Redfish fishing
in Matlacha.
The flats flanking Matlacha Pass are some of the skinniest, cleanest redfish water in Pine Island Sound — often under a foot of water at low tide, with turtle grass, sand potholes, and oyster bars laid out like a trout river. On the right light and a quiet morning, you'll spot tails a long way off. This isn't blind-casting. It's sight-fishing, and it rewards the angler who can lead a fish and drop a fly softly.
Redfish fishing in Matlacha, Florida is a year-round shallow-water sight game. The flats inside Matlacha Pass and along the eastern edge of Pine Island Sound hold redfish in water often less than two feet deep. Peak runs late summer through winter — tailing fish on low tide and fall schools of bull reds pushing into the grass. Fly anglers use an 8-weight with crab and shrimp patterns. RescueFly Charters poles these flats from a 2026 Beavertail Mosquito skiff.
Updated April 2026 · Captain Stuart Behrens
Redfish on the fly.
The Matlacha-side flats are skinny. We pole silently and look for tails, wakes, and that copper flash. Presentation matters more than the fly pattern — lead the fish, drop it soft, let them find it. I like small crab patterns on cold mornings when fish are sluggish; shrimp patterns when the water warms and reds are aggressive. Spin anglers run weedless gold spoons and scented soft plastics — both tough to beat for blind-casting the edges.
Why Matlacha for reds?
The eastern flats of Pine Island Sound — the Matlacha side — get significantly less pressure than the Cayo Costa-facing flats across the Sound. They also offer better wind protection on days when the open sound blows out from the west. The bottom here is a mix of turtle grass, sand potholes, and oyster bars — everything a redfish wants. Clear water when the grass is healthy; tannin-tinged and fishable even when the Sound is chalky.
Redfish in Florida have an 18–27 inch slot limit and a one-fish daily bag with seasonal closures on the Gulf Coast. RescueFly Charters runs primarily catch-and-release for reds — we release bull reds (36+ inches) every fall.
Current rules: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission →
About redfish fishing in Matlacha.
- Where do you fish redfish out of Matlacha?
- The flats on the eastern edge of Pine Island Sound — inside Matlacha Pass and out toward the Sound proper. Jug Creek, the flats south of the pass, and the grass beds behind the Matlacha Bridge all hold fish. On a winter low tide, we'll pole a mile of shoreline and pick off tailing fish as we find them.
- Can beginners catch redfish on the Matlacha flats?
- Absolutely. The presentations are usually 30 to 50 feet — well within reach on an 8-weight. We'll coach you through the lead and the strip. Redfish aren't leader-shy or as spooky as permit; if the cast is clean, they'll eat.
- What's the best tide for Matlacha redfish?
- Low tide for tailing fish — they have nowhere to hide and have to tip up to eat. Rising tide for cruising fish pushing into the mangroves. Both are productive, but if you came to see copper tails in the air, a winter low tide on the Matlacha flats is the textbook shot.
Other species we chase in Matlacha.
Chase reds at these locations too.
Ready to chase reds in Matlacha?
Limited dates each season. Reach out to lock in your charter.