Some of my favorite restaurants in Jacksonville, FL...
 

Vic Smith wrote:
On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:26:02 -0500, Boater
wrote:


Further, while there are some - very few - high rise condos along parts
of the stretch, they are not prevalent, nor are low-rises prevalent.
There are miles where there is nothing built on the beach side of A1A.

I've seen plenty of uncrowded beaches in Florida.. Where I did quite
a bit of surf-fishing on Hutchinson Island I was staying at a condo
there.
Most places I've seen in Florida on either coast are condo-lined, but
that's really no problem. Most are well set back from the water, and
if you're not staying at one, there's public access.
Besides, most of the condos I've seen are half occupied or less when I
go to Florida.
Only "crowded" beach I've see is Clearwater. Haven't been to Miami
except on a Navy ship.
I do want to get a mangrove coast though. Always wanted to score
some of those redfish and big snappers.
Then fry 'em up. Wash down with a beer.
Hey, you mentioned once not eating fried fish, but that platter looked
just like....fried fish.
Off the wagon?

--Vic


When we go to Miami, we head for the beaches near Bal Harbour, which are
damned close to being deserted. Beautiful beaches with lots of trees.
But...if I want to see babes in barely there bikinis, I head for the
South Beach area.

I eat fried fish, but not often. It tastes great, but I look for broiled
or baked fish.

Some of my favorite restaurants in Jacksonville, FL...
 

Vic Smith wrote:
On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:30:10 -0800 (PST), wrote:


Here's a pic of Jacksonville Beach:
http://tinyurl.com/5pcxu3

That's besides the whole beachfront for miles and miles is nothing but
condos.

Same way with Amelia Island, Fernandina is a disaster, Atlantic Beach
Neptune, Ponte Verde, etc. all about the same. Jacksonville is the
fourth largest metro area in Florida, but hey, according to Harry,
none of them must go to the beaches!
Oh, and according to Harry, the weather is better in Jax than other
Florida cities to the south. BUT, alas, the average temp in July and
Aug is one degree different than Tampa!

What I've always had in mind for Florida is to get to places on the
gulf where there are no condos lining the beaches.
That means tripping on a boat to mangrove areas.
My uncle always wanted me to come down Cape Coral and we would
take a trip down to mangroves south, towards Everglades city, and just
fish, eat fish and fish some more for a week or so.
Never happened, but I still think of doing it.
Ever gone down there?
Wayne may have, but he never mentions fishing.

--Vic

Haven't you been to Fort Desoto? It's right around the corner from the
causeway you fish from.

Some of my favorite restaurants in Jacksonville, FL...
 

On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:13:46 -0500, Jim wrote:

Vic Smith wrote:
On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:30:10 -0800 (PST), wrote:


Here's a pic of Jacksonville Beach:
http://tinyurl.com/5pcxu3

That's besides the whole beachfront for miles and miles is nothing but
condos.

Same way with Amelia Island, Fernandina is a disaster, Atlantic Beach
Neptune, Ponte Verde, etc. all about the same. Jacksonville is the
fourth largest metro area in Florida, but hey, according to Harry,
none of them must go to the beaches!
Oh, and according to Harry, the weather is better in Jax than other
Florida cities to the south. BUT, alas, the average temp in July and
Aug is one degree different than Tampa!

What I've always had in mind for Florida is to get to places on the
gulf where there are no condos lining the beaches.
That means tripping on a boat to mangrove areas.
My uncle always wanted me to come down Cape Coral and we would
take a trip down to mangroves south, towards Everglades city, and just
fish, eat fish and fish some more for a week or so.
Never happened, but I still think of doing it.
Ever gone down there?
Wayne may have, but he never mentions fishing.

--Vic

Haven't you been to Fort Desoto? It's right around the corner from the
causeway you fish from.

I was on the pier, but didn't fish. Pretty nice.
I really don't like pier fishing much. Same with bridge fishing,
except the Sunshine bridge/pier, which is way out in the water and the
car almost acts like a boat to hold all my gear.
Like all my gear in a boat, where I can move when I want.
Whenever I can, I prefer drift fishing, laid back with the line
between my toes so to speak.
Don't like crowds at all, though it's fun on a party boat when the
fishing is good.
I really want to do that mangrove trip to get where it's real quiet.
Almost like camping in the woods but on the water instead.
My uncle told me he was down by Ten Thousand Islands on a 18'er
for about 4 days and it was some paradise fishing.
Can't remember the details, except he tied to the mangroves at night
and slept on the boat.
One of the reasons I'm thinking about the Mac 26 instead of the
Carolina Skiff is the livability factor for that kind of trip.

