# Retiring with FISHING in mind!-- NC? SC? Georgia? Other?



## DauntlessRV (Aug 15, 2012)

Hi There! Happy New Year to All! I live in Maryland and hope to retire at some point! So have been thinking about where to retire and keeping fishing in mind.

Will be retiring on very modest bucks... but what the hey?! Just curious, if you had to choose between NC, SC, Georgia, and possibly Northern Florida - where would you retire? I would like to do both freshwater and saltwater fishing, live on or very near a body of water. Don't plan to be doing offshore fishing very far out. 

Any suggestions? Thank you. Dauntless.


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## DauntlessRV (Aug 15, 2012)

Sorry. Had to run and post quickly. So NC has huge inlet side waters - Albemarle Sound for example. I have never fished there? Is this fishing heaven for a retiree? Along with the freshwater rivers that run into it? How does South Carolina compare? Georgia? Are you catching mostly the same types of fish? Speckled trout? etc.

Thanks for your thoughts!


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

The Albemarle can have decent fishing but not great. In-laws are in Columbia NC, and that far in things are hit and miss. Decent puppy drum most of the year, but sporadic. Stripers here and there, but you are better off fishing the Roanoke for them during the spawning runs.
I would look a bit closer to the coast. Then you can fish the surf as well as the sounds. Manteo would be a spot I would like to retire to.
pods


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## DauntlessRV (Aug 15, 2012)

Thank you very much! I see Manteo on the map! A bit in from the Outer Banks... but not much! I probably won't be able to afford it. But perhaps will take a drive down for a week or so and check out the territory. I do appreciate your input. Thank you very much!

P.S. If I had more sense in women.... would be in better shape. But never had much sense in that department. Was born kind of blind in that category.


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## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

If I had my retirement dream come true today, I would be living around Wilmington. Good fishing all year round, close enough to the banks to make a weekend trip, and still plenty of other stuff to keep myself in or out of trouble depending on what I was looking to do. Stripers in Cape Fear fresh water, puppy drum in the ICW, plenty of specs, sharks, piers, boobies, and bars.


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

gilly21 said:


> If I had my retirement dream come true today, I would be living around Wilmington. Good fishing all year round, close enough to the banks to make a weekend trip, and still plenty of other stuff to keep myself in or out of trouble depending on what I was looking to do. Stripers in Cape Fear fresh water, puppy drum in the ICW, plenty of specs, sharks, piers, boobies, and bars.


I'm trying to get the missus to move to Wilmington. 
Not sure if I should use your last two items in pleading my case. 
pods


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## DauntlessRV (Aug 15, 2012)

Boobies are a type of penguin I think... great! thank you for the local insight and color! Appreciate your input. Best, Dauntless.


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## River (Sep 30, 2006)

I thought about this a lot while living on the OBX, where would I go next if I made another move, of course I love my home state of North Carolina and would never leave it, NC has everything !! -- gilly21's choice would be my kinda my second choice but I'd want to be more toward Southport ---- my first choice would be Oriental, NC --- really neat little area with some great fishing, small boat will keep you fed - you can go in any direction from there -- freshest Oysters, Shrimp, Crabs, etc in the world nearby in Englehard -- Great Hunting -- Nice small town --- River


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

River said:


> I thought about this a lot while living on the OBX, where would I go next if I made another move, of course I love my home state of North Carolina and would never leave it, NC has everything !! -- gilly21's choice would be my kinda my second choice but I'd want to be more toward Southport ---- my first choice would be Oriental, NC --- really neat little area with some great fishing, small boat will keep you fed - you can go in any direction from there -- freshest Oysters, Shrimp, Crabs, etc in the world nearby in Englehard -- Great Hunting -- Nice small town --- River


 Yep,great drumfishing,specks,flounder,and close enough to everything else you'd want to catch... X2 Of course I don't know of many boobies that you would see there,like I said though close enough for anything you'd want to catch.....


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## gilly21 (Feb 15, 2006)

Oriental is not a bad place. Kinda odd town in my short visits. NOTHING around there. I feel like I have more options on the OBX then there. There are some good scenery around the boat ramps in warmer weather around the sailboat types. Wilmington still wins out because Raleigh and RDU is only 2 hours away. Hop skip and a puddlejumper to the rest of the world.


