Tarpon fishing
in Fort Myers Beach.
Big Carlos Pass is the quietly productive tarpon funnel on the south end of Estero Island. It's not Boca Grande, but the same migratory fish move through it every spring, and the pressure is a fraction. Add the nearshore reef fishing off the beach and the back-bay juvenile fishery in Estero Bay, and you have a legitimate three-mode tarpon day within minutes of Fort Myers Beach.
Tarpon fishing in Fort Myers Beach, Florida centers on Big Carlos Pass — the south inlet of Estero Island — and the nearshore Gulf of Mexico along the beach. Peak runs late April through June as migratory tarpon travel between the Gulf and Estero Bay. Fly anglers work the pass edges and beach pods with 10- or 11-weight rods; light-tackle anglers drift live baits in the deeper channel. RescueFly Charters runs Fort Myers Beach tarpon trips from our Pine Island port.
Updated April 2026 · Captain Stuart Behrens
Tarpon on the fly.
Big Carlos Pass fishes on strong tides — we drift the deeper channel with live baits on spin gear, or work the pass edges on fly with heavy Toads. The nearshore beach and the artificial reefs just off Fort Myers Beach hold rolling tarpon in summer — sight-castable pods in 10 to 20 feet of water. The back of Estero Bay is the juvenile fishery, 8-weight water all year.
Why Fort Myers Beach for tarpon?
Fort Myers Beach offers a rare three-in-one tarpon setup: the migratory pass fishery at Big Carlos, the nearshore reef fishery in the Gulf, and the juvenile backcountry fishery in Estero Bay. That's the same configuration as Boca Grande with backcountry access — but without Boca Grande's boat traffic. Late April through June, the pass is a legitimate alternative for migratory fish with more elbow room.
Tarpon are a catch-and-release fishery in Florida. A $50 tarpon tag is required only if you intend to take a fish from the water, which we never do.
Current rules: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission →
About tarpon fishing in Fort Myers Beach.
- Is Big Carlos Pass good for tarpon fishing?
- Yes — legitimately. The same spring migration that pushes through Boca Grande also funnels through Big Carlos on the south end of Estero Island. It's smaller and shallower than Boca Grande, which concentrates fish and keeps the fishery pressure low.
- Where can you tarpon fish from Fort Myers Beach?
- Three primary spots: Big Carlos Pass itself (migration corridor), the nearshore Gulf reefs off Estero Island (summer rolling fish), and the back of Estero Bay (juvenile fishery year-round). A full day often hits all three.
- Can you fly fish for tarpon off Fort Myers Beach?
- Yes — the pass edges and the nearshore beach both give clear-water sight-casting conditions for a 10- or 11-weight. The reef rolls in summer are particularly good: pods of 5 to 15 fish working the edges of structure, often 40 to 60 feet off the skiff.
Other species we chase in Fort Myers Beach.
Chase tarpon at these locations too.
Ready to chase tarpon in Fort Myers Beach?
Limited dates each season. Reach out to lock in your charter.