Port guide / Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida / Florida

Naples fishing guide

Naples fishes the Gulf beaches, bays and bridges, with snook on the flats, in the rivers, along the beach and under the bridges, and the Ten Thousand Islands backcountry a short run south. About 17 fishing, sailing and sightseeing charters work out of the Naples City Dock, and Collier County's Paradise Coast Reef program has put 36 artificial reefs offshore for snapper, grouper and cobia. In the warm months the biggest snook and tarpon move in, while cooler months bring black drum, Spanish mackerel and cobia into the passes.

Conditions now
What is biting
Seasons and rules
Where to fish
Ramps and piers
Bait and charters
Events
Questions

10 ft, conditions now

Conditions now

Live from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Times show in your own time zone.

Tides

Loading the next highs and lows from NOAA.

On the water now

Water: Checking
Wind: Checking

Marine forecast

Loading the National Weather Service forecast.

NOAA tides, Naples, Gulf of Mexico, FL (opens in a new tab) NOAA station Fort Myers, FL (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Coastal waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL out 20 NM (opens in a new tab)

20 ft, what is biting

What is biting, month by month

When each fish is at its best around Naples. This month is marked.

What is biting by month around Naples. Peak, good and slow months for each species.
Species	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Snook	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Slow
Tarpon	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Slow
Spotted seatrout	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Redfish	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Mangrove snapper	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Pompano	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Spanish mackerel	Peak	Peak	Peak	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Peak	Peak
Cobia	Peak	Peak	Peak	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Peak	Peak
Black drum	Peak	Peak	Peak	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Peak	Peak

Snook
Peak: May, June, July, August, September
Fish the flats, rivers, beach and bridges, where the bigger snook like the bridges, and they want water above 60 degrees.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Tarpon
Peak: May, June, July, August, September
Big fish move in during the warm months and often feed on ladyfish around the passes and outside islands.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout
Grass flats and oyster bars south toward Marco and the Ten Thousand Islands hold trout almost year-round.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Redfish
Local inshore charters target reds along with trout and snook on the bay and backcountry flats.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Mangrove snapper
Snapper are around almost all year on inshore structure and the artificial reefs.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Pompano
A near year-round catch along sandy edges and passes.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Spanish mackerel
Peak: January, February, March, November, December
They move into the passes in the cooler months.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Cobia
Peak: January, February, March, November, December
Cooler-month fish in the passes, and also on the Paradise Coast artificial reefs.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Black drum
Peak: January, February, March, November, December
The largest black drum show up in the passes when the water cools.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)

30 ft, seasons and rules

Seasons and rules

Open and close dates we could confirm from official sources, plus where to check limits before you keep a fish.

Red snapper, Gulf state and federal waters (private recreational), summer
Summer season ran May 22 (Memorial Day weekend) through July 31. Private-vessel anglers must hold the free State Reef Fish Angler designation.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, Gulf state and federal waters (private recreational), fall
Open Sept. 1 to Oct. 4, then every day Oct. 9 to 22 (eight days added in September), Oct. 23 to 25, Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, Nov. 7 to 8, 14 to 15 and 21 to 22, Nov. 26 to 29, Dec. 5 to 6, 12 to 13 and 19 to 20, Dec. 25 to 27, and Jan. 1 to 4, 2027.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, Gulf state waters
Recreational season was open Sept. 1 through Sept. 30 and closed at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, Gulf federal waters
Opened 12:01 a.m. Sept. 1 and closed 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, Gulf state waters
Recreational season open Sept. 1 through Oct. 13, closing at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 14, matching adjacent federal waters.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gray triggerfish, Gulf state and federal waters
Open March 1 to May 31 and Aug. 1 to Dec. 31. Closed June 1 to July 31.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Snook, Southwest region
Harvest is closed Dec. 1 through the end of February and May 1 through Sept. 30. In 2026 harvest closed May 1 and reopened Oct. 1. Keeping one also requires a snook permit.
FWC, 2026 (standing rule) Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red drum, Southwest region
Open year-round. Bag and slot vary by region, check FWC.
FWC, current Official page (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout, Southwest zone
Open year-round with no seasonal closure.
FWC, current Official page (opens in a new tab)
Tarpon
Catch and release only statewide. Fish over 40 inches must stay in the water unless you hold a tarpon tag for a record attempt.
FWC, current Official page (opens in a new tab)

