Hi guys,
I’ve never been to Florida before and the wife wants a beach vacation and I would like some fishing too! Can anyone recommend a nice place to stay with charter fishing close by? Any help would be appreciated. Looking at the Keys area?
Clearwater beach Florida has great beaches and some excellent charter fishing. I’m sure a quick google search will get you lots of info. Stay clear during spring break as this area is a hotspot for college spring breakers
I’d get ahold of Mplspug, unless he has become a hermit already. 
I’m not much help. We haven’t been to the keys. Heck, we haven’t been NW, W, S or SE of Orlando.
Brian has a name of a guide down there as a couple other people. I am sure they will chime in.
If you change your mind and are looking for a Florida secret that is a little quieter, has a great beach and has inshore and deep sea fishing, I can help.
X2 on the Clearwater Marina! Billy and I honeymooned in Indian Rocks Beach in 2007 and spent nearly every day at the marina in Clearwater. Lots of fun things to do. We fished with the charter named The Double Eagle II. It was a blast!
Marathon in the keys ,fishing,food,and a nice beach.Many charters,great fishing close.
BB2
I lived in Naples for a year. If you like the Daytona wild stuff it’s not the place to go. But if you like the calm white beach waters on the Gulf side it’s very nice. Lots of things to do. Naples has a reputation for being more expensive but you can find some places off the water that arent too bad. Traffic is better there than Marco, Estero, Fort Myers, etc. Also, all roads going West in Naples go to the beach. You don’t get the miles and miles of private shore where you can’t access water. Very nice. Went fishing several times with Captain Dean Bos ( originally from the Midwest) and you can catch everything – Tripletail, grouper, snapper, tarpon, snook etc.
I don’t want to hijack, but did you eat the triple tail frydog? I’ve heard it is good. It also looks like a fun way to fish, if you caught them the way I have seen. I see guys pitch jigs to floating vegetation, buoys, any type of floating cover.
Sanibel Island! Hands down. Been to the Key’s its over rated unless you want to party.
I lived there for 30 years eastcoast IM fished whole state.
One could almost recommend most of the state within 30 miles of the coast. There is decent charter fishing and fishing from a small craft pretty much anywhere in Florida. I have a feeling the more people chime in, the more different answers you might get. Trying to avoid traffic and high cost lodging might be another approach. I read that Florida recently passed New York state as the 3rd most populous state. Call a place a paradise and kiss it goodbye…
I’d focus on what your wife wants, fishing is available all over the state, even inland there is good bass and crappie fishing.
What type of accomodations does your wife like? She like all the perks or is she ok with less frills? Do you guys want to cook your meals or eat out? If eating out, fancy good places or casual good food? Are kids part of the deal.
I’ve been going to Florida for the last 20 years, and my kids are now 15 and 17. So we’ve done pretty much everything with and without kids, in fancy places and in some more casual. What are your and your wifes hopes?
ET
I read that Florida recently passed New York state as the 3rd most populous state. Call a place a paradise and kiss it goodbye…
It has, but it has more to do with New York being a cesspool as this graph clearly illustrates
Census Graph
Lay on the beach at Captiva Island off the coast near Fort Meyers. So awesome.
Both Tommy and Chris (I’ve fished with twice) are the best… Plenty of great guides abound in all areas of the state!!! They spend time in the Keys from now til about the end of March… They are flyfishing guys, but are accomodating with spinning gear as well… They’ve been guides for the Field and Stream editors and I thoroughly enjoyed both of my trips with Chris!!! The first we cassted to structure; the second we did spot and stalk… Spot and stalk is a gas!!!
http://www.flaredfish.com/photogallery2.cfm/id/605
http://www.flaredfish.com/photogallery2.cfm/id/603
http://www.flaredfish.com/photogallery2.cfm/id/597
The first pic, there is a Fish the River cap on my noggin’!!! Taking cougareyes advice, if you plan on another area, let me know, I can come with a couple other quality names in about all the areas that were mentioned above…
I don’t want to hijack, but did you eat the triple tail frydog? I’ve heard it is good. It also looks like a fun way to fish, if you caught them the way I have seen. I see guys pitch jigs to floating vegetation, buoys, any type of floating cover.
Catching tripletail is really fun – especially in the more “winter” season in Florida when the snook, tarpon, etc are still a few months off. Our guide Dean Bos would take us out and find the volleyball sized floats the fisherman put out to mark their traps. On sunny days (most every day) you drive down the long line of floats and can see the occasional shadow of the tripletail next to the float. They just stare at it all day long. We stop the boat, cast a live shrimp just beyond and slowly drag in front of the fish and boom!
Tripletail are fighters, like a huge crappie. They also have an extremely sharp gill plate you don’t want to get anywhere near of. A great, white flaky meat and quite coveted by the locals. Also a very protected fish – a narrow slot to keep. We went out twice and caught tripeltail but no keeper size. We tagged a few so Dean could record and send in to I believe the FL DNR for tracking purposes.
About a month later, we were at a “locals” house who set out some tripletail as hors d oeuvres. So I can say I had one bite. It was very good but I would have preferred an entire filet to give a more informed opinion. I plan to go back this Feb, but don’t think we’ll have time to fish. If you catch and/or eat one, please do let me know.
Sorry, just one picture that my dad took on his Pre-Y2K phone. -Fry
Tripletail.jpg
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