Rotonda West Fishing Reports (May 2026)

Rotonda West Weather Forecast

Fishing reports straight from our guides in Rotonda West

Matt Fueyo with Reel Tight Fishing Charters
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

The bite has been productive. Inshore and nearshore bite has produced snappers that will reopen Jan 1. The redfish snook and trout are gorging on white bait before the water gets too cold. Good fishing good fun filling coolers

Matt Fueyo with Reel Tight Fishing Charters Sarasota, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

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Brandon Douberly
Bartow, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

Brandon Douberly Bartow, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

The winter feels are here in Southwest Florida. We may not be in full blown cold season but it feels like it some days. Early cold fronts that have not been common the past several years, extreme low winter type tides and of course our northern visitors have made their appearance. The other, more notable signs of winter fishing is the invasion of big sheepshead in to our inshore waters. When the temps drop these delicious fish make their way inshore to engage their annual spawning. Sheepshead are big, hardy, tasty and strong fighting fish that feed exclusively on crustaceans like barnacles, shrimp, crabs and even sand fleas. Our sheepshead are a structure oriented species, meaning they like cover such as docks, rock piles, mangrove branches and you can sometimes find them along oyster beds where a lot of their food can be found. They have big strong jaws, lined with rows of rounded teeth resembling human teeth. They are quite the sight to see, but despite their strange appearance they taste much like the food they consume. Some people would compare their meat to crab. I typically target these fish using a sharp 1/4 ounce jig head tipped with a small shrimp or if need be a piece of a larger shrimp. The key is to cover the hook without giving them enough hanging off the hook where they can pull it off. Covering the hook makes them have no choice but to eat the whole bait. Their mouth is so full of teeth sometimes it is difficult to get a hook in them, needless to say it is not uncommon to miss them.

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Jack Swedberg
Fort Myers, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

Cobia and triple tails nearshore

Jack Swedberg Fort Myers, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

Cobia and triple tails nearshore

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Logan Hawthorne
Cape Coral, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

Nearshore bite is heating up.

Logan Hawthorne Cape Coral, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

Nearshore bite is heating up.

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Jack Swedberg
Fort Myers, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

42 inch redfish on a nearshore trip

Jack Swedberg Fort Myers, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

42 inch redfish on a nearshore trip

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Matt Fueyo with Reel Tight Fishing Charters
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

Nearshore and inshore fishing has been on fire. We have been seeing some big schools of redfish moving through our waters. Snook are cruising the rocks in the jetties. Nearshore fishing has been fun. Gag groupers, lane snappers, mangroves and muttons too! Super fun on light tackle!

Matt Fueyo with Reel Tight Fishing Charters Sarasota, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

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James Gibson
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

Water temperatures dropped this week after the recent cold front. Our customers had success targeting redfish and snook along deep edges. We are also enjoying catching Jack travellelll

James Gibson Sarasota, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

Water temperatures dropped this week after the recent cold front. Our customers had success targeting redfish and snook along deep edges. We are also enjoying catching Jack travellelll

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James Goodman
Fort Myers, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

Lots of Cobia and reds on the near shore wrecks eating small pilchards off the bottom.

James Goodman Fort Myers, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

Lots of Cobia and reds on the near shore wrecks eating small pilchards off the bottom.

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★★★★★
It was a great experience especially for people like us from PA! Roland was great guide and very friendly and will go out of his way to make sure you get the fish and the iguanas! I I would recommend him for anybody else that wants the experience
Joey B. | April 27, 2026

Trip: Peacock Bass And Iguana Hunt Combo
★★★★★
Good time, perfect day. Capt Dalton moved around until we found fish. Highly recommended
Kevin S. | April 24, 2026

Trip: Fishing Thrills In Fort Myers
★★★★★
Highly recommend the iguana hunt. Had a great time. Will definitely book another hunt with Roland again.
Bill D. | April 24, 2026

Trip: Cape Coral Iguana Hunt
★★★★★
Knowledgeable & worked hard. Got a dozen snook despite wind & tough tide. Great tackle - good bait.
Drbob R. | April 23, 2026

Trip: Fort Myers/Sanibel Inshore 21’boat
★★★★★
We had an absolutely incredible day with Captain Roland! From the moment we got on the boat, he was attentive, personable, and made us feel completely comfortable. He was especially wonderful with our 9-year-old son—taking the time to teach him, encourage him, and make sure he was having the best time. We caught more fish than we ever expected, and the entire experience was relaxed, fun, and memorable. There truly isn’t enough good we can say about this trip. We’re already looking forward to booking again with Captain Roland!
Candace M. | April 21, 2026

Trip: Inshore Fishing Charter Cape Coral
★★★★★
Trip was a lot of fun and John did a great job hitting different spots for us to catch fish.
Chad C. | April 20, 2026

Trip: Nearshore Reef & Wreck Trips
★★★★★
Very enjoyable charter with over 20 hookups in 4 hours. We requested targeting snook, redfish and any other "filet and release" species. Snook and redfish were abundant although many were short they were a great fight. Highly recommend Captain Andy.
Bonnie K. | April 20, 2026

Trip: 4-8 Hours Inshore Trip
★★★★★
My wife, Carolina, and I, had a great time with Captain Steve! He showed us not only the techniques of catching fish on the West Coast, but also a great time and he is a great showman! Captain Steve definitely knows what he’s doing! We will be back!🙌🎣
Rafael P. | April 19, 2026

Trip: Beach Fishing: Family-Friendly
★★★★★
My wife and I recently booked an afternoon fishing trip with Jose. Jose was very personable and immediately set us at ease. He has a great sense of humor and we laughed throughout the afternoon. More importantly, we caught fish from the beginning of the trip to the end. Jose knows these waters and where to find them. We caught many species (spotted sea trout, sheepshead, redfish, snook, pinfish, a shark, and the elusive triple tail). The sea trout were the most plentiful and made an excellent meal. Thanks Jose for a fun afternoon. We will book again the next time we are in the area!!
Jim L. | April 16, 2026

Trip: 4 Hour Trip – Fish And Fun
★★★★★
my two grandsons and I Iguana hunted with Logan and had a great time Logan is patient , knowlegeable of his hunting area . had lots of oppurtunities great fun and planning to go again next season
Bill B. | April 15, 2026

Trip: Iguana Hunt With Iguana DOG!!!