Best Kept Secret – November Fishing off Fort Myers & Sanibel Islands

By backwater fishing, Captiva Fishing, Fall fishing Sanibel, Fishing for Redfish, Fort Myers fishing, Fort Myers fishing guides, Port Sanibel Marina, redfish, Royal Shell Vacations, Sanibel fishing charters, Sanibel island fishing charters, snook, Uncategorized

November fishing has long been SW Floridian’s best kept secret.

Big Snook caught November 2018

The water is crystal clear. The temperature is perfect. The air is light and dry. November is not only a great month to visit Fort Myers and Sanibel Islands for the weather but the fishing is also phenomenal in November. November has long been our favorite month. You can’t visit SW Florida a better month than November. The October Redfish bite is still great but November the Snook are hungry and they are BIG.

Big Snook Fishing Sanibel Island

Capt. Bill has been recovering from shoulder surgery so Captains Matt and Ethan have taken over in November with getting their customers on some monsters. Not only are the Snook big but plentiful too. Still biting on whitebait, Redfish and Snook have been more than plentiful despite the media’s reports of low number from the red tide we had earlier this year.

Snook are able to live in brackish and even extremely low salinity where red tide algae is unable to grow. Many Snook are able to thrive up the Caloosahatchee river where they can wait out the red tide until the literal coasts are clear.

So, if you want a perfect time to come to Fort Myers and Sanibel Islands for fishing, weather, no lines, no waits and little traffic we would say visit us in November. Shhhh, don’t tell anyone though!

Let Capt. Bill Hammond, Capt. Matt Johnson and Capt. Ethan Hansen with ENDLESS SUMMER CHARTERS show you some of the best back bay and near shore fishing in SW Florida. Catch Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Shark, Mackerel, Trout and so much more in the waters of Sanibel, Captiva, Fort Myers & Fort Myers Beach!  Whether you are an avid fisherman or a family with kids, they have the experience for both.

Catching huge snook in SW Florida

Book your SW Florida fishing charter today! Give us a call at 239-691-1966 or book online at Endless Summer Charters!

 

Project Permit Fishing Charters in SW Florida

By Capt. Bill Hammond, charter fishing fort myers, Endless Summer Charters, fort myers fishing charters, fort myers fishing guide, fort myers fishing guide reviews, Fort Myers fishing guides, Permit fishing, Sanibel Captiva Fishing, Sanibel charter fishing, Sanibel fishing charter reviews, Sanibel Fishing Guide, Sanibel fishing report

We have had some fantastic experiences fishing offshore in Lee County. We are currently part of Project Permit for the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust which is sposored by Costa Sunglasses.

There is nothing like Permit. They are a beautiful and pound for pound one of the strongest fighting fish in the ocean. Check out our video below to learn about #ProjectPermit

Come visit SW Florida and charter a Permit tagging charter with Endless Summer Charters. We are ready to take you fishing!

 

Sanibel fishing charters

2018 Fort Myers, Sanibel, Boca Grande Tarpon Season

By Boca Grande tarpon, Endless Summer Charters, Sanibel tarpon, tarpon charters

Even 14 year olds can have the catch of a lifetime!

Great news!  Big 200 pound plus Tarpon are showing up in the Caloosahatchee River. Book your charter now through end of July for the chance to reel in this sought after beauty beauty of a fish they call “Silver King”.

Spring is almost here which means Tarpon are making their way back to SW Florida! Tarpon are sought after for not only for their beauty but the pure adrenaline rush you get once you hook in to one. Tarpon, of course, being only a sport fish.  The SW Florida coast is a unique experience. Here in the Lee County Gulf of Mexico coast we have a shallow and slowly sloping bottom. We don’t have the large reefs of the Florida Keys or the huge drop-offs of the East Coast of Florida. What we do have is Tarpon and LOTS of them. There’s more than one reason we are called the “Tarpon Capitol of the World”. One reason is the fact that the very first tarpon was caught right here Tarpon Bay on the bay side of Sanibel Island. It was the first tarpon caught on hook and line. That started the ball rolling. When the word got out sports fishing anglers from around the globe came in droves to catch this magnificent fish and have the fight of their lives. They soon found out that the migration of the tarpon took them from off Fort Myers Beach to the north tip of our county, Lee.

Juvenile Tarpon can be the most fun to catch

At the north end of Lee County is Gasparilla Island, home of Boca Grande.  South of Boca Grand is the famous Boca Grande Pass. Boca Grand Pass is know for three things, deep water, Tarpon and lots of shark! The nutrient rich waters of Charlotte Harbor empty into the Gulf of Mexico through Boca Grande Pass. The waters carry what we call around here, pass crabs. These crabs are like candy to tarpon and they will pile up in layers waiting for their crunchy goodness.

Sanibel Fishing Charters

Capt. Matt’s great photography of bowing to the King!

Boca Grande Pass actually has Rules and Regulations of fishing. Along with the ecologically responsible anglers and guides came the money hungry tournament anglers. What was once a gentleman’s sport became a “take no prisoners” kind of fishing.  The boats got faster, fishing style over the top and testosterone running higher than ever. Luckily, in recent years the efforts of the responsible anglers have won out!  Sure, there’s the occasional yahoo that doesn’t know the etiquette of Boca Grande.  For the most part we are returning to responsible angling here in the Sanibel, Captiva and Fort Myers Beach areas. Capt. Bill and Capt. Matt practice responsible angling. This means you’ll get the best experience while fishing the fair and guilt-free way. We respect tarpon as one of the greatest species of fish in the oceans. Our Silver Kings are something to admire and we want to see them coming back to SW Florida for generations to come.

Heather Holland with a Tarpon caught off of Captiva Island

They don’t call them Silver King for nothing. To be treated any less of the royal fish they are is a crime. We never gaff. Gaffing can cause a hole in the lower mouth of this fish that gulps air at the surface in order to survive. We hand hold only for photos which makes it a little more work for the captain but a bigger reward as you see this gentle giant swim off unharmed to catch another day.

To just “jump” a Tarpon can be thrilling

Anglers can spend thousands, tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars in pursuit of the famed Tarpon off Sanibel, Captiva, Fort Myers Beach, Cayo Costa and Gasparilla islands.   Hiring a Tarpon guide affords you the best opportunity to catch this magnificent fish and check it off your bucket list as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Presidents and Billionaires have for decades. All with little effort on your part by having the best Tarpon guides Southwest Florida.

Capt. Bill and Capt. Matt have put many anglers on these elusive fish and released hundreds if not thousands of the chrome beauties for numerous seasoned as well as amateur anglers.  To book your Sanibel flats fishing charter please go to our BOOK NOW page and simply choose a 6 or 8 hour tarpon charter in April, May, June or July.  You will not be disappointed in your hunt and catch of a lifetime.

Thanks to Florida Fishing ProductsDan James Custom Rods and Fins Situational Braid for supplying us with our 2018 Tarpon Season fishing gear for a great  season in SW Florida!

Call direct (239) 691-1966 or go to Endless Summer Charters to make reservations for the 2018 Tarpon Season.

Sanibel Fishing Charters Winter Fishing Report

By charter fishing fort myers, fort myers fishing charter reviews, fort myers fishing guide, Sanibel fishing charters, Uncategorized
Sanibel fishing charters for Pompano

This might have well been a Lady’s Florida state record at 6.2 lbs. but this Pompano made its way to the dinner plate.

January and February can be an interesting time to fish in Southwest Florida. With a cold start to the month Fort Myers and Sanibel Island has seen record low temps and winds blowing hard out of the northeast. Finding a place to hide has been our biggest issue in Pine Island Sound. Finding a place to hide where there’s not twenty other boats doing the same thing is another problem. Despite off of that our captains have been getting it done and finding some hungry fish.

Sanibel fishing for tripletail

Tripletail fishing is a favorite of locals of SW Florida

Captain Matt has managed to venture out into the Gulf of Mexico between blows and has gotten on the triple tail bite. The bite has been insanely good and his clients have been pleased with the awesome table fare. This prehistoric looking fish can offer quite a fight, not to mention the thrill of the hunt. The intensity of this fish on light tackle is thrilling to say the least.

Captain Bill has been beating the bushes and deeper channels to pull out big sheephead as well as snapper and trout on the colder days. He is also been finding nice slot size redfish on days when water temps rise about 65. Slowing down the retrieve and soaking baits have been the key in the cold weather.

Captain John has proven that perseverance pays off this month. John uses techniques that remind us a little bit of the methods used by most of the old timers. Patience has paid off on big outgoing tides on the flats and the redfish can’t resist. For Capt. John’s clients nice slot size redfish and gator trout have put smiles on their faces.

Don’t count out the cold months of January and February, it can be an awesome time to fish with a little patience and some warm clothes. You are sure to have a  great time on a fishing charter with the captains from Endless Summer Charters no matter what time of year.

Check out our What’s Biting page on our website to see what species are most likely to bite per month.

Sheephead is great table fare for those who know how to filet this bony fish.

We want to thank San Carlos Marine for keeping us up and going on the water. We also want to thank Dan James Custom Rods for the best fishing rods around and Florida Fishing Products for supplying us with top of the line reels. To top that off, Fins Situational Braid line is our number one choice on the water and try their Wind Tamer line on windy days.

Make sure to call and book your Spring fishing charter as soon as possible. We are booking quickly. Tarpon charters in May, June and July are also booking fast!

Call 239-691-1966 to book your charter now!

 

Sanibel Island Fishing Charter

Red October Sanibel Island Fishing Charters

By Fall fishing Sanibel, Fishing for Redfish, fishing report Sanibel, Fort Myers fishing, Sanibel island fishing charters, Sanibel snook fishing
Sanibel Fishing Charters

Beautiful Copper colored Redfish caught near Sanibel Island

This time of year as we approach the heart of Fall months. The fishing bite tends to heat up for us here in S.W. Florida as the temperature slowly subdues.  A lot of the locals refer to October as “Red October” as many of our upper and over slot Redfish

Sanibel Fishing Charters for Redfish

Tailing Redfish feed in Pine Island Sound

begin schooling together getting ready to make their annual migration offshore.

Big schools of fish can often be spotted from hundreds of yards away as they push the calm waters in the Pine Island sound. Pretty soon these fish will make their way right off our beaches where the schools can easily reach 100 plus fish. There’s not much more of an exciting sight for saltwater fisherman than seeing a school of hundreds of Redfish turning the surface of the water to a golden glow! They’ll usually eat just about any type of bait precisely cast ahead of them. Usually a large thread fin Herring or Gulf shrimp doesn’t make it out alive if tossed in the mix.

Sanibel Island Snook fishing

An over slot Snook caught near Sanibel Island, FL

Snook fishing can still be pretty good for us this time of year as well. The fish sense that water is gradually cooling down, and as a Tropical based fish, they start to make their way out of the passes and towards the rivers where the darker water retains warmth for the winter months. This time of year can also be awesome for our nearshore bite.

We start to see schools of Kingfish terrorizing bait pods a couple miles off the beaches. If you’ve never experienced a Kingfish smoking off hundreds of yards of line in a matter of seconds then you’re not doing yourself justice as a fisherman! They also are big favorite for cooks to put on the smoker that can result in an amazing fish dip.

Sanibel Fort Myers Kingfish

Kevin Johnson with a Kingfish caught of Ft. Myers Beach

One of my personal favorite things to do while on the way out to my nearshore fishing grounds is to run the beaches in hopes of spotting a Tripletail. I swear Tripletail are God’s gift to fishing guides. They can be easy to find, dumb, fight like hell, and definitely one of the best white flaky fish in the world to eat.  A well placed free-lined shrimp or cut bait almost always gets them to eat!  One thing about this time of year that I truly love is that our waters are so quiet and desolate from the lack of tourists.  It’s not that uncommon to not see a single boat during your weeks venture to your favorite fishing holes.  I’m sure the fish appreciate it just as well and are not as “spooky” when approached.

As you can see, Fall can not only be one of the nicest times of the year for weather but fishing too. Make sure to book your charter and get in on Fall fishing off the islands of Fort Myers and Sanibel Islands.

Capt. Matt Johnson

Triple Tail Sanibel, FL

Capt. Matt holds a tasty Triple Tail

Endless Summer Charters

You can book a charter with Capt. Matt or our other Endless Summer Charter guides at 239-691-1966.

 

 

 

 

Hurricane Irma and Sanibel Island Fishing

By fort myers fishing charter reviews, Sanibel fishing charters, Sanibel fishing report, Uncategorized

Hurricane Irma was a frightening and anxiety ridden and we were staring right down the barrel of a Catagory 5 storm, the largest and most dangerous storm in recorded history. Not only did we have to worry about our own lives but we had our boats, marina, other people’s boats and our animals!

Sanibel Island fishing charters

Capt. Bill on clean-up

Just before it got to Florida it decided to go up through the middle of our peninsula via the Florida Keys. The Keys took the brunt and by the time it got to us it had downgraded to a Category 2. Not so scary. The fact it stayed on land and didn’t beat the coast was more of an advantage for Florida as the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico would have kept it a much stronger storm. Florida Crackers are a pretty resilient group. I’m not talking about transplants (although there a good few), I’m talking about true third, forth and fifth generation Floridian whom were nicknamed Crackers after the Florida Cowboys and the bullwhips they’d wield in the Florida Palmetto scrub. Many Crackers ended up in the fishing industry like my grandfather.Sanibel Snook fishing, Sanibel Island fishing charters

My mother was in quite a few Hurricans (as they call them) before they even named them. Every time time the people would build it bigger and better than before.

