What would you recommend to anglers fishing in Cape Coral, Florida for the first time?

Snook goes out of season may 1st so if that's what you want to eat, make sure you go before then. Other than that, we had a great time catching trout and redfish as well as a black tip shark. Great fishing!

Use the bathroom whether you need to or not before you get on the boat?…. Take sunscreen. Listen to your captain. Following his rules and coaching can be the difference between catching fish or not. Have patience… if you’re not catching anything, the tide will soon change and you probably will be soon!

This year in 2025 was good. A little chilly, but still worth getting out on the water. Being with an experienced captain that knows where the fish are based on currents and water temperature was helpful.

Rely on a fishing charter for your first time out. Definitely worth going with Reel Fishing SWFL. And it's a MUST to hire Miguel from Reel Fishing SWFL Charters. Fee is very reasonable compared to other Charters in the area. It was perfect for my husband and I. We received Miguel's full attention. We learned many things about saltwater fishing. The wildlife was beautiful. I can't say enough good things about this charter. We'd DEFINITELY charter again. Thanks Miguel for a wonderful time.

When booking your trip, make sure you confirm the booking with the captain directly. Captain Scott Williams (from "Thrill of it All" charter company) confirmed the booking then canceled at the last minute leaving us to scramble to find a replacement charter. I'm grateful to Captain Roland Wilock of "Day Shape Fishing Charters" for taking us on such short notice and giving us a memorable experience. HIGHLY recommend Day Shape Fishing Charters.

Cape Coral is a fishing paradise! The fresh water canals are loaded with large mouth and peacock bass. Offshore you can target so many bucket list fish from shark, tarpon, redfish, goliath grouper just to name a few!

Find a local captain that has experience in this area. Don't pick a trip because it is the cheapest, or the nicest boat. There are plenty of fish to catch if you have a good captain with local experience.

It’s a little different than fishing up north. I am used to fishing with J hooks and setting the hook. We used circle hooks and we had to learn to reel only and not set the hook. Captain Joseph did a great job teaching us.

Fishing Booker is a great place to start. Read the reviews...make sure they are recent. Do some research of what's in season (if you want dinner!) And pick one and go with it...! You will most likely get a knowledgeable Capt. with great fishing experience. Cheers!

Captain knows the spots and taught my kids how to up their game when fishing. I was a true please. We fished on Jun 22. Morning fishing trip. It was getting hot. Captain offered to stay out and fish longer than we chartered. But the kids had caught so many fish they were ready to go back in. Great memories made!

Better to go during the week instead of the weekends, as they tend to be busy on the water, thus catching fish more challenging

never expect go catch - just enjoy being on the water - be safe - be courteous and be thankful you are blessed to be here!!!

Captain Paul was a fabulous tour guide. He has a vast knowledge of the area. We caught a lot of fish and had a good time!

Fishing is unpredictable, weather, tides, just go and take a positive attitude. Any day on the water is better than at work.

black bass are picky, peacock bass love to follow, no twitch, steady retrieve, smaller presentation. saw tons of follows of peacocks to the boat, need to finesse the largemouth.

The fishing is great, but predicting what the weather will be from one minute to another is almost impossible.

If you have the chance to fish with Mike, do it. You will not have any regrets no matter what your skill level.

First time fishing in Cape Coral? Spend the money and book a charter. They save you the time of having to "hunt" for the fish.

GO WITH MIGUEL!! If you want to have fun and have a captain that is passionate about getting his guest on good fish, GO WITH MIGUEL !

I’d recommend going in the morning. Afternoon storms are more prevalent this time of year and it can be excessively hot.

Yes I would! We were beginning anglers and captain mike explained everything n catered to our needs!

Try for the morning trip. Watch the weather and be prepared to change or reschedule for the best experience.

For first time Tarpon Fishers: Tarpon fishing requires a lot of patience, you can see 100s of tarpon around the boat and can’t get a bite and other times you get worn out reeling them in.

Make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen as it gets hot pretty warm very quickly and be prepared to get on some giants! He knows right where they are! You will have a great time!

Just make sure you’re protected from the sun and drink plenty of water. Capt Brian will make sure you catch as many fish as possible

Captain David is a very good start if you do not know much about fishing the waters here. He gave very good pointers on how the fish are in the area. Use live bait.

Do not overthink morning and evening trips, there are so many other variables like water temp, tides, current, etc.

Just go with the flow and trust your Captain will do whatever he/she can do to get you on fish even if the weather doesn’t want to cooperate.

Book with Captain Roland Willock. He rocks. We had young fishermen who had fun & seasoned fishermen who had fun.

Come with minimal expectations, be patient, and enjoy the day. when you get into the fish it will tie everything together.