Cape Coral, FL Fishing: Florida’s Waterfront Wonderland

The vibrant city of Cape Coral in Lee County, Florida sits on the Gulf of Mexico. Lovingly dubbed a “waterfront wonderland”, it boasts a whopping 400 miles of navigable freshwater and saltwater canals - that’s more than Venice, Italy. Originally founded as Redfish Point, Cape Coral came about when real estate brothers Leonard and Jack Rosen developed it as a planned community in 1957. By 1958, the city had its first residents. Development carried on through the early 1960s, and celebrities were hired to advertise “the Cape”. It incorporated in 1970, and saw a population boom so impressive that it surpassed the population of its neighbor, Fort Myers, in the 1980s.

Apart from its formidable canal system, Cape Coral is also known for its breathtaking wildlife and landscape. It’s a well-known location among Floridians with a love for bird watching, with the largest population of burrowing owls in Florida. The city is also home to many parks and ecological preserves, including the Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve, a 365-acre mangrove forest along Caloosahatchee River.

Fishing is a very important industry in Cape Coral, and the city has various water bodies beyond its canal system, including Lake Kennedy, Four Freedoms Park, Sirenia Vista Park, and a part of the Caloosahatchee River. The square mileage of these water bodies and Cape Coral’s dedication to their preservation make for a truly unmissable fishing experience.

Cape Coral Fishing

Florida is known as the “Fishing Capital of the World”, and visiting Cape Coral will show you why. Its well-preserved waters are home to various species of salt- and freshwater fish. There is an abundance of trophy catches, too. Fishing locations vary in their available hours - some are only available for day fishing while others are open day and night - fish species have size and bag limits, and some locations are strictly catch-and-release fishing only. Fishing tournaments at Cape Coral include the Yacht Club Family Fishing Tournament in May, and the Grouper Grapple Fishing Tournament at Fort Myers Beach in August.

At the canals, some of the most popular fish you can find are snook, sheepshead, largemouth bass, bluegill, and mullet. Even if you’re not looking to fish for mullet, its presence - often swimming in schools - is a good lure for the larger fish who are looking to feast on them. If you are looking to catch mullet, keep in mind that they put up a good fight and tend to be wary of anglers. One way to test the waters for them is by throwing pieces of bread into the water and see how they respond. You can catch mullet with fly fishing gear with size 4-8 hooks. The best baits for these fish include worms, fish guts, and bread.

Other freshwater fishing locations at Cape Coral are Lake Kennedy and Caloosahatchee River. Lake Kennedy is only available for daylight fishing and is home to snook, spotted sea trout, sheepshead, and black drum.

Cape Coral has two beaches - Yacht Club Public Beach and Four Freedoms Park. Both locations are open for 24 hours. The Yacht Club Boat Ramp has two boat launches and allows access to the Gulf of Mexico by way of the Caloosahatchee River. It is around 5.5 statute miles from the Sanibel Causeway Bridge - about a 30-minute ride.

Cape Coral offers many inshore fishing opportunities close to the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico, and around inlets and creek mouths. Matlacha Pass, Estero Bay, Caloosahatchee River, and the Pine Island Sound are just a few of the Cape’s inshore fishing spots. Here, anglers can try their luck with a variety of coveted species such as crevalle jack, tripletail, sheepshead, and Spanish mackerel. In March, when Winter transitions into spring, permit and cobia swim from offshore waters to nearshore waters. Come June, tarpon join them, swimming as close as 1-3 miles from the shore. While large tarpon can weigh as much as 280 pounds, heavy tackle isn’t needed to catch them. A non-corrosive medium weight rod with a 5000 to 7000 size spinning reel should do the trick. Tarpon are athletic jumpers and will often jump majestically out of the water in an attempt to unhook themselves.

For anglers with a preference for deep sea fishing, Cape Coral has much to offer. With many access points to the Gulf of Mexico, anglers can head to deeper waters to have a chance to catch some of the most prized ocean fish in the area. These include king mackerel, cobia, mahi-mahi, and Goliath grouper. King mackerel and cobia are often caught by trolling, jigging, and using live or artificial bait and lures. Mahi-mahi need heavy-duty rods weighing 30-50 pounds. To get their attention, make the bait skip on the water to entice them. For anglers specifically looking to catch the goliath grouper, a stronger, heavier reel is required - they are known to break fishing gear. 

