Saltwater & Coast
Fly Fishing
Spin, Cast & Bait
Lemon Bay Fishing Guide
Florida
A narrow aquatic preserve behind Manasota Key at Englewood, where redfish, tarpon, and snook are common and seatrout work the shorelines.
Trip at a Glance
Anglers come to Lemon Bay for redfish, speckled trout, snook and tarpon. In October, redfish and speckled trout are at their peak, and Clouser Minnow, EP Baitfish and Spoon Fly are a good place to start. There are 12 shops within 25 miles; the closest is Mullet Tackle And Gifts, Llc in Englewood, under a mile away. Charlotte Harbor is about 16 mi away if you want to make a trip of it.
Season at a Glance
Peak: best fishing Open, slower
Plan Ahead
Planning for a Month
Peak in October
Redfish, Speckled Trout
Daylight
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Moon
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Typical Weather
86°F high, 68°F low
About 3.4 in of precipitation for the month.
Typical for October, not a forecast. Weather from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at a station about 11 mi away. Check the live conditions on this page before you go.
Ways In
Ramps and Launches on Lemon Bay
Paddle Launch
Cherokee Street County Park - Kayak Access
Hand Launch Only; 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM
DirectionsPaddle Launch
Blind Pass Beach Park Kayak Access South
Hand Launch Only; 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM
DirectionsPaddle Launch
Blind Pass Beach Park Kayak Access North
Hand Launch Only; 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM
DirectionsBoat Ramp
South Venice Beach Boat Ramp (Annual Fee Required in Advance)
Stand Alone Ramp; Fee; Daytime Use Only
DirectionsFrom Florida FWC Boat Ramp Inventory (FWC-FWRI). Hours, fees, and conditions change; check with the operator before you go.
What You'll Catch
Lemon Bay Species
Redfish
Prime NowPeak: Year-round
Speckled Trout
Prime NowPeak: Year-round
Snook
Peak: Mar to Aug
Tarpon
Peak: Mar to Jun
Images: Duane Raver, USFWS; jose_colorado-dapa; U.S. Bureau of Fisheries. Public domain, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Plan by Month
What to Use
11 picks for October. marks species at their peak in October.
Clouser Minnow #1/0-8
FlyStreamer · Speckled Trout, Redfish
Shop This FlyEP Baitfish #2/0-2
FlyStreamer · Redfish
Shop This FlySpoon Fly #1/0-2
FlyFlats Fly · Redfish
Shop This FlyWalking Topwater 4 to 5 in
LureTopwater · Snook, Speckled Trout, Redfish
Shop This LurePaddle-Tail Swimbait 3 to 5 in
LureSoft Plastic · Snook, Speckled Trout, Redfish
Shop This LurePopping Cork Rig 18 to 30 in leader
LureRig · Speckled Trout, Redfish
Shop This LureWeedless Gold Spoon 1/4 to 1/2 oz
LureSpoon · Redfish
Shop This LureLive Shrimp 2 to 4 in
BaitLive Bait · Snook, Speckled Trout, Redfish
Sand Fleas Small
BaitLive Bait · Redfish · Surf.
Cut Mullet Chunk or strip
BaitNatural Bait · Redfish · Surf and passes.
Live Pinfish and Mullet 3 to 6 in
BaitLive Bait · Snook
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
Rod & Reel
Recommended Setups
Redfish
Fly 9 ft 8 wt rod, floating redfish line, 16 to 20 lb fluorocarbon leader.
Spin / Cast 7 ft medium spinning rod, 3000 reel, 15 lb braid with a 20 lb fluorocarbon leader.
Speckled Trout
Fly 9 ft 7 wt rod, floating or intermediate line, 15 lb leader, Clousers and shrimp flies.
Spin / Cast 7 ft medium-light spinning rod, 2500 reel, 10 lb braid with a 15 to 20 lb fluorocarbon leader.
Snook
Fly 9 ft 8 or 9 wt rod, floating or intermediate line, 30 to 40 lb bite leader.
Spin / Cast 7 ft medium-heavy spinning rod, 4000 reel, 20 lb braid with a 30 to 40 lb fluorocarbon leader.
Tarpon
Fly 9 ft 11 or 12 wt rod, floating or intermediate tarpon line, 60 to 80 lb shock tippet.
