Chokoloskee Bridge Fishing

Chokoloskee Bridge is the doorway to the Ten Thousand Islands and the one gap in the causeway, where the tide funnels through between the creeks and the bay.

• A 225 ft county bridge, rebuilt in 2018, with an 8 ft sidewalk on the east side behind a barrier wall
• Seawalls at the bridge ends that the county kept as a platform for anglers
• Snook, redfish, mangrove snapper, sheepshead and trout on the current and the color change
• No fee, and the paved causeway path runs from Everglades City all the way to Chokoloskee

The bridge is on County Road 29, the causeway between Everglades City and Chokoloskee Island in Collier County, near the Everglades City end.

• Getting there: follow State Road 29 south from the Tamiami Trail (US 41) into Everglades City and carry on toward Chokoloskee; the bridge is about half a mile past the national park's visitor center
• Parking: there is no lot at the bridge; if you use the grass pull-offs along the causeway, park well clear of the road, never on the bridge, and obey any posted signs, or leave the car in Everglades City and walk out
• On foot or by bike: the paved causeway path starts across the road from the visitor center, runs about 3 miles to Chokoloskee and crosses the bridge on the separated sidewalk
• The southern half of the causeway lies inside Everglades National Park, so park rules apply if you move down the road

The bridge sits where tea-colored water from the mangrove creeks behind the causeway meets the greener water of Chokoloskee Bay, and predators patrol that seam.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook moving out of the backcountry toward the outside bays, tarpon in the outside bays, sheepshead at their hungriest around the March-April spawn
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook, mangrove snapper, crevalle jack and ladyfish on the moving tide
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish and snook feeding before winter, spotted seatrout, black drum
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead around the seawalls and pilings in good numbers, black drum and trout, and Spanish mackerel in the area

Current decides everything here: carry enough weight to hold bottom beside the pilings while the tide runs, and lighten up at the turn.

• Snook and redfish: live or frozen shrimp, a pinfish or a chunk of mullet on a 3/0 circle hook and 30-40 lb leader, or a paddle-tail jig worked along the shadow line
• Sheepshead and snapper: a short leader and a strong 1/0 or 2/0 hook with shrimp or fiddler crab, dropped tight to the seawall and pilings
• Trout and ladyfish: a popping cork over shrimp or a small jig drifted along the color change
• Weights from 1 to 3 oz let you match the flow
• Bring a long-handled net or lead big fish to the seawall rather than hauling them up

NOAA's nearby prediction stations, on the Barron River at Everglades City and at Chokoloskee, show two highs and two lows on most days, of unequal size; high and low are usually 2-3 ft apart, and 4 ft or a little more on the biggest tides.

• The current runs hardest mid-tide; the first and last couple of hours of each tide are easier to fish
• The falling tide drains the creeks behind the causeway and carries bait through the opening
• Look for the edge where dark creek water meets bay water; fish hold along it
• In winter, fish slide into the deeper water under the bridge after a cold front
• Summer afternoons bring thunderstorms; get off the bridge before lightning

The bridge carries a two-lane road, but the east-side sidewalk sits behind a barrier wall and is level and paved.

• Park well clear of the pavement and cross the road with care
• Share the sidewalk with walkers and cyclists on the causeway path; keep rods and buckets tidy
• Boats pass under the bridge: watch your line and never cast at a passing boat
• The current under the bridge is strong; do not wade or swim, and watch your footing on the seawall edges
• Bring bug spray, water and sun protection; there is no shade on the bridge
• The sidewalk suits anglers with limited mobility better than the seawalls do

There is nothing at the bridge itself, so arrive with everything you need.

• No restrooms, water, bait sales, shade or lights confirmed at the bridge
• The national park's Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center, at the Everglades City end of the causeway, has restrooms and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
• Everglades City, a short drive north, has restaurants and marinas; bring your bait, or ask in town where to buy it
• Chokoloskee, at the south end of the causeway, has marinas and a small community
• Bring a cooler with ice if you plan to keep fish

• Fish from the seawalls at the bridge corners while the tide is running; the corners break the current and hold snook and snapper
• On a falling tide, work the dark water on the backcountry side as it pours through the opening
• Winter and early spring are sheepshead time; keep baits right against the structure
• Walk or bike the causeway path from Everglades City if parking on the shoulder is tight
• Check the wind: a strong breeze against the tide makes the bay choppy and the seawalls wet

The bridge is a Collier County road bridge on County Road 29, and the county's bridge ordinance applies.

• The county code bans cast netting from the Chokoloskee Causeway bridge and says other lawful fishing there is not prohibited; obey any signs posted on the bridge
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• If you move south along the causeway into Everglades National Park, park fishing rules apply
• Smalltooth sawfish, an endangered species, live in these waters, and NOAA reported dead sawfish found along this causeway in 2020: if you hook one, release it at once following NOAA's safe-handling guidelines
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit
• Snook, tarpon and goliath grouper have their own rules; check FWC before you fish for them
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything