The fall mullet run in Southwest Florida is the annual southward and seaward migration of massive schools of striped and silver mullet as they move out of the estuaries, through the passes, and along the Gulf beaches from late August through November. Peak activity in the Fort Myers, Sanibel, Charlotte Harbor, and Naples region typically hits in October and early November when the first serious cold fronts push through. The moment those cool nights arrive and water temperatures drop even a few degrees, the mullet start stacking up, and every major predator in the region follows them.
This is the single biggest fishing event of the SWFL year. Snook feed like they will never eat again. Tarpon gorge before their offshore migration. Redfish form massive school aggregations. Sharks patrol the outer edges of bait balls. Jack crevalle and ladyfish blow up the surface. If you time your trip to the fall mullet run, you get to see the entire food chain firing at once, in shallow water, close to shore.
But there are two mullet runs, and understanding the difference is critical for anglers coming to Fort Myers from the East Coast. The famous Atlantic version is a straight-line beach migration of juvenile silver mullet running south along the sand. The Southwest Florida version is different. It is driven by mature striped mullet moving out of the bays through the passes to spawn offshore in the Gulf. The behavior is different. The timing is different. And the tactics that work on the Atlantic side will only get you halfway there on the Gulf side.
This guide covers everything you need to know: when the run happens, what triggers it, where to find it, which predators show up, exactly how to fish it, and the mistakes most anglers make that cost them the best days of the year.
What Is the Fall Mullet Run?
The fall mullet run is a seasonal migration event driven by two mullet species that behave very differently in Southwest Florida waters.
Striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) are the larger fish, averaging 3 to 5 pounds with late-season females carrying yellow or red roe pushing 7 to 8 pounds. These are mature adults that have spent the summer feeding in low-salinity backwaters, canals, mangrove creeks, and estuaries throughout the Charlotte Harbor, Caloosahatchee, Estero Bay, and Ten Thousand Islands systems. As fall arrives, they school tightly and move seaward through the passes to broadcast spawn in the deeper Gulf waters. Currents then carry the larvae back into the estuaries where the next generation grows up.
Silver mullet (Mugil curema), also called white mullet or finger mullet, are the smaller fish (3 to 6 inches) that show up in dense schools along the beaches and inside the passes. On the Atlantic side, silver mullet drive the famous beach migration. On the Gulf side, silver mullet play a supporting role, moving in more localized pods along the surf zone and through the inlets rather than in the endless southbound rivers you see on the East Coast.
The combination of both species during fall creates one of the most bait-rich environments on the entire Gulf coast. The estuary mouths and beaches fill up with baitfish. Predators arrive to gorge. Anglers who know how to read the situation get the best fishing of the year.
When Is the Mullet Run in Florida? The SWFL Timeline
Timing is not a fixed date. The run is triggered by environmental conditions, not the calendar. That said, the pattern in Southwest Florida is remarkably consistent year over year.
Late August: First signs. Small pods of silver mullet appear along the beaches. Anglers start seeing bait activity in the surf zone and around the passes. The bite has not fully turned on yet, but the setup is happening.
September: The run builds. Snook season reopens on September 1 across much of the state (though certain SWFL zones stay closed longer, discussed below). Schools become obvious from both boat and shore. First cold fronts start moving through and stack the bait tighter. Predator activity picks up meaningfully.
October: Peak. This is the month serious anglers plan their vacations around. Beaches can look “dark” with bait. Topwater blitzes fire at dawn and dusk. Passes are stacked with mullet, and every major predator in the region is dialed in. If you can only pick one month to fish the SWFL mullet run, this is it.
November: Still excellent. Activity often stays strong through mid-November, particularly in the southern stretches from Marco Island into the Ten Thousand Islands. Cold fronts intensify, and each front pushes new bait through the passes. Some of the biggest striped mullet (with the roe) show up in late November as they push out to spawn.
December through January: Winter run for adult striped mullet continues. Cold fronts trigger seaward pushes that dump bait through the passes on outgoing tides. Predator activity shifts to species that thrive in cooler water (redfish, sheepshead, trout), but the bite around bait remains strong.
For anglers trying to time trips to match specific target species, the full month-by-month calendar for Fort Myers fishing breaks down exactly what peaks when across the entire year, including how the mullet run overlaps with tarpon, snook, and redfish windows.
The single best forecasting tool is not the calendar. It is watching the weather. When the first serious cold front of the fall is scheduled to push through Southwest Florida, the two days before and the three days after are when the mullet run fires hardest.
Environmental Triggers: What Actually Kicks Off the Run
Four environmental factors combine to trigger the migration. When all four align, the run explodes.
Cooling water temperatures. As Gulf surface temperatures drop from summer highs in the mid-to-upper 80s down through the low 80s and into the 70s, mullet become physiologically ready to spawn. The temperature drop is the primary biological trigger.
Shortening daylight. Reduced daylight length affects mullet hormone cycles. This is why the run happens roughly the same weeks each year regardless of specific weather patterns. The astronomical trigger sets the seasonal window; the weather triggers pull the trigger within that window.
Cold fronts. The single most reliable predictor of a big mullet push. A cold front dropping temperatures 10 to 15 degrees, bringing north winds, and dropping barometric pressure creates the exact conditions that trigger seaward movement. The 24 to 48 hours after a front arrives typically produce the most intense mullet run action of the season.
Moon phases and tides. New and full moons produce the strongest tidal currents. Mullet spawning pushes through the passes often coincide with these strong outgoing spring tides. When you overlay a full moon with a cold front arrival, expect the fishing of the year.
The captains who consistently put clients on the best mullet run days are the ones watching the marine forecast obsessively for the first fall front, watching the moon phase calendar for the tidal windows, and adjusting trip dates as the pattern develops.
How the SWFL Run Differs from the Atlantic Coast Version
Anglers who have fished the East Coast mullet run come to Fort Myers expecting the same thing. It is not the same thing. Understanding the differences is critical for setting expectations and using the right tactics.
| Aspect | SWFL Gulf Coast | Atlantic East Coast |
|---|---|---|
| Primary species | Mature striped/black mullet | Juvenile silver/finger mullet |
| Movement pattern | Estuary to Gulf (seaward through passes) | Long southbound coastal beach migration |
| Scale and visibility | Large local schools concentrated in bays | Acres-wide “dark waves” moving along beaches |
| Peak timing | Often later (October through December) | September through October |
| Classic locations | Canals, flats, passes, backwaters | Beaches, inlets, jetties |
| School behavior | Diffuse pods that stack at chokepoints | Continuous rivers of bait |
What this means tactically: On the Atlantic side, you can drive down A1A, watch the beach, and see the migration happening in real time. On the Gulf side, you have to hunt. The bait concentrates in specific spots (passes, points, current seams) rather than moving as one continuous river.
What this means for anglers: SWFL mullet run success comes from local knowledge of which passes fire on which tides, which mangrove points hold snook after a front, and where the bait stacks up in Charlotte Harbor when the wind blows northeast. This is not “cast into the beach migration and hope.” This is targeted, structure-based, tide-driven fishing where a local captain’s knowledge is worth every dollar of the charter fee.
What Eats Mullet in Florida? The Predator Lineup
Mullet are one of the most important forage species in the entire Gulf ecosystem. When they concentrate during the run, every predator in the region shows up.
Snook. The number one target for most SWFL anglers during the fall run. Snook stack along mangrove points, seawalls, beach troughs, dock lights, and pass entrances to ambush mullet riding the outgoing tides. Large females that spent the summer spawning offshore return inshore during the run and gorge on mullet before winter. Trophy-class snook over 30 inches are common. For the complete breakdown of tactics targeting these fish specifically, Fort Myers snook fishing during the pre-closure and mullet run windows covers regulations, seasonal patterns, and technique.
Tarpon. Late-season adult tarpon gather near the passes and offshore wrecks to gorge on adult “lady-finger” mullet before their offshore migration. This is the last real tarpon window of the year in SWFL, and the fish are typically hungry and aggressive. Local guides running dedicated Fort Myers tarpon charters into November target these late-season silver kings when the mullet stack up around Boca Grande Pass, Captiva Pass, and the beaches south to Naples.
Redfish. Fall is the biggest redfish window of the year in Southwest Florida. Fish form large school aggregations along shallow mud flats, beach cuts, and mangrove points. Following the mullet allows redfish to feed on both the small fish getting pushed out of the schools and the shrimp, crabs, and crustaceans stirred up by the mullet grubbing along the bottom.
Jack crevalle. Aggressive schooling predators that follow mullet in tight pursuit. Jacks in the 10 to 20-pound class provide some of the most explosive surface strikes of the fall run. Not table fare, but pound-for-pound one of the hardest-fighting fish in the region.
