Florida Banning Night Surf-Fishing??

6132 Views 10 Replies 7 Participants Last post by soapfish, Jul 3, 2003

Av8tor

Discussion Starter · Jun 5, 2003

Ok, the subject might be a bit strong but…. I’ve moved to Florida 2 years ago as I wanted to find a place where I could surf fish year-round. Prior to moving here we did all our surf fishing along the Delaware and Maryland Beaches.

I don’t recall a single park, parking area, or stretch of beach which closes at night, you can fish, park, and use the parks (state and federal) 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Now here in Florida it seems nearly everywhere I go there’s a park which closes at dusk or a parking area which large signs “no parking from 9PM – 6AM”. Even a federal park such as Canaveral National Seashore closes at sunset. In Maryland we had Assateague National Park, actually composes of both a State and National Park. NONE of Assategue closes at night, after 5PM it free and you can fish as late as you want.

In the last 2 years I fished Ormond Beach and Ormond By the Sea areas as they have road side parking which doesn’t close at sunset. However this year the beaches are flat and fishing only so-so. I’ve been driving nearly every night to Flagler and either fishing the pier or the surf from anywhere north of the pier. Again there is plenty of non-time-restricted road side parking.

Being that I live in Daytona Beach I’m looking for night time surf fishing spots south of me. But I’ve discovered that from the south end of New Smyra Beach (starting at the northern park of CNS) south clear til Sabastian inlet is closed at sunset! That is over 86 miles of beach closed at night.

Today I was checking all the Brevard County Parks and ALL have signs “Park Closes at Sunset”. The only roadside parking available is just south of Sabastian and that is very limited.

To make matters worse I drive down to Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood and North Miami areas. Again, NO PARKING after Sunset signs litter the beach side parking areas. Another 13+ miles of beach parking closed to night time activities.

I guess my question is this why is Florida so much against anyone on the beaches at night while other states allow it? Also, where can you surf fish at night south of Daytona Beach?

George

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Sandcrab

· #2 · Jun 5, 2003

George,

You need to come back to MD/DE for a vacation.

They're catching some nice stripers, drum, blues at AI, blues at IRI, and large cownose rays in the Bay. Some of the blues at AI are over 36".

A visit will do you good.

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Av8tor

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 5, 2003

I probably will be up soon. I also miss the smell of French Fries & Vinegar infront of Thrashers on the Boardwalk!

Here in FL we have NOTHING like the O.C. Boardwalk.

If it wasn't for the winters I would have moved to OC long ago. I've considered renting a house up there, looking for something nice possible full-time. Anyone have any let me know...

But been here (FL) 2 years and am starting to think fishing and access to surf fishing spots are a bit over-rated.

Granted its fun to hook up a 5 foot shark which you can do quite often. But there are very few flounders (some are caught but in OC I would catch several a day!) and there are no stripers in the surf. We do have blues, fall ones are big, but I'm not a blue eater, give me flounder, sea trout, and stripers any day...

George

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Kozlow

· #4 · Jun 5, 2003

Hey Av8tor
I pretty much have the same answers you got here: http://floridasurffishing.com/cgi-bin/floridasurffishing/noteboards/gowge.cgi?read=61634#61634
I like the shark pits myself south of Publix on A1A no one will bother you all night. I have fished this area quite a bit and it has been productive to say the least. Just don't
get stuck in the sand.

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Al Torney

· #5 · Jun 5, 2003

I lived in Ponte Vedra Beach north of St. Augustine from 1997 t0 2002. You can take your life into your own hands fishing anywhere from Atlantic Beach to St. Augustine during the night. In fact, the paid parking areas along A1A during the day are prime for car break ins and they happen frequently. Two years ago a guy was killed over a fishing spot on the Matanzas Inlet bridge. One only has to read the Beaches Leader on Wednesdays to read about this stuff. Before my move to Fla there was a surf fisherman killed at Jax beach by a mugger. Bottom line is it all revolves around drugs and a place to party or steal to get money for drugs. One safe place is Huegenut State Park on the north side of the St Johns. Only campers can spend the night. So fishermen pay the camping fee and fish at night. In fact I've met women that do this. Most of the state and county parks in Maryland now require that you be actively engaged in fishing to be there at night. Assateague has always had this rule. Guys can be sleeping as long as there is someone fishing in the group. Ocean City, Maryland allows fishing all night and has had an occassional problem, but overall I would consider it a safe place.

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Sandcrab

· #6 · Jun 6, 2003

Do you guys fish lures in the surf for barracuda, kings, etc.? The Atlantic barries are huge and they should provide some good fishing. Due to toxins found in them, I wouldn't advise eating them though.

I would think that wading and lure fishing would be the rave down there.

And what about fly fishing for bonefish?

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FL FISHERMAN

· #7 · Jun 6, 2003

Any one from FL would have to admit that FL doesn't really take care of the surf fisherman especially at night. I am not talking about piers but true surf fisherman. It is almost as bad there as it is in VA. I would say everything there is mostly geared for boats b/c that is where the real $$ is. If you don't own a boat and live in FL you ain't nobody. So they say.

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catman

· #8 · Jun 18, 2003

Av8tor, come on back to THE LAND OF PLEASANT LIVING .

,steamed crabs, fired soft crabs, Maryland tomatoes and fies w/vinegar, and the fishing is great.

FL FISHERMAN you sure get around. Not getting homesick are you?

Catman.

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FL FISHERMAN

· #9 · Jun 19, 2003

Oh Catman, You know my heart still lies in FL

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Av8tor

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 25, 2003

Catman, you make me hungry for Thrashers Fries with that "fies w/vinegar" comment!

I think I'm coming back for a few weeks, just didn't tell the wife that a few weeks might turn into a few years

George

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soapfish

· #11 · Jul 3, 2003

Hello Av8tor,
The state of secure recreational fun in Florida is a pretty sad affair when it comes to fishing on the beach at night.
My family moved to a little town called Boca Raton, on the S.E. coast, in 1956. The population at that time was approximately four thousand. The only crime was an occasional bar fight or some husband or wife pounding the soup out of each other.
I was ten years old then and fishing was about the only thing there was to do. It was very common to fish and sleep on the beach all night. We would build a large fire and cook any thing we caught. This was done without any regard to the location or security.
By the time I joined the Boca Raton police department in 1970 felonious assault, rape, attempted murder, and grand larceny was very common in the areas I use to fish as a kid. I can only imagine what demonic beings roam those beaches at night now.
Just from my own personal experience there is a lot to be positivley said for the De., Md., and Va. DNR's efforts on the whole considering the populations in these Mid-Atlantic states.
This doesn't make matters any better but I've always believed that fore-warned is fore-armed.

Soapfish

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