Florida · Boca Grande / Charlotte Harbor

Tarpon should be the day — the Pass — tarpon in the throat, then Gasparilla grass for reds and snook.

The pass. Migratory tarpon stack in Boca Grande Pass in spring. Charlotte Harbor and Gasparilla hold snook and reds. NOAA 8725577 is the pass clock (predictions). Water temp is Fort Myers 8725520 — there is no live well at the inlet.

⚠ This brief is for 2026-09-07, not this morning. Wind is a forecast. Observed water versus the table is a today-only instrument.
⚠ Charlotte Harbor / Southwest snook harvest is typically closed May 1–Sep 30 and Dec 1–end of Feb. Verify FWC.

Forecast

low confidence

Forecast brief for Monday, September 7. Back to this morning

Morning line

Boca Grande 8.3 on Monday, September 7. 5 mph NE. Clear · 26%. YOLO day is Tuesday, August 25. Scores are 1–10, not a bite.

Mail it

incoming · -0.58 ftModeled M2 · not a gauge

Wind

OPEN-METEO

From NE · gust 6

Sky

26% rain

Clear

Clear · 26%

A 20% shower chance is not a cancel. A soaker is.

Moon

20% lit

Waning crescent

mid range · 20%

Water

No gauge

Water

—

Today’s range 1.5 ft

incoming

-0.58 ft modeled

Clock

NOAA 8725577

LowMon 7:00 AM · -0.78
HighMon 1:00 PM · 0.77
LowMon 7:00 PM · -0.76
HighTue 1:00 AM · 0.74
LowTue 7:00 AM · -0.71

Bahamas tides are modeled from lunar M2. Use them for windows, not a bar crossing.

Monthly YOLO day

Tuesday, August 25 · 9.0

Best remaining dry day this month with a real wind forecast — and it is a copper day. waxing gibbous · mid · tide range ~1.3 ft · wind to 9 mph · Clouds · 11%

Stay or drive · Boca Grande vs Jupiter Open the calendar Morning dispatch

Next two weeks

Look at the water, not the table

Full calendar

Tue

Δ1.3ft

YOLO

Wed

Next two weeks

Pulling the 14-day strip…

Where

Gasparilla Sound
grass flat · public structure · mid
8.4
Harbor grass inside the pass. Reds and snook. Do not invent a hole — this is the sound.
- — grass flat on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Tarpon.
skiffkayakflyspin
Boca Grande Pass
pass jetty · public structure · deep
8.1
The pass. NOAA 8725577 is the clock. Spring tarpon stack here. Current is the whole fishery — not a wade, not a skinny skiff.
- — pass jetty on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Tarpon, Redfish.
skiffstructurespinfly
Cayo Costa / Boca Grande side
sand dropoff · public structure · mid
7.7
State park shoreline south of the pass. Beach and bar. Park rules, not a private cut.
- — sand dropoff on a incoming tide is a workable match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Tarpon.
skiffwadespinfly
FL - Pine Island Sound via Matlacha
grass flat · saved map · skinny
7.7
Iconic sound flats: reds, snook, tarpon lanes. · flats · GULF ATLAS! - FISH
- — grass flat on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Tarpon.
skiffkayakwadeflyspin

When

Incoming water
10.0
Mon 8:00 AM → Mon 3:00 PM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
Outgoing water
9.7
Mon 2:00 PM → Mon 9:00 PM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
8.7
Mon 8:00 PM → Tue 3:00 AM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Outgoing water
10.0
Tue 2:00 AM → Tue 9:00 AM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
10.0
Tue 8:00 AM → Tue 3:00 PM
Moving water in the right part of the day.

Launch and beach access

County and state ramps near this water. FKNMS no-take is Keys-only, on the legal list.

Placida / Gasparilla public ramps
Charlotte County
Harbor side of the Boca desk. The Pass is a run south from here.
Official source
Cayo Costa State Park
Florida State Parks
Barrier island south of Boca Grande Pass. Boat or ferry. Park rules.
Official source

Legal water

No-take and closed water cited to the agency that owns it. Only the Keys box is FKNMS.

No FKNMS polygon in this box. Mainland Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Mexico, and the Bahamas are not Keys sanctuary closures.

Why — and who

— Tide is incoming (modeled — the NOAA gauge did not answer).
— Clear · 26%. Sky is workable.
— Wind 5 mph NE. Castable. Sight-fishing is on if the sun is out.
— Waning crescent moon — mid tide range. Marsh and passes usually want the extra current of a spring.

Redfish

Sciaenops ocellatus

8.4

Thermal window

—

In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.

Florida SE: typically 18–27 in, 1/person, 2/vessel. Harvest banned in federal waters. Keys backcountry, not oceanside. Boca Harbor yes.

Mangrove / gray snapper

Lutjanus griseus

8.4

Thermal window

—

In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.

Florida: typically 10 in, inside the snapper aggregate. Verify FWC.

Tarpon

Megalops atlanticus

6.6

Thermal window

—

Present, not peak. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.

Florida: catch-and-release. Fish over 40 in must stay in the water. One harvest tag/year only for a potential IGFA record.

Snook

Centropomus undecimalis

2.9

Thermal window

—

Closed to harvest — still swims, do not keep. In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.

Region matters. SE/Atlantic (Jupiter, Biscayne): typically 28–32 in, 1/day, closed Dec 15–Jan 31 and June 1–Aug 31. Charlotte Harbor / Southwest (Boca Grande): typically 28–33 in, closed Dec 1–end of Feb and May 1–Sep 30. Snook permit required. Verify FWC.

Jack crevalle

Caranx hippos

5.8

Thermal window

—

Bycatch and beach noise — not the reason you came. In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.

Generally unregulated. Still, do not leave a pile.

Great barracuda

Sphyraena barracuda

5.8

Thermal window

—

Bycatch and beach noise — not the reason you came. In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.

Generally unregulated. Ciguatera risk rises with size. Do not keep a big one for the table.

Regs citedFWC saltwater recreational · current FWC regional rules · rolls in 8 days. Snook closures are regional. Boca Grande is not Jupiter. Verify FWC before you keep one.