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## Seahawk (Oct 3, 2013)

DauntlessRV: I've lived and fished in Pensacola, FL & Charleston, SC. I also fished the NC Outer Banks very frequently for the 12 years I that lived in the Portsmouth, VA area. Now that I'm 65, retired and drawing a very modest retirement income, the decision for me was an easy one: North Carolina. My wife and I are planning to move to from Washington (state) in late spring or summer. Exactly where in coastal NC is still up in the air.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

I'm a bit biased, but I'd move to some little town in coastal central Florida, (or nearby) in a heartbeat. We've got the most shoreline in the US, mild weather year round, plenty of inshore fishing, and very little hassle accessing the water. There are lots of affordable places here, and despite what you might hear, not every place has the urban crime rates. And in the twelve years that I've been here, I've visited every place in Florida at least twice. The fishing is endless, and the variety is diverse. I do at least 3 mini-vacations a year, and I never tire of leaving Florida.

I live in a nice little area right between the ICW and the Atlantic Ocean. My taxes are affordable, my insurance is cheap, and my neighbors are all upstanding working class folks. What more could one ask for?


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## Captain Awesome (Jul 27, 2010)

Interesting topic for me. I am no where close to retirement but I do have a job that would allow me to move pretty much where I choose. As I sit here it is snowing and I have to get up in the morning to shovel 8 inches of snow. Been pondering a move south for a while and fishing is a big part of my want to move. I had zoned in on Charleston as what I thought would be the best place (my wife is not a fisher woman, and likes some of the "city" conveniences). Have also considered the Wilmington/Souhthport area. Nice to hear some opinions on where others have been.


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## bcsportin (Jan 7, 2010)

I`d highly recommend the Morehead City- Swansboro area of NC. Plenty of fishing choices and is very affordable. It was our families choice 2 summers ago when we wanted to get away from all the drilling BS going on up north.


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## kbamhi (May 9, 2013)

Wilmington is just the sort and size town I would want to get away from. I like Oak Island and Southport but they are a bit pricey. Leland, in between Southport and Wilmington would be my choice. Good real estate values, close enough to Southport, and close enough to Wilmington if you need to head to a larger town.


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## joemullet (Dec 20, 2005)

go somewhere warmer unless you want to be cold 1/3 of the year. good luck on budget. im looking at BELIZE hahahahahahah


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## NASCAR (Jul 26, 2013)

Florida. Year round fishing and very favorable weather. Do any of the states have any advantage to retirement benefits? Less property taxes, ect?


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## don brinson (Apr 8, 2011)

I'm about three years away from retirement. For the last 30 years I've been waiting to move back home to north carolina.But now thats its close to that time, not sure if north carolina is the right place for my retirement years.The sales tax, plus state tax on retirement as well as property tax.I'm thinking Al. or Fa. might fit my retirement buget ,both have some great fishing.Only sure thing is it will not be michigan. DAM 12 below zero this morning.


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## snapperfc (Nov 22, 2013)

River said:


> I thought about this a lot while living on the OBX, where would I go next if I made another move, of course I love my home state of North Carolina and would never leave it, NC has everything !! -- gilly21's choice would be my kinda my second choice but I'd want to be more toward Southport ---- my first choice would be Oriental, NC --- really neat little area with some great fishing, small boat will keep you fed - you can go in any direction from there -- freshest Oysters, Shrimp, Crabs, etc in the world nearby in Englehard -- Great Hunting -- Nice small town --- River


My friend's got a place on Cedar Island. Pretty close to Oriental, he loves it. I keep telling him to let me know when he's there so I can tag along.


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## plotalot (Apr 27, 2009)

Louisiana or South Florida.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

NASCAR said:


> Florida. Year round fishing and very favorable weather. Do any of the states have any advantage to retirement benefits? Less property taxes, ect?


Florida has no state income tax, should one be interested in a part time job or business to beat the alternative minimum tax...


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## Loner (Sep 9, 2009)

...well maybe I can save U some PAIN.....i LIVE in this wonderful Wilmington...If your coming from somewhere and have NEVER BEEN HERE....They will make U think the sun is always shining..and angelic beings are flying about everywhere.....NOT SO!!!
We are double taxed because of New Hanover county and the city of wilmington......the traffic is as close to GRID-LOCK as u can get....now we got an EVER INCREASING CRIME PROBLEM....GANGS......Lot of folks looking to move away now days...
the fishing sucks.....less and less every year and MORE AND MORE people every year....$2.00 an hour to PARK at WRIGHTSVILLE BCH......THE BUSIEST BOATRAMP in NORTH CAROLINA...year round.....thousands have drunk the kool-aid...
I WANT OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE myself....
The absolute best place I HAVE FOUND is in Fla..the gulf coast..Navarre, Penescola bch.....CLEAR WATER...YEAR ROUND WARM...FAIRLY REASONABLE PRICES...fish to catch year round.....
Year round fishing here is tiny trout....little black drum...and the EVER INCREASING PUPPY DRUM....IN TRUTH there ain''t NOTHING HERE IN WINTER but lots of cold water.....
LOOK CLOSE BEFORE u JUMP....


