With so many options, here are 10 of the best places that don’t require a boat to have a good day spent fishing.  If you are looking for a local fishing captain that knows where to go in SW Florida, Captain Geoff can help guide your Naples Fishing Charter and turn into a memorable experience.  Book Your Fishing Charter Today.

Naples Fishing Pier: Originally built in 1888 as a freight and passenger dock, the 980-foot pier is one of the most popular fishing spots in Collier. With depths reaching nearly 20 feet, the pier is a well-established home for a wide variety of fish, including snook, trout, Spanish mackerel and even the occasional shark.

A bait shop and snack bar is located on premises at the midway point.

Address: 25 12th Street South, Naples, 34102

Wiggins Pass: Located on the northern end of Delnor Wiggins State Park, the pass, which separates the park from Barefoot Beach Preserve, is a favorite for shoreline anglers. The swift currents that occur on changes of the tide act as a funnel that draws fish in and out of the protected cove, making it a great place to hook up with huge snook or tarpon that congregate along the deeper channel.

Address: 11135 Gulfshore Dr., Naples, 34108

Lover’s Key: Although there are a number of options in the winding backwater trails throughout the state park, the fishing pier on the south end of the main barrier island offers seclusion from most of the park-goers on a calm, mangrove-lined cove. The pier, which is easily accessible on the tram system that runs throughout the park, has a covered shelter to escape the Florida sun. Redfish and sheepshead are the best bets.

Address: 8700 Estero Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach, 33931

New Pass: The concrete platforms at the base of both sides of the Estero Boulevard bridge over the pass offers a grab bag of available targets, depending on the tide. Snook, mackerel and pompano are common in the pass, while trout, redfish and flounder can be found on the grass flats on either side.

There is even a small beach area on the south end of the bridge to keep the rest of the family entertained.

Address: Estero Blvd., On the north end of Big Hickory Island

The Posts: A few blocks north of the Naples Pier at the 3rd Avenue South access point of the beach there are the remnants of another pier. All that remains are the vertical support posts that stretch about 75 yards into the Gulf, but as the only other structure on that stretch of beach, it attracts large schools of baitfish. In turn, this attracts a variety of bigger fish like snook and even the occasional tarpon.

Address: 3rd Ave. South and Gulf Shore Blvd.

Gordon Pass Jetties: This spot may require a little hiking, but it is well worth it, both for the scenic walk among some of Naples’ most elaborate mansions and the big fish that await. Gordon Pass is the primary connector between Naples Bay and the Gulf, so a variety of big fish, such as sharks, cobia and monster snook traverse the pass on a daily basis.

To get there, use the 33rd Avenue beach access point and head south. There are several mitigation jetties along the way that hold a variety of pompano and mackerel, or you can head all the way down to the main rock pile at the pass if you want to try your luck with something bigger.

Jolley Bridge: Thanks to Hurricane Wilma, which destroyed the previous fishing catwalks under the main span onto Marco Island, there is plenty of rocky structure to fish on the western side of the bridge. Sheepshead and black drum are plentiful on these areas so fish sand fleas around the pilings.

Anglers also can fish the base of the bridge on the mainland side of the span if they want to avoid the passing traffic.

South Beach: On the southernmost point of Cape Marco is a stretch of beach about the length of a football field between two rock piles that offers some of the best shore fishing in Florida. Whiting, snook and flounder are plentiful here, and several larger species can be found congregating at the point where Caxambas Bay cuts through the Ten Thousand Islands.

Causeway Park: At about the midway point of the Sanibel Causeway, there is a small island that offers both a scenic view and a great spot to try your luck with a fishing rod. The island sits at the intersection of the Caloosahatchee River, Pine Island Sound and the Gulf, each possessing their own unique ecosystem, so you never know what will be passing through at any given time.

Address: 19931 Sanibel Causeway, Sanibel

Fort Myers Beach Pier: This municipal fishing pier has been a favorite of both tourists and locals alike since it was first built in the 1930s. The pier offers a mixed bag of potential species to catch, including silver trout, flounder, whiting and even the occasional bonnethead shark.

There is a bait shop and restrooms on site, and since it is located in the heart of Fort Myers Beach, there are plenty of restaurants and bars within walking distance if you need a break from the heat.

Address: 950 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach

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