Caxambas Pass 2.5 Mile ReefMarco Island
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Shallow concrete patch; easy freedive; verify Collier County local rules; boat entry.
Google MapsMarco Island spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras
5.4
wave 0.5 m
visibility5m
Today — right on the edge — wave, wind and visibility.
Sources: IPMA · NDBC · Copernicus — high confidence · data 18:51
Sources & confidence
- Sources
- IPMA · NDBC buoys · Copernicus Marine
- Method
- Model consensus, read per window
- Freshness
- Re-read every hour, per coast
Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine
The verdict comes from seven water factors and hard safety gates — not ten tabs. Go or stay.
How we score the water
Our own model
Our own forecast engine — not a third-party widget. It weighs these water factors into one go-or-stay verdict for this coast; the 0–10 dial is that verdict, read out as a number.
- Swell & wave memory
- Height, period and direction of the swell, plus the wake of recent storms — an old storm still stirs the water, and the engine remembers.
- Wind & gusts
- Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
- Tide phase
- Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
- Water temperature
- Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
- Currents & outflow
- Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
- Rain runoff & air clarity
- Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
- Coast shape & exposure
- How the coast faces the swell — a sheltered cove keeps the water clean; an exposed, head-on point takes a penalty.
Safety gates
- Thunderstorm forecast — an instant red, no exceptions.
- An official warning (MeteoAlarm / IPMA) — yellow, or red for the higher ranks.
- Missing input data — a would-be green is capped to yellow rather than overstated.
- Strong disagreement between forecast models — a green day is pulled back to yellow.
- Night hours — forced red; the window is closed after dark.
It all folds into a single 0–10 score and one verdict: go or stay.
A forecast, not a guarantee — the sea has the last word.
Where to get in, where to hunt
Entry points with coordinates
Seabed relief — promising ground
Surface
Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.
spearo.app
calmupdated 18:51
Marco Island — solo, off the rocks
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site · wind 17 km/h
wave 0.5 mwind 17, gusts 26 km/hvisibility ~7 mwindow 18:00–21:00
today, best window 18:00–21:00
fish · Visibility 7 m · Water 31.1°C
confidence low · verdict for the selected day
Whole week — tap a day. is driving swell right now.
Solo risk: carry a float · tell someone your plan and exit time · doubt = don't go. A model-based planner; the call is made on site.
Selected day
Windows, hours
and the day's trends.
The day is picked above, in the hero. Here are that day's windows, the hour-by-hour map and the trends. Tap a window to break down the conditions.
Wednesday · today2026-07-22
06:48–20:18 · first quarter
▼ 00:00▲ 07:00▼ 14:00▲ 21:00 · 0.6 m
Hours (06→20)
18
Day's trends
Tide-0.09 m
Wave0.44 m
Wind7 km/h
Water31 °C
fish activity: moonset 01:04 · moderate · moon underfoot 08:00 · high · moonrise 14:52 · moderate · moon overhead 20:20 · high
Conditions window18:00–21:00
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site fish
Hs 0.50 mperiod 5.1 swind 17→26surge 0.7viz 5 m
0.50 mup to ~1.00 · 270° at an angle
5.1 sswell moderate
17→26gusts 26 km/h
0.7weak surge
0.08m/s
5 mrecent swell
31.1°C5 mm + hood
▲21:00tide turn near
Atmosphere18 kmovercast
highmoon overhead
- wind 17 km/h
- cross sea from several directions
- flood toward high water
confidence lowtwilight
The water column
Visibility and what drives it — post-storm clearing, river plume, temperature and the thermocline.
What it is
A marine instrument,
go / no-go for solo hunting.
spearo.app folds wind, wave, swell period, visibility, tides, water temperature and risk into a single verdict — go to the spot or not. It computes 7 days ahead from open marine models (Open-Meteo, IPMA), with no sign-up and no accounts. Built for solo spearfishing off the rocks, where any mistake costs dearly.
