[commtrd]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[Hugh White]

new2theflats,... where are you fishing in LA? Just got back from Dulac and had some awesome redfishing. On your way to S. Fl., stop for a day or two around Keaton Beach for some great flats fishing.

 

[kbanashek]

I work from my home as well and have been on essentially a 5-year fly fishing road trip...

San Diego, CA > South Baja, MX > Jackson, WY > Missoula, MT > Abaco, Bahamas > South Padre, TX > Jensen Beach, FL > Islamorada > Key Largo(present)

Decided if I'm going to buy furniture, I want to be able to chase bonefish, permit & tarpon...and some snook.

I chose to reside in the northern keys for a couple of reasons:
1. Big bonefish
2. Ability to get the hell out when(not if) a storm comes
3. Cost of living/food and ability to find labor on a consistent basis
4. Live music - the Caribbean club has some really good talent on the weekends(if you like Allman brothers)
5. Sometimes...I just really crave chipotle.

Every key has it's own distinct personality, cliche as it sounds it's really true IMO.
Living down in MX and Bahamas I was somewhat used to the lifestyle...an errand is going to take an hour or so type thing. However the reward is being able to look at the weather and tide chart and see an incoming at 1pm, and let work know - you've got a dentist appt, a contractor just stopped by, your kid got sent home sick...etc.

 

[Dajk]

From Texas originally, live in Alaska now, but starting this year I’m wintering down south. Currently in PCB FL. Headed to Louisiana tomorrow for 3 days of chasing bull reds with a fly rod.

Anyway, I’m fortunate to be able to be anywhere that I can get the Internet for my business. Current plan is to settle in the Key’s, Marathon area. I want to flats fly fish for the usual suspects plus big Tarpon.

Any other place that I should consider, any Key in particular? Or????

Thanks!

Fort pi

From Texas originally, live in Alaska now, but starting this year I’m wintering down south. Currently in PCB FL. Headed to Louisiana tomorrow for 3 days of chasing bull reds with a fly rod.

Anyway, I’m fortunate to be able to be anywhere that I can get the Internet for my business. Current plan is to settle in the Key’s, Marathon area. I want to flats fly fish for the usual suspects plus big Tarpon.

Any other place that I should consider, any Key in particular? Or????

Thanks!

Fort pierce Florida, get a guide or take your boat to the vero beach cove for huge tarpon, thats north of the inlet, south of the inlet to discharge pipe of power plant for african pompano or to 15a for big kings or cuda...mouth of inlet or turn basin for 30lb plus snook...enjoy

 

[new2theflats]

Back from that trip. A little disappointing. Three days with a guide, first day just southeast of Mandeville, water was clear but never saw a fish. Second day south of Bay Saint Louis, water stained yellow (algae?) so couldn't see fish until right on top of them, did manage to catch four decent redfish- my first ever on a fly so that was cool- but really rough ride to the fish. Third and final day, Sunday before the front came in we planned to run there again, but even though there wasn't a breeze there was 2' chop coming from all directions. So with the front coming in and such a long run we turned back, put the boat on the trailer and beat it back to Mandeville where we went to the same water as the first day with the same results- never saw a fish. But being new to the flats boat world I did learn something valuable for my upcoming build- I'm too tall to stand and drive- can barely reach the steering wheel and can't reach the throttle or trim switches- so I'll need a custom console built to my measurements. And I learned that even boats (at least the one I was in) with 12 degrees of dead rise beat the crap out of a person sitting down in two foot chop. Both my finance and myself ended up with sore backs on the second day. So she will need to be able to stand next to me and have a grab bar high enough to hold onto. Very important info to learn- so that alone was worth the price of admission. Glad you had a great trip, and nice to learn there are a lot more waters to fish in LA then just where we were.

 

[BobGee]

I love hearing my father in law tell the stories of P-cola from when he was a boy. I think the state is almost gone. As much as I love the fishing, I'll be leaving before too long. Somewhere cold with hills and trout.

You may want to think about Montana. It’s a great place to visit but it’s an incredible place to live. You’ll see quality fly fishing visitors never see. Sure it’s cold but there are fishable days on the big tailwaters even in winter.

 

[new2theflats]

Dajk, I actually lived in Fort Pierce in 73-74 going to a deep sea diving school. I don't even recognize the place now. Good info on the fishing there, thanks.

kbanashek, a man after my own heart. I've certainly chased fish around the country over the years but never out of the country.

The forgotten coast is sounding really interesting, we are not fans of being around a ton of people, that's one of the reasons we live in Alaska. But still plan on exploring all the way down the Keys, but now will also explore the forgotten coast.

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts, really appreciate it.

 

[Backcountry 16]

Dajk, I actually lived in Fort Pierce in 73-74 going to a deep sea diving school. I don't even recognize the place now. Good info on the fishing there, thanks.

kbanashek, a man after my own heart. I've certainly chased fish around the country over the years but never out of the country.

The forgotten coast is sounding really interesting, we are not fans of being around a ton of people, that's one of the reasons we live in Alaska. But still plan on exploring all the way down the Keys, but now will also explore the forgotten coast.

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts, really appreciate it.

If you don't like crowds don't head anywhere below Tampa or anywhere on the east coast of Florida

 

[Str8-Six]

I work from my home as well and have been on essentially a 5-year fly fishing road trip...