Spanish mackerel. Show up in fall to feed on the smaller silver mullet along the beaches and around the passes. Fast strikes, long runs, and excellent table fare when handled quickly on ice.
Sharks. Blacktip, spinner, and bull sharks track the perimeter of large mullet schools. Surface breaks by feeding sharks are one of the most dramatic sights during the run. Sharks typically hit mullet schools from below and drive them to the surface where the panicked bait erupts across the water.
Bluefish. Occasional visitors to SWFL during fall cold fronts. When they show up, they attack mullet schools with the same aggression that makes them famous on the Atlantic coast.
Ladyfish. Constant companions to snook and jacks. Aerial jumpers that provide non-stop action during the run and often precede the arrival of bigger predators.
Bottlenose dolphins. Feed heavily on mullet during the run. Watching dolphins herd and attack a bait school is one of the most dramatic wildlife encounters in SWFL waters.
Sea birds. Pelicans, terns, gulls, and ospreys work above the schools. Diving birds are one of the most reliable indicators that a bait school is being actively pushed by predators from below.
For the full picture of what species you might encounter alongside the mullet run cast of characters, the complete guide to Fort Myers fish species covers every major target across the region’s habitats.
Where to Find the Mullet Run in Southwest Florida
The SWFL run does not follow one predictable route. Bait concentrates at specific chokepoints and structures based on tide, wind, and water temperature. These are the zones that consistently produce.
Boca Grande Pass. The deep-water pass connecting Charlotte Harbor to the Gulf is one of the most productive mullet run locations on the entire Gulf coast. Massive schools of adult striped mullet funnel through the pass on outgoing tides. Tarpon, snook, sharks, and jacks stack the current seams. The old phosphate dock pilings inside the pass concentrate bait and predators alike.
Charlotte Harbor. Acts as a massive funnel for bait moving from the interior estuaries to the Gulf. Alligator Creek, the Peace River mouth, and the Myakka Cutoff all hold concentrated action. Winter negative low tides push mullet and predators into the deeper potholes of Bull Bay, Turtle Bay, Whidden Creek, and Catfish Creek.
Pine Island Sound. Huge pushes of mullet travel across the shallow turtlegrass flats, with tailing redfish tracking directly behind them. The mangrove shorelines and oyster bar edges provide ambush points for snook. Some of the best fall redfish action in the entire state happens here.
Sanibel Causeway and Sanibel Pass. The bridges concentrate bait moving between San Carlos Bay and the Gulf. Snook stack along the pilings. Sharks patrol the deeper channels. Night fishing under the causeway lights during peak mullet run is one of the highlights of the SWFL fall.
Estero Bay. The mangrove islands and deeper channels hold bait throughout the fall. Big Carlos Pass and New Pass connect the bay to the Gulf. Snook and redfish work the mangrove points as mullet move through the system.
Ten Thousand Islands and Everglades. The maze of mangrove islands south of Naples holds enormous amounts of mullet moving through the backwaters. Late fall action here (November into December) is often the best of the year as the run continues while it winds down farther north.
Gulf beaches (Fort Myers Beach to Marco Island). Silver mullet stack along the surf zone. Snook, pompano, and Spanish mackerel work the beach troughs. Sharks patrol the sandbars. Beach fishing during the run is accessible even for anglers without a boat.
Residential canals and mangrove shorelines. Cape Coral canals, the Caloosahatchee tributaries, and mangrove creeks throughout the region hold striped mullet that will eventually push out to spawn. Snook and redfish work the shorelines waiting for the migration to concentrate bait at the mouths.
How to Fish the Mullet Run: The Playbook
The mullet run is where most anglers make their biggest mistakes. Understanding the correct approach separates a great day from a frustrating one.
Read the Water Before You Cast
The single most important skill during the run is learning to read what the bait is doing. A large school moving calmly means predators are not currently feeding. A school scattering, breaking apart, and reforming means something is hitting it from below.
Watch for these signs:
- Dark patches on the surface (dense bait schools)
- Nervous water (subtle surface ripples from bait moving quickly)
- Jumping mullet (predators pushing bait)
- Diving birds (feeding activity below)
- Surface explosions (predators striking)
- Tarpon rolling near a school
- Snook or jacks blowing up on the edges
The best mullet run anglers spend as much time watching as they do casting. When you see the signs, you know exactly where to put your bait.
Fish the Edges, Never the Middle
This is the biggest mistake anglers make during the run. When you see thousands of mullet packed into a school, the instinctive move is to cast right into the middle of them. That is the wrong move for two reasons.
