Punta Gorda Fishing

Many anglers consider Charlotte Harbor one of the best fishing spots in North America. Punta Gorda is right where the Peace River and the Charlotte Harbor meet, which means fantastic fishing. There are many Punta Gorda Fishing Charters to choose from to take you inshore or nearshore in the Harbor or if you want to spend more time on the water and fight some beasts, then go out into the Gulf.

There are two options for fishing the Harbor. You can stay in the back bay area and fish the flats, mangroves, oyster bars and rivers for Redfish, Snook, Trout, Tarpon and different species of sharks. These are all reel-screaming fun fish, and a half day or day out with your experienced local Punta Gorda Fishing captain will know the best areas to go to put you on the fish.

The Harbor is deep enough that you do not have to go out to the Gulf. For many bottom feeders and reef fish, you can fish the artificial reefs and rocky areas. Red and Goliath Grouper, Mangrove and Yellowtail Snapper, Cobia, Amberjack, Mackerel, Flounder, Barracuda, sharks and more call these waters home and are ready for your hook.

When talking about the fishing here, it is essential to speak of the entrance to the Harbor, the Boca Grande Pass. This is the world-famous Tarpon spot where thousands of Silver King converge in the summer, and Punta Gorda is a great spot to start if you want to be a part of the madness at “The Pass.” The area where the Peace River empties into the Harbor is one of the prime areas for the spawning action of the Tarpon. So if you ever wanted to feel the excitement of a giant Tarpon chomping on your bait, watching the acrobatics as it leaps out of the water trying to throw the hook and reeling it in for a quick photo of your accomplishment Punta Gorda is a great place to come.

There is excellent offshore fishing here too. Once out in the Gulf, there are reef systems with plenty of bottom feeders like giant Grouper and Snapper. You can go trolling for the fast-moving pelagics like Kingfish, Jacks, Mackerel and Mahi Mahi, and there are a lot of sharks offshore too. Tiger, Lemon, Hammerhead, Blacktip and Bull Sharks are all found roaming the waters.

One of the beautiful things about fishing in Punta Gorda is that for most of the fishing, there is little to no wake, so a charter with a professional Punta Gorda Fishing Charter is perfect for families and the seasick prone. But it is also for experienced anglers looking for big fish to brag about. You can spend a half day tailing Redfish or snagging Snook in the shallows and back bays or take a whole day to experience all the Harbor has to offer. If you want to go offshore, you must plan an 8-10 hour charter. Punta Gorda fishing is one of the best places to go to check off a few items on your bucket list and to have memories and photos that will last a lifetime.