Now live: 1152 spots across 189 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.
See all spotsThe seabed
Relief and bottom type, tides, and the depths of each spot.
On the rock
The forecast is the plan.
The call is on the rock.
The models set the window. Whether you go in is read only at the water: count the sets, watch the surge on the entry. If in doubt, you don't get in.
Entry points
Where to get in
off the rocks.
Scouted entries, coloured by today. The colour is the sea state at the spot, not a guarantee: the wash and a slippery entry you judge on site.
Open the seafloor map
Marco Island 2 Mile ReefMarco Island
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Concrete and metal, 1.5 m relief; hogfish and grouper; verify local rules; boat entry.
Google MapsMarco Pass Reef SiteMarco Island
borderlineexposed head-on to the swell today
- window
- tide
- shelter
- hazard
- access
Concrete deployment; verify local rules; boat entry.
Google MapsSOLO is the biggest risk: underwater you can black out from lack of oxygen silently and fatally, with no one around. Solo is never truly «safe». Below are the best weather windows; carry a buoy, tell someone your plan and exit time, and any doubt — don't go.
Surfacing
Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.
Live cameras, map & reference
Cameras · live
Look at the water
right now.
Check the cam BEFORE you leave. Foam, brown/green murk, or waves washing the entry rocks = No-go. At night/in fog the cam is useless — treat it as «unknown», NOT «green».
Reference
What's in season,
what the law says.
In season now
- sheepshead
- mangrove/mutton snapper
- gag/red grouperSeason is state-set — check before you go.
- hogfish
- cobia
- flounder
Law
- ✓Florida: saltwater licence $17 res / $47 non-res; reef fish need the free State Reef Fish Angler (SRFS) designation. NC: CRFL; SC/GA: saltwater licence.
- ✓Distances (FL): 100 yd from beaches/piers/bridges, 100 ft from the above-water part of a jetty. banned in FL and SC; rebreathers are illegal for spearfishing in FL.
- ✓SC: gamefish (red drum/seatrout/cobia/tarpon/striped bass) hook-and-line only (§50-5-1700). GA: speargun doubtful in state water — real hunting on federal reefs.
- ⛔ 🚫 Do not spear (FL FAC 68B-20.005): snook, red drum, spotted seatrout, tarpon, bonefish, pompano, goliath/Nassau grouper, billfish, sharks, rays + ornamental reef families.
- ⛔ 🚫 Spiny lobster/stone crab — hand-take only (no puncturing). banned in FL and SC. Monroe County (Long Key north to the Miami-Dade line — incl. Key Largo): spearfishing banned; the lionfish licence exemption does NOT override it — hand-held nets only there.
US spearfishing law is state-by-state. License, spearable species, powerhead rules and distances vary; federal sanctuaries (Gray's Reef, the Keys, Flower Garden Banks) ban spearfishing. Always confirm with the state agency and local ordinances.
Safety protocol
- Sets: watch the wave trains ≥15 min before entering; Hmax ≈ 2×Hs, the wash can run 50 m past the foam line. A lull >10 min with period >12 s = a big set «overdue», do NOT enter; enter right after a full set passes and re-check at minute 30.
- Exit FIRST: find your exit AND a backup before entering. On a rocky/boulder shore a 0.5 m rise in swell can make the exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer.
- Headland rip: prominent points often have a permanent topographic rip regardless of the model — locate it, enter/exit on the windward side, never swim against it.
- Cold: wetsuit per the SST chip; the first shiver = a metabolic surge and a drop in breath-hold → get out at the first steady shiver. Cap the session at 45–60 min below 15 °C.
- Solo discipline: buoy up; tell someone the spot and exit time; conservative breath-hold (never push it in cold/murky/surfy water); visibility <3 m — don't enter.
- Afternoon wind: on many coasts the wind builds from midday — plan to be out of the water by midday; the chop builds — get out.
