Southwest Florida is home to over two hundred thousand acres of mangrove trees.  Lucky for us, Snook, Red Drum, Speckled Sea Trout and over a hundred other fish species thrive in mangrove forest lined gulf waters and its inshore/backcountry areas. Most species go unnoticed by anglers but there are over a dozen that are sought after for their gamefish and table fare qualities.  Below is a brief description of the most popular ones and some lesser ones. 

The Inshore Slam

If you can catch a Snook, Red Drum (Redfish), and a Speckled Trout in the same day you have completed a SW Florida Inshore Slam.  If you also land a Tarpon, you have completed a Grand Slam.  Some days it comes easy but many times one of the species just seems to play hard to get.  In addition to the slam species there are also the supporting cast of other fish species like Mangrove Snapper, Jack Crevalle, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Ladyfish, Goliath and Gag Grouper as well as several species of sharks.  This much variety helps make a day of fishing in SW Florida a True Inshore Odyssey.

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The Snook    

There are 5 species of Snook in Florida.  The common Snook, as its name implies, is the most common and the one most anglers catch in SW Florida. It also is the largest Snook species growing up to 48″ long but most are smaller.  No matter the size all Snook fight hard and will put a smile on your face. 
Late fall through early spring finds most Snook in the middle to upper inshore areas of the mangrove forests and the rivers that flow threw them.  There they seek out warm water and stable water temps than you would normally find by the beaches. That is where we look for them.  Spring through fall finds most Snook closer to the gulf or cruising the beaches.
We are able to sight cast to Snook along the beaches during the warmer months.
We target them with live bait and artificial lures.

While at certain times of the year you can keep one Snook a day (between 28″and 33″ in length on Gulf side), we encourage catch and release of Snook to help sustain a heathy population of adult fish.

Redfish

AKA Red Drum or Spot Tailed Bass

Redfish are found as far north as Massachusetts going down to Florida and then up the Gulf side over to Mexico.  They average about 16 to 32″ in our inshore waters with larger fish showing up often enough to keep you wanting more.  Once they grow to around 32″ they tend to move offshore. The largest Reds are found further north offshore on both coasts. 
Reds love to cruise the edges of flats and along mangroves looking for an easy meal.   Reds are incredible fighters and an encounter with one will not be soon forgotten.  They take both artificial and live bait well helping anglers of all skill levels succeed.  They are one of the most beautiful fish to photograph in the backcountry.

Speckled Sea Trout    

Not an actual trout but the name fits great 

Speckled Sea Trout or Specks are not trout but a member of the Drum family.  They average 1-2 pounds with larger fish common.  When we get on a good Trout bite its common to get a few over 24 inches with many 15-to-19-inch fish.  Specks seldom move far from the inshore areas. During the warmer months we look for them closer to the Gulf and in the winter back in the middle to upper mangrove rivers and grass flats.  They are very responsive to paddle tail swimbaits or shrimp (both live and artificial) under a popping cork.  Some believe using a popping cork is like using training wheels on a bike. I couldn’t disagree more. It is an amazingly effective technique that all skill levels can use to catch fish. It is easy, visual and fun.     

Inshore Variety

Not the most popular but lots of fun!!! 

There are almost 200 species of fish that call SW Florida saltwater home. Most are small and of no major sporting interest to anglers.  One is anything but small (Goliath even).  Still there are some that, while they don’t get top billing, are worth the time to catch.  Especially if they are going to show up while going after the headliner species. 
Sheepshead, Mangrove Snapper, Jack Crevalle, Ladyfish, Goliath and Gag Grouper are just some of them.  At times Cobia, and when the sun shines on you, Tripletail, pay a visit to the Inshore areas.  There have been some days when our boat caught over 20 species of fish in just one day.     

Mangrove Snapper    

AKA Grey Snapper and always willing & fun 

Mangrove Snapper are one of the most common species you will find inshore. They seem to be always willing and are great for novice anglers to practice their skills on and they taste great.
They love bait but the larger ones will readily take small swimbaits like the Dartspin. They provide many smiles for visiting anglers. 

Sheepshead

AKA Convict Fish and Bait Thief 

The Sheepshead is a master at stealing your bait.  They have molar like teeth that can pulverize your bait without getting hooked and then they suck up the mashed-up pieces.
A small hook with a weight is used to catch them but you need to be quick with the hookset or you’ll come up with a bare hook.
While not as glamorous as other inshore fish they fight great and are excellent on a plate.

Black Drum    

AKA Drummer and is a Redfish cousin

The Black Drum is a cousin of the more popular Redfish.  It is a great fighter and grows to large size.  The younger ones are sometimes mistaken for Sheepshead due to the fact that they have similar black bars on their sides.  With a little practice though you can easily tell them apart.
We catch Black Drum while fishing for other species often and most people are fine with that.  They love shrimp and are very accommodating to the angler most of the time.