Boat Ramps, Fish Camps, and Fishing Areas in Florida

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area
  Boat Ramps, Fish Camps, and Fishing Areas in Florida

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Boat Ramps, Fish Camps, and Fishing Areas in Florida

streletz posted 12-08-2009 09:12 PM ET (US)
[I] want to trailer my [Boston Whaler 170 MONTAUK] to Florida this winter and do some camping, boating, and fishing, but I have no experience boating in Florida. I am in [South Carolina and the trip] looks like a one-day drive for me to get down to the Miami area. [I] would greatly appreciate any information and insight on ramps, fishing areas, fish camps, and so on, along the east coast of Florida. First post. Long time visitor. Learned a lot about my Whaler from you guys.
jimh posted 12-08-2009 10:06 PM ET (US)
There is a nice ramp on Key Biscayne on the northwest end. It is on Highway 913, just as you come over on the Bear Cut Bridge from Miami. There is a nice ramp at the 14th Street Bridge in North Ft. Lauderdale, just south of the Hillsboro Inlet. Those two are the only Florida boat ramps I know about, having visited them personally and launched boats from them. Now I imagine there are thousands of other boat ramps in Florida, but I suspect that there is probably some other place on the web where you can get information about all of them.
I don't think there are any fish camps in Miami, at least not on the parts of the waterfront that I have seen down there. Every inch of water access in the Miami area looks like it is taken up with very expensive housing. A fish camp would have to be an expensive, exclusive fish camp to make use of waterfront property.
Fishing in Florida is something that I think there are several websites whose entire purpose is focused on. Here on CONTINUOUSWAVE we really do not collect or organize any information about fishing--or angling as it is more properly called--because that topic is so well served by the thousands of other websites whose only purpose is to collect that kind of information.
jimh posted 12-08-2009 10:24 PM ET (US)
With a boat like a 170 MONTAUK, you should be able to launch and load from just about any ramp. In Florida I see 32-foot boats on trailers, so their ramps are generally quite nice ramps, and they're often built to handle big boats. A 17-footer is a very small boat by Florida coastal standards, and I suspect that almost anything that Florida calls a boat ramp will be able to launch and load your boat.
jimh posted 12-08-2009 10:30 PM ET (US)
We do a lot of vacationing with the boat, and we typically go to new places each year. To research launching ramps I use GOOGLE EARTH. It is not too hard to find a launching ramp by browsing around on GOOGLE EARTH. You can usually assess the ramp and parking facilities. Often there are some pictures available that show the details. Using GOOGLE EARTH has been a great tool to scout ahead for launching ramps.
Just about every in of Florida is mapped in high-resolution on GOOGLE EARTH, so you should have no problem seeing launch ramps on it.
I also use GOOGLE search to find launching ramps. Generally if there is a public launch ramp there will be a listing for it on some website, and the website will be indexed by GOOGLE.
There are no listings of launch ramps here on CONTINUOUSWAVE because we do not try to collect and organize that sort of information.
jimh posted 12-08-2009 10:34 PM ET (US)
Also, the east coast of Florida stretches for about 400-miles. That seems like an awfully long area to investigate. Is it possible you could narrow your area of interest to a smaller portion?
contender posted 12-08-2009 10:34 PM ET (US)
Tell me what you want to do and for how long, do you have kids and how old, do you want to camp or stay in a hotel on or off the water...
streletz posted 12-08-2009 10:49 PM ET (US)
Thanks Jim. Contender, Just me and the dog. Inshore saltwater fishing. Campground or motel. A week or so. I am guessing anywhere from Cocoa Beach south. I am guessing Jax area probably a little chillier than I am looking for weather wise.
jimh posted 12-08-2009 10:51 PM ET (US)
I used GOOGLE EARTH and started at the northern end of Florida. Browsing down the coast I found a great boat ramp site just north of Jacksonville. It is on Heckscher Drive. Here is the location:
30°23'45.07"N
81°27'35.40"W
That ramp looks like a dandy. Okay, only 400 miles of coast to go.
jharrell posted 12-08-2009 11:23 PM ET (US)
There is actually a Florida boat ramp file for Google Earth provided here: http://earthnc.com/floridaramps
It has many but not all ramps, including photos of the ramps and hours and whether there is a fee, very comprehensive.
streletz posted 12-08-2009 11:28 PM ET (US)
Jim, Once again, thank you. When I initiated this post, I was thinking, perhaps some of the members had made fishing trips somewhere along the coast and they might be able to make some suggestions based on thier experiences. Maybe some members might live along the coast, and have some ideas. I am fairly certain, a couple of years ago, I read a post here about someone's Whaler trip to Florida with thier family. As I recall, it even had some photo links. Google earth, as well as, electronic charts, and hiway map software are all great tools. So is local knowldge. Cheers, streletz
contender posted 12-08-2009 11:40 PM ET (US)
I can help you with places from Ft. Lauderdale south to the keys, however driving from SC will take you a full day of driving (good 10-12 hours to Ft Lauderdale add another 2 hours to go to the keys), one week you will run out of time. If you really wanted to do something neat you could launch your boat at Key Biscayne (End of I-95 go east over the causeway cost $10.00) You could leave your car and boat at the ramp(tell the local patrol) and drive your whaler south to Elliott Key about 10-12 miles. You are allowed to camp on the island but I do not think there is any kind of store or supplies on the island, water maybe, and a ranger station. However, the water will be clear and you can dive in the ocean on one side of the island or on the bay on the other side. The bugs should be gone cause of the temp and the wind it will be very peaceful, quite, and not cost you anything, just remember to bring everything.
streletz posted 12-08-2009 11:50 PM ET (US)
Contender, Thanks, sounds great. Coincidentally, I had been looking at that same area, on MS Streets and Trips, earlier this evening. Now, to go get on Google Earth...
capedave posted 12-09-2009 07:02 AM ET (US)
I trailer down a Montauk and fish the Indian River and the Mosquito Lagoon what I have found is that most parks on the river have boating facilities. There is a fish camp north of Sebastion Inlet I do believe it is called Big Johns. Hope that is some help for you.
Dave
capedave posted 12-09-2009 07:05 AM ET (US)
I also would highly recomend Long Point Park [County Park] and Sebastion Inlet State Park. Dave
jmorgan40 posted 12-09-2009 08:17 AM ET (US)
streletz,
Would you consider the Big Bend area. Winter Grouper run is on and there is great inshore fishing. I am heading down there with the Outrage the week after xmas to the Keaton Beach area. More like a fish camp with very reasonable room rates.
http://www.keatonbeachmarina.com/
jimh posted 12-09-2009 08:53 AM ET (US)
jharrell--Thanks for the pointer to the GOOGLE EARTH overlay that shows all the boat ramps in Florida. That is a great asset and a wonderful collection of information about boat ramps in Florida with pictures and data. That ought to answer any question about location of a boat ramp in Florida.
Kingsteven18 posted 12-09-2009 06:32 PM ET (US)
Florida Boat ramp Directory:
http://www.sailmiami.com/florida_boat_ramps.htm
jimh posted 12-10-2009 09:22 AM ET (US)
Apple iPhone users can find boat ramps with this $0.99 app from http://www.derektrauger.com/.
dnh posted 12-10-2009 12:14 PM ET (US)
The Ft. Lauderdale ramp is at 15th Street not 14th street.
I leave my trailer and car there every February for 3 entire days. Its next to a police substation so its very safe and nice. There are 4 ramps.
We leave the car / trailer at the ramp and then travel by water to the Bahia Cabana, which is around $100 a night for a room.

We stay there and tie up at the docks. They do not allow you to tie up on the weekends but I leave my boat there anyway on the weekends every year and its never been a problem.
http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/parking/15thStMap.pdf
http://www.bahiacabanaresort.com/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v672/dnh2/Lauderdale/?action=view& current=Lauderdale173.jpg
R T M posted 12-10-2009 12:32 PM ET (US)
In my opinion, the best boating and fishing experience in Florida is in the Ft.Myers area, although it`s probably a little far for you with just a week.
The ramp at Punta Rassa will let you explore the open
Gulf, Sanibel Island, coastal beaches, the back bays and the Caloosahatchee River, all from one ramp, but that is the problem, there is only one public ramp,(although it is a good one) with a boating public that could support a half dozen.
rich/Binkie
jimh posted 12-11-2009 12:19 AM ET (US)
The ramp I mentioned is north of Ft. Lauderdale, at NE 14th Street. I guess the actual municipality is Pompano Beach.
There is also a nice ramp on Sanibel, just as you come off the causeway bridge.
Bertramp posted 12-15-2009 05:25 PM ET (US)
The boat ramp at 14th Street is the Pompano ramp. Very nice ramp AND for an added bonus, on the way to the ICW, you go right past Merritt Boatworks and get to see the SERIOUS beauties !!

