The place to go fishing if you’re not in a boat is the Fort Myers Fishing Pier! It was just far enough from where I lived in Clearwater, Florida that I never made the road trip to go fish it.
Do I regret it? Sure, I regret everything at this age but it’s still there and YOU can still go some weekend if it’s within driving distance. The pier isn’t that big, but it’s in a great spot.
Try to some fishing from the pier then do some shore or wade fishing.
Then, if you’re curious, rent a kayak and fish the many different areas around the shore and islands. Fort Myers is the one place that rivals and probably even surpasses the St. Pete / Clearwater area for kayak fishing. If you have a kayak, bring it down there and see what you find. Send me photos!
What Time Does the Fort Myers Fishing Pier Open? Close?
The pier is open from 7 am. to 9 or 10 pm. every day of the week depending on the weather and time of year. It’s open longer in the summers when more people are fishing.
Unfortunately, you cannot stay all night and fish. I think Fort Myers needs to extend their fishing pier, add another one, or at least make this an all night pier. What do you think?
What Fish Can You Catch?
My usual target when I head to the Clearwater Fishing Pier 60 is Spanish Mackerel or Speckled Sea Trout. I’ll usually read some reports and see when they’re around and then head over for a couple of hours.
Common Fish Caught at Pier 60
- snook
- redfish (red drum)
- grouper
- pompano
- speckled sea trout
- Spanish mackerel
- flounder
- cobia (rare)
- black sea bass
- perch
- pinfish (a great live bait)
- ladyfish
- catfish
- whiting
- Jack Crevalle (Jacks)
How Big is the Fishing Area?
The Fort Myers Beach Fishing Pier is not very long or wide, and so it can get crowded quickly especially on a holiday but even during the summer when fishing picks up and lots of visitors come to stay in the area.
The pier is 147 yd (134 m) over water and around 5 feet wide almost the entire length of the pier until the end. At the end of the pier is a larger rectangular section adding another 95 yd (87 m) of fishing space.
This pier for fishing is not wide at all. A five-foot wide pier is OK for one person fishing, but there are plenty of people walking up and down the pier and getting in the way.
If the pier is crowded with anglers that means it will be quite crowded with anybody walking around to see the view from the pier.
Bring a wagon or some kind of cart with wheels to help you take your fishing stuff out to the end of the pier.
Restrooms?
Yes there is a restroom at the start of the pier in the building with all the stores and restaurants. Some of the bigger restaurants have them too.
Shade on the Pier?
Yes, there is a large covered area at the end of the pier that has high ceilings and benches for people to sit down and rest and enjoy the breeze when there is one. The fishing area at the end of the pier has a lot more room to move around and to fish at and this is where most of the anglers congregate and fish from.
Fees at Fort Myers Fishing Pier
There is no fee to fish from the pier and you don’t require a fishing license to do so. If you walk off the pier to fish the beach, you need to ensure you have the proper fishing license.
Keep in mind, there are piers where you can do a lot more and spend similar money. The St. Pete Pier is free to fish on. The Sunshine Skyway Pier allows you to pull your vehicle up onto the pier and fish from the trunk if you want to.
They are also more relaxed about what you can and cannot do because there is so much room on this pier that used to be a long bridge.
Is a Fishing License Included in the Fee?
If you’re fishing, the day-pass fishing license is taken care of with the fee to fish from the pier. If you want to buy a fishing license before coming, you can get one online from the state website or just stop by your closest Walmart and go back to the sports / fishing section.
If you’re going to fish more than a couple of times in Florida and want to have the option to fish from a boat, shore, or anywhere else, it probably makes sense to buy a Florida saltwater fishing license.
Does the Pier Have a Bait Shop?
Yes, Rudy’s Treasure Chest bait shop is right on the pier and you can buy all kinds of things there like frozen bait, candy, snacks and cold drinks, souvenirs, beach toys, and jewelry.
They also rent rods and reels for you to fish, but you need to buy your own bait or lures and other gear like hooks and things you’ll need for pier fishing.
The shop opens at 9 am. and stays open until 9 or 10 pm. daily depending on the weather.
He gives his phone number on his Facebook page: +1 239-463-3333
Is Rental Gear (Rod and Reel) Available?
Yes, and in 2022 it is $9.90 for the day for a rod and reel. You’ll probably want to buy hooks, sinkers, and other gear when you rent or beforehand at Walmart to save a few dollars.
Restaurants?
There’s a pier-side restaurant called the ‘Pier-Side Grill and Famous Blowfish Bar’ with outdoor seating and umbrellas over your table to keep the sun at bay. If you walk a little farther you’ll see a large variety of assorted restaurants, most of them catering to sea-food lovers. No reservations taken at this one.
‘Bella Mozzarella Pizza and Grill’ is very close to the pier and probably worth checking out. They have some pizza options, wings, spaghetti, fresh Italian bread and lots of other menu items. Anything with pizza in my book is worth a lunch to see how good it is. Their phone is +1 239-463-2328.
Don’t forget, the Rudy’s bait shop has a lot of snacks and drinks that should hold you until lunch or dinner.
Pier Restrictions
The Fort Myers Fishing Pier is a small space shared by sometimes many people. Rules need to be in place to ensure most people have a good time and are respectful of others.
Don’t forget, if you want to play music, grill, sleep in a tent or sleep in your car on a pier, just visit the north or south Sunshine Skyway Pier in St. Petersburg north of here on highway route 275.
Prohibited List
- Castnetting (throwing nets for fish or baitfish)
- Tents
- Fires, grill
- Alcohol
- Pets (dogs OK)
- Music
- Swimming around the Pier in the fishing section (there is a swimming section)
- Smoking
- Beach Umbrellas
Is there a Live Web Cam on the Pier?
Yes there is, you can see it here.
Where is the Pier Located?
The Fort Myers Beach Fishing Pier is located across the water from Sanibel Island and just past (you go through) San Carlos Island to reach it.
The address is: 10 Old San Carlos Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931. The GPS coordinates of the building at the end of the pier are [26°27’05.7″N, 81°57’25.6″W]
Where’s Parking?
There is space for about 130 vehicles in the parking area beside the fishing pier. Not very much, so arrive early to get a space on the weekend!
The pier is ADA compliant and there are handicapped parking spots available.
Cautions
Birds will be stealing your shrimp, baitfish, squid, anything you leave open and available. Keep lids on to prevent most of this. Also, please be very careful about casting and retrieving fish because birds can swoop in to grab something to eat and end up with a hook in their mouth or body.
If you’re planning on swimming or wading around in the water near the pier be careful of stingrays hidden just under the sand where they are nearly invisible. While fishing in Clearwater just north of here, I stepped on a stingray tail and it made for a horrible ending to a day of fishing! Here’s the tragic story >
Short Video of the Fort Myers Fishing Pier
Fort Myers Fishing Pier Social Media
- Call them at this phone number: +1 239-463-3333
- Their Facebook page is here. Not many followers, the page is in need of a better one.
- An Instagram search turns up over a thousand photos. This is a very popular place for fishing in Fort Myers, but there are also many other places to fish off the shore, wading to fish, or taking a boat or kayak out on the water to target big snook, redfish, and grouper.
Where’s the Closest Fishing Pier to Me?
If you live in Florida there is probably a fishing pier close to you. The best pier may not be the one closest, so browse through these and see which one is right for you. We have huge fishing guides for all the major piers in Florida and all the top gamefish.
Fishing Piers Close to the Fort Myers Pier
[Image credits: Images not marked with credits taken from their official website, videos, and FB pages.]