With Irma we were fortunate. The storm looked big but it’s swath was much narrower than people expected. The coast of Lee County got the least damage with mostly non-native vegetation taking the largest toll.

Sanibel Island, Fort Myers Beach, Captiva Island, Cayo Costa and Useppa are totally up and running!
This week we’ve had some great catches. Redfish and Snook are continuing with a strong bite and we are even seeing Tarpon up the river in droves.

Sanibel fishing for Redfish

Capt. John doing a little post-hurricane scouting

Our charter boats and captains are ready and eager to get you out in the water to do some fishing. This would  also be a great time for some shelling on Cayo Costa as the shells have mounded up from the storms. We are lucky to not have lost any beaches or structures on our beautiful barrier islands.

Please feel free to give us a call or book online 24/7. We are ready to get you out on the water for your next adventure!

Capt. Bill

Reservations (239) 691-1966

Sanibel Island Fishing Charters Tarpon Season 2017

By Fort Myers fishing, fort myers fishing charters, Sanibel fishing charters, Sanibel island fishing guide

Spring is officially here which means the Silver King are back! Tarpon are sought after for not only for their beauty but the pure adrenaline rush you get once you hook in to one. Fishing Sanibel Florida is a unique experience. Here on the Southwest Gulf coast we have a shallow and slowly sloping bottom. We don’t have the large reefs of the Florida Keys or the huge drop-offs of the East Coast of Florida. What we do have is Tarpon and LOTS of them.sanibel fishing charters There’s more than one reason we are called the Tarpon Capitol of the World. One reason is the fact that the first tarpon was caught right here Tarpon Bay on the bay side of Sanibel Island. It was the first tarpon caught on hook and line. That started the ball rolling. When sports fishing anglers heard about the magnificent fish and the fantastic fight they came droves. They soon found out that the migration of the tarpon took them from off Fort Myers Beach to the north tip of our county, Lee. The north tip of Lee County ends a Gasparilla Island. Gasparilla Island is known for a little town called Boca Grande. South of Boca Grand is the famous Boca Grande Pass. Boca Grand Pass is know three things, deep water, Tarpon and shark! The nutrient rich waters of Charlotte Harbor empty into the Gulf of Mexico through Boca Grande Pass. The waters carry what we call around here, pass crabs. These crabs are like candy to the tarpon and they will pile up in layers waiting for their crunchy goodness.

sanibel backwater fishing guideBecause tarpon became so popular as a game fish it also became the downfall of the tarpon fishing industry.  Along with the ecologically responsible anglers and guides came the money hungry tournament anglers. What was once a gentleman’s sport became a “take no prisoners” kind of fishing.  The boats got faster, fishing style over the top and testosterone running higher than ever. Luckily, in recent years the efforts of the responsible anglers have won out.  Sure, there’s the occasional yahoo that doesn’t know the etiquette of Boca Grande pass or tarpon fishing as a whole but for the most part we are slowly returning to responsible angling here in the Sanibel, Captiva and Fort Myers Beach areas.

Capt. Bill and Capt. Matt practice responsible angling. This means you’ll get the best experience while fishing the fair and guilt-free way. We respect tarpon as one of the greatest species of fish in the oceans.

Sanibel flats fishing guide

Catching tarpon off Sanibel Island

They don’t call them Silver King for nothing. To be treated any less of the royal fish they are is a crime. We never gaff. Gaffing can cause a hole in the lower mouth of this fish that gulps air at the surface in order to survive. We hand hold only for photos which makes it a little more work for the captain but a bigger reward as you see this gentle giant swim off unharmed to catch another day.

“I’m a passionate hardcore fisherman. Biggest fish I caught? A 200-pound tarpon.” – Dwayne Johnson

Anglers can spend thousands, tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars in pursuit of the famed tarpon in the waters of Southwest Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. Hiring a guide affords you the best opportunity to catch this magnificent fish and check it off your Bucket List as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Presidents and Millionaires have for decades. All with little effort on your part by having two of the best tarpon guidesanibel fishing charterss Southwest Florida.

Capt. Bill and Capt. Matt have put many anglers on these elusive fish and released hundreds if not thousands of the chrome beauties for numerous seasoned as well as amateur anglers.  To book your Sanibel flats fishing charter please go to our BOOK NOW page and simply choose a 6 or 8 hour tarpon charter in April, May, June or July.  You will not be disappointed in your hunt and catch of a lifetime.