First, your lure or bait gets lost in the crowd. Predators feeding on a dense bait school are targeting stragglers, weak fish, and edge fish, not fish in the middle of the mass.
Second, casting a heavy lure or cast net into the center of the school scatters it. The mullet dive deep, disperse, and often shut down the entire bite. Local captains cringe when they see anglers casting nets into the heart of a working school.
The right move: work the edges. Fish the front, sides, lower layers, and trailing end of the school where predators actually feed. Position your boat so your cast lands 20 to 30 feet outside the school edge and works back toward the bait. This is where snook, jacks, and tarpon ambush the fleeing mullet.
Match the Hatch
Mullet sizes vary through the run. Early season you might see 3 to 5-inch silver mullet. Peak season brings 6 to 10-inch schoolies. Late season pushes bring 12+ inch adult striped mullet. Select your lures and baits to match what is actually present.
If the school is silver mullet in the 4-inch range, throw a small topwater or a 4-inch paddle tail swimbait. If the school is full-sized adult mullet, upsize to a 5 or 6-inch topwater plug and heavy swimbait. Predators keyed in on specific bait sizes will often ignore anything outside that size range.
Live Bait Tactics
Live mullet are the top producer during the run. Cast net techniques and rigging separate the successful anglers from everyone else.
Cast netting bait: A 8 to 10-foot cast net with 3/8-inch mesh handles most SWFL mullet. Practice throwing before you go so you can open a full circle on the first attempt. Look for surface flashes, jumping bait, or dark patches near mangroves and creek mouths. Approach quietly, throw wide, and get the bait in the well fast.
Hook placement: For free-lining, hook the mullet through the upper lip with a 3/0 to 5/0 circle hook. For casting to structure, hook through the back just below the dorsal fin. For deeper presentations, hook through the tail with a small egg sinker slid to the hook eye.
Presentation: Free-line the mullet along mangrove points, dock shadows, and current seams. Let the bait swim naturally. When a predator hits, do not set the hook. Let the fish take the bait and turn away, then apply steady pressure. Circle hooks find the corner of the mouth on their own.
Artificial Lures That Produce
When live bait is not available, several artificial patterns produce during the run.
Topwater plugs: 4 to 6-inch walking baits (Heddon Super Spook, MirrOlure Top Dog, Rapala Skitter Walk). Bone, mullet pattern, and chartreuse are the go-to colors. Work them with a “walk the dog” cadence along mangrove edges, dock lines, and beach zones at dawn and dusk. Strikes are violent.
Paddle tail swimbaits: 4 to 6-inch soft plastics on 1/4 to 3/8 ounce jig heads. Mullet patterns in white, silver, or natural colors. Cast beyond structure, retrieve slowly with occasional twitches. Devastating on snook, redfish, and jacks.
Spoons: Krocodile spoons in 5/8 to 1 ounce sizes cast a mile from the beach. Silver and gold are the standards. Ideal for surf fishing during the run when Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and jacks are cruising the beach zone.
Weedless soft plastics: For working the grass flats where snook and redfish follow mullet, a weightless Texas-rigged jerkbait or backward-rigged soft shrimp prevents fouling in the turtlegrass.
Hard swimbaits: Larger hard-bodied mullet imitations produce trophy fish. Slower retrieve than paddle tails, but the size and profile trigger big snook and tarpon.
Species-Specific Mullet Run Tactics
Different predators want different presentations. Match your approach to your target.
Snook mullet run tactics. Snook are the top target. Work them along mangrove edges, seawalls, dock shadows, and pass entrances. Free-line live finger mullet or medium pilchards along the structure. Topwater plugs at dawn and dusk produce explosive strikes. Larger snook in the 30+ inch range hold in the shadow lines and ambush bait pushed by tidal current. Peak snook feeding overlaps with the first two hours of outgoing tide near passes.
Tarpon mullet run tactics. Late-season tarpon (September through November) gather at the passes and along nearshore beaches to feed on adult striped mullet before their offshore migration. Slow-troll live mullet along the beaches. Free-line big pilchards or threadfin herring in the passes. Live crabs work well around the Boca Grande phosphate dock. Watch for rolling fish in the passes at dawn.
Redfish mullet run tactics. Fall redfish form large school aggregations. Look for mullet pushing across shallow mud flats and follow the movement. Redfish typically hold within 20 to 40 yards behind the mullet, waiting for stragglers or feeding on the shrimp and crabs stirred up by the mullet grubbing. Weedless gold spoons, weightless soft plastics, and cut mullet on light tackle all produce. Some of the largest redfish of the year fall to anglers who track schools during the run.
Shark mullet run tactics. Blacktips, spinners, and bulls patrol the perimeter of large bait schools. Fresh cut mullet or ladyfish fished on bottom near the school edges produces. Use wire leader and circle hooks. Sharks in the 4 to 8-foot range are common encounters during the run.
Spanish mackerel tactics. Spanish move onto the beaches and into the passes to feed on smaller silver mullet. Fast-retrieved silver spoons, gotcha plugs, and small jigs produce. Wire leader is essential; their teeth cut through fluorocarbon like a razor.
Jack crevalle tactics. Jacks blow up on the surface following bait schools. Topwater plugs, large soft plastics, and metal lures worked fast trigger reaction strikes. Pound-for-pound the hardest-fighting fish in SWFL. Not table fare but incredible sport on light tackle.
The Best Charter Format for the Fall Run
The mullet run is best fished with a captain who knows exactly which passes are firing on which tides, which mangrove points hold snook after specific wind directions, and where the schools are stacking up in real time.
Inshore trips during the fall run. The most productive format for targeting snook, redfish, and trout during the mullet run. Departs at dawn to hit the strongest feeding window. Works mangrove edges, dock lights, beach zones, and pass entrances. A dedicated inshore charter out of Fort Myers during October and November delivers some of the highest-catch trips of the entire year.
Mixed saltwater trips. A more flexible format that lets the captain move between inshore mullet run action and nearshore beach zones where tarpon, sharks, and Spanish mackerel work the bait. Ideal for anglers who want to experience multiple species in a single day. A full-service saltwater trip during peak mullet run can produce snook, redfish, tarpon, jacks, and sharks all on the same outing.
Trip duration: Half-day (4 hours) trips work well for morning bite windows, especially when tarpon or snook are the target. Three-quarter day (6 hours) gives you more spot rotation and the flexibility to chase multiple bite windows. Full-day trips maximize opportunity but require anglers to pace themselves through the physical demands of active fishing.
Booking timing: Fall run charter dates fill fast. The peak weeks in October and early November book out weeks or months in advance. If you are planning a trip specifically for the mullet run, reserve dates at least 60 days ahead. Working with dedicated Fort Myers fishing charter captains who fish the run every year gives you access to the local knowledge and boat positioning that separates a good day from a legendary one.
Florida Mullet Regulations You Need to Know
If you are catching mullet for bait or for the table, current FWC regulations apply.
Recreational bag limit: 50 mullet per person per day in Gulf state waters.
Vessel limit: 50 mullet per vessel during the September 1 through January 31 season.
Size limit: No minimum size for mullet, but slot regulations may apply in specific areas.
Legal gear: Hook and line, cast nets, seines (with limits), spears, and gigs are all approved recreational methods. Cast nets must meet size restrictions that vary by county.
County-specific rules: Charlotte County has additional restrictions including seasonal nighttime restrictions in portions of its waters. Always check current FWC regulations at MyFWC.com before harvesting mullet, especially if you plan to fish specific SWFL counties.
Snook harvest during the run: This one trips up out-of-state anglers. While snook harvest reopens on September 1 across most of Florida, the Charlotte Harbor and Southwest Florida management zones remain closed to snook harvest through September 30. All snook caught in the Fort Myers, Sanibel, Cape Coral, and Charlotte Harbor waters during the peak of September must be released regardless of size. October 1 is when SWFL snook harvest actually reopens under the standard slot and bag limits.
Reading the Weather: Cold Front Timing
The single best predictor of a great mullet run day is a cold front arrival.
Watch for these signs 2 to 3 days ahead:
- Forecasts calling for a 10+ degree temperature drop
- North winds shifting from southeast to northeast
- Falling barometric pressure
- Cloud buildup and rain chances
Day of the front: Fishing can be tough during the actual passage due to wind and rain. Bait scatters, and predators go into transition mode.
24 to 48 hours after the front: This is your window. Cooler temperatures, north winds pushing water off flats, mullet pushed out of the backwaters by wind and current, predators actively feeding. Some of the highest-catch days of the entire year happen in this narrow window.
Booking around fronts: Serious mullet run anglers watch the 7 to 10-day forecast and book trips for the two days after any significant cold front. Working with local fishing charters near Fort Myers Florida that monitor weather closely means you can adjust dates to hit these prime post-front windows.