- UV 11:00–15:00 (UVI ≥6): sunscreen and cover up on the surface interval.
- Solo is a fundamental risk (hypoxic blackout with no buddy). Any doubt = No-go.
Spearfishing in Marco Island: spots, seasons and rules
Marco Island is a shallow Gulf plan around small artificial reefs in roughly 6 to 7 m, not a deep bluewater wall. Hogfish, grouper when open, sheepshead, snapper, cobia and flounder are the realistic targets under Florida seasons. Collier County local rules need verification, so nearshore spearing should be treated as restricted until confirmed. Spearfishing Marco Island is best by boat, after light east wind and enough offshore clarity to see the concrete before descending.
TL;DR
- Spearfishing Marco Island is shallow Gulf artificial reef hunting, mostly by boat, at Caxambas Pass, Marco Island 2 Mile and Marco Pass sites.
- The water is often turbid near Collier County passes; clearer windows usually come offshore after light east wind.
- Florida requires a saltwater license, SRFS for reef fish, no powerheads or rebreathers, and no spearing snook, redfish, seatrout or tarpon.
- Collier County nearshore restrictions are uncertain in the record, so verify local rules and fail closed before loading near the beach.
Best spearfishing spots in Marco Island
All three Marco entries are boat-entry artificial reef sites. They are shallow enough for freediving, but the Gulf can be brown, boaty and tide-stirred. Check local rules first.
| Spot | Type | Depth | Level | Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caxambas Pass 2.5 Mile Reef | Shallow concrete patch reef | About 6 to 7 m | Beginner to intermediate by boat | Boat entry from the Marco Island side | A realistic first check when visibility is acceptable. It still needs a dive flag, current awareness and local-rule verification. |
| Marco Island 2 Mile Reef | Concrete and metal reef | Shallow relief around 1.5 m above bottom | Intermediate | Boat entry | The record names hogfish and grouper on this structure. Florida grouper seasons move, so check FWC before keeping fish. |
| Marco Pass Reef Site | Concrete deployment reef | Shallow Gulf artificial reef | Intermediate | Boat entry near Marco Pass | A compact structure dive for clear-water days. If pass water is dirty or traffic is heavy, skip it. |
What Florida rules apply at Marco Island?
Florida requires a saltwater fishing license for most spearfishing, and reef fish require the free State Reef Fish Angler designation. FWC prohibits powerheads and rebreathers. It also bans spear take of snook, red drum, spotted seatrout, tarpon, bonefish, pompano, goliath and Nassau grouper, sharks, rays, lobster and stone crab. Local Collier rules still need checking.
When does Marco Island water visibility improve?
Marco's shallow Gulf bottom resuspends easily. Strong west wind, pass outflow and big tide movement can turn a short run into brown water. The best chance is after light east wind, lower seas and a plan that moves offshore from the passes. NOAA Station SMKF1 is distant but useful for regional Gulf trend; a beach camera shows whether nearshore water is already stirred.
Which fish are worth planning for?
The city record points to hogfish and grouper on the shallow reef modules, with sheepshead, mangrove or mutton snapper, cobia and flounder in the regional list. Gag and red grouper have season risk, so treat them as closed until FWC says otherwise. Snook, redfish, seatrout and tarpon may be present, but they are not spear targets.
FAQ
Can you spearfish from shore on Marco Island?
Do not assume it is allowed. Collier County rules may restrict nearshore spearing.
Do I need a Florida license?
Yes, most divers need a saltwater license and SRFS for reef fish.
Are powerheads legal here?
No. FWC prohibits powerheads and rebreathers for spearfishing.
What fish should I avoid spearing?
Avoid snook, red drum, seatrout, tarpon, goliath or Nassau grouper, sharks, rays, lobster and stone crab.
Which NOAA station fits Marco Island?
NOAA NDBC Station SMKF1 is the regional Gulf station used here.
Sources
Nearby towns
Coming soon
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