When Spanish mackerel are around Fort Myers Beach
Spanish mackerel fishing out of Fort Myers Beach on the Lee County coast has two windows: November near the beach, and summer offshore.
November
According to FishingBooker’s local roundup, November at Fort Myers Beach brings Spanish mackerel into play. This is the nearshore window.
Summer offshore
In the general Fort Myers picture, summer is the offshore window. For how the fish move along the coast through the year, see Gulf of Mexico Spanish mackerel (see also the Gulf of Mexico offshore fishing guide).
- November: nearshore, the beaches and the pier
- Summer: offshore, on structure
Where boats run from Fort Myers Beach
Boats work two zones: one close to the sand, the other on the offshore reef sites listed below.
The beaches and the pier
Per Florida Go Fishing, nearshore boats work the beaches and the pier. This zone lines up with the November window.
Offshore in summer
In summer, boats run offshore to structure. The farthest and deepest listed site is the USCGC Mohawk, in 90 ft about 30 miles off Sanibel Island. The table below lists the rest.
Spanish mackerel structure near Fort Myers Beach
Six named sites lie off Fort Myers Beach, listed from the beach side outward.
| Site | Position | Depth / distance |
|---|---|---|
| Big Carlos Bridge Artificial Reef | – | – |
| Dean Hicks East Patch | 26°22.045′ N, 82°17.121′ W | – |
| Dean Hicks West Patch | 26°22.043′ N, 82°17.464′ W | – |
| The Mount (Chris Koepfer’s ARC reef site) | 26°24.721′ N, 82°24.747′ W | – |
| Phoenix (Lee County reef site) | 26°45.582′ N, 82°28.443′ W | – |
| USCGC Mohawk WPG-78 Veterans Memorial Reef | – | 90 ft, about 30 miles off Sanibel Island |
Positions are given in degrees and decimal minutes. Chart layers are not for navigation, so confirm positions against official charts.
Fishing for Spanish mackerel from this port
Fishing here comes down to timing: the beaches and pier in November, the offshore structure in summer. Anglers on their own boats can work both zones. For tackle, rigging and behavior, read the Spanish mackerel guide. For other coastal and offshore gamefish you can target from the same coast, start there.
FAQ about Spanish mackerel fishing out of Fort Myers Beach
When are Spanish mackerel around Fort Myers Beach?
November near the beach, and summer offshore.
Where do boats run for Spanish mackerel?
Boats run the beaches and the pier, and offshore structure in summer. The named offshore sites are in the table above with their positions.
How deep and how far out is the Mohawk reef?
The USCGC Mohawk WPG-78 Veterans Memorial Reef sits in 90 ft, about 30 miles off Sanibel Island. It is the farthest and deepest site on the list.
Where is The Mount?
The Mount is Chris Koepfer’s ARC reef site, at 26°24.721′ N, 82°24.747′ W. Chart layers are not for navigation, so confirm the position against official charts.
Where are the Dean Hicks patches?
The two patches sit close together:
- East Patch: 26°22.045′ N, 82°17.121′ W
- West Patch: 26°22.043′ N, 82°17.464′ W
