Beach or Surf Fishing in the Stuart area or any beach in Florida for that matter is always good. Just use either Live or dead shrimp, use some Pompano rigs along with some plastics. Use also a Pyramid sinker when casting out there between the waves. Use Sand Fleas if at all possible. Practice patience and turn yourself in early in the morning between 6-9am... Same goes for early evening hours when the tide looks calmer, great fishing just around Sunset.
Happy Fishing... Enjoy !

Southwest Florida fishing is great year round, there is not much of a winter in South Florida. From Sarasota/Sanibel all the way down to Naples/Marco Island the Fishing remains Great ! Fishing any of those Beaches remains an all time favorite. Live shrimp or Frozen always works well. Use Lures and Plastics they also work very good. Surf Fishing
in the Beaches is an Art in itself. Early morning hours and early evening hours work best, just around Sunset. So fishing in Sanibel to answer your question, Fish the Beaches and the Pier at Venice. Use simple rigs like... Carolina Rig. Get creative try several approaches. Since the water is a little colder check local reports and check around with bait shops to see what's running and who's catching what ! Winter and early spring make for... Reds, Snook, Sheepshead, Jacks, and Pompano's. If you stay or rent at a nearby oceanfront Beach Hotel, be sure to fish the Beach immediately behind the Hotels.
Happy Fishing, Tight Lines & Good Luck
Hope this helps !

Fishing the Beach or Surf behind the Hotels always pays off ! Best Time in the morning if you're an early Riser is between 6am-9am. After that the Beachgoers start coming out and its pretty hard to fish once the beach gets packed with people. It's common sense and courtesy to stop the fishing once the public takes over the Beach. I tried once to sneek and squeeze between bathers right in the middle of the afternoon and its pretty hard, people look at you funny and wish you would stop fishing near them. Not only that it was pretty dangerous...all I did was attract a small shark nearby and people definitely do not like that. Don't want to ruin anyone's vacation. Lesson Learned ! ...we stopped and never again. Only early morning and early evening by sunset. There is no one in the water during those times. I was only excited to get my rod out there cause the early morning catch was pretty good, with a Pompano, some Jacks and Perch...I was on a roll. But folks, common decency and courtesy dictates otherwise. Fish only in the Super early morning hours or in the Evening around Sunset ! We mainly use shrimp, either Live or dead, as well as some artificials and plastics, try everything in your tackle box. Birds early in the morning are good indicators of bait fish in the surface or a mullet run. Lunkers are close by like Tarpon/snook. depending on the season of the year of course.
Anyhow Good luck ya'll
Happy Fishing

When I go to Marco Island, I usually stay in the Hotels, The Beach/surf behind the hotels are excellent for fishing.
Early Morning hours and early evening hours are best at Sunset. Lookout though everybody comes out at Sunset from the hotels to see the Sunset ! Usually between 6-8pm. Excellent fishing at that time. Use either live shrimp or dead shrimp, both are good. We have caught Jacks, Blue runners, ladyfish and I've been hit a few times by Tarpon before but lost the fish. Use swim baits if possible also for the Tarpon, the water is only 2-5ft when casting from the surf with a normal 6.6ft rod and a regular reel, does not take much ! The view is spectacular even if you dont catch anything, you'll have lots of fun with the family, take plenty of Pics and It will be a memorable experience, but we always catch fish. Every so often you'll see your family of Dolphins coming up to the surface this includes the Naples Beaches as well. Dont forget you also have Naple Pier down by Gulfshore Blvd and 12th street. Excellent fishing as well in the Naples Pier.
Enjoy... Have fun !

Florida is always great... You can't go wrong. Try some piers in the Palm Beach area, Juno Pier/Beach to be exact and
also on the Southwest Gulf Coast Naples Pier... Try some beach and surf fishing either in Naples Beaches and Marco Island Beaches. Go with live Shrimp for starters and perhaps some cut bait. Mullet etc...
Happy Fishing !

Try some Surf/Beach Fishing in the same beach at Venice pier, just further yourself out from the pier for about 1/2 to 1 mile. Also you might want to try further down south at Naples Pier also a good area.
Good Luck

Get a Rod/Reel Combo Kit from Dick's Sporting Goods or Bass Pro chops.... They have some nice combos for $ 100.00 bucks or less, rig a basic Carolina rig with sinker, leader and hook... get some Live shrimp and you're good to go. Start visiting local fishing piers/bridges and some surf fishing at the Local Beaches... Happy Fishing !

Manny

It does not really matter... Fish can hit either way with a bait or no bait attached, sometimes it depends on how well you know how to work the spoon i.e. ... cast, retrieve fast/slow jerky motions and what have you !
Manny Fr: Florida

Lake Eloise is also the Lake that LEGOLAND uses for their water boat pirate shows... if you haven't seen it already. The park is right next to this lake and may be used only for those purposes, but not really too sure. Haven't seen anyone there do any fishing.

Just saying...but check !

Congrats on your retirement, I also live in Northern Virginia, but also have a home in Florida. We fish there a lot especially the Southwest Gulf Coast from Naples/Marco Island to the Tampa Bay area. You have truly indeed moved into paradise ! Enjoy the beaches, the fishing, the Sun, the weather and everything Florida has to offer.

Happy Fishing

Just do some Surf fishing off any of those nice beaches...The Pompano run may have started already, as well as Jacks, and maybe even Tarpon/Snook

Just Sayin
Manny

Hello... I know the Naples/Marco Island area very well. Try the Naples fishing pier on 12th street/Gulfshore Blvd
Its a great place to start in the area. In Marco Island just go surf or beach fishing from the shore...We have caught jacks, Tarpon, and snook right from the surf using live shrimp and jigs.
Good Luck

Manny

Walmart has some kits/combo, most are not that good, but just enough to do the job ranging $35-45
Also you might want to try Dick's Sporting Goods their choices are better maybe even in the same price range for the Reel/Rod combo.

Good Luck

Walmart equipment is junk. Its like buying a kit with Rod, Reel & maybe a small tacklebox with some stuff inside. But these are usually in the range of $25-45. Better to make the investment at Dick's sporting goods
or Bass Pro Shops (Cabellas).

Sunrise, early morning is very good. Also no one is usually at the beach during those early morning hours.
Also Sunset makes a great time as well. Everyone is usually gone by now, unless you have a crowd of people watching Sunsets. The waters are calmer and maybe even warmer early evening plus the tides are calmer as well with most of the time being low tide.