Ten Thousand Islands
Everglades City · Chokoloskee
SW Florida, USA
Open live forecast →Target species: Tarpon, Snook, and Redfish.
Weekly AI Outlook as of 06/05/26
Prime summer fishing window opening with manageable winds under 12mph through the weekend before afternoon storms build. Snook are active in the tidal creeks at first light, while tarpon are rolling in the backcountry on calm mornings. The key is timing — flood tide from dawn to 9am before the heat and thunderstorms shut things down. Water temps in the mid-80s have everything feeding aggressively in the early hours.
- Tide: Fish the flood tide from first light to 9am. Creek mouths and mangrove edges prime for snook ambush feeding on incoming water.
- Target Species: Snook excellent in tidal creeks. Tarpon rolling in backcountry. Redfish active on inside flats. All species feeding hard at dawn.
- Water Temp: Mid-80s — perfect for aggressive feeding. Fish early before heat stress kicks in around 10am when temps climb toward 90°F.
- Best Window: Dawn to 9am is the money time. Afternoon storms building by midday make evening fishing impractical through the weekend.
Generated weekly from live USGS gauge readings, weather forecasts, and recent fly shop reports. Updates Friday mornings.
About this Water
- Coastal Flats
- Best months: Year-round; peak Oct–May (snook/redfish), May–July (tarpon)
The Ten Thousand Islands stretch from Marco Island south to Florida Bay along Florida's Gulf coast — a vast mangrove archipelago that is technically Everglades National Park backcountry. The fishery is exceptional and varied: snook in the mangroves and on outside beaches, redfish on shallow flats, tarpon (juvenile and adult) in channels and on outside beaches, with seasonal cobia, jacks, and bluefish. The setting is wilderness in the truest sense — it's possible to fish for days without seeing another boat. Chokoloskee and Everglades City are the staging areas.
The Ten Thousand Islands form one of the largest contiguous mangrove ecosystems in North America — and the entire fishery sits within Everglades National Park boundaries, making it some of the best-protected saltwater fly fishing water in the United States.
January Outlook
January in the Ten Thousand Islands offers some of the best snook fishing of the year. Cold-stunned fish concentrate in rivers and creeks. Redfish are on oyster bars and mangrove edges.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Streamer (white)
- Redfish Slider
- EP Crab (small)
- Clouser Minnow
Tips
Target the warm-water spring-fed creeks for cold-stunned snook. Redfish are laid up on sunny oyster bars warming themselves. Excellent wade-fishing opportunity.
Water Notes
Water 65-72°F. Cold fronts concentrate fish in predictable areas. Spring-fed rivers remain 68°F year-round.
February Outlook
February snook fishing is exceptional in the backcountry. Large females move into the rivers. Sheepshead are on pilings and oyster bars. Some tarpon begin appearing in the Everglades backcountry.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Deceiver
- Sheepshead Crab Fly
- Redfish Crab
- Clouser Minnow
Tips
Live shrimp on light tackle for sheepshead on the oyster bars. Snook on flies in the creek mouths at dawn. Redfish will tail in 12-18 inches on sunny afternoons.
Water Notes
Water 68-74°F. Stable between fronts. Mangrove-lined creeks provide wind protection.
March Outlook
March opens the backcountry season with everything coming alive. Snook, redfish, and early tarpon all active. The vast mangrove wilderness of the 10K Islands offers nearly unlimited exploration.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Clouser
- Redfish Slider
- Tarpon Toad (small)
- EP Crab
Tips
Explore the backcountry creeks at low tide to spot holding fish. High tide brings fish onto the mangrove roots — cast tight to the roots for snook.
Water Notes
Water 72-78°F. Dry season with excellent visibility. Low-water conditions make fish easier to spot.
April Outlook
April is extraordinary in the 10K Islands. Tarpon migrate through the passes, snook are pre-spawn aggressive, and redfish are on the flats. This is peak season for the full triple crown of backcountry species.
Productive Patterns
- Tarpon Toad
- Snook Deceiver (yellow)
- Redfish Crab
- Seaducer
Tips
Early morning tarpon at the Gulf passes. Mid-day snook in the mangrove creeks. Afternoon redfish on the tidal flats. A guide can help navigate this complex fishery.
Water Notes
Water 76-82°F. Excellent conditions — dry season, calm winds, good visibility.
May Outlook
May brings spawning snook to the passes and points. Tarpon are plentiful in the Gulf. Redfish are on the inside. This is one of the most productive months in all of southwest Florida.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Deceiver
- Tarpon Toad
- Redfish Slider
- Crab Fly (tarpon)
Tips
Snook spawn at pass mouths on full and new moons. Large females are stacked at pass edges. Use live pilchards for numbers or fly fish for trophy fish.
Water Notes
Water 80-84°F. Transition to rainy season. Some afternoon storms but mornings are typically calm.
June Outlook
June brings summer to the Ten Thousand Islands. Snook are excellent in the tidal creeks and around mangrove edges — early morning fishing is rewarding. Redfish remain active on the inside flats. Tarpon are in the Gulf passes and can be found rolling in the backcountry on calm mornings. Daily afternoon thunderstorms make afternoon fishing impractical.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Clouser (creek edges)
- Tarpon Toad (backcountry)
- Redfish Slider (weedless)
- EP Shrimp
Tips
Fish the tidal creek mouths on the flood tide from first light to 9am. Snook ambush prey in the mangrove prop roots on the incoming tide. The backcountry creeks of the Everglades are sheltered from wind and heat. The 10K Islands summer pattern: snook at dawn, back at the marina by 10am.
