Retirement location in Florida?

[Questor]

For my retirement I plan to live near readily accessible in-shore saltwater fishing. I've looked at a few places in Florida that look pretty good. I'd appreciate your opinion on a good area. Obviously access to employment is not a prime consideration, but being within a few hours of a population center is important. Thanks for taking the time.

[Choupique]

Naples...

[aquaholik]

Tampa/St Petersburg. Major city, close to Orlando, lots of great inshore fishing from Tarpon Springs to Sarasota.

[FlyfishTom]

On the East coast there is the Lagoons of east central Florida. They are near Orlando and you can pick any city from Daytona south.

A lifetime isn't enough to cover this area so you will have a lot of fun fishing them.

Travel around, find a place you like. There is flats fishing darn near everywhere but the further south you go the steadier the fishing is. Snook and tarpon are wonderful but you won't have much of an opportunity to fish for them in the panhandle. <grin>

[Nitroman77]

west palm beach/Stuart FLA. My grandpa lives there and fishes the indian river/ stuart pass...in 15 mins and he can also go to the ocean if need be along with KILLER bass fishing which he doesnt do, but I do all the time im down there. Stick marsh is an hour away and the big O is real close as well.

[Local Rookie]

Around Daytona Beach - You have the Halifax River and the Atlantic Ocean in very close proximity.

[manasota]

Englewood.

Lemon Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Boca Grande.

[Paul W]

I saw one suggestion above for Naples. Prices have jumped up like 2 1/2 times since we moved there in 2002. I just moved from there after 5 years. It is a very nice town....the eastern part of town you have the lower income and country crowd...to the west is the nicer areas, some downright rich areas!! The fishing there is pretty good but I wouldnt call it great....offshore isnt much unless you like running 20+ miles out for grouper and a few other species. Inshore the Snook/Redfishing can be great in certain spots. My favorite thing to do there is may-oct wading the local beaches and sightfishing Snook on the fly. Its pretyt amazing when conditions are right....just like bonefishing really. Everglades are nearby but I never went there because the bugs absolutely kill me when I go into the deep backwaters. Bass fishing around there is very limited...just local ponds/canals and okeechobee 2 hrs away. If I had to pick one area for fishing it would be the area from Jupiter to Titusville on the E coast. The east coast fishing is absolutely phenominal year round, and that area also offers some very nice inshore opportunities, including the famous Indian River. You can make a short run offshore to deep, blue water and catch all kinds of big pelagics. Also tons of bass fishing lakes are available inland with just a modest drive. They are good sized cities close to major airports and Orlando is a 2hr drive or less. Orlando is a traffic nightmare in winter and I wouldnt even consider that place.

Paul W

[termigator]

I live in Orlando. Before I had access to a boat, I drove two hours to the Skyway Bridge to fish. You'd be surprised at what you can catch there if you try for it (kingfish, grouper, tarpon and lots of Spanish mackerel. All on the bridge!). Most of the time, I drove two hours to Sebastian Inlet, the best land-based fishing spot in all of Florida. (Just my opinion). Jetty Park Pier in the Port Caneveral area is not bad either and it's only about 45 minutes away. Now that I have a boat, I go to either the Indian River Lagoon or Mosquito Lagoon once a week for redfish and trout. Of course, my wife still gets to do all of her stuff (I.E. shopping, night on the town, blah, blah, blah) because we live in Orlando.
I don't do it, but I heard the freshwater fishing is not too shabby here either.

[USA-RET]

Bonita Springs/Naples

Great shore fishing on the beaches....excellent night fishing. Wiggins Pass, Big San Carlos, New Pass, Hickory Pass, Doctor's Pass, Clam Pass.....all excellent opportunities for Snook, Reds, Trout, Snapper....well you get the picture.

Home prices have gone through the roof in the last few years..but are starting to come back into line......although slowly. There are some bargains to be had..but you have to look for them. Some builders are starting to construct homes priced for the "regular Joe".

Wade fishing in the mornings in the Gulf is wonderful..plenty of days when the water is very calm and gin clear...walk and pitch a swim bait as you go...Spanish Mackrel, Snook and Reds..lots of fun fish too..Jacks and Lady fish "up the wasue".

Cheers

[RAT]

Gulf Breeze

[Snagmaster]

Jupiter.......Snook capital of Florida..

[rysher]

titusville--45mins dr to orlando--5min drive to the surf--1min no driving to lagoon/banana river

cocoa-- 45min to orlando--5min to surf--1min no driving to banana river

satellite beach--4min drive to beach (pompano fihsing during colder months)--4min drive to indian river--45mins to orlando

melbourne--4min to beach--5min to indian river--45min to orlando
(plenty of opportunity for employemnet here)

goodluck.