# Captiva Island



## hoosierplugger (May 24, 2004)

We're on Captiva for a few days of family vacation. Had to leave the boat at home so I'll have 4-5 hours each morning before the girls are up. We're on the north end in South Seas.

I brought an 8 and 12 wt.

Any thoughts on wade in spots for snook? Too late for a straggler tarpon?









Appreciate any help! 
Thanks,

Craig


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## Permit Rat (May 13, 2014)

That whole beach is a snook haven, from the jetty, all the way down to at least the elbow on Sanibel. It's rather pointless to get into specifics, even for those who may have fished there as recently as last year, since Winter storms change the beach contours annually. The jetty at South Seas has always been good on the low outgoing tide. Other than that, you'll pretty much have to walk the beach to see if there are any concentrations in any particular spots. Otherwise, the snook should be scattered all along the beach.

I wonder if Linda Evans _(The Big Valley)_ still has a place in South Seas. I used to see her occasionally at the hermit crab races at Tween Waters Inn, held every week.


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## hoosierplugger (May 24, 2004)

Thanks Permit! I fished the beach this morning (north end) and picked up a couple small (12") snook. Didn't see anything big cruising the beach, but I stayed in a spot holding bait.

Tomorrow I think I'm gonna walk the beach at daybreak and see if I can find em.


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## Stuart (May 21, 2004)

hoosierplugger said:


> Thanks Permit! I fished the beach this morning (north end) and picked up a couple small (12") snook. Didn't see anything big cruising the beach, but I stayed in a spot holding bait.
> 
> Tomorrow I think I'm gonna walk the beach at daybreak and see if I can find em.


 Yes, get out there early. I love Captiva and Sanibel.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Man, I sure would be tempted to soak some squirrel fish at Boca Grande pass while there. The Tarpon should be going great about now.


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## hoosierplugger (May 24, 2004)

Meadowlark said:


> Man, I sure would be tempted to soak some squirrel fish at Boca Grande pass while there. The Tarpon should be going great about now.


I'd be fishing the whole time, but I promised the wife not to do my normal disappearing act. I've got about 4-5 hours each morning and getting off Captiva/Sanibel is a 45 minute drive so I'm trying to stick to Captiva.


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## Permit Rat (May 13, 2014)

hoosierplugger said:


> I'd be fishing the whole time, but I promised the wife not to do my normal disappearing act. I've got about 4-5 hours each morning and getting off *Captiva/Sanibel is a 45 minute drive so I'm trying to stick to Captiva*.


You could drive down to Blind Pass, between Sanibel and Captiva. When it's open it is another snook hangout. A few reds have been caught in there too. Trouble with Blind Pass, is that everybody knows about it and if there's any activity at all, the place could be crowded. Were it me, I'd be real sure to thoroughly cover that private beach area, at the north end of Captiva. Back in my day, most of the residents were more into golf and that part of the beach was vacant. Lack of other people using the beach is a big plus.


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## Finn Maccumhail (Feb 16, 2009)

Permit Rat said:


> You could drive down to Blind Pass, between Sanibel and Captiva. When it's open it is another snook hangout. A few reds have been caught in there too. Trouble with Blind Pass, is that everybody knows about it and if there's any activity at all, the place could be crowded. Were it me, I'd be real sure to thoroughly cover that private beach area, at the north end of Captiva. Back in my day, most of the residents were more into golf and that part of the beach was vacant. Lack of other people using the beach is a big plus.


I've never been to either but always heard about it. The 2016 imagery in Google Maps shows there to be a big sandbar across Blind Pass that has an opening to the Gulf that can't be more than 60 feet across. If you can safely stand on that sandbar I've gotta think that channel would have snook and every other predator stacked up waiting on bait to get washed in or out depending on which way the tide is moving.


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## deerhunter5 (Oct 12, 2011)

I'm heading down there tomorrow and other than the beach, old and new blind pass and the what looks to be jetties on captiva, I'm looking for other places. Does anyone know if this i would be able to walk in and wade this back area in order to catch some fish?


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## Demeter (Apr 13, 2006)

Deerhunter,
The area posted looks like it is in the Ding Darling Nature Preserve. You can catch snook and tarpon from the road, but there are big gators in there so wading is not recommended. All the larger snook are spawning off the beach right now, I would concentrate my efforts on the beach side of the island.


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## Demeter (Apr 13, 2006)

There are 2 other areas worth checking out. The first is the lighthouse at the end of Sanibel. The second area is a part of the beach called "the rocks", which is behind the blue dolphin cottages. I was in Sanibel a few weeks ago and walked about 7 miles of the beach during three days. I saw very few fish on the beach until I made it to the rocks. There I saw one school after another and was able to sightcast to a large ( 30 inch) Snook off the beach. 
Access is difficult, because you either need to stay at the blue dolphin cottages or you need a local parking permit. 
I had my wife drop me off in the later morning and pick me up a few hours later. The best sight fishing and the fewest crowds are during the 10 am-2pm hours anyway.


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