Where Should I Live In Fl Based On Fishing!

[oldschool61]

I am moving to Florida in a week. No more winter. So, job hunting, join a church, volunteer work, fishing, beaches, saltwater fishing, a little snake hunting, not in that order. I'd like to live on the SE Atlantic coast, but may not be able to afford it. I don't know anything about the Tampa-to-Ft. Myers area. Between Kissimmee and the Everglades the cost of living looks more affordable for me and full of bass fishing choices.

My question is, which lakes are more shorebound friendly? I'd like to live closer to where I play and commute to work, the opposite of the way it's been the first half of my life. Not to stereotype but the pics I've seen make it look like if you don't have a boat you fish a heavily-used public pier or you take your chances with swamp, trespassing on someone's backyard, or alligators!

Any advice on best lakes to fish from shore? Thanks in advance

Chris

[Bassn Blvd]

If you were moving here for strictly fishing, then I wouls say Lake Okeechobee. I guess it would all depend on what type of work you do, income bracket, kids/no kids though.

[FD.]

There are many public parks that offer excellent fishing from the shore all throughout central Florida. Between Polk county and the cities of Lakeland, Auburndale and Winter haven you have access to over 100 public fishing areas. Having a boat is always better but I think the Lakeland area gives you the best shore fishing opportunities.

[JohnnyBigger]

depends on what kind of fishing interests you the most....freshwater then i would say kissimmee area or leesburg if you wanna fish salt then Tampa or st pete is the place to go with a few good lakes mixed in

[SirSnookalot]

I can only comment on the area I live, Delray Beach in Palm Beach County, it is a tough fishing area from shore, a boat improves the experience. I'm here because of gr. children, I can think of other Florida locations I'd rather be, but you have to go where the $$ is.

I feel more of a threat from snakes than gators, I fish 100% shore for freshwater. One of the reasons I focus on saltwater fishing, both venues have lots of private areas with no access, I prefer not to trespass. I do no bass fishing what so ever from May thru October, I hate those annoying gnats, but I do SW fish every morning year round. I will give you one of my home made Cuda tubes.

[Gotfishyfingers?]

I would say CENTRAL, FL. There are a BIZZILION lakes, rock pits, rivers, canals, golf courses (lol) etc. to fish. MOST holding fish over 10lbs!!!! You can make day trips to just about anywhere from there. Also if you want to do some saltwater fishing your about an hour or so from both coasts. Just my .02cents.

[piscicidal]

If I was shorebound and mostly concerned with bass fishing, I would look at the Haines City/Cypress Gardens area in Central Florida. I was there recently with my family (legoland) and was shocked at the number of lakes in that area- most of which seem to have shore access. Central Florida is much more conducive to double digit bass than South Florida.

[GLADES]

If you have a boat, I would have to sat the Fort Lauderdale area. We are 1.25 -1.5 hour drive to Clewiston, and have the Everglades, specifically Holiday Park 15-30 minutes west. During the spring and summer, either place is red hot. Five fish bags between 30-35 lbs are fairly common when Holiday Park is red hot, plus the fish are confined in the canals, which makes pretty easy fishing. Lake O has been great since the major drought a few years ago.

Canal Fishing is limited to the flood control canals, and some limited dock fishing at holiday park, some residential canals and lakes, and the canals off tamiami trail. Google earth is a great way to find canals with access.

There is peacock bass fishing in Miami canals too. Can't do that in central Florida.

Regarding Salt Water, the east coast of South Florida is great, plus the keys are only 2 hours away.

[Helluva_Engineer]

I may have posted this before, but this is one of the dangers of fishing freshwater from shore in South Georgia and Florida. This snake actually tried to take the worm I was fishing near that log. It was hiding right along the backside of the log from where you can see my footprint. If it hadn't struck the lure, it was withing striking range of me and I never would've seen it underneath the log. This is not the first encounter I've had with cottonmouths fishing the shoreline.

Therefore I recommend saltwater from the beach...

[South FLA]

I would say Titiusville area, a central location to all but the Keys, but you have some great Redfish, Sea Trout, Snook a bit further south, Bass just west of it between Stick Marsh and St. John's river basin. Titusville area is also known for some great shrimping and pompano and whiting fishing from the beach.

[Daniel My Brother]

Helluva,

I'm studying that picture and I don't see the snake. I feel like I'm playing Where's Waldo. Help me locate it.

DMB

[SirSnookalot]

Took me a while to see it too, I think this is it.

[jeremyt]

Look just up from the tip of the log, right off the bank you can see the head out of the water and the body just underneath. I am at work right now, or I would edit the photo just like SirSnook did.

[South FLA]

here is the snake

[Helluva_Engineer]

haha, sorry for the trouble guys. Kind of goes to prove the point, though. watch where you're stepping bank fishing down here.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Put it this way. It doesn't matter where you're fishing in Florida. There is always something nearby that can and will bite you given the right circumstances. I live in a nice area, private lakes etc...I've had the occasional problem with moccasins on the lake behind my house. Snake and weird critter captial if the country. It's just part of the territory with being so close to the Glades. Most of the houses west of I-95 are built on swamp land.

As far as where to live goes, pretty much anywhere will give you ample fishing opportunities. I can be at Okeechobee in an hour. Lox in about 20 minutes, or drive the boat to the Bahamas in an hour and a half after I launch it. It really all depends on what type of fishing you want to do and what kind of area you want to live in.

Personally, I wouldn't want t live anywhere else. I spent quite a while away when I was on active duty, and can't express how much more that made me love living down here. Great fishing weather all year long. Hard to ask for much more than that.

[piscicidal]

It doesn't matter where you're fishing in Florida. There is always something nearby that can and will bite you given the right circumstances.

Yeah...and some of them are fish!

[Orpssab]

Addict is right. I have been fishing the Ft. Lauderdale area for over 20 years. Even though I don't live here, I catch fish better than places I have lived in for a long time. What a fisherman's paradise! There is only one place in the world like South Florida.

[1234567]

Not to sound negative, but don't move to Ft. Myers if you're looking for bass fishing. This area used to be great and still is but due to all the ****** ruining the place most areas I've fished for years are now off limits. Seriously, if you're bank fishing like I do alot during the weekdays, it seems you're doing something criminal as the attitude I've received from people while fishing is beyond rediculous. Now if I was fishing in a posted area I KNOW i'm doing something wrong but that's not the case. County property here which you would assume public is not. The fishing spots that are still public are being decimated by people keeping every fish they catch.

[Dockhead]

How about the Brandon area (just outside of Tampa), and get yourself a kayak. Can hit all of the lakes in central fl, orlando, etc. Several rivers to fish as well. And you can fish saltwater all over Tampa Bay with a kayak as well.

[1234567]

How about the Brandon area (just outside of Tampa), and get yourself a kayak. Can hit all of the lakes in central fl, orlando, etc. Several rivers to fish as well. And you can fish saltwater all over Tampa Bay with a kayak as well.

I would think that area would be pretty good, the hillsborough river and tampa bypass canal would take years to thouroughly learn. Not only that the 10,000 lakes area is just a hop down the road. Those areas are probably great for kayaks as well, river and bypass canal.

[piscicidal]

A couple votes for Fort Lauderdale, I see. Guess I can't disagree too much, since I catch most of my fish from my house using the golf cart. If you live here and are situated on a private lake/canal, you're in good shape. If you have water access (there a ton of it here...Fort Lauderdale is called the "Venice of Florida") and have a boat, and you enjoy a little saltwater fishing then it's about as good as it gets (10 min from Atlantic Ocean, 30min from Lox/Holiday Park/Alligator Alley, 1.5 hours from Okeechobee/Florida Keys, 2 hours from Stick Marsh/Istokpoga, 2.5 hours from Kissimmee/Toho/Flamingo, etc)

[etommy28]

Not to sound negative, but don't move to Ft. Myers if you're looking for bass fishing. This area used to be great and still is but due to all the ****** ruining the place most areas I've fished for years are now off limits. Seriously, if you're bank fishing like I do alot during the weekdays, it seems you're doing something criminal as the attitude I've received from people while fishing is beyond rediculous. Now if I was fishing in a posted area I KNOW i'm doing something wrong but that's not the case. County property here which you would assume public is not. The fishing spots that are still public are being decimated by people keeping every fish they catch.

I actually disagree, Ft myers has ok shore fishing, it takes time to find the stuff and it is always changing but it is good. we fish shore tournys every month and do very well. The salt water fishing is also nice, on summer nights after work we will go to the beach and catch 8 or 10 different kinds of fish. Oh and the housing is crazy cheap, esp. in cape coral 200k house 5 years ago are 20k now. Oh and all property is legal to fish unless its gated, Fenced, stated no trespassing or other wise says no fishing. feel free to PM me with questions. I grew up in Jacksonville, the boat fishing is about the same but shore fishing blows!

[1234567]

I actually disagree, Ft myers has ok shore fishing, it takes time to find the stuff and it is always changing but it is good. we fish shore tournys every month and do very well. The salt water fishing is also nice, on summer nights after work we will go to the beach and catch 8 or 10 different kinds of fish. Oh and the housing is crazy cheap, esp. in cape coral 200k house 5 years ago are 20k now. Oh and all property is legal to fish unless its gated, Fenced, stated no trespassing or other wise says no fishing. feel free to PM me with questions. I grew up in Jacksonville, the boat fishing is about the same but shore fishing blows!

That is the key, finding fishable areas that people won't throw you out of. There are fish from the banks here and some very good ones too, the problem is most places you go, eventually they close it down ie. signs, fences, or local LEO's kicking everyone out. I know this for fact. DOT that manages alot of the canals in this area sent a memo to LCSO banning anyone in "certain" areas of the canals due to people destroying the place. If it's not posted but you are not supposed to be there more than likely you will get a kind warning ie the property owner or local law enforcement. If you're caught there again after being trespassed, don't drop the soap during your next shower.

[SirSnookalot]

I don't think there is bad place in Florida for fishing, some may be better than others. In Palm Beach County you can fish any canal from shore as long as there is public access, no LEO will bother you. In my community PBC has an easement between subdivisions, it is legal to walk to the canal (parking a car may be a problem), the shoreline above the canal is maintained by the LWDD, perfectly legal for anyone to fish it, as there is public access to it. Homeowners sometimes complain, as they think their property line ends at the canal it doesn't. Any ocean beach is legal to fish as long as there is public access, property owner's lots ends at the high water mark. The exceptions are guarded areas where life guards are present, and federal property is off limits, like Cape Canaveral.

If you are being run off it's only because you're on private property, I have never been asked to leave, many of the LEOs are fishermen themselves, not only are they sympathetic, but have whole lot more to do than chasing people off for fishing. Sometimes bait fishermen sitting on a milk crate for hours are asked to leave, it has nothing to do with them being in the wrong.