Gordon Pass Fishing

Gordon Pass is Naples' main door to the Gulf, a deep, busy inlet between Port Royal and the north tip of Keewaydin Island, and its rock jetties draw shore anglers willing to make the walk.

• A rock jetty on a deep inlet with strong tidal flow
• Snook through the warm months; jacks, Spanish mackerel and ladyfish on the tide
• Sheepshead, mangrove snapper and black drum around the rocks
• Groins along the beach walk that hold fish too
• Dolphins working the pass and boats coming and going all day

The pass is at the south end of Gordon Drive in Port Royal, the southern tip of the Naples beach; Keewaydin Island across the pass is reached only by boat.

• Nearest beach accesses: 32nd and 33rd Avenues South and 3590 Gordon Drive, all listed open by the city in September 2026
• Parking at 32nd and 33rd Avenues South is for City of Naples or Collier County beach-permit holders only; non-resident parking is prohibited there
• Without a permit, the nearest visitor (metered) beach access is 14th Avenue South, roughly 2.5 miles north along the beach
• From 33rd Avenue South the walk south to the pass is about a mile on soft sand
• The homes and yards behind the beach are private; stay on the sand and the rocks

The whole of Naples Bay drains through Gordon Pass, so bait and predators gather at the jetty on every tide.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook move onto the rocks and the beach groins, and Spanish mackerel, jacks and ladyfish go after the bait
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook season peaks on the jetty and the beach, mangrove snapper hold in the rocks, and tarpon travel past offshore
• Fall (Sep-Nov): snook, jacks, redfish and mackerel pour into the pass with the mullet run
• Winter (Dec-Feb): the rocks hold sheepshead and black drum, and pompano work the beach on calm days

The rocks demand an outfit with the backbone to steer a fish clear of them: a 7 to 8 ft medium-heavy rod, 30 lb braid and a 40 lb fluorocarbon leader.

• Snook: work bucktails or swimbaits along the rocks with the tide, or swing live pilchards and pinfish there on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook
• Jacks and Spanish mackerel: when the birds are working, cast silver spoons and fast jigs
• Sheepshead, snapper and black drum: a short knocker rig with fiddler crabs or shrimp, fished right against the rocks
• Pompano: from the beach next to the jetty, shrimp on a pompano rig
• Carry a long-handled landing net so you do not have to climb down the rocks to land a fish

Tides at the pass are mixed, typically two uneven highs and lows a day, and since all of Naples Bay drains through it, the current runs harder than the pass's width would suggest.

• The ebb pulls bait out of the bay and puts the snook on the rocks
• At slack water, drop bottom baits close to the rocks
• Early and late in the day fish better than midday, particularly in summer
• A strong onshore wind blowing against the outgoing tide piles up rough water at the mouth
• Winter cold fronts bring north wind and cool, clear water, and the sheepshead feed well then

This is a remote rock jetty on a busy channel, a long walk from the car and from help.

• The rocks are uneven and slippery; wear grippy shoes, and do not fish them alone after dark
• Boat traffic runs through the pass all day, so never cast across the channel or toward a boat
• The current in the pass is strong; do not wade or swim there
• Carry water, sun protection and a charged phone for the walk
• Summer lightning builds fast; head back as soon as you hear thunder
• Wheelchairs cannot manage it: a long soft-sand walk ends on rock

Plan on finding no facilities at or near the pass.

• The 33rd Avenue South beach end has a freshwater shower
• No restrooms, food or bait near the pass were confirmed
• For bait, the city runs the Naples City Dock on Naples Bay, which sells live shrimp and frozen bait
• We could not confirm any lights, so carry a headlamp if you stay until dusk
• A beach cart makes the long walk with gear much easier

• If you live in Collier County, get the free beach parking permit; it is the practical way to park at the south-end accesses
• Time the walk so you reach the rocks for the last of the outgoing tide at first light
• Fish the groins along the walk south; they hold bait and snook too
• Watch for dolphins working bait in the pass
• Pack out all line, hooks and bait bags
• Leave time to walk back before dark

The beach at the pass is public shoreline in the City of Naples; the Port Royal homes and yards behind it are private.

• Parking at the nearest beach ends is by beach permit only
• The city's beaches allow no glass, animals or fires
• Obey any signs posted on the jetty or beach
• Unless you are exempt, you need a Florida saltwater fishing license
• FWC has separate rules for snook and tarpon, so read them
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything