Florida fishing. Marco Island to Clearwater???

[Oasis]

Hi Everyone,
I’ll be taken an exploratory trip at the end of the month to Florida’s west coast.
Driving up and down the coast… from Miami to Marco Island, Fort Myers, Sarasota and to Clearwater Tampa & St Petersburg Area. The plan is to fish a day or two in a few spots and look around for a nice place to purchase a condo or a house as a fishing getaway in the winter.
Not looking to retire there full time (not that old yet LOL) just a winter/ fishing retreat and an investment.
Any feedback would be appreciated on what town is best to be close to fishing grounds? Which marina?
And please share your FL fishing stories.

[Gerry Zagorski]

West coast fishery is mostly inshore and back bay. Ocean is pretty flat, lifeless,sandy, shallow, and void of any palagics like Tuna, Marlin etc until you get 70 plus miles offshore.

If I'm in your shoes on the west coast, I'm lookin for places with a good bay/sound fishery. Barring the keys I think your best bets south to north are Marco/10000 islands, Fort Meyers/Cape Coral/Sanibel and the up by Clearwater/Tampa.

Inshore fisheries will keep you entertained most of the year with Redfish, Snook, Trout etc but really nothing big...Once the spring comes along its big game time with 100 pound plus Tarpon. It lasts for a month or so but what an unbelievable Tarpon fishery the west coast has and the Capital Boca Grande which is closest to Fort Myers.

Love fishing Down that way certain times of the year, but with the exception of Tarpon, our inshore fishery in NJ is much better and more diverse.

[tightlines]

We've been going to Captiva for 25 years, May and July at our time share. Gerry is correct mostly back bay. The selection of fish depends on the time of year but we have never been skunked. May is great for tarpon up in Boca Grande but last year we had then in the back bay. Red fish, grouper, snapper, snook, lady fish. All within minutes of most of the marinas of Sanibel/Captiva and Fort Myers. We use the same guide every year and have never been disappointed Capt Jimmy Burnsed 239 472 1779. You wont be disappointed Tightlines Ed A

[Andreas Toy]

Hey Tony, call me on my cell, have the right captain for the Tampa-Clearwater
Area, expert bottom fisherman, and a Jersey guy!

[Taxman]

Hey Tony, call me on my cell, have the right captain for the Tampa-Clearwater
Area, expert bottom fisherman, and a Jersey guy!

Yes Carlos is top notch, already planning this years trip with him

[fishingfool]

tony;I know the west coast area around Englewood very well.its a little south of VENICE.I actually just put a post up today,because I charter a boat every Wednesday from 1/27 thru April and have spots open from time to time. we fish out of Stump Pass Marina.We catch Amberjack Cobia, grouper,mangrove snapper etc. we usually go out between 22 to 25 miles and fish man made reefs and wrecks.you can send me a message or feel free to call me for more info.thanks Gary 973 277-0455

[seabass7]

I also had the misconception that the west coast was flat, lifeless,etc. When I moved here back in 2012 and without having numbers I thought I was screwed. There is a ton of ledges, wrecks and so on . Yes we don't have pelagics until 50 out and that's mainly blackfins and mahis. Inshore I have caught tarpon to 90lbs , snook up to 18lbs, redfish up to 20lbs plus big sheepshead, flounder and Spanish mackerel . If you want giant black drum there's a causeway 4 miles from my house where a half a crab on a fish finder rig will fetch you a 50lb drum in minutes . Florida waters are way more diverse than NJ by far. I do miss offshore Seabass and togs and that crazy ass striper run !
Tight lines to everyone .
Capt Carlos

[seabass7]

And all the groupas!

[seabass7]

X

[seabass7]

True black

[Oasis]

tony;I know the west coast area around Englewood very well.its a little south of VENICE.I actually just put a post up today,because I charter a boat every Wednesday from 1/27 thru April and have spots open from time to time. we fish out of Stump Pass Marina.We catch Amberjack Cobia, grouper,mangrove snapper etc. we usually go out between 22 to 25 miles and fish man made reefs and wrecks.you can send me a message or feel free to call me for more info.thanks Gary 973 277-0455

Hi Gary, I'll call you tomorrow.

Carlos, I've been talking w Fred about you. If I make it to Clearwater I'll be calling you for a charter.

[Sharkyispy]

Have fished the Sarasota south waters in back bay and inshore/offshore for quite a few years now. Back bay holds quite the variety of species and access areas to get to them. Fish with Capt Joe Miller on Fish Galore Offshore as have many other members on the site here, launching from Venice and heading out for a full day of fishing for grouper, amberjack, snapper, sharks, cuda, name it. He's one of the best in the area. Regarding condos and search, if you like snowbirds, Sarasota is the place and where we currently own a condo, near the MLB spring training practice fields. And that is also close to the downtown marina and bay. If you want less, a little further south near Osprey and Venice puts you more in the middle of grounds between Ft Myers, Sarasota and an hour further north to Tampa Bay. A little outside of Sarasota, Bradenton is also a great area to consider for condos. Prices are on the rise right now, we've seen a nice increase in value the past two years.....