Southwest Florida is one of the best places in the world to fish. And if you’re looking for a
great mix of both inshore and offshore fishing, as well as a resort-like vibe,
then Cape Coral is the spot for you. This city, sitting between Tampa and the Everglades,
has over 400 miles of navigable canals. That’s more than any other city in the world.
Most of Cape Coral’s canals are easily accessible and some can take you all the
way out into the Gulf of Mexico. Some of Florida’s most prized fish are at
your doorstep when you visit, and others are just a boat ride away.
In today’s video, we’ll get into what you can catch and what kind of fishing trips
you’re in store for when you visit the Sunshine State’s 8th largest city. But before we dive in,
make sure you hit the like and subscribe buttons to stay up to date on the latest fishing videos.
If you’re renting a vacation house in Cape Coral and you’re wondering
whether you can fish the canal out back the answer is yes – you can. Just make
sure you’re obeying any signage and respecting private property.
Depending on the canal, you’ll cast into either freshwater or saltwater. Any canal that has Gulf
access or connects to the Caloosahatchee River will give you a chance to target saltwater species.
The freshwater canals don’t have access to open waters and are mostly located in Cape
Coral’s interior. Keep in mind that many of the freshwater canals are actually brackish,
meaning you’ll find a mix of species in them. It’s also best to have both a freshwater and saltwater
license on you when fishing these to make sure you’re covered for anything you may catch.
The fishing in South West Florida, I think it’s world-class.
What’s nice is, when is a season, the fish migrate thru, and the bait we have
you have a good mixture of saltwater, freshwater brackish.
We are really an estuary. We get anything from Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Trout, Cobia.
Close offshore we get Grouper, Snapper, Kingfish, Permit. So really, all year round it's just top-notch fishing.
Let’s turn our attention to the fish, though. Some saltwater fish found in the canals include Snook,
Black Drum, Spotted Seatrout, and Sheepshead. In the freshwater canals,
you can also cast for species like Crappie, Bass, and a variety of Sunfish.
This area offers a lot of different varieties of fishing.
You have nearshore fishing of the racks. We get a great run of Tarpon, in April and May.
Phenomenal Tarpon fishing in this area.
And then inshore backwater fishing is also phenomenal, Snook, Redfish, Trout.
This area offers a lot of different opportunities to catch multiple species of fish.
There are also a lot of Catfish. Some, like Walking Catfish,
aren’t native to Cape Coral’s canals and most anglers consider them a nuisance.
If you want to avoid hooking Catfish, keep your baits off the bottom where
these fish feed.
If you want to branch out of the canals,
hopping aboard a charter boat can take you into even more productive inshore fishing grounds.
The city sits on a beautiful peninsula with the Caloosahatchee River on one side
and the Matlacha Pass on the other. That gives you plenty of options to target a variety of species.
Cape Coral’s close proximity to Boca Grande, Captiva and Sanibel Islands, as well as
neighboring Fort Myers Beach, makes it the perfect starting point for a Tarpon fishing adventure.
Come spring, and deep into summer, migration patterns bring Tarpon here by the thousands,
making it one of the best places in the world to hook into these prehistoric beasts.
You’ll also have your shot at an “Inshore Grand Slam” in the many mangroves and marshes,
which are teeming with Redfish, Snook, and Spotted Seatrout. On the freshwater side of things,
heading into one of the city’s man-made lakes or
making the short drive to legendary Lake Okeechobee can put you on Largemouth Bass.
You can set your sights on bigger fish in deeper waters, too. Although Cape Coral is predominantly
known for its productive inshore fisheries, it also offers easy access to the Gulf’s reef systems
and beyond. Booking a full-day fishing charter could see you heading to the reefs in search of
Grouper, Amberjack, and Cobia. It’s also a great spot to land Red Snapper during the open season.
Head up to 75 miles out and there’s also Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, and Billfish on the table.
It just goes to show that any kind of fishing adventure you can imagine
is possible when you’re heading out of Cape Coral.
Whether you’re casting a line from your backyard into the canal or
chartering a boat and heading to the islands and deep into the Gulf of Mexico,
Cape Coral’s got a trip for you. And we’re here to help make planning that trip a breeze.
FishingBooker helps you find the charter that’s right for you and your family. With hundreds of
local guides, verified reviews, and hassle-free online bookings, you’ll save time and money,
and experience an exciting day on the water.
So be sure to smash that like button and hit subscribe for more updates
on the hottest fishing spots across the country.
And of course, head over to FishingBooker.com to start planning your Cape Coral adventure today!