Charlotte harbor Florida???

[mrcool]

We've taken many trips to Florida, and last time to Punta Gorda/Port Charolette...It seems like a great place to boat, we were thinking about renting a boat next time we are down there. Does anyone have any info on the area? How big of a boat will we need? and what is the water like? does it get rough out in the bay? I see there are many many canals to explore. Any info would be great

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

DHadley lives there and will probably have some good thoughts on the matter. Hopefully he will see this soon.

I have never boated there, but have spent some time in a town just north of Port Charlotte called Northport. While there, I spent a bit of time in Port Charlotte and liked it quite a lot.

I thiink you'll have a great time!

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

You'll hate it here. Been here all my life and still can't decide which way to go on the water. Out toward Boca Grande (Bull Bay / Turtle Bay / Cayo Costa / Englewood / Gulf) or up the Peace River to the middle of the state or south to Two Pines / Pine Island / Matalacha / Ft Myers / Cape Coral / Ft Myers / Ft Myers Beach. Maybe north to Venice / Sarasota or even Tampa. Or stay closer to home fishing the West Wall or even the East wall.

Then there's always trying to decide which boat to take. The ski boat or the drag boat or the flats boat or the bay boat or the offshore boat......

Can Charlotte Harbor get rough? Define rough. Made the trip from Gator Creek to Cape Haze point in about 7 minutes a few times. Then there was the night it took 4 hours to make the same trip .....

Been on the harbor in a 100 mph drag boat...been out there in a 100 mph 40' Fountian. Hit a duck once at 103 in a Cougar tunnel boat. Crossed the harbor in a 14' jon boat many times as a kid (had no business doing that). Darn near sank a 20' Can Am ski boat going across once.

Just got back from our 28th annual "guys only after Christmas trip". Stayed 3 days in a shack in Bull Bay (caught a 15 lb - yes 15 - Redfish). Can't wait for year 29....or even 30.

Don't do it. Save yourself all the agrivation of trying to decide what to do & where to go with which boat on Charlotte Harbor. Wayyyyyy too many choices. Nobody needs that much stress.

Besides, if you pick the wrong time of year you might get caught up in the (used to be) O Boy O'berto Redfish Tour or one of the Flatsmasters tournaments during the Seafood Festival. Everybody hates that! (except the shrimp...nobody hates shrimp)

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

My thinking, an 18 ft. ctr consol is ideal. Boat rentals in MATALACHA however that location puts you in the back of PINE ISLAND and a long ways from anywhere in the sound, charlotte harbor area. Certainly can recomment you look into ST.JAMES CITY on pine island. Close to the river, CAPE CORAL, FT. MYERS BEACH, SANIBEL/CAPTIVA, CABBAGE KEY,BOCA GRAND, CAYA COSTA. This time of year watch where you go or you will run aground. Had to have all onboard help me get the boat off the sandbar yesterday. Still thinking about an airboat.
Gulf temp yesterday 2 ft. deep in the surf was 74, not bad. Looks like fun but dont recommend beaching a boat on the gulf side beach. Anchor out a ways instead and wade in. Have seen to many boats beached and then distroyed in the surf. Lots of rentals insist you not take the boats in the gulf. Very good boat rental is JENSONS on CAPTIVA but its a long ride out there unless you are staying on SANIBEL or CAPTIVA. Can also certainly recommend 2 places on the islands. THE CASTAWAYS AT BLIND PASS or TWEEN WATERS INN. Get a bungalow at the CASTAWAYS and walk across the street to BOWMANS BEACH. Less expensive though is ST. JAMES CITY. Lots more bars, music and I am close so I can buy you a beer at FROGGIES or THE RAGGED ***. regards FRED

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

Maby that is somekind of automatic censoring program??? Same thing as RAGGED HORSES BEHIND. Its on the sign, thats what it is called in the papers. FRED

 

[mrcool]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

Thanks Fred!! I'll take you up on that So I guess trailering my boat down, putting in at the Port Charlotte beach complex, buzzing across the bay to Harpoon Harry's for a drink or three then loading up and heading to Cabbage key wouldn't be a great idea in my 15 footer! ha ha. What kind of boat is your "bay boat" Should a 19' bowrider be safe on that trip.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

Yesterday you could have run theat 15' to Cabbage Key. A 19' bowrider should be fine as long as you're sensable about watching the weather. I've been in the harbor in a 14' jon boat and it was fine. Been out there in a 23' C Hawk and wished I had more. My flats boat is 19' and we've been to Cayo Costa several times.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

All depends on the wind. People have been out there in john boats and kiacks. My low tide, low wind boat is a 16 ctr consl. with a 50. Rougher weather, favorable tide boat is a CC with a 115 4 stroke. Am seriously doing home work on getting/ building an air boat. Bottoms are filling in noticably.
Came back from the keys last monday, thru glades past everglade city on 41. Stopped at a few airboat ride places run by the indians. Very helpful guys. Trouble is there equipment is around $55K, quite an investment. Most had 454 cu. with a reduction gear box. Big high pitch carbon fiber props. Of course some are big enough to hold up to 8 people. Think I will make my own with maby a 18 ft. carolina skiff as a starting point. FRED

