Great hammerhead fishing in Charlotte Harbor

In Charlotte Harbor, great hammerhead peak May–July and are around April–August, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Hunting spawning tarpon in Boca Grande Pass. Prohibited species — release in the water; check MyFWC.

Now · October

Not here

Not in Charlotte Harbor this month.

Great hammerhead in Charlotte Harbor, month by month

JanuaryNot here
FebruaryNot here
MarchNot here
AprilArriving
MayPeak
JunePeakHunting spawning tarpon in Boca Grande Pass. Prohibited species — release in the water; check MyFWC.
JulyPeak
AugustAround
SeptemberNot here
OctoberNot here
NovemberNot here
DecemberNot here

Where to fish great hammerhead near Englewood, Boca Grande, Punta Gorda

Boca Grande Pass and the mangrove sounds behind it — Charlotte Harbor, Pine Island Sound, Matlacha, the Caloosahatchee, Estero Bay — miles of mangrove shoreline, oyster bars, sand holes in the grass, and long barrier-island beaches from Gasparilla to Sanibel.

Structure it holds on

Pass / inletBeach / surfGrass flatArtificial reef

Towns and waters

EnglewoodBoca GrandePunta GordaPine IslandFort MyersNaples

Fish Scouter charts 1,226 grass flat, 254 artificial reef, 30 beach / surf, 17 pass / inlet spots in the Charlotte Harbor & the Islands map area — the kinds great hammerhead hold on.

What to use for great hammerhead

Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
Finger mulletLip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum.
Cut ladyfishA whole ladyfish or a head on a 9/0 circle hook and wire for sharks; chunks on the bottom for redfish and drum. The best shark bait in Florida.
Bonito (cut)Whole on cable for tiger and bull sharks; fillets and chunks on the bottom for grouper and snapper; strips trolled for wahoo.

Leader80–150 lb mono
Hook8/0–16/0
Braid65–150 lb

Feeds in 68–88°F water, best at 72–84°F.

Questions anglers ask

When is the best time to catch great hammerhead in Charlotte Harbor?

Peak season is May–July. Great hammerhead are in Charlotte Harbor April–August. June: Hunting spawning tarpon in Boca Grande Pass. Prohibited species — release in the water; check MyFWC.

Where do great hammerhead hold in Charlotte Harbor?

Look on pass / inlet, beach / surf, grass flat, artificial reef — around Englewood, Boca Grande, Punta Gorda, Pine Island, Fort Myers, Naples.

What is the best bait for great hammerhead in Charlotte Harbor?

Live bait: blue runners (hardtails), finger mullet, cut ladyfish, bonito (cut). Blue runners (hardtails): Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 80–150 lb mono, hook 8/0–16/0, braid 65–150 lb.

What are the rules for great hammerhead in Charlotte Harbor?

Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and change — read the current rule at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/.

The current FWC rule →Open the app for today's great hammerhead read

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