-Compiled from the family history of the Wilhelm, Wade, Johnson & Hammond families history in fishing for tarpon in Southwest Florida-

Call (239) 691-1966 or go to Endless Summer Charters to make reservations for the 2017 Tarpon Season.

Offshore Sanibel fishing is heating up!

By fishing charters Sanibel, fort myers fishing charters, Sanibel fishing charters

We had an epic weekend down here in sunny S.W. Florida! Jen and Nathan wore out the offshore fish with Capt. Matt, along with all their muscles. Their 8 hour trips consisted of Amber Jacks, Grouper, Baracudas, Mangrove Snapper, a battle with a big Tuna, and many more. Sanibel in the winter is heating up! Fishing off Sanibel Island can be a thrilling adventure, especially when you have professional guides who put you on fish again and again!

If you’d like to book a Sanibel Island fishing charter or a Fort Myers fishing charters please give us a call or book 24/7 on our online automated booking system for an adventure of a lifetime!

We can arrange your charter to your liking. We completely customize your day according to your skill, fish you’d like to target and side trips for lunch or a mini eco-tour!

Sanibel fishing charters

A big barracuda caught off Sanibel and Captiva Islands

 

sanibel flats fishing charters

An Amberjack caught off Sanibel & Captiva Islands

 

fort myers flats fishing guide

Having an epic day fishing with Capt. Matt off the beaches of Sanibel and Fort Myers.

 

fort myers flats fishing guide

Nothing like Amberjack for dinner!

Tight Lines!

Capt. Matt Johnson

 

 

Offshore Fishing off Sanibel Island, Florida

By Sanibel charter fishing, Sanibel fishing, Sanibel fishing charters
sanibel-offshore-fishing-kingfish

A nice King Mackerel aka, Kingfish was caught off Sanibel Island

A nice Bonita caught off Sanibel Island

A nice Bonita caught off Sanibel Island

Another beautiful day in the waters off Sanibel Island, Florida.  The wind has laid down and the Kingfish were hungry!! Big Bonita, snapper and gag grouper made an appearance as well. When the winds cooperate this is a great time of year for offshore fishing in SW Florida. This is the time of year when the tourist visitation is still light and the water is not overly crowded.  It can be an excellent time for a Sanibel Island fishing vacation considering the low chance of rain and weather still in the 80’s!

 

Red October! Fishing near Sanibel Island for Redfish

By Fort Myers fishing, fort myers fishing charters, Sanibel Fishing Guide, Sanibel island fishing charters
Sanibel Fishing Charters

Beautiful Copper colored Redfish caught near Sanibel Island.

Redfish fishing is heating up and is in full swing in and around Sanibel Island and Pine Island sound. Consistent action can be found near mangrove islands on the high and falling tides with large schools working the flats and bars during the low tide while fishing the Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach and Captiva Islands. Endless Summer Charters has had awesome success fishing live pilchards (small silver bait ranging 2″-6″) with knocker rigs under the bushes and potholes then cruising the flats of Sanibel on the low tides looking for large schools pushing water or tailing. Free lining baits as well as using a float to keep baits off the bottom is a must. Big chunks of lady fish have worked as well.

fishing-for-redfish-in-a-redfish-print-shirt

Catching Redfish in a Refish print shirt is pretty special indeed!

This past weekend I had the honor to fish with a group of awesome female anglers who represented Port Sanibel Marina and participated in the  2016 Racks and Reels Breast Cancer tournament. The tournament was an all female event.  The twelve heaviest lady fish won the tournament with the addition of a mystery fish being the largest redfish that could be caught and release by the weigh master.  My daughter was one of those team members that caught the LARGEST redfish and made me very proud by landing  a 7lb, 25.6 inch slot red that won the Calcutta for our team! Nothing better than seeing her big smile after we got the redfish on the deck. We were so excited to get it in the livewell that we failed to take any photos of the redfish!  We do however have a photo of Team Coastal Outfitters below. I was honored to captain and guide the ladies to the win!

Sanibel fishing charters

My all ladies team won the Calcutta with the Largest Redfish! The winning angler is arrowed.

With cooler temperature slowing approaching SW Florida and rainy season slowly coming to an end, I expect this kind of redfish action to continue well into December. Book your charter today With Endless Summer Charters. We look forward to having you on board.

 

Capt Bill Hammond

Endless Summer Charters

Port Sanibel Marina

 

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