Spin / Cast 7.5 ft heavy spinning rod, 6000 to 8000 reel, 50 lb braid with an 80 lb leader.
Matched to These Species
Gear for Lemon Bay
Fly Lines
RIO Redfish Fly Line
A heavy front taper for quick shots at tailing fish in warm, humid conditions.
Check PriceFloats & Rigs
Cajun Thunder Popping Cork
The clacking cork that calls trout and reds to shrimp or a soft plastic.
Check PriceLeaders & Tippet
Seaguar Tarpon Leader Material
Heavy fluorocarbon shock leader that survives tarpon jaws and gill plates.
Check PriceFly Lines
RIO Tarpon Fly Line
A tropical line that stays stiff in heat for long casts to rolling tarpon.
Check PriceSunglasses
Costa Polarized Fishing Sunglasses
Polarized lenses cut glare so you can see fish, structure, and flats.
Check PriceReels
Penn Battle III Spinning Reel
A metal-bodied reel built to survive saltwater and big runs.
Check PriceRods
Penn Battalion II Inshore Spinning Rod
A medium inshore rod for jigs, popping corks, and live bait.
Check PriceLine
PowerPro Spectra Braided Line
Thin, strong braid for long casts, sensitivity, and pulling fish from cover.
Check PriceBuy Local
Rather pick it up in person? Shops near Lemon Bay:
- The Bait House at Manasota Key Marina, EnglewoodWebsite
- Fisherman's Edge Bait & Tackle, Grove CityWebsite
- Old Fisherman Bait Store, VeniceWebsite
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
Within 25 Miles
Shops Near Lemon Bay
Mullet Tackle And Gifts, Llc
Englewood, Florida· Under 1 mi
233 S McCall Rd 941-456-1442
The Bait House at Manasota Key Marina
Englewood, Florida· 1 mi
1450 Beach Rd 941-475-4511
Pop's Port-O-Call Bait & Tackle
Port Charlotte, Florida· 10 mi
4230 El Jobean Rd 941-391-6751
Captain Ted's Tackle............... (no Live Bait)
Port Charlotte, Florida· 14 mi
1189 Tamiami Trl 941-627-6800
Within 25 Miles
Guides and Charters Near Lemon Bay
Manasota Key Outfitters
Englewood, Florida· Under 1 mi
6005 N Beach Rd 941-626-6946
Per their website: Inshore, Offshore, Half-Day Trips, Full-Day Trips
Fh Offshore Charters
Englewood, Florida· 4 mi
260 Maryland Ave 941-716-1425
Per their website: Offshore
Pelagic Charters
Englewood, Florida· 4 mi
260 Maryland Ave 941-374-1669
Per their website: Offshore
Triple Trouble Charter Fishing
Englewood, Florida· 4 mi
260 Maryland Ave 941-234-3094
Per their website: Offshore
Boca Grande & Palm Island Fishing Charters with Captain David Hutcherson
Englewood, Florida· 5 mi
6205 Braun St 941-628-9157
Per their website: Offshore
Make It a Trip
Nearby Water
Saltwater & Coast · Florida · About 16 mi
Charlotte Harbor
A huge estuary including Boca Grande Pass, the epicenter of Florida tarpon fishing.
Tarpon · Snook · Redfish
Saltwater & Coast · Florida · About 30 mi
Pine Island Sound
The sound between Pine Island and Captiva, fed by the Gulf through Redfish, Captiva, and Boca Grande passes, with seatrout, tarpon, red drum, sheepshead, and snook.
Speckled Trout · Tarpon · Redfish
Saltwater & Coast · Florida · About 33 mi
Sarasota Bay
The bay between Longboat Key and Sarasota, where the state's angling guide sends anglers to City Island, Ringling Causeway, and New Pass for flounder, redfish, sheepshead, snook, and seatrout.
Flounder · Redfish · Sheepshead
Saltwater & Coast · Florida · About 57 mi
Tampa Bay
The biggest bay system in the state. Speckled trout, redfish, and jack crevalle.
Speckled Trout · Redfish · Jack Crevalle
Saltwater & Coast · Florida · About 74 mi
Rookery Bay
Mangrove backwaters of the Rookery Bay reserve between Naples and Marco Island, where redfish, seatrout, snook, and tarpon are the popular catches.
Redfish · Speckled Trout · Snook