Which Lee County Preserves Allow Fishing?

Lee County does not allow fishing at every preserve. The county preserves page says: “Hiking, birdwatching, and nature photography are allowed on most preserves. Some preserves provide additional amenities” (Lee County Parks & Recreation, retrieved Oct. 6, 2026). Fishing shows up as a listed amenity on the detail pages for the preserves below, and a listing is not the same as public access.

Primary use preserves with Fishing listed

These are the county’s “Primary Use” sites, which have designated parking, restrooms and other amenities.

• Galt Preserve: the page describes “a fishing pier, picnic pavilions, and a paved parking area” and lists Free Parking and a Paddlecraft Landing/Launch. Hours: Dawn to Dusk.
• San Carlos Bay/Bunche Beach Preserve: lists two “wildlife viewing and fishing piers.” See our Bunche Beach post.
• Hickey Creek Mitigation Park: Fishing and a Paddlecraft Landing/Launch are listed. Hours: “7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.”
• Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserve: Fishing and a Paddlecraft Landing/Launch are listed. Hours: Dawn to Dusk.
• Bowditch Point Park: Fishing is listed. See our Bowditch Point post.
• Matanzas Pass Preserve: Fishing is listed, but the hours field reads “Closed until further notice.”

Limited use preserves with Fishing listed

The county’s limited use list is “Public Access available with limited amenities.” Fishing is listed at Billy Creek, Charlotte Harbor Buffer, Daniels Preserve at Spanish Creek, Four Mile Cove, Frank Mann, Hancock Creek, Moody River, Olga Shores, Pine Lake, Pop Ash Creek, Powell Creek, Yellow Fever Creek and Yucca Pens. Each shows Dawn to Dusk hours. The Yellow Fever Creek page says a marked trail “connects to a 3-acre pond for fishing.” The Frank Mann page says allowed activities include “kayaking and canoeing, fishing, bird watching, and walking in limited open areas.”

Water access preserves

The county lists these as “by boat or paddlecraft only.” Fishing is listed at Carver, Cayo Pelau, Columbus G. McLeod and Orange River. Imperial River Preserve also lists Fishing, yet its page says: “There is no public access available at this preserve. Paddlers may kayak or canoe near the preserve via the Imperial River.”

Listed but not open to walk-in visitors

Deep Lagoon Preserve lists Fishing and also says “No public access” in its hours field. Big Hickory Island Preserve lists Fishing, with a page note about “a primitive trail to a fishing access on the eastern portion of the site” and an area just south of the New Pass Bridge to offload kayaks and canoes.

Rules the pages do not state

The detail pages checked do not give bag limits, tackle rules or bait rules for preserves. Parking varies, and the county parking page lists Hickey Creek at “$1 per hour or $5 per day.” The Bowditch Point, Bunche Beach and Matanzas Pass pages carry a Saltwater Fishing License notice; the other pages checked do not. Our license guide covers the options, and the shore spots page covers more places to fish from land.