Allapatchee Shores Park Fishing

Allapatchee Shores Park is a quiet neighborhood launch onto upper Alligator Creek, a tidal creek south of Punta Gorda that a local tackle shop's spot list calls good snook water.

• Snook on the creek edges and bends, best on moving water
• Redfish, mangrove snapper, jacks and juvenile tarpon in the warm months
• Sheepshead and seatrout when the water cools
• A launch for kayaks onto the county's Alligator Creek paddling trail

The park is on Hickory Court in the Acline area, a few miles south of downtown Punta Gorda off US 41, on the upper reaches of Alligator Creek.

• Parking: no lot or fee is listed on the park page, so park only where signed
• Hours: the park is open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• The county's paddling guide lists the park's small ramp as a launch and rates its Alligator Creek Trail as a beginner route
• It sits in a residential neighborhood, so keep noise down
• There are no restrooms, so plan ahead

Upper Alligator Creek is tidal and brackish, with salinity swinging between the dry and rainy seasons.

• Spring (Mar–May): snook moving up the creek as the water warms, redfish on the edges, sheepshead finishing up
• Summer (Jun–Aug): snook, juvenile tarpon rolling in the bends at dawn, mangrove snapper, jacks and ladyfish
• Fall (Sep–Nov): snook and redfish feeding hard before winter
• Winter (Dec–Feb): snook sheltering in the deeper creek bends, sheepshead around any structure, seatrout in the deeper holes

Creek fishing rewards light tackle and accurate casts.

• Snook: live shrimp or small pinfish on a 1/0 circle hook with 20 to 30 lb fluorocarbon, or a paddletail or small jerkbait worked tight to the edges
• Redfish: shrimp or cut pinfish on the bottom in the bends, or a gold spoon along the banks
• Snapper and sheepshead: small hooks, shrimp or fiddler crabs, fished close to structure
• Juvenile tarpon: small swimbaits or live shrimp at first light
• A 7-foot medium-light spinning rod with 10 lb braid is ideal

Charlotte Harbor tides are small and mixed, usually two uneven highs and lows a day and sometimes only one, and they reach well up tidal creeks like this one.

• Moving water is key: the outgoing tide pulls bait out of the creek edges
• Higher water lets fish push up to the banks; low water concentrates them in the bends
• Summer rains freshen and darken the creek; fish may drop down toward the harbor
• Winter cold fronts send snook into the creek's deeper, warmer holes
• Dawn and dusk are best in summer heat

A small, natural launch park.

• Alligators live in Charlotte County's tidal creeks; keep children and dogs back from the edge and never leave fish scraps
• Summer afternoon storms bring lightning; leave at the first thunder
• Mosquitoes and no-see-ums can be fierce at dawn and dusk, so bring repellent
• Bring water and sun protection for long sessions
• Kayak anglers: check the tide first, as small creeks can run skinny at low water
• The county lists no accessible fishing facilities here

Facilities are minimal.

• A small launch for kayaks and canoes
• Picnic tables
• No restrooms are listed
• No bait, tackle or food in the park, so bring live shrimp and supplies with you
• No lighting is listed, and the park closes at 9 p.m.
• No drinking water is listed, so carry plenty on hot days
• Bring a small landing net and pliers for unhooking snook

• Old local advice says the upper creek here is good snook water; fish the bends on the moving tide
• Cast tight to the edges; snook sit right against cover
• In winter, fish slow and deep in the bends after a cold front
• A kayak lets you fish much more of the creek than the bank allows
• Keep the launch clear for paddlers coming and going

Allapatchee Shores Park is run by Charlotte County Community Services; follow the posted park rules.

• Park hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt; Florida residents fishing from shore can use the no-cost resident shoreline license
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC shore-based shark fishing permit
• Snook and tarpon have their own seasons and release rules; check FWC before keeping or handling one
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything