix it right?
Just get the lures as close to or under the dock if you are a good caster. Let them sink to the bottom and work them slowly back to you. Cover the dock as thoroughly as possible and move to the next one. You will probably have to beef up your tackle for dock fishing because you will get wrapped around the pilings if you can't muscle the fish out quickly.
Watch the video below and catch more Blacktip Sharks in Charlotte Harbor.
Docks are another great place to target snook and redfish. Docks are like an inshore artificial reef for fish, shrimp and crabs. The older the dock, the better for fishing. As the dock pilings age, they will accumulate barnacles, oysters, sponges, grasses and other stuff that make the basis of the food chain.
Once all of those creatures have colonized the pilings other creatures will be attracted to them. Shrimp, crabs and small bait fish will find food and shelter among the pilings.
Guess who likes to eat shrimp, crabs and small bait fish. That's right! Snook and redfish like to eat all of those creatures and we like to eat snook and redfish.
The best docks are those that are at least 5 or 6 feet deep at high tide. You also want to find docks that have clean water and lots of tidal flow. Both snook and redfish like the tide to bring them their food.
Best Lures: I like to fish docks with lures because you might have to fish 20 or 30 docks to find the fish. If you are dead or live baiting you will take all day to cover that many docks. May favorite lures are....wait for it.....
Berkeley Gulps and DOA CALs with a 1/8 ounce jig head. I am sorry that I am so predictable and boring but those lures work the best for me. I am sure that there are other lures that are amazing snook and redfish catchers but those two work well. If it aint broke don't fix it right?
Just get the lures as close to or under the dock if you are a good caster. Let them sink to the bottom and work them slowly back to you. Cover the dock as thoroughly as possible and move to the next one. You will probably have to beef up your tackle for dock fishing because you will get wrapped around the pilings if you can't muscle the fish out quickly.
Watch the video below and catch more Blacktip Sharks in Charlotte Harbor.
Shark Fishing in Charlotte Harbor
The shark fishing in Charlotte Harbor is incredible. Besides the Everglades and 10,000 Islands, Charlotte Harbor is the sharkiest place that I have ever fished. It is a lay up to catch a shark if you want to in and around the area all year unless the Winter is a cold one.
There are all kinds of sharks in the harbor. My favorites are the Blacktip Sharks but the Bull Sharks and the little Bonnet Head Sharks are really fun to catch too. I target all three of these species on the grass flats and open water areas so that I can catch them with lighter tackle. The sharks in the videos above were all caught on 4000 or 5500 series reels and medium heavy rods.
Shark Fishing Charlotte Harbor-- Grass Flats
I am a kayak fishing guide on the Treasure Coast of Florida and I like to target big tarpon with fresh dead bait on the bottom in my area. I was fishing for tarpon using this technique on the grass flats of Charlotte Harbor when I started catching tons of sharks. That is how I discovered that the grass flats around the harbor were so full of sharks.
Best Baits: I like to use a blue fish or a lady fish cut in half with a small sinker to keep it on the bottom. When I am targeting the sharks a wire leader is the way to go but you should use as light a leader as possible.
I always use 5/0 or a 6/0 circle hook for the sharks because they will usually hook them in the corner of the mouth. J hooks will often get swallowed and I want to cause as little discomfort as possible since I am not keeping any of the sharks. I will not ever use stainless steel hooks either. Sometimes it is hard to get the hook out of the sharks and the rust out hooks will dissolve in a week or so but the stainless ones will stay for many months.
Techniques: I am looking for an area with very little boat traffic; a lot of current; about 6 or 7 feet of water that is very close to a deeper channel. If I can find a place that has all of those factors going for me then I will anchor and sink some shark baits.
There are times when I only have to wait 10 minutes and other times that it takes an hour but I have never not gotten a bite when all of those factors are in place. The reason that I like the shallow water is because that usually keeps the really big sharks from taking your bait.
I don't want to catch a huge shark that I have to fight for an hour or two. I want a four or five foot shark that will give me a fun 10 or 15 minute fight.
Watch the video below and catch more Bull Sharks in Charlotte Harbor.
Tarpon Fishing in Charlotte Harbor-- Grass Flats
I have hooked so many big tarpon in Charlotte Harbor but have never landed any. Every time that I have targeted the size that I like a monster comes to visit. I like to catch tarpon around 4 feet long or less because they will give you a great fight for 10 minutes and you can release them safely.
A 100 pound plus tarpon will take 45 minutes to bring in and you will have to revive them for another 5 or 10 minutes or they will die.
There are some huge tarpon in Charlotte Harbor. I will be set up with a 4000 series reel filled with 20 lb braided line. That is the perfect set up for a 20 to 40 pound tarpon. Of course that is when a 6 foot, 100 pound tarpon will take my bait and spool me or break the line. That has been my luck with tarpon in the harbor.
When I bring out my 5500 series reel loaded with 80 pound braid I always end up catching sharks instead of tarpon. Other times I have hooked the 100 plus pound tarpon is when I am trout fishing with gold spoons. Yes, a 100 plus pound tarpon will hit a gold spoon. It takes those tarpon about 20 seconds to spool a 2500 series reel.
The lesson here is simple. Don't fish Charlotte Harbor for tarpon with me unless you like to catch sharks. However, I do know how to hook up with big tarpon.
Best Baits: I like to use a one or two pound bait for the big tarpon. The really big ones that I have hooked over the years have been on huge chunks of bluefish and lady fish. The ones that are around 50 or 60 pounds that I have hooked have been with a live pin fish underneath a bobber with about 5 feet of leader.
The best place to find these big tarpon are on the deeper grass flats that are adjacent to a deep channel. The confluence of those two criteria seem to be the most important factors to find those big tarpon on the flats.
Watch the video below and catch more spotted sea trout in Charlotte Harbor.
Spotted Sea Trout Fishing in Charlotte Harbor-- Grass Flats
Sea trout and grass flats go together like Saturdays and College Football. In spite of all of the red tides and toxic discharges from Lake Okeechobee over the years, Charlotte Harbor is still very fertile. It has managed to keep lots of healthy grass flats unlike many other parts of the state that have lost 90% of theirs.
Trout are poor fighters but they are numerous and good to eat. They are not actually trout at all. They are members of the drum family like a redfish and a black drum.
Baits and Lures: The best live bait for speckled trout is a live shrimp underneath a popping cork. You will need about 18 inches of line between the cork and the shrimp. Every now and again twitch the line to make the cork pop and wait for it to go under and set the hook. It's that simple.
The best lures are Berkely Gulp shrimp and swimming mullet followed closely by DOA CALs. A gold spoon works very well too.
The best way to catch speckled trout is to drift the grass flats with live shrimp under a float or with Berkeley Gulps or DOA CALs. I like to use a slow retrieve with a twitch every 5 or 10 feet. Trout like to hit the lure as it falls in the water column so make sure that your twitch moves the lure a foot or two in the water column.
Conclusion:
The Charlotte Harbor area is one of the most fertile inshore spots in the state of Florida. Sure, there are red tide issues that seem to be occurring more and more frequently but there are still a lot of fish to catch.
The Boca Grande Pass has some huge tarpon, sharks, goliath groupers and other species for big fish hunters. The grass flats and mangroves are also full of snook, redfish and spotted sea trout.
All in all, the Charlotte Harbor area of Florida is one of the best fishing spots that an inshore fisherman could hope for. If you are not familiar with the area, then you may want to check it out and catch a ton of fish.
I hope that this article helps you catch more fish or at the very least have more fun doing it.
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