What's New

Weather Stations Update

Originally deployed in 2012, thanks to funding from the West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND) through a grant from Lee County, the RECON weather stations became the first weather stations in this area located directly over the water. Designed to give researchers and boaters near real-time information on the current over water weather conditions, they quickly became the go to weather source for the local boating community. ...

The River, Estuary and Coastal Observing Network (RECON) is a network of water quality sensors deployed throughout the Caloosahatchee river and estuary to provide real-time, water quality data to scientists, policy makers, and the general public.

The extensive watersheds of the Caloosahatchee (1,400 square miles) and Lake Okeechobee (4,400 square miles) each contribute water that flows into the Caloosahatchee estuary and the Gulf of Mexico. Water quality is affected by both Lake Okeechobee discharges and runoff from the Caloosahatchee watershed. Over time, these watersheds have changed from low-nutrient loading marshes and wetlands to high loading urban and agricultural land uses. Nutrients increase turbidity and decrease concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO). In addition, excess nutrients fuel nuisance algal blooms. Losses of low-nutrient adapted communities, such as seagrasses have contributed to changes in fish, crustacean and marine mammal communities.

Real-time Data

View graphs of recent data

Map View

Zoom-in and pan to sites and obtain a quick summary of current conditions

Boater Forecast

See tide predictions, wind forecasts, and wave heights from the region

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Common Snook

Centropomus undecimalis

The common snook is one of the favorite targets for sport fisherman in our area. This fish is able to live in a wide variety of salinities, ranging from freshwater to full sea water, and can be found throughout the estuary. The preferred water temperature for snook is between 70°F and 82°F, but the warmer the water, in general, the better the bite is. Water as cool as 50°F will cause a snook to become dormant, with temperatures around 45°F causing death. In 2010, local water temperatures dipped below 50° for several days in a row causing a major die off resulting in the closing of harvest for three years. Snook are ambush feeders, often hiding behind bridge pilings, docks, or other structures, waiting for prey to drift into range. They will bite on both live and artificial baits, but figuring out what these picky eaters are in the mood for can be a challenge.

The preferred water temperature for Snook is between 70° and 82°F, but warmer water should not affect fishing negatively. Water below 70°F may slow the bite and temperatures as cool as 50°F will cause a snook to become dormant, with 45°F causing death.

Click here for current fishing regulations.