Needed, really important info for Port Charlotte area! (Sarasota, Naples: houses, to buy)

[Big House]

Originally Posted by mikeg1218

Hi Bob, Big House

That is some great info. I can see that it is going to take awhile to get used to the huge variety of species in the bay alone. I can see it just like every where new I have fished, you've got to do the time. What I like there is that I'll have more then just three months out of the year to do the time.

I'll relook at some flats boats but have to admit that on the ones I have looked at the low freeboard makes me nervous. Most of the ones I have looked at I'd be pretty leery of taking one out past the harbor on anything but an almost perfect day around here.

Speaking of shrimp, can you go out and catch you own. Specifically the eating kind? Don't let it get around or they'll be burning effagies of me in front of the house but I like shrimp even better then a Maine lobster.

I'll be looking forward to running across you all at Fishing Franks when I do get down there.

Thanks again
Mike

I already have my boat, and I love it, so I'm not gonna get a new one. I will make some of the minor changes, but I do think I will get another smaller draft boat too. Right now as someone posted you can get some great deals on them. You will find a huge variety of fish there!

Now, I wouldn't say I love shrimp more than lobster!! You can catch shrimp, but you have to have the right kind of nets, and most shrimpers to that at night, so if you like to be out half the night - there you go. Me - I'd rather get up early and pay a few bucks and get them. There is a Shrimp boat - the Mystic, that will sell you some right off the boat dock-side at Fisherman's Village in Punta Gorda. They have them at Fishing Franks, and a lot of other marina / bait shops around the harbor.

I forgot to mention, but as you know you need a bathtub full of sun screen, good UV/glare resistive sunglasses, and a hat. I have a full assortment of all that I keep on my boat for my guests and fishing buddies.

[FLBob]

Mike, while I've tried to catch just about everything else, but I've never attempted to catch shrimp.
I hear guys talking about using nets around bridges and passes on certain moon phases. But I'm like BH it's too easy to get food size shrimp right from the shrimp boats.

I have a flats boat, and the low free board and no sides freaks people out until they become accustom to being on the boat. I've only had one person go over board. I do need to pay attention to large wakes/waves coming at me from the stern, and drift fishing in rough water will place the stern towards the on coming waves. For the most part I get a soft dry ride in anything under 2' waves, it's easy to anchor, I can get back into areas that many other boats can't.
I would not trade my flats boat. My wife even likes my boat, she just wishes it had a tee top or bimini, but I don't want the obstruction or the added weight.

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by mikeg1218

Hi Bob, Big House

That is some great info. I can see that it is going to take awhile to get used to the huge variety of species in the bay alone. I can see it just like every where new I have fished, you've got to do the time. What I like there is that I'll have more then just three months out of the year to do the time.

I'll relook at some flats boats but have to admit that on the ones I have looked at the low freeboard makes me nervous. Most of the ones I have looked at I'd be pretty leery of taking one out past the harbor on anything but an almost perfect day around here.

Speaking of shrimp, can you go out and catch you own. Specifically the eating kind? Don't let it get around or they'll be burning effagies of me in front of the house but I like shrimp even better then a Maine lobster.

I'll be looking forward to running across you all at Fishing Franks when I do get down there.

Thanks again
Mike

When I was a kid we used to sit under the Tom Adams bridge (going over to Manasota Key) at night and use long dip net and a Q-Beam and catch a ton of shrimp. When the tide is changing it works out the best. Then you get a good current flowing through there. When you shine the Q-Beam on them their eyes glow red and you just scoop them up.

Like Bob and BH said, the other alternative is to just go buy them. You can also get a nice bait net and catch some nice green back shiners or pinfish, which are great to use for bait as well.

[mikeg1218]

Sounds like shrimping could be fun to try once and awhile but if they are easly available for short money why take the time away from fishing. Sounds like a plan to me.

I'll try to take another look at flats boats and keep an open mind. I'll just have to keep reminding myself that this is a whole different ball game then what I'm fimiliar and comfortable with.

This all brings up two more question, what game fish are available out in the gulf that aren't available in the bay and what is the max draft of a boat that will allow fishing the flats without damaging them?

Since my wife is already very fimiliar with SW Florida it looks like I'm going to be sent down there for a couple of days on recon for my own education on the subject. It'll be either sometime in Oct. or Dec/Jan depending on when I can get some body work done on a shoulder that isn't working quite the way it should and how much recover time is required. I'm hoping for micro surgery. But good old Murphy will probably have a say in the matter.

