Fly fishing
Boca Grande hotels and tarpon fishing on Gasparilla Island
In May and June the boats crowd into Boca Grande Pass and tarpon roll between them. This is where to stay when you come to fish Florida's Gulf coast.
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Boca Grande Pass is only a few hundred metres wide, yet every spring one of Florida's biggest runs of tarpon pushes through it. From mid-May the fish can be so thick that guides count hundreds of backs from a single boat. Anglers have come here for tarpon since the late nineteenth century.
The town sits on Gasparilla Island, a narrow strip of land reached by a toll bridge. Locals drive golf carts to the shops and cycle along the old railway line. There are few hotels, and the best known, The Gasparilla Inn, cannot be booked through Hotels.com. Many anglers stay on the mainland and drive over at first light.
In short
Boca Grande is Florida's top tarpon destination, with the peak season in May and June. Only one hotel on the island itself is available through Hotels.com, so expect a 25 to 45 minute drive from Englewood, Manasota Key or Punta Gorda. Book your guide around six months ahead.
Our first choice: Boca Grande Hotel. It is on the island, a few minutes from Uncle Henry's Marina, where several guides launch.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Boca Grande Hotel
When the tarpon arrive
May and June: The peak. Tarpon gather in the pass and along the beaches before heading out into the Gulf to spawn.
April and July: Fewer boats and more scattered fish, with good mornings along the beaches and inside Charlotte Harbor.
Autumn and winter: Time for snook and redfish in the mangroves. Hurricane season runs from June to November, so choose a refundable rate.
Fishing the pass or the beaches
Most boats in the pass itself fish with bait, and it gets crowded when the fleet gathers on the tide. If you want to fly fish, ask your guide for the beaches along Gasparilla Island or the flats inside Charlotte Harbor. You see the fish before you cast, and there is more room around you.
Tarpon are catch and release in Florida, and fish over about one metre must stay in the water. Visitors need a saltwater fishing licence. A licensed guide boat usually covers you, but check when you book.
Manasota Key
Manasota Key sits about half an hour north of Boca Grande, with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and Lemon Bay on the other. Photo: Hotels.com (Expedia Group)
Where to stay on Gasparilla Island
Boca Grande Hotel
The hotel stands on the northern part of Gasparilla Island, a few minutes from Uncle Henry's Marina. It is simple rather than resort-like, with free parking and a laundry. That is exactly what makes it an angler's base: you sleep on the island and are out on the water before anyone crossing the bridge.
Best for anglers who want to be closest to the pass and can live without a spa.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Boca Grande Hotel
Where to stay on Manasota Key and in Englewood
Manasota Key Resort
Manasota Key is a slim barrier island north of Boca Grande. The resort is by Englewood Beach, with the Gulf in front and an outdoor pool in the garden. The drive to the pass takes about half an hour.
A good choice for families, as the rest of the party can swim while you are out fishing.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Manasota Key Resort
Sun Life Beach Hotel
A small motel by Lemon Bay in Englewood, with a pool and free parking. The rooms are plain, but the bay is right there and Boca Grande is about 25 minutes away.
Best when most of the budget is going on the guide.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Sun Life Beach Hotel
Where to stay in Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda is a small town where the Peace River meets Charlotte Harbor. It has its own airport with direct flights from several US cities, and Boca Grande is around 45 minutes away.
Wyvern Hotel
The Wyvern is a boutique hotel in the centre of Punta Gorda, with two restaurants and a pool terrace. In the evening you can walk along the harbourside to more places to eat.
Best for couples who want a little town life between fishing days.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Wyvern Hotel
Four Points by Sheraton Punta Gorda Harborside
The hotel sits on the water where the Peace River opens into the harbour, with a marina just outside. It offers a free airport shuttle, so you can fly into Punta Gorda and pick up a hire car only when you need it.
A practical choice for short trips and early starts.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Four Points Punta Gorda Harborside
Where to stay in Venice
Pearl Beach Inn
Venice is known for the fossilised shark teeth that wash up on its sand, and Pearl Beach Inn is close to Venice Beach. Rooms have a fridge and coffee maker, and there is a barbecue in the garden. Boca Grande is about 45 minutes south.
Best for a quiet beach base, driving down to the pass on fishing days.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Pearl Beach Inn
What about The Gasparilla Inn
The early twentieth-century hotel is the most famous address in Boca Grande, with a golf course, beach club and its own marina. It cannot be booked through Hotels.com, so we do not link to it. To stay there, book directly with the hotel.
Tips before you go
Guide first: The best guides for May and June are often booked up six months ahead. Book the room once the guide is confirmed.
Toll bridge: The bridge to Gasparilla Island charges a toll, which adds up if you cross every day.
Car: If you stay on the mainland, you need a hire car. On the island a golf cart or bike will do.
Cancellation: Choose a refundable rate, as weather can stop fishing for days at a time.
Frequently asked questions
When is tarpon season in Boca Grande?
Peak tarpon season in Boca Grande is May and June, when the fish gather in the pass before spawning. April and July can also fish well, with fewer boats. Book a guide early, ideally the autumn before, if you want to fish in May.
Where should I stay in Boca Grande?
On Gasparilla Island itself, Boca Grande Hotel is the one hotel we recommend through Hotels.com. Most other anglers stay on Manasota Key or in Englewood, about half an hour away, or in Punta Gorda, which has an airport and more restaurants.
Which airport is closest to Boca Grande?
Punta Gorda has the nearest airport, around 45 minutes by car. The larger airports at Fort Myers and Sarasota have more routes, and both are a little over an hour from Boca Grande.
Can you fly fish for tarpon in Boca Grande?
Yes, though rarely in the pass itself, where most fishing is done with bait. Fly anglers work the beaches along Gasparilla Island and the flats inside Charlotte Harbor, often early in the morning. Tell your guide you want to fly fish when you book.