Jolley Bridge Fishing

Jolley Bridge spans the Marco River at the north end of Marco Island, and the deep water and swift tide under it hold big fish all year.

• Fish only in the areas the city approves for fishing underneath the bridge; the spans, sidewalks and approaches are off limits
• Snook, redfish, snapper and sheepshead on the pilings
• Sharks and goliath grouper in the channel
• Views over the ABC Islands bird rookeries

The bridge carries Collier Boulevard (State Road 951) from the mainland onto Marco Island.

• Marco Island's code makes it unlawful to fish from the bridge's surface, sidewalk, roadway, approach or landing, or from underneath it, except in the areas approved for fishing underneath the bridge
• Fish only in those approved areas, and never from private property without the owner's permission
• Parking near the island end is limited; do not park on the roadway
• Surface: sand, rock and concrete; uneven in places
• No fees were found

The Marco River is a big tidal channel between Marco Island and the mainland.

• Spring (Mar–May): snook return to the pilings, jacks and ladyfish chase bait, sheepshead linger
• Summer (Jun–Aug): snook, mangrove snapper, sharks on the channel edges, goliath grouper under the spans
• Fall (Sep–Nov): redfish and snook feed hard on mullet, snapper stay
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the pilings; snook slow down

Fish heavy: the current and the pilings cost tackle.

• Snook and reds: live pinfish, pilchards or shrimp on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook, 40 to 50 lb leader, enough weight to hold near the pilings
• Snapper and sheepshead: a knocker rig with shrimp or fiddler crabs, 20 lb leader
• Sharks: cut ladyfish or mullet on wire leader with heavy tackle, and the FWC shore-shark permit
• Lures: heavy bucktails or swimbaits swung down-current past the pilings
• Do not target goliath grouper; if one takes a bait, cut the line close

Tides here are mixed, with two uneven highs and lows on almost every day and a daily range of roughly 2.5 feet at NOAA's Big Marco River station, and the Marco River runs hard between them.

• The best fishing is the first and last hour or two of each tide, when you can hold bottom
• Mid-tide current can be too strong for bottom rigs; switch to lures
• Night and low light are best for snook around the bridge shadows
• After heavy rain the water runs dark from the backcountry
• Summer afternoons bring storms off the Everglades

This is a busy road bridge over a busy channel.

• Watch road traffic entering and leaving parking areas
• Current is strong and the drop-off steep; never wade out
• Boat traffic is constant; do not cast across the channel at passing boats
• Rocks and seawall edges are slippery
• Lightning and heat in summer; there is little shade
• Access is on rough ground; not suited to wheelchairs

There are no facilities at the bridge.

• No restrooms or bait at the bridge were confirmed; buy bait on Marco Island or in Naples on the way
• Restaurants and stores are a short drive away on the island
• Bring water and a light for dusk
• A folding chair, a cooler with ice and a cart make the walk from the lot easier

• Know where the approved fishing areas under the bridge are before you set up; fishing anywhere else on or under the bridge is against city code
• Cast up-current and let the bait swing into the pilings
• Bring a long-handled net; lifting a big fish up a seawall breaks lines
• The ABC Islands are a bird rookery: keep off them and keep lines out of the birds
• A goliath under the bridge will take your hooked snook; land fish fast
• Parking fills early on weekends; go at dawn

The bridge is a state road inside the City of Marco Island, and the city's code sets where you may fish.

• Unlawful to fish from the bridge surface, sidewalk, roadway, approach or landing, or from underneath it, except in the areas approved for fishing underneath the State Road 951 bridge
• Unlawful to fish from private property without the owner's permission
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Goliath grouper are protected and must be released in the water: check FWC
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything