on Stuart Florida......

[Randy Stinchcomb]

my brother Jeff (and family) are moving from San Diego to the Stuart area inna' few months.
he is bringing both boats, 30' Velocity and his 19' AquaSport c/c, so he'll be looking for people and places to fish

1. so what and where are some good places to fish inshore?
2. how's living there, exspensive?
3. is there alot of crime in the area?
4. good places to eat, grocery shop?

and any other info you can pass-on would be great
Im guessing Barb and I will be spending more time in sunny Florida in the offseason, esp since it's only @$200.00 round trip (each) on American-Air and that it's a direct flight of @2 hrs

[krisis7]

PM Sent- I live in Port St. Lucie and fish out of Stuart..

[Younger]

Stuart is great. Fishing is as good as further south without the crime and the ghetto. More trolling than live baiting. A little further run than Jupiter or Lake Worth.

[reel fishy]

That is one of my favorite areas in Florida and I would love to move there someday. I have lots of friends from the area and fish there quite often. The fishing diversity within 30 miles makes it a great to keep a boat. Bait is much easier to come by than in other areas further south. Tell your brother to find the House of Refuge and Sand pile for catching bait. Or just pop out of the inlet and look north or east for the pile of boats. Fishing just off the beach can be phenomenal, kingfish and bonita, tarpon, jacks, cobia and spanish macks. Pecks lake, south of the inlet, this time of year is loaded with spanish macks. There is a great reef to snorkel to the south of the inlet. When it's warm you can get lobster off the breaks and some good mutton snapper fishing in the same area. Inside you have the sailfish flats for trout, snook and pompano. The Roosevelt Bridge holds some big snook as well as decent tarpon fishing. Run south to Jupiter in the summer and the snook fishing inside the inlet is out of this world. North, Ft. Pierce has a great expanse of grass flats that hold everything typically found inshore. Offshore of Ft. P is great grouper fishing, snapper and kingfish on the beach. Great areas to troll for sails out in about 90'-200' 6-10 miles out. Mahi fishing in late April and all of May is great between Stuart and Ft. Pierce. To the south in Jupiter is one of the better areas to get wahoo, and it's only about 4 miles out. The same break holds great mutton snapper and yellowtail snapper. If you can't tell I really like the area.

Stuart has plenty of good restraunts and shopping and is a short drive from Jensen Beach and Palm City. There is a mall at Jensen Bch Blvd and US 1 if you prefer that style of shopping. Finest Kind is in Stuart to get your tackle fix. The Snook Nook in Jensen is a good place also for bait. Plenty of big fishing and boat building companies call Stuart home. Crowder Rods, American Custom Yachts, Garlington Yachts, Bluewater Boats, Gamefisherman, L&H and other call Stuart home.

Living is more affordable compared to other areas down the coast. Fuel seems to be a little more expensive there. Most of the boat ramp access is still free in the area. Places to eat, try the ribs at Duffy's. My buddy Capt. John Follweiler says the school system is decent if you brother has school age kids. If he wants a cool 2 day family outing try running across the St. Lucie water way to Ft. Meyers through Lake Okeechobee staying the night and running back. It's a great place and I bet your brother will enjoy living there.

[Randy Stinchcomb]

Thanks Guys, thats a BIG Help I'll pass this info on to Jeff