Cayo Pelau Preserve is “only accessible by water,” and Lee County lists Fishing among its amenities (Lee County Parks & Recreation, retrieved October 2026). The county gives the address as “Water Access Only,” Boca Grande, Florida 33921, with hours of “Dawn to Dusk.”
The county describes Cayo Pelau as “an island that includes nearly 3 miles of coastline” and says it is “surrounded by Charlotte Harbor and Gasparilla Sound.” Lee County owns a significant portion through the Conservation 20/20 program, and the county says the northernmost tip is owned by Charlotte County. The preserve is 126.21 acres, bought in one parcel on February 1, 2007 for $2,500,000.
“The vast majority of the island is in its natural state, with mangroves covering much of the island.” There is “no marked trail system.” The county says the primary management focus is controlling invasive exotic plants, and that archeological evidence shows the Calusa used the site.
Because there is no road or ramp on the island, you need a boat or paddlecraft. The county page does not list a launch point, a landing spot, a fee or fishing rules. The Boca Grande side has a county paddlecraft launch at 19th Street East, described in our Boca Grande accesses post, but the Cayo Pelau page does not say to use it. The preserve contact phone is (239) 220-7243.
For license questions, see our SWFL license guide. For paid county lots and ramps, see our Lee County fees page.