This report is usually (but not always!) updated on Friday around noon.
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the little circle thing — if nothing changes, we ain't done it yet
Place-by-place Fishin' Report Here it is — SCROLL down
This report is usually (but
not always!) updated on Friday around noon.
Don't
see this week's report? REFRESH
your browser.
the little circle thing — if nothing changes, we ain't done it yet
Tell us about your fishing day! — These reports come mostly from anglers like you. We don't want your secret spots, we just want to be able to share what's going on out there. Whether the fishing has been awesome or terrible (or anything in between), we want to know. Just call 941-625-3888 and ask for Robert.
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What does "no reports" mean? It's just like it says. No one has been talking about fishing in this place. It might mean there are no fish there, or no fishermen there, or lots of fish and nobody wants to say anything. We don't know, because we have had no reports from that location.
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Peace River Harbor Heights & upriver along with Shell Creek "Fishin' History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Small tarpon are scattered around. Redfish are also scattered from the mouth of Deep Creek south, but at least most are in the slot. A few snook have been up around the Shell Creek dam.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — The Shell Creek dam and the water treatment plant have had decent snook, plus a few around the 761 bridges and the Fort Ogden trestle. Mayan cichlids, tilapia and a few small tarpon rolling around and in the general area of the San Souci trestle.
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Darst Park boat ramp — I-75 bridges (boat only)
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — A few black drum and snook around the pilings, and random small tarpon. The best story has been redfish at the north and south ends.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Some snook around the bridges, a few slot redfish around the islands, and small tarpon hanging around.
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US 41 bridges - ..... "Fishin' History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Snook and a few redfish around Live Oak Point. Some tarpon have been seen rolling but not hooked.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Tarpon have been seen from the bridge, but none reported caught. A few snook and small trout, plus baby bull sharks.
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Laishley Seawall (pier currently closed due to hurricane damage) "Fishin History River Side
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — A few small snook.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — A few tiny snook and mangrove snapper.
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Bayshore Pier "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 08/21/2026 — Update: Construction on the west Bayshore pier is expected to begin in October 2026.
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Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 05/08/2026 — The piers are gone, but the old pilings have been holding a lot of trout and redfish.
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Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 11/16/2024 — Currently, there are no Bayshore piers.
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Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 11/16/2024 — Currently, there is no Port Charlotte Beach Pier.
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Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Quiet.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Some fish (snook, tarpon, black drum), but nothing of much size.
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Port Charlotte canals, salt/brackish
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Sand bream, small mangrove snapper, random Mayan cichlids. Some little snook and a few jacks are also around. Check the spillways for snook; throw small white paddletails.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Some small snook, occasional baby bull sharks, a few jacks and black drum. The headline has been lots of sand bream on bits of cut shrimp fished right around the dock pilings.
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El Jobean Bridge (pier currently closed due to fire & hurricane damage) "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Juvie tarpon early and late. Baby bull sharks are plentiful. Snook are around but most are short.
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Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 03/06/2026 — Big snook and small tarpon at night. A few mangrove snapper and sheepshead around the bridge and trestle pilings.
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Mouth of the Myakka River (from the bridge all the way to Marker 8) "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — The west end of the Myakka Cutoff has had some snook and redfish, but it's not lighting the world on fire.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — No reports.
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South Gulf Cove canals "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — A couple small redfish, and one slot snook reported just inside the lock.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — No reports.
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The West Wall / McCall Flats "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports, but there should be redfish on the lower half.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — The south half has lots of redfish, and the snook action has picked up this week after that wimpy little "cold" front. Focus on the treeline, looking for deeper areas.
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Cape Haze Bar "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Pompano, a few trout and a couple bonnethead sharks.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — A bit of action from ladyfish, bluefish and trout, but it hasn't been amazing. Redfish and snook along the shoreline on the edges of the trough.
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Turtle Bay & Bull Bay "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Redfish and a few snook. The redfish might be around the trees or the oyster bars, or they might be hanging out with the mullet. Some trout in the deeper sections.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Redfish have been great around the mangroves. They are also hanging out around schools of mullet and sometimes just schooling by themselves. Cutbait is good, live pinfish are good, topwater lures are good, gold spoons are good. Whatever you throw, try not to land it on top of their heads. There have been a few snook and small trout in here also. Bonnethead and lemon sharks have also shown up here.
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Gasparilla Sound "Fishin History"
Sandfly Key — Devilfish Key — Three Sisters — Cayo Pelau
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Redfish along the bushes; trout and ladyfish over the grass. A few random sharks, including on 5-foot lemon.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Lots of reports here. Redfish are incredible from Catfish Creek to Bull Bay, with singles and small groups under the mangroves and some schools scattered about. Some snook are under the mangroves. A few trout on deeper grass around Three Sisters. Some ladyfish, Spanish mackerel and sharks attacking random bait schools in open water.
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Placida
"Fishin History"
Placida Pier
—
Placida
Trestle
—
Coral Creek Pier
—
Gasparilla Pass
(Placida Pier and Boca Grande Pier currently closed due to hurricane damage; Coral Creek pier is OPEN)
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Small mangrove snapper and grunts around the trestle. Tarpon and snook have been hanging out in Gasparilla Pass.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Mangrove snapper are fewer but the ones we're hearing about are bigger. A few flounder and redfish, plus some dinky snook. A few sharks have been reported near Gasparilla Pass.
