What Fish Are Biting in Marco Island in Summer?

Marco Island can be a rollercoaster of emotions, while fishing through the summer months. Many locals can attest to how different each day can feel, one day you might be catching your PB tarpon in the morning, and laying the slam down on snook in the afternoon as they chase bait fish, only to wake up the next morning to thunderstorms, or a shark filled day where you can’t get anything besides them to bite. 

But hey.... That's Southwest Florida fishing in the summertime. On the bright side, summer is one of the best times of the year to get out fishing in Marco Island, especially for anglers looking to experience what fish are biting in Marco Island in summer. This time of year, the water is warmed up, the tides are constantly changing, and the fish are hungry and feeding. It all starts with a great Marco Island fishing guide or fishing charter that understands the tides, rain, patterns, water temperatures, live bait movement, and bait fish schools. All of that has an impact on how fishing is going to be on any given day throughout the Paradise Coast and Gulf Coast region. 

Whether you are booking a Marco Island fishing charter, planning a backwater fishing trip, or heading out with family for some inshore fishing around the beach, summertime offers opportunities at a variety of fish species throughout Southwest Florida fishing waters. 

If you are deciding to come down fishing between June-August in Marco Island here are a few species you can expect to catch: 

Tarpon 

By late spring and early summer, migratory tarpon push down the beaches, through the passes, and around the outer islands chasing schools of bait. Early mornings are usually your best shot before the heat and boat traffic pick up. Most of the fish we see this time of year are anywhere from 60 to well over 100 pounds, and when the bite is on, it’s one of the most exciting gamefish fisheries Florida has to offer. Tarpon fishing is one of the biggest reasons anglers book a fishing trip to Marco Island during the summer months. 

Some of the best places to fish for Tarpon include places like the Capri Pass and Big Marco Pass. Areas around the Thousand Island backcountry, Rookery Bay, and even near South Beach and Tigertail Beach can also hold fish depending on the tides and bait movement. These spots provide great feeding grounds for the Tarpon and can produce great days out on the water. 

Tarpons are carnivores, but they lack teeth, so they rely on inhaling their prey whole. Some good bait to catch tarpon on are mullet, crabs, live shrimp, and shrimp, even though they will eat just about anything, even dead fish sometimes, but these are some of the go-to live bait options that get bites. When larger fish are actively feeding, matching the bait fish around the area becomes extremely important. 

Snook 

Once the summer weather is in full swing, the Snook fishing really turns on. As the water temperatures heat up, the snook start to move up into shallow water and become very active predatory fish. Like most fish species, the bite tends to be the best right at first light and in the evenings. 

A lot of people think you need to run way into the backcountry for good snook fishing, but some of the best bites happen surprisingly close to Marco Island. Areas around docks, oyster bars, mangroves, and current edges can all hold quality fish throughout the summer. 

Some of the most fun is fishing topwater lures in the early morning and getting to see the snook break the surface of the water. It's like bass fishing in a way. And there is not a more satisfying feeling than experiencing a bite like that as the sun begins to rise. 

Once it's around midday and up to full temperature, it's typically best to start slowing down your presentation, fishing deeper cooler water, and working structure carefully if you still want to get bites. A lot of Marco Island fishing charter captains switch to live bait or shrimp presentations once the heat gets high. 

Mangrove Snapper 

You can catch mangrove snapper very reliably in the summer around Marco Island. They’re fun to catch, taste good, and are perfect for families or anglers looking to put fish in the cooler after a fishing trip. Along with redfish, sea trout, trout, spanish mackerel, and mackerel, they are one of the more consistent species available this time of year. 

A lot of people fish too heavy for mangroves. Around Marco, lighter fluorocarbon leaders and smaller bait usually get more bites, especially in clear water. Live shrimp and smaller bait fish work especially well around bridges, docks, and during night fishing situations. Nearshore fishing structure can also produce bigger fish during the summer months. 

Sharks 

Summer also brings out a lot of sharks to the Marco Island area, or anywhere in Southwest Florida for that matter. Shark fishing has become increasingly popular throughout the Gulf Coast because of how hard these fish fight once hooked. 

Blacktips, bulls, lemons, and nurse sharks all show up consistently once the water heats up, and bait schools move closer to shore. Some days it can even feel like a hassle to fish for other species due to the shark activity. Bigger fish hooked during offshore fishing or inshore fishing trips can quickly become targets for sharks once the fight starts. 

Shark fishing has become increasingly popular with families visiting Marco Island because the action is usually steady, and even smaller sharks give a great fight to keep kids and newer anglers excited and engaged throughout the trip. Many anglers visiting from Naples fishing charters or Fort Myers fishing charters also make their way south for the Marco fishing company experience and productive summer waters. 

Redfish 

For catching redfish during the summer, the tides become more of a factor and knowing how and when to fish for them. If you know how to utilize the tides, they can still be caught consistently during these months. 

For consistency, the best time to fish for redfish is during the morning, cloudy afternoons, and around areas with stronger moving tides. You'll want to look for these fish pushing into the mangroves, oyster bars and creek mouths. Redfish also feed heavily around shallow water shorelines and grassy areas when bait is present. 

A lot of anglers fishing the Marco Island area will also find sea trout mixed in while targeting redfish during summertime inshore fishing trips. 

Final thoughts 

There is still a variety of species I didn’t name above that can be caught on offshore fishing charters, so if you are deciding on fishing down in Marco Island this summer, or a future summer, come expecting a variety of different fish species available to catch. On a good day, it’s completely possible to catch tarpon at sunrise, snook along the mangroves mid-morning, mangrove snapper around bridges after dark, and even sharks later in the evening. That’s what makes this area special. 

Whether you are launching from Calusa Island Marina, exploring the backwaters around Rookery Bay, fishing near Tigertail Beach, or simply looking for the latest Marco Island fishing report before your next fishing trip, summertime fishing around Marco Island offers some of the best action anywhere along the Southwest Florida fishing coast.