Jack crevalle fishing in Charlotte Harbor

In Charlotte Harbor, jack crevalle peak May–November and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. September: Following the mullet.

Now · October

Peak

No note for October — see the months around it.

Jack crevalle in Charlotte Harbor, month by month

JanuaryAround
FebruaryAround
MarchAround
AprilAround
MayPeak
JunePeakPeak tarpon continues; beach snook; snapper on structure. Tarpon in the pass and on the beaches into July. Snook in the surf trough at first light; snapper on every reef, bridge and dock.
JulyPeak
AugustPeakThe hottest water — structure and current. Bridges, docks and mangrove tunnels on the strongest tide; reds start forming schools on the flats; tripletail on the trap floats.
SeptemberPeakFollowing the mullet.
OctoberPeak
NovemberPeak
DecemberAround

Where to fish jack crevalle 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 flatDock / pilingsBridgeChannel edge

Towns and waters

EnglewoodBoca GrandePunta GordaPine IslandFort MyersNaples

Fish Scouter charts 1,226 grass flat, 137 dock / pilings, 30 beach / surf, 17 pass / inlet, 3 bridge spots in the Charlotte Harbor & the Islands map area — the kinds jack crevalle hold on.

What to use for jack crevalle

Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
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.
PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.

Leader30–40 lb fluorocarbon
Hook3/0–5/0
Jig head1/2–1 oz
Braid20–30 lb

Feeds in 66–92°F water, best at 72–88°F.

Questions anglers ask

When is the best time to catch jack crevalle in Charlotte Harbor?

Peak season is May–November. Jack crevalle are here year-round. September: Following the mullet.

Where do jack crevalle hold in Charlotte Harbor?

Look on pass / inlet, beach / surf, grass flat, dock / pilings, bridge, channel edge — around Englewood, Boca Grande, Punta Gorda, Pine Island, Fort Myers, Naples.

What is the best bait for jack crevalle in Charlotte Harbor?

Live bait: pilchards (whitebait), finger mullet, pinfish. Pilchards (whitebait): Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore. Tackle: leader 30–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook 3/0–5/0, jig head 1/2–1 oz, braid 20–30 lb.

What are the rules for jack crevalle 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 jack crevalle read

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