mike carroll Loc: sakonnet river, RI

I'll be in Florida the week of 3/20/23. I'm bringing my saltwater flyfishing gear with me and would like some advice about where good public access to the shoreline is. Also, I'd like to know what species I can expect to successfully target at this time of year. (Yes, I said "successfully target" not necessarily have actual success in catching. I'll leave that part up to the fish Gods and whatever skill I bring with me.) Any info. would be helpful and much appreciated.

Mike

ripogenu Loc: norfolk, MA

good luck, I'm guessing you may be dealing with red tide on the gulf side, might be worthwhile to travel a little farther south.

Joecat Loc: Florida / Rhode Island

I would give Fred Howard park in Tarpon a try the bridges produce some nice trout along with occasional snook and red fish nice little beach there for the non fishing peoplel

mike carroll Loc: sakonnet river, RI

Fortunately, no sign of the impending seaweed problem. Unfortunately, family obligations left me little time to go prospecting with my flyrod.

I was a bit shocked at how little access there is without a boat. When I went to a large and very well stocked tackle shop in Inverness to get some local knowledge, the first question the owner asked me was "do you have a boat?". When I told him that I didn't, his face went blank and he started looking around to see if anyone in the store might have an idea. Finally, he mumbled that there might be some wadable shoreline out at the end of the Fort Island Trail nature preserve.

An hour and fifteen minutes later I arrived at the location and found a juicy looking shoreline which appeared to be a miles-long wadable flat. Even then, there was only one access point immediately adjacent to the small beach. With limited time, and an afternoon 25+ knot breeze, I managed to get in a few casts, thereby fulfilling a bucket list item of wetting a fly in the gulf.

Here in Southern Rhode Island, you can walk into any store that sells any kind of fishing stuff (Walmart or whatever), and ask the pimple faced kid at the register who doesn't even fish, where to go and he'll give you ten spots with ready access. The staff at any tackle shop needs a half hour to tell you about all of the spots he knows about.

I assume that it's a different story down in the keys, but I'm absolutely shocked at how little shoreline access there is. In northern Florida it's apparently all about the boat.