SW Florida has some of the most diverse back country fishing in the state. Backwater fishing, or backcountry fishing, is fishing in the extensive network of bays, mangrove islands and tidal creeks that permeate the region. There are thousands of miles of shoreline, countless oyster bars and acres of seagrass beds that attract an abundance of salt water fish.

In these waters are four of the state's most sought after gamefish, the snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, and tarpon. Thousands of anglers come to southwest Florida each year for the chance at a grand slam, catching one individual of each species in one day.

Perhaps the most significant factor contributing to the region's excellent fishing reputation are the vast tracks of fresh and salt water wetlands protected by state and/or federal laws. The Charlotte Harbor - Pine Island Sound area, one of the largest estuaries in Florida, has relatively clean water that supports extensive grass beds and stands of mangroves. Several large sections of this estuarine complex are designated as state aquatic preserves and there are strict regulations that protect the water quality and marine life in the system

Rookery Bay, between Naples and Marco Island , and the waters south of there into the upper part of the Ten Thousand Islands are also an aquatic Preserves. The upper part of the Ten Thousand Islands is a National Wildlife Refuge while the lower portion is a part of the Everglades National Park, best fished from Chokoloskee. Chokoloskee on southward offers the last frontier of the salt water esuary. Large numbers of Redfish, Snook and Tarpon roam the area through out the seasons. The finest Speckeled Trout fishing in the State of Florida is right here in Chokoloskee.