--Vic

Some of my favorite restaurants in Jacksonville, FL...
 

On Nov 18, 4:46*pm, Boater wrote:
Vic Smith wrote:
On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:26:02 -0500, Boater
wrote:

Further, while there are some - very few - high rise condos along parts
of the stretch, they are not prevalent, nor are low-rises prevalent.
There are miles where there is nothing built on the beach side of A1A.

I've seen plenty of uncrowded beaches in Florida.. *Where I did quite
a bit of surf-fishing on Hutchinson Island I was staying at a condo
there. *
Most places I've seen in Florida on either coast are condo-lined, but
that's really no problem. *Most are well set back from the water, and
if you're not staying at one, there's public access.
Besides, most of the condos I've seen are half occupied or less when I
go to Florida.
Only "crowded" beach I've see is Clearwater. *Haven't been to Miami
except on a Navy ship.
I do want to get a mangrove coast though. *Always wanted to score
some of those redfish and big snappers.
Then fry 'em up. *Wash down with a beer.
Hey, you mentioned once not eating fried fish, but that platter looked
just like....fried fish.
Off the wagon?

--Vic

When we go to Miami, we head for the beaches near Bal Harbour, which are
* damned close to being deserted. Beautiful beaches with lots of trees.
But...if I want to see babes in barely there bikinis, I head for the
South Beach area.

I eat fried fish, but not often. It tastes great, but I look for broiled
or baked fish.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

More bull****! I can see you've never seen a "deserted" beach in your
life! Bal Harbour???!!!!!

Nothing but condos!!!!

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...D2%26hl% 3Den

Some of my favorite restaurants in Jacksonville, FL...
 

On Nov 18, 2:58*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:36:38 -0800 (PST), wrote:
On Nov 17, 6:36*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:35:51 -0500, Boater
wrote:

Great seafood, interesting atmosphere...in Mayport

http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Over...spx?RefID=5517

Best restaurant in NE Florida, on the ICW

http://www.marker32.com/

I was talking to my wife about possibly switching coasts in Florida.
My big argument is east coast surf fishing, which we really enjoy.
That place could be another.

--Vic

Jax is featureless. Miles and miles of mobile home parks,
subdivisions, military bases and the bars that accompany them.

Never been there, but that's how I've always imagined it from what
I've read. *Once heard that by area it's the largest city in the U.S.
Always used to seem to me from my Florida visits that the Gulf coast
was more "laid back" than the east coast, but the east coast had
better fishing - and probably better seafood restaurants.
But generalizations are dangerous, especially with as little
experience as I have. *
All my east coast experience is around Port St. Lucie/Hutchinson
Island, which I liked well enough.
Had fried gator near Okeechobee. *Pretty good.
Better than chicken. *But maybe I was just real hungry.

--Vic- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Gator's fine when cooked right! Used to be a little hole in the wall
place near where I lived that had good gator. I lived in the sticks!

Some of my favorite restaurants in Jacksonville, FL...
 

wrote:
On Nov 18, 4:46 pm, Boater wrote:
Vic Smith wrote:
On Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:26:02 -0500, Boater
wrote:
Further, while there are some - very few - high rise condos along parts
of the stretch, they are not prevalent, nor are low-rises prevalent.
There are miles where there is nothing built on the beach side of A1A.
I've seen plenty of uncrowded beaches in Florida.. Where I did quite
a bit of surf-fishing on Hutchinson Island I was staying at a condo
there.
Most places I've seen in Florida on either coast are condo-lined, but
that's really no problem. Most are well set back from the water, and
if you're not staying at one, there's public access.
Besides, most of the condos I've seen are half occupied or less when I
go to Florida.
Only "crowded" beach I've see is Clearwater. Haven't been to Miami
except on a Navy ship.
I do want to get a mangrove coast though. Always wanted to score
some of those redfish and big snappers.
Then fry 'em up. Wash down with a beer.
Hey, you mentioned once not eating fried fish, but that platter looked
just like....fried fish.
Off the wagon?
--Vic
When we go to Miami, we head for the beaches near Bal Harbour, which are
damned close to being deserted. Beautiful beaches with lots of trees.
But...if I want to see babes in barely there bikinis, I head for the
South Beach area.

I eat fried fish, but not often. It tastes great, but I look for broiled
or baked fish.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

More bull****! I can see you've never seen a "deserted" beach in your
life! Bal Harbour???!!!!!

Nothing but condos!!!!

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...D2%26hl% 3Den


WAFA clearly has a very close relationship with his hand.