Sanibel Island Fishing Reports (December 2025)

Jon Fetter
Fort Myers, Florida
Reported: 9 months ago

The fishing has started to heat up down here like the temperature. There has been some really good redfish action lately although most have been on the smaller size. Shrimp tipped jig heads thrown up around the mangroves and oyster bars has been the go to method for them. The...

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Jon Fetter Fort Myers, Florida Reported: 9 months ago

The fishing has started to heat up down here like the temperature. There has been some really good redfish action lately although most have been on the smaller size. Shrimp tipped jig heads thrown up around the mangroves and oyster bars has been the go to method for them. The spotted sea trout bite had been great as of late. Shrimp under popping corks seems to be the bait of choice. Anglers have been picking up plenty of ladyfish and snapper as by catches. If you want to bend rods and make memories it has been a great time to do so.

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Scott Flinn
Bradenton, Florida
Reported: 9 months ago

We are getting a pretty good mix of trout redfish and snook.

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Scott Flinn Bradenton, Florida Reported: 9 months ago

We are getting a pretty good mix of trout redfish and snook.

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Tom Katz
Fort Myers, Florida
Reported: 9 months ago

Plenty of grouper and snapper in the gulf of America.

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Tom Katz Fort Myers, Florida Reported: 9 months ago

Plenty of grouper and snapper in the gulf of America.

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Daniel Medina
Fort Myers, Florida
Reported: 9 months ago

Nearshore fishing has been good with big sheepshead, black drums and more. Offshore on the 10 hr trips, seeing big red grouper and other bottom dwellers. In the quad pic, that's a black drum. The others are pretty much all big red grouper.

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Daniel Medina Fort Myers, Florida Reported: 9 months ago

Nearshore fishing has been good with big sheepshead, black drums and more. Offshore on the 10 hr trips, seeing big red grouper and other bottom dwellers. In the quad pic, that's a black drum. The others are pretty much all big red grouper.

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James Goodman
Fort Myers, Florida
Reported: 9 months ago

Sheepshead said bite has been phenomenal using live shrimp and fiddler crabs pitching on mangroves and oyster bars in 2 to 4 ft of water higher tides have been better than low tides especially midday.

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James Goodman Fort Myers, Florida Reported: 9 months ago

Sheepshead said bite has been phenomenal using live shrimp and fiddler crabs pitching on mangroves and oyster bars in 2 to 4 ft of water higher tides have been better than low tides especially midday.

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Jesse Calhoun
Fort Myers Beach, Florida
Reported: 10 months ago

Action hasn't stopped with the chilli weather

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Jesse Calhoun Fort Myers Beach, Florida Reported: 10 months ago

Action hasn't stopped with the chilli weather

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Daniel Medina
Fort Myers, Florida
Reported: 10 months ago

Finished off the 2024 year with some beautiful red snapper days as well as started off with some nice red grouper to open the year. A couple jumbo sized Goliaths joined the party as well. Inshore, the trout bite has been consistent but most of the trout are on the...

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Daniel Medina Fort Myers, Florida Reported: 10 months ago

Finished off the 2024 year with some beautiful red snapper days as well as started off with some nice red grouper to open the year. A couple jumbo sized Goliaths joined the party as well. Inshore, the trout bite has been consistent but most of the trout are on the small side. Picking away at mangroves, sheepshead's and grunts on the nearshore trips.

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Brandon Douberly
Bartow, Florida
Reported: 11 months 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...

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Brandon Douberly Bartow, Florida Reported: 11 months 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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