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Lemon Bay & Chadwick Park pier "Fishin History"
Stump Pass — Milton Pass — Lemon Bay Park — Indian Mound Park
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Mangrove snapper around Chadwick Park Pier, and there must be some snook hanging out around the pilings. Redfish and small snook are around random docks, and there have been some trout on the flats.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — The docks and mangroves have had decent action with mangrove snapper, small black drum, redfish and snook. Grassy areas have had a few trout.
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Englewood Anger Pier (next to Tom Adams bridge) "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 11/16/2024 — Currently, there is no Anger Pier.
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Gulf of (America) Mexico bottom fishin' & trolling - Reefs & Wrecks "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — The weather has not been conducive to reports this week.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Storms have kept most boats in.
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Venice Jetties & Venice Pier (North Jetty is open, South Jetty is closed; pier is now fully open)
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — The jetties and pier both have snook (though not many legal ones) and whiting around the shoreline. Spanish mackerel and small sharks are around the structure.
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Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Some tarpon and snook around the causeway.
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Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Redfish and snook under the docks. Jacks have been hooning around. Some sharks in the pass itself.
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Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — A few snook, redfish and mangrove snapper right along the dropoff.
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Boca Grande Pass "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — A few Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and baby tarpon around the phosphate dock, plus redfish around the docks.
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Walkin' the Gulf beaches,
from Sanibel
to Venice. Surf fishing anywhere along the Gulf shoreline.
Blind Pass Beach State Park,
Stump
Pass, Boca Grande, etc "Fishin'
History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Stump Pass, Blind Pass Beach and Boca Grande all have baby black drum, whiting, small snook, overslot redfish and giant ladyfish to 30 inches. Generally mornings and evenings have been best.
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Indian Fields — Smokehouse Bay
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Some redfish and small snook in Matlacha Pass up toward Bokeelia.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Redfish in the upper slot and small trout in the Matlacha Pass area.
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Pine Island Sound
"Fishin History"
Rat and Cat keys,
Mondongo & Patricio
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports due to weather, but redfish and snook should be hot.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Redfish along the bushes and schooling on the open flats. Snook are under the mangroves as well. Grassflats are holding tons of little trout, lots of baby gags and an assortment of little sharks.
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Jug Creek Shoal & Bokeelia "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — No reports.
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Burnt Store & Two Pines "Fishin report archive History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Good numbers of redfish along the bar and the shorelines, and also mixed in with the mullet schools.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Lots of redfish, mostly around the mangroves. There's at least one school but they've been getting scattered early just about every day.
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East Side "keys" "Fishin History"
Cormorant Key — Bay Back Key — Sneaky Creek
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Anglers are getting into redfish in Pirate Harbor and the islands just north. Really, you might find reds and some snook anywhere up to Alligator Creek.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Redfish have perked up a bit around the islands and in the creek mouths. Snook are random and scattered. A few trout, baby gags and juvenile tarpon are in Pirate Harbor.
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Alligator Creek, Poachers Cut & The Skating Rink "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — The mouth of Alligator Creek and the Skating Rink have had some snook and redfish.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Redfish are scattered from the Skating Rink west to Whorehouse Point. Alligator Creek has had a few snook.
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Ponce de Leon Park "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Small snapper, a couple baby jewfish, a couple smaller snook, random baby sharks.
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Punta Gorda Isles canals & Punta Gorda "Fishin History
Elizabeth Park — Barge Canal — P.G. Nature Park
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Lots of little snook. Jacks in random spots. A few black drum.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Little snook and rolling baby tarpon. Black drum are visible but hard to catch. A few baby bull sharks.
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Gilchrist Pier "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 11/16/2024 — Currently, there is no Gilchrist Pier.
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Alligator Creek Reef
AKA Concrete
Reef, 1 Mile Reef,
Charlotte Harbor Reef, 41 Bridge Reef
"Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — A few Spanish mackerel and mangrove snapper on the north end. A few baby goliath.
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Deep holes in Charlotte Harbor — AKA the 20-foot holes "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Tarpon have been very sporadic, and that's it.
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Baitfish - Whitebait, but also threadies, pinfish, sardines, etc
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Some pinfish around Gasparilla Sound grassflats.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Pinfish in grassy areas along the ICW. Tiny whitebait scattered around, mostly too small to net.
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Freshwater canals, creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds, ditches, spillways, flooded backyards, mud puddles & cattle watering troughs "Fishin History"
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — Some bass, bluegill, tilapia and Mayan cichlids on Beetle Spins in Nine Mile Canal (Cocoplum Waterway). Some bluegills (and fire ants) out at the Webb WMA.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — Water flow has slowed and so has the bite. Smaller bass and a handful of tilapia have been taking live worms. If we get overcast days there should be some action.
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Tarpon reports 
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/09/2026 — No reports, other than a few that have been spotted rolling.
Robert, Fishin' Frank & Capt. Josh 10/02/2026 — A few random scattered fish, and when you find them the bite might last only a few minutes.
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In memory of Capt Angel Torres, 1975-2010
Angel remains here with us,
He was my friend, I miss him
Fishin Frank-----
It would be hard to picture life without fishing.
People who do not fish do
not understand the
therapeutic value of fishing, losing yourself to
the motion of the waves and
just relaxing.
The best things about fishing is where you do it,
and that you do not carry a score card.
Since 1984 when I first walked through the door
here at Fishin Franks,
I found the people / customers to be the best part of this job,
and all these decades later that is still true.
You all are the best part of the day.
Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives so many years
Fishin Frank
