Interested in moving to Florida... Need advice!

[hmarchetti]

Hi everyone- I'm a Mainer with a serious tropical fish bug and I could use some advice on Florida...

Any thoughts on affordable towns/cities to live in with access to great year round fishing? (Does a place like this even exist?) I'm interested in all species, but (big) tarpon are definitely at the top of my list.

I've made a few trips to SW florida to fish with my brother who was living in Naples, which seems like a decent area. I've always fished unguided and have had success on foot or by kayak with snook, baby tarpon, and jack.

Any other suggestions?

I understand that winter can be touchy and isn't peak tarpon season, but are there areas that are consistent? Chokoloskee/Everglades city intrigues me

Thanks!
Henry

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Port Saint Joe on the Florida panhandle......

[Idadon]

Just a few quick reminders; Fire Ants, Humidity, Hurricanes, Alligators, and on and on! My suggestion is to buy a nice Motor Home!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Mid-summer in Florida is nasty.....hot, muggy with bugs.

Fall, winter and spring are OK.



Be sure to live within 10 miles of the coast for better weather.

You will be a little cooler in the summer and a little warmer in the winter.



Have two little shacks: one in Florida and one in Washington State or Montana.


Having an RV makes sense too.

.

[Please Release]

Learn Spanish.

[johnsquires]

Funny - if I lived in Florida, I'd probably want to move to Maine. But I've never lived in Maine, so what do I know.
I had a brother who had a place in Marathon in the Keys, so I get what you're saying about the fishing. Tarpon are amazing.
But you walked outside and immediately began sweating. Maybe you get used to it.

[PV_Premier]

Learn Spanish.

seriously? someone from Sac just posted this in reference to Florida?


anyways, some recommendations --

Bradenton is a decent town with good access to good fishing and a lower cost of living than Tampa/St Pete and Sarasota

The east coast between Vero Beach and Palm Beach (Pt St Lucie, Jupiter, etc) is nice

St Augustine is a great place

Cedar Key is a lovely small fishing village

None of the above are year round tarpon meccas but all offer great fishing for inshore and in some cases offshore species.

[hmarchetti]

Thanks for the input everyone. Yep, Maine is definitely a much nicer place to live in my opinion and I think I would struggle with the weather in Florida, especially through the summer. The only reason I would go is really just to be in tarpon country. I'll look into the suggested areas, thanks again!