Can you catch Snook at Lovers Key State Park?

Yes — Snook scores 8/10 at Lovers Key State Park. Cruise the beach trough at first light in summer and hold on the pass edges; white jigs or live shrimp.

Can you catch Redfish at Lovers Key State Park?

Yes — Redfish scores 7/10 at Lovers Key State Park. Pass edges and the Estero Bay mangroves on a high, moving tide, especially in fall.

Can you catch Spotted Seatrout at Lovers Key State Park?

Yes — Spotted Seatrout scores 6/10 at Lovers Key State Park. Grassy bay water behind the islands; shrimp under a float or a soft plastic.

Can you catch Pompano at Lovers Key State Park?

Yes — Pompano scores 6/10 at Lovers Key State Park. Surf trough in spring and late fall on sand fleas or shrimp.

Can you catch Ladyfish at Lovers Key State Park?

Yes — Ladyfish scores 6/10 at Lovers Key State Park. Plentiful around the passes and in the surf in warm months.

Can you catch Gulf Kingfish at Lovers Key State Park?

Yes — Gulf Kingfish scores 6/10 at Lovers Key State Park. Surf whiting most of the year on shrimp on a drop rig, best in the cooler months.

Can you catch Spanish Mackerel at Lovers Key State Park?

Yes — Spanish Mackerel scores 5/10 at Lovers Key State Park. Near the passes in spring and fall when bait is thick; small spoons.

Can you catch Sheepshead at Lovers Key State Park?

Yes — Sheepshead scores 5/10 at Lovers Key State Park. Winter fish around bridge pilings and rocks inside the passes.

Can you catch Tarpon at Lovers Key State Park?

Yes — Tarpon scores 4/10 at Lovers Key State Park. Roll off both passes in early summer; a specialist's shot from shore. Check FWC tarpon rules.

Can you catch Blacktip Shark at Lovers Key State Park?

Yes — Blacktip Shark scores 4/10 at Lovers Key State Park. Summer surf sharks; needs the free FWC shore-based shark permit.

Lee County

Lovers Key State Park Fishing

7.3· Beach · Fort Myers Beach, FL

Fee to fish: State park entrance fee per vehicle (checked Sep 27, 2026)

Lovers Key State Park is four barrier islands between Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach, with about two and a half miles of natural Gulf beach framed by Big Carlos Pass to the north and New Pass to the south, and mangrove backwaters of Estero Bay behind. Surf anglers walk the beach for snook in the trough in summer, pompano and Gulf whiting in the cooler months, and Spanish mackerel and ladyfish when bait is in; the passes hold redfish, trout, snook and tarpon. The bay side fishes well from a kayak. Fish early on a moving tide with shrimp, sand fleas or white jigs. The park charges $8 per vehicle and opens 8 a.m. to sunset; the tram no longer runs, so the beach is a walk from the parking lot. Watch the currents at both passes, lightning and stingrays.

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Map of Lovers Key State Park

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This spot and the spots around it, colored by the fishing forecast right now. Tap a pin for its forecast, or go full screen to explore.

7-day fishing forecast for Lovers Key State Park — 7-day forecast

Oct 1–7, 2026

Prefer drier days

Pick how you fish and every score is re-weighted for it. Species marked Premium need a subscription.

Sea: pale calm, deep blue surf, amber rough Water: blue clear, brown colored

Saturday looks better than today. Unlock the week to see its score and exact window.

Thursday, Oct 1 · windows & tide · Today

SeaFlat calm0.7 ft here · chop and swell

Water colorClearYou could see the bottom in about six feet of water

OffshoreWind9 mph NEOffshore here

75°NE 8 · dry

74°NE 9 · dry

78°E 10 · 84% rain

78°E 7 · dry

▲ High tide3:11 AM3.1 ft

▼ Low tide11:19 AM0.1 ft

▲ High tide6:18 PM2.1 ft

▼ Low tide9:48 PM1.8 ft

12 AM

6 AM

12 PM

6 PM

12 AM

Small tides1.6 ft range · 8% below normalEasing toward smaller tides

Why 70 · 6 AM–9 AM

WindGoodA light wind (9 mph)+10
Sea & chopPoorChop 0.0 ft · FlatShort, steep waves−5
Tide stateGoodOutgoing tide (ebbing)+9
Tide sizeOkaySmall tides−2
LightGoodDawn or dusk light+6
PressureOkaySteady or slowly falling pressure+2
RainGoodDry (9% chance of rain)

Confidence high · updated 0h ago

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Fishing report · October 2026

What's biting at Lovers Key State Park

SnookHotspotOpen: keep up to 1 a day between 28 in and 33 in
In season this month
RedfishReliableOpen: keep up to 1 a day between 18 in and 27 in
In season this month
LadyfishReliable
In season this month
Spotted SeatroutReliableOpen: keep up to 3 a day between 15 in and 19 in
In season this month
Gulf KingfishReliable
In season this month

Built from this month's seasons, today's FWC rules and the catches anglers logged here in the last 30 days. Updated Thu, Oct 1.

Lovers Key State Park tide chart

Tides for fishing at Lovers Key State Park: every high and low tide for the next 7 days, from the Carlos Point, Estero Bay tide station, 1 mile away. Times are local.

Lovers Key State Park tide chart
TodayThu, Oct 1	High3:11 AM3.0 ft Low11:19 AM0.0 ft High6:18 PM2.0 ft Low9:48 PM1.6 ft
TomorrowFri, Oct 2	High3:56 AM3.0 ft Low12:34 PM0.3 ft High7:56 PM2.0 ft Low10:41 PM2.0 ft
SaturdayOct 3	High4:59 AM2.6 ft Low1:55 PM0.3 ft High9:44 PM2.0 ft
SundayOct 4	Low1:28 AM2.0 ft High6:59 AM2.6 ft Low3:10 PM0.3 ft High10:34 PM2.3 ft
MondayOct 5	Low3:03 AM1.6 ft High9:06 AM2.6 ft Low4:12 PM0.3 ft High11:05 PM2.3 ft
TuesdayOct 6	Low4:15 AM1.3 ft High10:28 AM2.6 ft Low5:02 PM0.7 ft High11:33 PM2.6 ft
WednesdayOct 7	Low5:13 AM1.0 ft High11:30 AM2.6 ft Low5:43 PM0.7 ft High11:59 PM2.6 ft

Jump to cities around this spot for more spots and guides.

Fort Myers Beach 3.5 mi Estero 5.4 mi Bonita Springs 6.3 mi Harlem Heights 9.1 mi Iona 10.1 mi

The closest rated spots to Lovers Key State Park.

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