Common Mistakes That Cost You Fish
Mistake #1: Casting into the middle of the school. Covered above. Work the edges every time.
Mistake #2: Using tackle that is too small. Fall run fish are big. A 30-inch snook that eats a live mullet next to a mangrove piling will destroy 12-pound leader. Upsize to at least 30-pound fluorocarbon for snook, 40 to 50-pound for tarpon, and wire for sharks and Spanish mackerel.
Mistake #3: Casting a net into working schools. Scares off both bait and predators. Cast net well away from schools you plan to fish, catch your bait, then move to your target zone.
Mistake #4: Ignoring the tide. Mullet run fishing is tide-driven. The best action typically happens during the first two hours of outgoing tide as bait flushes out through the passes. Slack tide slows the bite dramatically.
Mistake #5: Staying in one spot too long. The run is dynamic. Bait moves, predators move, wind shifts. Rotating through multiple productive spots during a trip produces far more fish than sitting on one location hoping for the fish to come back.
Mistake #6: Skipping dawn and dusk. The two most productive windows of the day. Low light concentrates predator activity on the surface. Missing the first hour of daylight is missing the best hour of fishing.
Mistake #7: Ignoring the birds. Diving pelicans, working terns, and hunting ospreys are the most reliable indicators of active feeding schools. If the birds are working, the bait is being pushed, and predators are feeding. Head toward the birds.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the mullet run start in Southwest Florida?
Early signs appear in late August. The run builds meaningfully through September and typically peaks in October. Activity often stays strong through November and into December, particularly in the southern stretches from Marco Island through the Ten Thousand Islands.
How to fish the mullet run for beginners?
Start by watching. Learn to identify what a working school looks like versus a calmly moving one. Fish the edges, never the middle. Use live mullet if you can cast net your own bait, or throw topwater plugs and swimbaits that match the size of the bait in the water. Dawn and dusk during moving tides produce the most consistent action.
What eats mullet in Florida?
Snook are the top predator by frequency. Tarpon, redfish, jack crevalle, sharks (blacktip, spinner, bull), Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish, and bottlenose dolphins all feed heavily on mullet during the run. Sea birds including pelicans, terns, and ospreys also target them from above.
How is the fall bait migration different in SWFL versus the East Coast?
The Atlantic run is a straight-line southbound beach migration of juvenile silver mullet. The Gulf run is driven by mature striped mullet moving from the backwaters through the passes to spawn offshore. The SWFL version is more concentrated in bays, passes, and estuaries rather than along beaches, and typically peaks later (October to November versus September to October on the Atlantic).
Does the mullet run produce snook, redfish, and tarpon on the same trip?
Yes. This is one of the few windows of the year when a single trip can realistically produce all three species. Snook and redfish are consistent targets in the mangroves and along the beaches. Late-season tarpon stage in the passes and along nearshore beaches through October and November. A skilled captain running the right areas can produce quality shots at all three in a single 6 to 8-hour trip.
Is Boca Grande Pass really that good during the fall run?
Yes. The combination of deep water, strong tidal current, historical structure (the phosphate dock pilings), and the massive volume of bait moving through creates one of the most productive fishing environments on the entire Gulf coast during October and November.
Do I need a Florida fishing license to fish the mullet run?
Yes if you are fishing from a private boat or from shore as a non-resident. Charter clients are covered under the captain’s license. Anglers keeping any fish (including mullet for bait or table) need a valid Florida saltwater license.
What size cast net do I need to catch mullet?
An 8 to 10-foot cast net with 3/8-inch mesh handles most SWFL mullet situations. Larger 12-foot nets cover more water but require practice to throw well. Cast net size regulations vary by county, so check local rules before you go.
When does snook season actually open in Fort Myers after the summer closure?
While most of Florida reopens snook harvest on September 1, the Southwest Florida management zone (including Fort Myers, Sanibel, Cape Coral, and Charlotte Harbor waters) stays closed through September 30. October 1 is when harvest actually resumes in SWFL waters. Snook caught in September in these zones must be released.
The fall mullet run in Southwest Florida is the highlight of the entire fishing year. Massive bait concentrations trigger explosive predator activity across every major species in the region. Snook, tarpon, redfish, sharks, Spanish mackerel, and jacks all show up for the feast. Read the water, fish the edges, match the hatch, and time your trips to the post-front windows. The fish are there. The bait is there. All that is left is showing up with the right approach and letting the action unfold.