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Boat Ramps, Fish Camps, and Fishing Areas in Florida
streletz	posted 12-08-2009 09:12 PM ET (US) [I] want to trailer my [Boston Whaler 170 MONTAUK] to Florida this winter and do some camping, boating, and fishing, but I have no experience boating in Florida. I am in [South Carolina and the trip] looks like a one-day drive for me to get down to the Miami area. [I] would greatly appreciate any information and insight on ramps, fishing areas, fish camps, and so on, along the east coast of Florida. First post. Long time visitor. Learned a lot about my Whaler from you guys.
jimh	posted 12-08-2009 10:06 PM ET (US) There is a nice ramp on Key Biscayne on the northwest end. It is on Highway 913, just as you come over on the Bear Cut Bridge from Miami. There is a nice ramp at the 14th Street Bridge in North Ft. Lauderdale, just south of the Hillsboro Inlet. Those two are the only Florida boat ramps I know about, having visited them personally and launched boats from them. Now I imagine there are thousands of other boat ramps in Florida, but I suspect that there is probably some other place on the web where you can get information about all of them. I don't think there are any fish camps in Miami, at least not on the parts of the waterfront that I have seen down there. Every inch of water access in the Miami area looks like it is taken up with very expensive housing. A fish camp would have to be an expensive, exclusive fish camp to make use of waterfront property. Fishing in Florida is something that I think there are several websites whose entire purpose is focused on. Here on CONTINUOUSWAVE we really do not collect or organize any information about fishing--or angling as it is more properly called--because that topic is so well served by the thousands of other websites whose only purpose is to collect that kind of information.
jimh	posted 12-08-2009 10:24 PM ET (US) With a boat like a 170 MONTAUK, you should be able to launch and load from just about any ramp. In Florida I see 32-foot boats on trailers, so their ramps are generally quite nice ramps, and they're often built to handle big boats. A 17-footer is a very small boat by Florida coastal standards, and I suspect that almost anything that Florida calls a boat ramp will be able to launch and load your boat.
jimh	posted 12-08-2009 10:30 PM ET (US) We do a lot of vacationing with the boat, and we typically go to new places each year. To research launching ramps I use GOOGLE EARTH. It is not too hard to find a launching ramp by browsing around on GOOGLE EARTH. You can usually assess the ramp and parking facilities. Often there are some pictures available that show the details. Using GOOGLE EARTH has been a great tool to scout ahead for launching ramps. Just about every in of Florida is mapped in high-resolution on GOOGLE EARTH, so you should have no problem seeing launch ramps on it. I also use GOOGLE search to find launching ramps. Generally if there is a public launch ramp there will be a listing for it on some website, and the website will be indexed by GOOGLE. There are no listings of launch ramps here on CONTINUOUSWAVE because we do not try to collect and organize that sort of information.
jimh	posted 12-08-2009 10:34 PM ET (US) Also, the east coast of Florida stretches for about 400-miles. That seems like an awfully long area to investigate. Is it possible you could narrow your area of interest to a smaller portion?
contender	posted 12-08-2009 10:34 PM ET (US) Tell me what you want to do and for how long, do you have kids and how old, do you want to camp or stay in a hotel on or off the water...
streletz	posted 12-08-2009 10:49 PM ET (US) Thanks Jim. Contender, Just me and the dog. Inshore saltwater fishing. Campground or motel. A week or so. I am guessing anywhere from Cocoa Beach south. I am guessing Jax area probably a little chillier than I am looking for weather wise.
jimh	posted 12-08-2009 10:51 PM ET (US) I used GOOGLE EARTH and started at the northern end of Florida. Browsing down the coast I found a great boat ramp site just north of Jacksonville. It is on Heckscher Drive. Here is the location: 30°23'45.07"N 81°27'35.40"W That ramp looks like a dandy. Okay, only 400 miles of coast to go.
jharrell	posted 12-08-2009 11:23 PM ET (US) There is actually a Florida boat ramp file for Google Earth provided here: http://earthnc.com/floridaramps It has many but not all ramps, including photos of the ramps and hours and whether there is a fee, very comprehensive.
