Lostmans River is a River located in Monroe County, FL. Starting in Chokoloskee, FL the Lostmans River flows 2 miles through Chokoloskee, FL before ending in Chokoloskee, FL. Find maps, fishing guides, weather and recreation information at Guidesly.

About Lostmans River, FL

Lostmans River is a freshwater stream located in Monroe County. Lostmans River runs to the Gulf of Mexico near First Bay and Tom’s Creek, part of Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands and the Everglades National Park.
The Ten Thousand Islands archipelago is one of the last dark skies sites in coastal Southwest Florida. The Ten Thousand Islands were used and occupied by Native Americans for thousands of years and is proven since former living sites were found to be inundated with a rise in sea level over the years. Tourism is heavily regulated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to preserve the historic sites and fragile ecosystems, including the Lostmans River.

Being within the western portion of the Everglades National Park – the United State’s most extensive tropical wilderness – Lostmans River is connected to a network of wetlands and forests that function as a sanctuary for various wildlife, including birds, alligators, and fish. The Everglades National Park is presently a popular tourist destination for local and international tourists seeking to glimpse the part of Florida untouched by human activity.

All About Fishing in Lostmans River, FL

Lostmans River is predominantly freshwater and is home to various fish species, including red drum, common snook, tarpon, and channel catfish. The abundance of mangroves and other aquatic flora makes the river an ideal spawning location, enabling fish species to grow despite the numerous oyster bars in the area.

Common techniques used in Lostmans River are baitcasting, spinning, and light tackle. Since water levels in the Lostmans River tend to get shallow, particularly during low tide, anglers use flat bottom canoes or kayaks to avoid damaging their equipment. Fishing from a smaller boat could be limiting and challenging, primarily since many aggressive gamefish could be targeted, mainly common snook and tarpon. The complexity of the Lostmans River’s water topography adds to the challenge. It is frequented by experienced anglers seeking to harvest or practice CPR (catch, photo, and release) only. Less experienced anglers are still welcome to fish in Lostmans River as they could easily spot smaller fish such as common snook around areas where the current is moving faster. The common snook is known to ambush shrimp or small baitfish swept by the current, particularly near floating tree branches. 

Choosing the right lures is vital when fishing in Lostmans River since its waters are known to be tan-colored and could be dark and musty in some areas. It could be hard to spot fish in deeper areas, so it’s best to invest solid colored lures as they work best in Lostman River waters. However, this is not mandatory as the shrimp and insects that could be harvested near Lostman River’s edges work great for targeting common snook and tarpon.

Fishing in Lostmans River is subject to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s fishing regulations which require anglers to obtain a fishing license to fish in Lostmans River. All licensed anglers are only permitted to take home a total of 20 fish per day, granted that the bag limit for all fish species is only up to 10. Commercial fishing is also prohibited unless a state-signed permit is secured.

Fishing Seasonality

Lostmans River’s abundant fish species offer anglers year-round fishing opportunities. Specific times are best to target as fish species peak in numbers. Red drum is best targeted between April to June and September to October. Tarpon spawns from March through August and is most abundant between May and June. Common snook peaks from June to August and Between December to March. 

Fishing Seasonality

Lostmans River’s abundant fish species offer anglers year-round fishing opportunities. Specific times are best to target as fish species peak in numbers. Red drum is best targeted between April to June and September to October. Tarpon spawns from March through August and is most abundant between May and June. Common snook peaks from June to August and Between December to March. 

All About Fishing in Lostmans River, FL

Lostmans River is predominantly freshwater and is home to various fish species, including red drum, common snook, tarpon, and channel catfish. The abundance of mangroves and other aquatic flora makes the river an ideal spawning location, enabling fish species to grow despite the numerous oyster bars in the area.

Common techniques used in Lostmans River are baitcasting, spinning, and light tackle. Since water levels in the Lostmans River tend to get shallow, particularly during low tide, anglers use flat bottom canoes or kayaks to avoid damaging their equipment. Fishing from a smaller boat could be limiting and challenging, primarily since many aggressive gamefish could be targeted, mainly common snook and tarpon. The complexity of the Lostmans River’s water topography adds to the challenge. It is frequented by experienced anglers seeking to harvest or practice CPR (catch, photo, and release) only. Less experienced anglers are still welcome to fish in Lostmans River as they could easily spot smaller fish such as common snook around areas where the current is moving faster. The common snook is known to ambush shrimp or small baitfish swept by the current, particularly near floating tree branches. 

Choosing the right lures is vital when fishing in Lostmans River since its waters are known to be tan-colored and could be dark and musty in some areas. It could be hard to spot fish in deeper areas, so it’s best to invest solid colored lures as they work best in Lostman River waters. However, this is not mandatory as the shrimp and insects that could be harvested near Lostman River’s edges work great for targeting common snook and tarpon.

Fishing in Lostmans River is subject to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s fishing regulations which require anglers to obtain a fishing license to fish in Lostmans River. All licensed anglers are only permitted to take home a total of 20 fish per day, granted that the bag limit for all fish species is only up to 10. Commercial fishing is also prohibited unless a state-signed permit is secured.