Rules change. Check before you go.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

A snook permit is required on top of a saltwater license to keep a snook.
Anglers 16 and older fishing for certain reef fish from a private vessel need the free State Reef Fish Angler designation.
Tarpon is catch and release only, and fish over 40 inches must stay in the water.
Florida offers a free resident shoreline-only saltwater license, which is not valid from a boat.
FWC's line between the Charlotte Harbor and Southwest regions for snook, red drum and spotted seatrout is near Vanderbilt Beach Road, so north Naples waters fall in Charlotte Harbor and most of Naples southward falls in Southwest. Both regions share the same snook closed seasons.
Collier County boat parks charge a daily launch fee of $10 for motorized boats and $5 for paddle craft, with annual permits available, and nonresidents without a beach parking permit pay $10 to park.
The Naples Pier is closed during its rebuild, which began Jan. 6, 2026 with an estimated 18 month timeline.

Size and bag limits Fishing licenses

Last checked 2026-10-26

40 ft, where to fish

Where to fish

Beach
Naples beaches
Walk the beach for snook in warm water, especially around structure.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Reef
Paradise Coast Reef (Collier artificial reefs)
36 artificial reefs built from more than 18,000 tons of concrete that hold snapper, cobia, grouper and barracuda.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Pier
Naples Pier
A classic shore spot, but closed for the whole rebuild project that started January 2026.
Source (opens in a new tab)

50 ft, launch and piers

Ramps and piers

Public launches and fishing piers. Fees and hours change, so check the link before you tow.

Public boat ramps and fishing piers around Naples
Name	Type	Fee	Where
Naples Landing Park and Public Boat Launch (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	Downtown Naples, FL 34102
Bayview Park (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	1500 Danford Street, Naples, FL 34112
Cocohatchee River Park (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	Naples, FL
Collier Boulevard Boating Park (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	3620 Collier Blvd., Naples, FL 34113

60 ft, bait, tackle and charters

Bait, tackle and charters

Local shops and guides. We are not paid to list anyone here.

Bait and tackle

Bait and tackle shops around Naples
Shop	Where	Phone
Naples City Dock (opens in a new tab)	880 12th Ave. S., Naples, FL 34102
Mangrove Outfitters Fly Shop (opens in a new tab)	1947 Davis Blvd., Naples, FL 34104	239-793-3370
Master Bait & Tackle (Bonita Springs) (opens in a new tab)

Charters and guides

Fishing charters and guides around Naples
Charter	Fishing
Capt. Barry Cuda Charters (opens in a new tab)	Inshore
Capt. Marvel Charters (Naples City Dock) (opens in a new tab)	Offshore
Mangrove Outfitters guided fly fishing (opens in a new tab)	Fly
Fins-N-Grins Charter Fishing (Marco Island) (opens in a new tab)	Inshore

70 ft, on the calendar

Tournaments and events

Annual events on this water. Dates move, so confirm with the organiser.

RedSnook Catch & Release Charity Fishing Tournament (Conservancy of Southwest Florida) (opens in a new tab)
late October
2026: October 23 to 25, fishing Oct. 24 and 25, with a Naples launch at Bayview Boat Ramp

80 ft, asked and answered

Fishing Naples, asked and answered

When is the best time to catch snook in Naples?

The biggest snook move in during the warm months, and snook prefer water above 60 degrees. Fish the flats, rivers, beach and bridges, where the larger fish like the bridges.

Is the Naples Pier open for fishing?

No. The pier is closed for the full rebuild project, which started Jan. 6, 2026 with an estimated 18 month build.

How much does it cost to launch a boat in Collier County?

Collier County boat parks charge a daily launch fee of $10 for motorized boats and $5 for paddle craft, with annual permits available, and nonresidents without a beach parking permit pay $10 to park.

What bites in Naples in the winter?

Cooler months bring black drum, Spanish mackerel and cobia into the passes, while trout, snapper and pompano are around almost year-round.

Can I keep a snook in Naples?

Snook harvest in both the Charlotte Harbor and Southwest regions is closed Dec. 1 through February and May 1 through Sept. 30. In 2026 it reopened Oct. 1, and you need a snook permit with your saltwater license.

90 ft, the kit