Permit fishing in Charlotte Harbor

In Charlotte Harbor, permit peak April–July and are around March–October, spawning in May–July, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: Building on the wrecks; some in Boca Grande Pass with the tarpon.

Now · October

Leaving

Leaving with the first cool water.

Permit in Charlotte Harbor, month by month

JanuaryNot here
FebruaryNot here
MarchArrivingFirst fish on the nearshore wrecks and reefs off Boca Grande, Sanibel and Naples.
AprilPeakBuilding on the wrecks; some in Boca Grande Pass with the tarpon.
MaySpawningSpawning aggregations — 50 to 200 fish that come back to the same wrecks every year, mostly in federal water off southwest Florida (FWC). Live crab or a jig tipped with shrimp.
JuneSpawningPeak wreck spawn; fish on the beaches in the surf trough too.
JulySpawningStill on the wrecks through the July moons.
AugustAround
SeptemberAround
OctoberLeavingLeaving with the first cool water.
NovemberNot here
DecemberNot here

Where to fish permit 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

Grass flatWreckArtificial reefChannel edge

Towns and waters

EnglewoodBoca GrandePunta GordaPine IslandFort MyersNaples

Fish Scouter charts 1,226 grass flat, 254 artificial reef, 98 wreck spots in the Charlotte Harbor & the Islands map area — the kinds permit hold on.

What to use for permit

Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.

Leader20–30 lb fluorocarbon
Hook1/0–3/0
Jig head3/8–1/2 oz
Braid15–20 lb

Feeds in 70–90°F water, best at 74–86°F.

Questions anglers ask

When is the best time to catch permit in Charlotte Harbor?

Peak season is April–July, with fish spawning in May–July (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Permit are in Charlotte Harbor March–October. April: Building on the wrecks; some in Boca Grande Pass with the tarpon.

Where do permit hold in Charlotte Harbor?

Look on grass flat, wreck, artificial reef, channel edge — around Englewood, Boca Grande, Punta Gorda, Pine Island, Fort Myers, Naples.

What is the best bait for permit in Charlotte Harbor?

Live bait: blue crabs, live shrimp. Blue crabs: Whole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, hook 1/0–3/0, jig head 3/8–1/2 oz, braid 15–20 lb.

What are the rules for permit 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 permit read

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