Thanks again guys and gal.
Mike

[Big House]

Originally Posted by mikeg1218

Sounds like shrimping could be fun to try once and awhile but if they are easly available for short money why take the time away from fishing. Sounds like a plan to me.

I'll try to take another look at flats boats and keep an open mind. I'll just have to keep reminding myself that this is a whole different ball game then what I'm fimiliar and comfortable with.

This all brings up two more question, what game fish are available out in the gulf that aren't available in the bay and what is the max draft of a boat that will allow fishing the flats without damaging them?

Since my wife is already very fimiliar with SW Florida it looks like I'm going to be sent down there for a couple of days on recon for my own education on the subject. It'll be either sometime in Oct. or Dec/Jan depending on when I can get some body work done on a shoulder that isn't working quite the way it should and how much recover time is required. I'm hoping for micro surgery. But good old Murphy will probably have a say in the matter.

Thanks again guys and gal.
Mike

I would hire a guide and have him take you out fishing on the flats areas, and out on the harbor. Its a few hundred bucks to really get a feel for things. I'm sure they will give you a lot of information, plus you will get a first hand feel for the area, and learn some awesome techniques.

[FLBob]

When I did most of my fishing offshore the species that I caught that I don't normally find inshore:
Gag Grouper
Mutton Snapper
Yellowtail snapper
Amberjack
Barracuda
King Mackerel
Bonita

While draft is an important consideration in selecting a flats boat, weight and wind resistance are probably equally important. A heavy boat is harder to pole or push, and days with a bit of wind can make moving around in shallow water harder if the boat has a lot of surface area above the water line. But to your question, a good flats boat will have a draft of no more than 10 inches. Getting around on flats in a bay boat with a draft of 13-15 inches is possible, but usually you will only be looking to cross the shallows to get into deeper water on the other side. Then your real concern is what is your running depth. I've been on a few boats that will run in 5", with a good captain.

[mikeg1218]

Thanks BH

We've been in correspondence with real estate guy who has a boat and is aware of my prorities and will be taking me around on the water as well as on the land.

However when the deed is done and before I strike out on my own, well, maybe not right before but soon after, I'm figuring on doing a charter or two so I can learn from the pros.

Take care
Mike

[Big House]

Originally Posted by mikeg1218

Thanks BH

We've been in correspondence with real estate guy who has a boat and is aware of my prorities and will be taking me around on the water as well as on the land.

However when the deed is done and before I strike out on my own, well, maybe not right before but soon after, I'm figuring on doing a charter or two so I can learn from the pros.

Take care
Mike

Are you looking in the Punta Gorda Isles area? That is where I live. I'm about a mile from Fisherman's Village, and have a boat lift right behind my house. I can travel through Bass Inlet right next to FV and be in the harbor in about 5 minutes. The houses are nice, the canals are maintained by the town of PG, and they remain full of water and fish all year round. I have caught snapper, catfish (tapon bait), and jacks right off my dock. Dophin come up in my canal and school up and charge the mullet all the time. Sometimes a school of jacks come in and churn up the water pretty good. There are also a lot of snook in the canals all the time as well - but I haven't caught any of them yet. I have also caught an occasional blue crab and an occasional skate too.

[mikeg1218]

I have two criteria, wll actually 4. The house has saltwater access and a dock . The third and fourth ones were gemeral ones from our first deciding it's time to move south. They were that there was at least one palm tree in the area and the only thing a shovel was used for was to move dirt. The last two are pretty well covered in either location.

Her's is that it has a lanai with pool and room for her home office and there is good beaches nearby. She swears that when the time comes she wants her ashes spread on Lowdermilk down in Naples.

Where is almost certainly going to be Punta Gorda or Port Charlotte since they are pretty much the only two who meet the criteria.

Punta Gorda would be my first choice but so far the listings show only one house that meets all the criteria and is within the price range we are willing to pay as compared to Port Charlotte with more then a half a dozen. Who knows what will be available when spring rolls around.

Mike

[mikeg1218]

By the by and I am not looking for anything figures I'm ging to hold anyone to.

Should a place be on a canal wih no dock or lift what's a ball park on getting a dock put in and are lifts stand alone or addon to a dock.

Just how much red ttape is involved in getting the job done and can it be a do it yourself job, a few posts and wood dock or maybe one of those foating drive up on docks?

Thanks
Mike