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Have not heard a word from the folks on the gulf coast of Texas??? Please,somebody jump in and tell about it.??


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## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

Loner said:


> . . . . The absolute best place I HAVE FOUND is in Fla..the gulf coast..Navarre, Penescola bch.....CLEAR WATER...YEAR ROUND WARM...FAIRLY REASONABLE PRICES...fish to catch year round.....


Well, I haven't been to as many places as a lot of you have, but based on EVERYTHING I've read (since I do plan on winning the Lottery one of these days HAHA), I'd give a X100 to Loner on this, somewhere around Gulf Breeze, about 2 minutes from Pens Beach, half an hour or so from Pens for shopping/city life, fishable bridges in the bay, people there say they get "tired" of catching overslot reds (would love to see for myself!), 2 good passes into the gulf within what 40-50 miles of each other?, public parks with good fishing, boobies (penguins, of course, HA), close to some of the best surf and pier action on the planet year in and year out, good hunting closeby in S AL, great winter striper fishing in the rivers, good elevation on a lot of it not requiring flood insurance. Like I said, I don't even think it would be a debate for me. I have been in that part of Florida once and loved it. Too many "Roll Tide" fans for sure, but one has to take the good with the bad. 

In NC, I'm with bcsportin, would be hard to beat Carteret County (MHC/Swansboro) in terms of sound/beach fishing and tax rates. I do like Southport as well.


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

Loner, best description of Wilmington I've ever heard!!


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## NASCAR (Jul 26, 2013)

I went to the texas gulf side. Pretty decent fish to catch, but i would rather live on the east side of the mississippi drain. it can sure put mud into the gulf and send it west.


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## NASCAR (Jul 26, 2013)

Bonita Springs or Jupiter FL for me please.


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

If you are going to come to NC then the Swansboro area would be a great choice, however I would suggest you give great consideration to Jax., FL


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## bcsportin (Jan 7, 2010)

When we were on our quest we looked in Florida around the gulf for a week at some nice properties and good prices, but found out quickly alot of the people there were not very friendly. Was very tempting with all the good fishing,but after our 3rd stop at a gas station and dealing with people asking for money everytime we stopped we decided to come back up to NC.Found a great deal on 5 acres with a house and have never doubted our decision since.And i have to say NC folks are some of the nicest people you`ll ever meet minus the Indian beach police who think its a crime to night fish on the beach.Long story and won`t get into it.lol


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## DauntlessRV (Aug 15, 2012)

SeahawK: That is very thoughtful input. Appreciate it. Thank you. RV


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## DauntlessRV (Aug 15, 2012)

Solid 7: Thank you. With all the development in FLA and the problems at Indian River Lagoon and all, I was kind of scared to think Florida. I have this (probably unfair) view of the East Coast of Fla being solid with condos from Jacksonville to Miami. Shopping malls everywhere (albeit with palm trees). I didn't want to to do that! But my dystopic fantasy view may be exaggerated from what you say. Thank you.


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## DauntlessRV (Aug 15, 2012)

Thank you Speckhunter! Right near Jacksonville, FLA itself? Near the city?


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

DauntlessRV said:


> Solid 7: Thank you. With all the development in FLA and the problems at Indian River Lagoon and all, I was kind of scared to think Florida. I have this (probably unfair) view of the East Coast of Fla being solid with condos from Jacksonville to Miami. Shopping malls everywhere (albeit with palm trees). I didn't want to to do that! But my dystopic fantasy view may be exaggerated from what you say. Thank you.


Not sure what you mean by "the problems at Indian River Lagoon", but it sounds like something overexaggerated in other parts of the country. I live on a part of the barrier island less than 1 mile wide, so I'm between the waters. Can't say that I know what problems that you're talking about, other than the same gradual decay that all water systems go through in the modern, over-populated world. Apparently news travels faster the farther it goes! 

There are lots of nice, small, coastal communities. I don't know how far back in time you want to go, but there are still places that barely have one gas station. Yes, there are lots of condos in Florida, but there is also more beach access than in any other state that I've been to. Access to the beach is a little trickier on the Gulf side, in my experience, but there is still plenty. Most of my P&S acquaintances who have fished here with me are surprised by the amount of free access to the water that we enjoy, for being such an "over-developed" state.