San Diego, CA > South Baja, MX > Jackson, WY > Missoula, MT > Abaco, Bahamas > South Padre, TX > Jensen Beach, FL > Islamorada > Key Largo(present)

This makes me feel great about my life.

 

[Zika]

Sigh...

Sadly, even the Forgotten Coast has been discovered. Bay boats with 200-hp engines running inside and up on sandbars without a clue, Instagram idiots in Hells Bays on plane 30 feet abeam while you're poling in less than 12 inches of water, Fridays as crowded as Saturday, ******* cork-slinging meat hogs everywhere, not to mention the hold-out gill net poachers with felony records a mile long.

Better stake your claim to Montana before I get there, although I hear there's some cheap property in the Northern Bahamas about now. Or a private South Pacific island sounds grand if I'd ever hit that winning PowerBall ticket.

 

[Zane Bailey]

I've always been a fan of the GA and SC coastal areas.

FL is getting too crowded. They need to hang a "Closed" sign at the state line.

Too many refugees from "blue" states coming down here to escape taxes and policies they continue to support after arriving here...

From Texas originally, live in Alaska now, but starting this year I’m wintering down south. Currently in PCB FL. Headed to Louisiana tomorrow for 3 days of chasing bull reds with a fly rod.

Anyway, I’m fortunate to be able to be anywhere that I can get the Internet for my business. Current plan is to settle in the Key’s, Marathon area. I want to flats fly fish for the usual suspects plus big Tarpon.

Any other place that I should consider, any Key in particular? Or????

Thanks!

Port Aransas Texas is a great place been here all my life very small town we get to chase tarpon in the summer from the jetty, redfish year round and trout almost all year bull reds start running in the summer during mullet run and we get the snook action down here to Port Aransas is a tiny town a dot on the Texas coast but a great place to reside if your interested in somewhere other than Florida this town is also where Hurricane Harvey made direct landfall and the town is back and better than ever before

 

[kbanashek]

Port Aransas Texas is a great place been here all my life very small town we get to chase tarpon in the summer from the jetty, redfish year round and trout almost all year bull reds start running in the summer during mullet run and we get the snook action down here to Port Aransas is a tiny town a dot on the Texas coast but a great place to reside if your interested in somewhere other than Florida this town is also where Hurricane Harvey made direct landfall and the town is back and better than ever before

The lower laguana madre has been (in my opinion) one of the most overlooked fisheries in the US. During the fall we used to fish the Mansfield jetty(south) and would typically return with a couple of flounder but would also catch snook, tarpon, bull reds, trout. On top of that, I love the fact you're still allowed to drive/camp on the beach.

 

[SomaliPirate]

You may want to think about Montana. It’s a great place to visit but it’s an incredible place to live. You’ll see quality fly fishing visitors never see. Sure it’s cold but there are fishable days on the big tailwaters even in winter.

I was thinking Montana, Wyoming or Idaho. I'll risk frostbite/hypothermia for a fish, no questions asked.

 

[new2theflats]

Does Port A still have belt sander races? Handy airport. My business partner has a place there.

I played golf there once (when I used to like golf) and it's the only course I've ever been on that a major hazard in rattlesnakes. Never fished there though. Any opportunity to fly fish around Port A?

 

[Seymour fish]

South Padre Island, Texas. Warm blue water on the beach, clear water in the Laguna, good fishing.

Jay, I think it’s gone to hell down there. Chamber of commerce has marketed it to the lowest common denominator. Wind surfers/kite boarders have ruined the sand for fishing for miles to the north in what was an outstanding fishery. Intense fishing pressure on the spots that are left. Not to mention contending with the rich Mexican nationals that invade at Easter and turn the island into a parking lot. The most arrogant sunsabitches on the planet and that includes the French. Cartel ownership of a lot of the high end real estate on the island is a poorly kept secret. But if you feel lucky, give it a whirl

 

[Seymour fish]

Does Port A still have belt sander races? Handy airport. My business partner has a place there.

I played golf there once (when I used to like golf) and it's the only course I've ever been on that a major hazard in rattlesnakes. Never fished there though. Any opportunity to fly fish around Port A?

New, yes. Plenty good guides. Plenty walk-in wading spots.

 

[MooreMiller]

I’m 100% in support of a purge.

 

[BobGee]

I’m 100% in support of a purge.

Does anyone have any experience with Orange Beach, Perdido Key or Pensacola?

 

[windblows]

What would you like to know? I grew up in Pensacola. Moved away in 2001. Still visit a few times a year. It still has a small town feel to it but boat traffic is crazy. Everyone has a boat I think. The inshore fishing is good but not as good as other places on the Gulf Coast, or even as good as it is here in Jacksonville. The bays are deep and wide open so windy days can be tough in a small boat. That said, the offshore fishing is easily accessible and fun, and there is always something to catch, including snapper, cobia, kings and grouper in the bay.

 

[MRichardson]

To echo what he said above. It is beautiful water there though large areas are just sand bottom.
Inshore is not nearly so varied and rich in habitat as what you'd find in central to south FL/Keys though. And winter is cold and uneventful for a while until things warm up in spring.
I loved my time there from 1993-2001, fished 4 days a week probably. Slower pace, lot of history, much less crowded. I'd go back if the right opportunity presented itself.