 

[mrcool]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

Well it's all set!!! We will hit Port Charlotte on Feb. 9th thru the 13th...house hunting, hopefully boating... buzz on up to Harpoon Harry's and I'll buy you a few cold ones

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

Get a pitcher of beer and the hot wings, which are GINORMUS!!!
Get there on a Sunday afternoon and you'll see a bunch of Harley people out for some Florida sunshine

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

Trip is getting close. Right now it is cold, 62, windy. Will be that way till FRI. Have ordered up temp. in the 70s starting SAT. Should be nice for you. Say you will be house hunting. Am sure you want to be on a canal. Hint, before you comitt on something, look at a map and see how far you have to idle thru canals. Was in a J-3 CUB about a month ago. Flew over PUNTA GORDA and was amaized at how extensive the JUG or GATOR creek ( not sure about the name) is. Could take half a day getting to open water.
CAPE CORAL has a lot of nice houses on canals. A few boats sitting in them, cant take them anywhere. Fresh water canals with dams. Figure people buy the house, buy a boat only to realize it is useless unless they have a trailer. They could be trophy boats to. Friend in WHISKEY CREEK has a neighbor, bought a real nice house, got a cat with 2 big yamahas, put it on his lift and it has not been off in over 3 years. Never used it. Looks impressive sitting there. OOOPS, starting to rambel here. Have a safe trip down. FRED

 

[mrcool]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

Yep, all sounds good Fred!! we've been doing our research, Only looking at salt water homes on a canal, a lot of good deals to be had.
Mrs. Cool and I will be at Harpoon Harry's on Monday night Feb.9th 7:00 meeting up with a bunch of other people we have never met, but live down there, some from PGI , Port Charlotte, and some from Northport(realtor). Should be a real fun get together eat, drink and be merry... I will be wearing a CBS NEWS hat, come on over, it sounds like a great time!!!

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

Wife and I will be there. Will wear a shirt that says SPIRIT airlines or JET SOUTH. FRED

 

[mrcool]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

Awsome, first shot of tequila is on me!!

 

[mrcool]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

Well we made it back from port Charlotte this weekend and had a great time, It was great to meet Pine Island Fred and his lovely wife Mrs. Fred I tell ya Fred knows all about boating in the area and I did pick his brain. I wish we would have gotten his adress, because on thursday we drove down to Pine Island and looked around, had a drink or to at Woodys in St. James city, and also stopped at a bar in Matlachie (sp) don't remember the name but it was really a funky little place right on the water, Pine Island sound I think, also the bar was right on the road off the Island...The whole place was very OLD key West like...very cool We met guy at the greet up we had at Harpoon Harrys in Punta Gorda, who took us out into the harbor in his 21' Sea Hunt/115 Yamaha, to look at some houses we were thinking about buying, from the canal side to get a water veiw of them.... all in all the trip was WAY too much fun and the best part was the weather was in the 80's the whole time!!!! not like back here in wisconsin
We did take some pics, I will try to post them if I can figure out how to do it Great to meet you Fred!!

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

KEVIN, good to hear from you and that you had a good time. As soon as you left the weather went in the toilet. Sat. afternoon, had to come back from the beach with my compass ( no GPS) Been windy and cool ever since, only got to 65 today. Never thought of giving you our phone nbr.,wish I did, you were right here. Place you went to in MATLACHA was BERTS, nice hangout, good local entertainment and some pretty bazarre locals. Draw bridge right there is called WORLDS FISHINGIST BRIDGE. Can be wall to wall fishing at 2 in the morning. Women fishing in various states of less than fully dressed make for a dangerous crossing.
Really interesting how people from the iboats community can meet up and have a good time. Occasionally tie up with RODBOLT, another guy everyone would be happy to meet. Like me, he enjoys his beer. TASHASDADDY is puting together a get together that we are considering attending. Have no trailer so am thinking about borrowing a friends, what I call a reynolds wrap, boat with a 2 hp. Throw it in the pickup bed and showing up. From my experience, would be a great trip and meet some more guys.
Did you buy a house? IMHO, you are a bit to young to bite off a place so far away. So many things can change in 10 to 12 yrs. Wife says thanks for the loan of the WISCONSON sweat shirt. Was a bit chilly! regards FRED

 

[mrcool]

Re: Charlotte harbor Florida???

No we didn't buy a house, and you are right I have a long time working here in the cold snowbelt of Wisconsin, we thought about buying a house and renting it out til we could move to Port Charotte, but the idea of being long distance landlords just seemed like more trouble than it would be worth. SOOO we bought a LOT on a saltwater canal, less then 10 minutes out to Charlotte harbor. So we can move down and build a house now when we are ready. I do know now I will need a bigger boatWe may be neighbors yet:redface:
Yep, it was Bert's...cool place