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

Since I don't know all your requirements and desires I am going to say the general area. Superb hospitals, entertainment, no income tax, reasonably inexpensive housing, sports, lots of surf fishing opportunities, good weather, great fishing for specks, kings, reds, flounder, whiting, pompano, large mouth bass and even stripers


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## gshivar (Aug 29, 2006)

Dang speckhunter80. At 65 I was looking to have my obit written at this address. You make sound so good down south ; might have to dissapoint my son concerning inheritance!! lol. best - glenn


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

glenn, middle sound is pretty close to heaven according to my numerous friends in the area


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

shell rock landing is mighty fine also


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## surf rat (Jun 30, 2004)

Texas gulf near Baffin Bay.....or Florida near Ft Myers by a close second.. No where in N.C. Or S.C. Or Georgia can hold a candle to those . If you like bass fishing then Fla is the place to be for sure. The big O is on fire recent years.


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## DauntlessRV (Aug 15, 2012)

Sorry if I insulted the hometown! Apologies. There are a lot of dolphin die-offs around Indian River... is that much true? And a huge load of fertilizer, etc. coming down the river from the agricultural areas? Anyway, if it still is a great pleasure for you to live there... it may very well be exaggerated in the news. You know I grew up in the New York area and now live in Maryland near DC so have had plenty of experience watching urbanization completely transform an area. I guess I am wary of it when I get to retirement (if I ever get to retirement). Good for young couples who need good jobs, good services, opportunity, etc. Guess I will be in a different phase of life at that point. Although plenty of retirees will want the hospitals and entertainment options that come with development, that for sure!! Thank you.


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## DauntlessRV (Aug 15, 2012)

Well... thanks! Will have to do a spring road trip in a few months. Appreciate the insight... thank you very much. RV


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

You didn't insult my hometown. I'm not real sentimental about that sort of stuff.

Yeah, some dolphins died. There are still alot left. 

Don't let the news scare you. Supposedly we had this nasty killer flesh eating bacteria in the water, too. The news did a great job of giving me a 3 week vacation from swimmers during one of the maddest and most insanely awesome fishing runs of the year. (so thanks for that) Nevermind that it's a bacteria that's been in the water forever, and nothing has really changed, except maybe a few people actually reported the infection.

Moral of the story - believe nothing you hear, and 1/2 of what you see.


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## plotalot (Apr 27, 2009)

Loner said:


> The absolute best place I HAVE FOUND is in Fla..the gulf coast..Navarre, Penescola bch.....CLEAR WATER...YEAR ROUND WARM...FAIRLY REASONABLE PRICES...fish to catch year round.....


The climate of the upper Gulf Coast is very similar to that of the Carolina coast. The water temperature is probably a bit warmer down here.


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## surfmom (Nov 3, 2012)

I love SC in myrtle beach. If I knew then what I know now I probably would've moved further south towards Murrells inlet or Pawleys Island. The weather here is mild for the most part FLa would be way too hot in the summer for me. But being where I am,I am within a 15-30 minute drive of fresh water (ICW) or salt water inlets ocean creeks etc. I am not retired but do have a lot of flexibility in my work so I can pretty much plan my work week depending on the fishing conditions. I have started venturing out of my little fishing hole and discovering "The Salt Life"
There are still plenty of properties you can pick up here for under 100,000 if you dont mind townhome living in fact theres about 100 properties for sale under 100,000 on a regular basis. Most are 2 bedroms but they are nice and usually within a few blocks of the beach. ANYTHING you want or need is within a 5 mile drive, BAss Pro shop, walmart coastal grand mall market commons and a 20 miunte drive gets you to Murrells inlet and a bit farther to Pawleys island (Which I just discovered yesterday). There is always a breeze in the summer keeping it cooler then inland and the sun is so intense that even if its 40 degrees and not windy you can walk around with a light jacket. Just my 2 cents worth


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

DauntlessRV said:


> Boobies are a type of penguin I think... great! thank you for the local insight and color! Appreciate your input. Best, Dauntless.


Southern penguins. I think


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## gshivar (Aug 29, 2006)

Yea, Southern penguins - Usually see them in pairs! best - glenn


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## kbamhi (May 9, 2013)

+ 1 With Surfmom. I am leaning toward NC because FL summers are just too damn hot for me.