In the winter, deep sea fishing in Cape Coral is as bountiful as any other time of the year, bringing in kingfish and amberjack. While kingfish are a sought-after gamefish species, they do not grow as big as other species. Using a light tackle and a small hook will be more than enough, combined with bloodworms, clams, or chopped squid as bait. In August, they are known to populate nearshore waters.

Between the two types of amberjack - greater and lesser - the more common species is the greater amberjack, while the lesser is rarely caught. Greater amberjack can grow up to 200 pounds and require lines testing at least 50 pounds. This species is not a picky eater, so both artificial and live bait are effective, though live fish are best paired with heavy tackle. Light tackle can be paired with spinning and baitcasting rigs for successful amberjack fishing.

Top 10 Fish Species at Cape Coral, FL

The top species of fish at Cape Coral, FL are snook, tarpon, redfish, largemouth bass, peacock bass, bluegill, mullet, sheepshead, spotted sea trout, and crappie.

Seasonal Fishing at Cape Coral

Fishing at Cape Coral promises great results all year round. The cold water temperatures from December to February make a favorable environment for large game fish, such as spotted sea trout and redfish. Winter in freshwater lakes and canals can produce large catches of largemouth bass. During this season, the best lures to use include rigged soft plastic worms, jigs, and live shiners.

In March, before the spring showers start, both saltwater and freshwater bodies will be at their clearest due to the lack of rainfall. Snook and redfish will appear in clear waters and stay there for a few days to warm themselves after the winter. Tarpon will appear and swim in schools and feast to prepare for their spawning season. Peacock bass begin to swim in the smaller fishing ranges of Cape Coral. As spring continues through May, make sure to check obscured areas with structures, trees, logs, or aquatic vegetation for fish that may be hiding.

Every kind of fishing is great from June to September. Due Florida’s subtropical climate, you may have better luck fishing early in the morning and early in the evening, when gamefish aren’t too intimidated by the heat. Other places you can check are creek mouths with heavy water flows as these will have great amounts of food for gamefish at this time of year. Tilapia and American shad are carried in by the water, and redfish, snook, and tarpon will be stationed at creek mouths, waiting to snap them up.

From October to early December, baitfish will have grown bigger from feasting during the summer, so there will be gamefish on the hunt everywhere you look. Snook use this time to fatten up before the winter, so you’ll have a good chance of catching them. Redfish swim in schools along the shoreline, and tarpon is great, especially in the evening. Freshwater fishing for bass such as largemouth and peacock bass also shines, with imitations of juvenile bluegill and American shad as well as popper flies and topwater lures being your best lures.

Enjoy the Boundless Beauty of Cape Coral, FL

Beyond its breathtaking beaches and clear water canals, Cape Coral’s other offerings are just as beautiful and memorable.

1.Book a Fishing Charter

The idea of navigating Cape Coral’s vast and many water bodies can be intimidating, especially for first-time visitors. Book one of the Cape’s numerous fishing charters to help you locate the best fishing spots and catch the gamefish of your dreams.

2. Hike the Four Mile Cove 

The Four Mile Cove Eco Preserve has a sprawling nature trail that consists of a lush mangrove forest and the waterways that wind through it for kayaking. Adorned with the most gorgeous wildflowers, it is also a great place to go bird watching.

3. Have a Taste of Florida’s Best Spirits

Visit the Wicked Dolphin Rum Distillery and try their award-winning craft rum. Friendly tour guides take you through the distilling and fermentation process as you sample some of their finest spirits.

4. Sunsplash Family Waterpark

The whole family can enjoy a fun day of swimming and sunbathing at Sunsplash Waterpark, the largest waterpark in southwest Florida. With an area of 14 acres, the waterpark boasts numerous tunnels, slides, and pools for you and your loved ones.