streletz	posted 12-08-2009 11:28 PM ET (US) Jim, Once again, thank you. When I initiated this post, I was thinking, perhaps some of the members had made fishing trips somewhere along the coast and they might be able to make some suggestions based on thier experiences. Maybe some members might live along the coast, and have some ideas. I am fairly certain, a couple of years ago, I read a post here about someone's Whaler trip to Florida with thier family. As I recall, it even had some photo links. Google earth, as well as, electronic charts, and hiway map software are all great tools. So is local knowldge. Cheers, streletz
contender	posted 12-08-2009 11:40 PM ET (US) I can help you with places from Ft. Lauderdale south to the keys, however driving from SC will take you a full day of driving (good 10-12 hours to Ft Lauderdale add another 2 hours to go to the keys), one week you will run out of time. If you really wanted to do something neat you could launch your boat at Key Biscayne (End of I-95 go east over the causeway cost $10.00) You could leave your car and boat at the ramp(tell the local patrol) and drive your whaler south to Elliott Key about 10-12 miles. You are allowed to camp on the island but I do not think there is any kind of store or supplies on the island, water maybe, and a ranger station. However, the water will be clear and you can dive in the ocean on one side of the island or on the bay on the other side. The bugs should be gone cause of the temp and the wind it will be very peaceful, quite, and not cost you anything, just remember to bring everything.
streletz	posted 12-08-2009 11:50 PM ET (US) Contender, Thanks, sounds great. Coincidentally, I had been looking at that same area, on MS Streets and Trips, earlier this evening. Now, to go get on Google Earth...
capedave	posted 12-09-2009 07:02 AM ET (US) I trailer down a Montauk and fish the Indian River and the Mosquito Lagoon what I have found is that most parks on the river have boating facilities. There is a fish camp north of Sebastion Inlet I do believe it is called Big Johns. Hope that is some help for you. Dave
capedave	posted 12-09-2009 07:05 AM ET (US) I also would highly recomend Long Point Park [County Park] and Sebastion Inlet State Park. Dave
jmorgan40	posted 12-09-2009 08:17 AM ET (US) streletz, Would you consider the Big Bend area. Winter Grouper run is on and there is great inshore fishing. I am heading down there with the Outrage the week after xmas to the Keaton Beach area. More like a fish camp with very reasonable room rates. http://www.keatonbeachmarina.com/
jimh	posted 12-09-2009 08:53 AM ET (US) jharrell--Thanks for the pointer to the GOOGLE EARTH overlay that shows all the boat ramps in Florida. That is a great asset and a wonderful collection of information about boat ramps in Florida with pictures and data. That ought to answer any question about location of a boat ramp in Florida.
Kingsteven18	posted 12-09-2009 06:32 PM ET (US) Florida Boat ramp Directory: http://www.sailmiami.com/florida_boat_ramps.htm
jimh	posted 12-10-2009 09:22 AM ET (US) Apple iPhone users can find boat ramps with this $0.99 app from http://www.derektrauger.com/.
dnh	posted 12-10-2009 12:14 PM ET (US) The Ft. Lauderdale ramp is at 15th Street not 14th street. I leave my trailer and car there every February for 3 entire days. Its next to a police substation so its very safe and nice. There are 4 ramps. We leave the car / trailer at the ramp and then travel by water to the Bahia Cabana, which is around $100 a night for a room. We stay there and tie up at the docks. They do not allow you to tie up on the weekends but I leave my boat there anyway on the weekends every year and its never been a problem. http://www.fortlauderdale.gov/parking/15thStMap.pdf http://www.bahiacabanaresort.com/ http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v672/dnh2/Lauderdale/?action=view& current=Lauderdale173.jpg
R T M	posted 12-10-2009 12:32 PM ET (US) In my opinion, the best boating and fishing experience in Florida is in the Ft.Myers area, although it`s probably a little far for you with just a week. The ramp at Punta Rassa will let you explore the open Gulf, Sanibel Island, coastal beaches, the back bays and the Caloosahatchee River, all from one ramp, but that is the problem, there is only one public ramp,(although it is a good one) with a boating public that could support a half dozen. rich/Binkie
jimh	posted 12-11-2009 12:19 AM ET (US) The ramp I mentioned is north of Ft. Lauderdale, at NE 14th Street. I guess the actual municipality is Pompano Beach. There is also a nice ramp on Sanibel, just as you come off the causeway bridge.
Bertramp	posted 12-15-2009 05:25 PM ET (US) The boat ramp at 14th Street is the Pompano ramp. Very nice ramp AND for an added bonus, on the way to the ICW, you go right past Merritt Boatworks and get to see the SERIOUS beauties !!