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

Surfmom, since you just discovered Pawley's Island then you need to check out Hog Heaven BBQ on Hwy 17 app. 3/4 mile south of Pawley's Island


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## River (Sep 30, 2006)

Got to agree with Surfmom ---- when I was the only traveling Auditor for Hooters Air (Yes that was a very nice Job) - I did Maint, Gnd Handling, Vendor, Supplier and fueling Audits and would travel to Fla for 2 weeks every other year. I'd fly into Orlando, travel over to the Gulf side, down the Gulf and would always spend the first weekend in that tall hotel in Ft Myers - then on to Miami for four or five days, then up the coast usually spending some time at the Cape fishing Jetty Park - Then back to Orlando and home. Always had a Rod and fished everywhere possible but being in love with the OBX - I never was impressed with the fishing - of course, I was not familiar with the areas and not sure I hit the right spots. I truly loved the Ft Myers areas and the land of 1000 islands, that would be my choice if I were forced to live there --- but it's just to hot and there's over, I was told 25 different nationalities of people living there, I would be all the way back to the Cape before I could understand what the people fishing were saying --- along with the fact that being from NC, I got cursed a lot while driving --- it' seems in my part of NC, we slow down for a yellow light --- down there they speed up, if I was in front at a yellow light - the horns blew and middle fingers flew out windows, hot along with lots and lots of different personalities ---- I'll just stick to my choice - small town, 4 different seasons - slow people --- Oriental, NC --- River


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## surfmom (Nov 3, 2012)

speckhunter80 said:


> Surfmom, since you just discovered Pawley's Island then you need to check out Hog Heaven BBQ on Hwy 17 app. 3/4 mile south of Pawley's Island


will do thanks!


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## Papa-T (Sep 5, 2011)

My best friend lives in Wilmington. Great place to visit, but to damn many people and traffic sucks. I retire in December. Been looking myself. My wife still has 7 more years to work. I was looking at Hampstead. However, living in the Blue Ridge Mountains is hard to leave. Love my mountains. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions..


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## DauntlessRV (Aug 15, 2012)

Oh... there are blue-footed boobies, I see in Wikipedia! Must be HOT!

"The Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) is a marine bird in the family Sulidae, which includes ten species of long-winged seabirds. First studied extensively by Charles Darwin, it belongs to the genus Sula, which comprises six species of boobies. It is easily recognizable by its distinctive bright blue feet, which is a sexually selected trait. Males display their feet in an elaborate mating ritual by lifting their feet up and down while strutting before the female. The female is slightly larger than the male and can measure up to 90 cm (36 in) long with a wingspan of up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft).[2]
The natural breeding habitats of the Blue-footed Booby are the tropical and subtropical islands of the Pacific Ocean. It can be found from the Gulf of California down along the western coasts of Central and South America down to Peru. Approximately one half of all breeding pairs nest on the Galápagos Islands.[3] Its diet mainly consists of fish, which it obtains by diving and sometimes swimming underwater in search of its prey. While it sometimes hunts alone, the Blue-footed Booby mainly hunts in groups.[4]
The Blue-footed Booby usually lays one to three eggs at a time. The species practices asynchronous hatching, which means that eggs that are laid first are hatched before the consequent eggs, resulting in a growth inequality and size disparity between siblings. This results in facultative siblicide in times of food scarcity,[5] making the Blue-footed Booby an effective model for studying parent-offspring conflict and sibling rivalry."


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## Bocefus (Apr 19, 2010)

+1 Swansboro area, Carolina and Kure Beach area would be nice if affordable.


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## KB Spot Chaser (Nov 19, 2009)

Go south, no good fishing here


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## drumchaser (Jan 14, 2003)

What Loner said. No st tax in fl either.


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## Bodie (Jan 4, 2014)

Southern NC is where I would go. Warm waters from the gulf meet the cold waters from the north right around hatteras. I have always wanted to retire in manteo myself.


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## WNCRick (Sep 24, 2007)

Southern NC is nowhere near Manteo, almost 300 miles by car, and is prolly the furthest you can get from the gulf stream in NC. Nice and warm here, but nothing great for fishing.........

Maybe you meant southern OBX?

Just wonderin?

Rick


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## gshivar (Aug 29, 2006)

Anyone mention Sneeds Ferry? glenn


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

WNCRick said:


> Loner, best description of Wilmington I've ever heard!!


Sounds like the "Armpit of the Northeast" - LOL ! ! !


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## JayTee (Oct 15, 2013)

We chose Carolina Beach. Reasonable home prices, nice restaurants, great local community, close to bigger cities (Wilmington, Raleigh),
Short drive to Fort Fisher for driving on beach. Fishing is pretty decent. Always something to do year round. If you dont own a boat you will quickly find a friend who has one.


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