Water Notes
Water 84-88°F. Rainy season begins. Daily afternoon storms. Fish the flood tide from first light. Mosquitoes are heavy — bring repellent.
July Outlook
July in the Ten Thousand Islands is the deep summer — hot, humid, and stormy — but the fishing is actually excellent for those willing to fish the early morning window. Snook are fat and aggressive in the mangrove creeks at first light on the incoming tide. Tarpon are rolling in the Gulf passes at dawn. Redfish school on the interior tidal flats. The remote backcountry keeps fishing pressure low year-round.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Deceiver (mangrove roots)
- Tarpon Toad (Gulf passes)
- Redfish Slider
- EP Crab
Tips
July's fishing window is 5:30-9am before heat and daily storms arrive. Start in the backcountry creek mouths for snook. A poling skiff can cover multiple creeks in the first two hours of flood tide. Tarpon roll in the Gulf passes (Caxambas, Capri) at first light. Bring light layers — early mornings can be surprisingly comfortable in the shade of the mangroves.
Water Notes
Water 87-90°F. Peak summer. Morning-only program. Gulf passes hold tarpon at dawn. Interior mangroves hold snook and reds. Afternoon storms are violent — be off the Gulf by noon.
August Outlook
August continues the summer pattern in the 10K Islands. The mangrove creeks of the Everglades backcountry fish remarkably well in the pre-dawn hours. Snook in excellent condition in the tidal creeks. Some of the year's largest tarpon are in the deeper Gulf channels adjacent to the passes. Redfish mud on the interior grass. A dedicated angler who rises at 4am will have excellent fishing.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Clouser (creek ambush)
- Tarpon Toad (Gulf pass edges)
- Redfish Slider
- EP Mullet Pattern
Tips
Pre-dawn departure from Goodland or Everglades City marina gets you to the backcountry creeks at first light. August snook in the mangrove edge are in prime condition from summer feeding. Redfish wakes visible from the poling platform in the interior grass areas at first light.
Water Notes
Water 88-91°F. Peak summer. Hurricane season. Monitor forecasts. Fish 5-9am only. The backcountry offers some shelter from ocean conditions.
September Outlook
September begins the transition to fall in the Ten Thousand Islands. Heat and storms moderate in the second half. Snook are excellent. Redfish begin forming fall schools. By late September the all-day fishing window is opening again. The 10K Islands in fall are extraordinary and September is the start of that building.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Deceiver
- Redfish Slider
- EP Crab
- Tarpon Toad (early)
Tips
Fish the first cold-front window in late September — the first norther pushes redfish into the interior ponds and the fishing can be spectacular. Early September is still summer pattern but the transition is coming. By month's end, fish are feeding more actively.
Water Notes
Water 84-88°F and cooling. Hurricane season continues. Improving conditions late in month. First cool fronts possible.
October Outlook
October returns excellent conditions as summer rains end. Snook return from the passes to the backcountry. Redfish schools gather on interior grass flats. One of the finest months to explore the 10K Islands.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Deceiver
- Redfish Slider
- Crab Fly
- Clouser (deep)
Tips
Post-spawn snook are hungry and aggressive. Large schools of redfish 'mud' on the flats — sight these wakes from a distance and intercept. November is equally good.
Water Notes
Water 80-84°F and cooling. Rainy season ends. Excellent visibility returns. Flat calm mornings through October.
November Outlook
November is the local's favorite month in the 10K Islands. Crowds are gone, conditions are perfect, and fishing is spectacular. Trophy snook are actively feeding before winter. Redfish are in the biggest schools of the year.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Deceiver
- Redfish Slider
- EP Crab
- Clouser Minnow
Tips
The best wade-fishing of the year for snook in the creek mouths. Redfish schools of 100+ fish are common in the interior. Use popping corks for covering water.
Water Notes
Water 76-80°F. The most comfortable weather of the year. Winds are light and manageable.
December Outlook
December in the Ten Thousand Islands is excellent for snook and redfish between cold fronts. Snook concentrate in the spring-fed creeks and warm tidal rivers during cold snaps. Redfish are in the biggest schools of the year on the interior tidal flats. The 10K Islands remote character means pressure remains low even during the holiday weeks.
Productive Patterns
- Snook Streamer (tidal river)
- Redfish Slider (school fish)
- EP Crab (slow-sink)
- Sheepshead Crab (structure)
Tips
December is the month for exploring the interior rivers and spring-fed creeks of the 10K Islands for cold-concentrated snook. The Turner, Faka Union, and Little Shark rivers all hold snook in December. Redfish in the interior bay and tidal flats are in tremendous condition. Sheepshead on the oyster bar structures throughout the system.
Water Notes
Water 65-72°F. Cold fronts every 7-14 days. Spring-fed creeks remain 68-70°F. Excellent fishing between fronts. Bring warm layers for early morning.
Access & Approach
Everglades City and Chokoloskee, FL are the main bases. Everglades National Park backcountry permit required for overnight trips. Florida saltwater license required. Skiff or kayak access — the islands are remote.
Regulations & License
Fishing in Florida requires a current license. Always verify season dates, bag limits, and any special-regulation waters before you fish.
Florida fishing regulations & license →
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About Current
Ten Thousand Islands conditions on Current combine real-time flow data (USGS, WSC, CDEC, CEHQ), weather, tide predictions, hatch probabilities calibrated to this specific water, and recent fly shop reports from the area.
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