Fishing
You can’t do much better than the fishing in the Naples area and throughout the shoreline along Collier County. Almost 40 miles from Naples to Marco Island offers the mildly interested to the serious and committed angler, the best of the best when it comes to fishing. Snook is a favourite in-land sport fish in the area, with redfish, kingfish, barracuda, pompano, cobia, jewfish, permit, crappie, bass, grouper, and snapper adding to the fun.
Fishing on the Gulf
The Gulf provides the serious angler with access to the tarpon, sharks and king mackerel, guaranteed to give anyone a thrill. Be sure to check out the many charters available for open water fishing on the Gulf, with many packages available for the sport fishing enthusiast. Whatever you do, don’t forget to bring your camera. You’ll be hard pressed to concentrate on fishing as there are so many views of paradise along the coast.
Many bring their own water craft to the area which is welcome in the Naples area. There are more than a few launching areas just blocks from the main highway. If desired, boats can be rented from a host of locations for just about every sort of fishing imaginable.
Be sure to check out the local fishing regulations by going to our link section and clicking on “Fishing Regulations”
Here is some additional helpful information…
Some Essential Information about Recreational Fishing in Florida:
Recreational licenses and permits for residents and non residents are available at county tax collectors’ offices or from sporting goods stores and other retailers that sell hunting or fishing equipment. Please be advised however, that all license, permit and issuance fees are subject to change by the legislature.
There are a number of options to consider in advance. For example, you may wish to consider purchasing a lifetime license for hunting, freshwater fishing and saltwater fishing. The added benefit of going this route is that monies received from the sale of these licenses are directed to an endowment to support the long-term conservation of Florida’s wildlife and fisheries resources.
The lifetime license is for you, if you don’t want the bother of continually renewing your permits, hope to fish in the area many times for a long time and you want to contribute toward the support of Florida’s wildlife resources. If you move out of Florida in the future, your lifetime license will remain in effect for use in Florida. In addition, the cost of a lifetime license is significantly less expensive than renewing all your licenses, permits and fees on an annual basis.
You do not need a hunting, freshwater fishing or saltwater fishing license if the following conditions apply:
• You are under 16 years of age.
• You are a Florida resident, 65 or older with proof of residency. Complimentary hunting and fishing certificates can be obtained from any local county tax office.
• You hunt or fish on your property of residence, or the property of residence of your spouse or minor child, or if you are a minor child hunting or fishing on the homestead of your parent.
• You are a Florida resident certified as totally and permanently disabled and you possess a Florida Resident Disabled Person Hunting and Fishing Certificate.
• You are a resident who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, you are not stationed in this state, and you are home on leave for 30 days or less, upon submission of orders.
You do not need a freshwater fishing license if…
• You have been accepted as a client for developmental services by the Department of Children and Family Services. The department must furnish proof to such clients.
• You are a resident who is fishing with live or natural bait, using poles or lines that are not equipped with a fishing-line-retrieval mechanism, and you are fishing for non commercial purposes in your home county. However, you must have a valid fishing license to fish by any method in a fish management area.
• You are fishing in a fish pond of 20 acres or less which is located entirely within the private property of its owner. A fish pond is a man-made pond constructed for the primary purpose of fishing, entirely within the property lines of the owner and with no surface water connection to public waters.
• You are fishing in a fish pond of 20 acres or more, whose owner has purchased a fish pond license at a fee of $3 per surface acre.
• You possess a Resident Freshwater Commercial Fishing License.
• You are fishing in the St. Mary’s River or Lake Seminole (but not including tributary creeks in Florida) and have a valid Georgia fishing license.
• You are freshwater fishing during Free Fishing Weekend (the first weekend of April).
You do not need a saltwater fishing license if…
• You have been accepted as a client for developmental services by the Department of Children and Family Services. The department must furnish proof to such clients.
• You are a resident fishing in saltwater from land or from a structure fixed to the land.
• You are a resident fishing for a saltwater species in fresh water from land or from a structure fixed to land.