Lemon Bay Sunrise Rotary Park Fishing

Lemon Bay Sunrise Rotary Park gives shore anglers public access to the east side of Lemon Bay in Englewood, a shallow grass-flat bay known for seatrout, redfish and snook.

• Seatrout and redfish over the grass flats in front of the park
• Snook along the shoreline in the warm months
• Sheepshead and black drum in winter
• A small county park with a boat ramp, reopened in 2025 with some areas still awaiting repair

The park is at 1000 South McCall Road in Englewood, on the east shore of Lemon Bay, with a small point and a ramp basin on the water.

• Parking: a lot serving the boat ramp; county boat-ramp parking is normally pay-to-park, but the county says ramp and beach parking fees are temporarily suspended, so check the signs
• Vehicles with a state disabled parking permit park free at county parks and ramps when the permit holder is present
• Hours: the park is open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Closed: the canoe and kayak launch, per the county's park page; the county's recovery page says the boarding pier needs partial replacement, so stay off any section that is taped off

Lemon Bay is a shallow, grassy estuary open to the Gulf through Stump Pass, so it holds a classic southwest Florida flats mix.

• Spring (Mar–May): seatrout and redfish on the flats, snook returning to the shoreline, sheepshead finishing their run
• Summer (Jun–Aug): snook, ladyfish and jacks early and late, mangrove snapper around structure
• Fall (Sep–Nov): redfish schools and seatrout on the grass, the best all-round season
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead and black drum around structure, seatrout in the deeper potholes

Flats fishing from shore is about covering water quietly.

• Seatrout: a 3 to 4 inch soft plastic on a 1/8 to 1/4 oz jig head, or live shrimp under a popping cork over the grass
• Redfish: a gold spoon or weedless soft plastic along the shoreline, or shrimp or cut pinfish on the bottom
• Snook: live shrimp or a small pinfish on a 1/0 circle hook with 30 lb fluorocarbon, or a jerkbait at first light
• Sheepshead and black drum: shrimp or fiddler crabs on a small hook close to hard structure
• A 7-foot medium-light spinning rod with 10 lb braid is ideal

Charlotte County tides are small and mixed, usually two uneven highs and lows a day and sometimes only one, and on these shallow flats a few inches of water change everything.

• The rising tide pushes fish onto the grass along the shore; the first of the falling tide draws them back out
• Early morning is best, before boat traffic and summer heat
• A light breeze helps; a stiff west wind muddies the flats
• In winter, low tides pull fish into the deeper potholes and channel edges
• Red tide sometimes reaches Lemon Bay; check the FWC red tide status before a trip

A small, busy launch park on open bay water.

• The boat ramp comes first: never fish from the ramp and give launching boats room
• Stay out of taped-off or fenced areas while storm repairs continue
• If you wade, shuffle your feet for stingrays and stay clear of boat lanes
• Summer afternoon storms bring lightning over the open bay; leave at the first thunder
• Bring water and sun protection; there is no shade out on the bank
• The county does not publish accessible fishing features here, so check before you go if you use a wheelchair

Facilities are basic while repairs continue.

• Boat ramp
• Picnic tables and picnic shelters
• A restroom or portable toilet is listed; the restroom building is among the repairs still being planned
• The canoe and kayak launch is closed
• No bait, tackle or food is listed in the park, so stock up before you arrive
• No lighting is listed, and the park closes at 9 p.m.

• Fish the first two hours of daylight, before the ramp gets busy
• Look for darker patches of grass and sandy potholes; trout and reds wait on the edges
• A popping cork with live shrimp is the easiest way to find trout from shore
• In winter, work slowly and deep on the falling tide
• Check the county's post-storm facilities page before you go; closures here have been changing
• Pack out all line and bait bags; the flats are a nursery for seagrass and fish

Lemon Bay Sunrise Rotary Park is run by Charlotte County Community Services; follow the posted park rules and closure signs.

• Park hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Lemon Bay is an aquatic preserve; avoid prop-scarring and damaging seagrass if you wade or launch
• 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 have their own seasons and rules; check FWC before keeping one
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything