The Flagler Beach pier will soon open for bids to begin repair work for damage caused by Hurricane Matthew.

  • Hurricane Matthew severely damaged Flagler Beach Pier
  • City looking for bids to fix the pier

The pier is home for many people who love to fish.

"It's like the perfect place to be," said pier fisherman Anthony Stubbs.

Currently, fisherman like Stubbs are settling for the beach to fish.

"It's like if you look that way down there all of these people fish on that pier," said Stubbs.

But the engineers are now working to get them back on the pier.

The city manager said they are creating the bid package for companies interested in doing temporary repairs. The package will go out within the next two weeks.

The storm lifted the deck and took out 53 of 54 support beams that hold up the pier.

"I feel their pain," said Flagler Beach city manager Larry Newsom. "I've been here since January 4. I know the fishermen love this pier. My goal is to get this thing open as quick as possible."

The fishermen aren't the only ones taking a hit without the pier.

The city manager said the bait shop is losing a lot of money. Normally it brings in about $1,500 to $2,000 a day. Now he says they're lucky if they get $100.

"We're waiting, everybody's waiting for them to come out here and start building on it so we can start fishing off it again," said Sal Terzo, pier fisherman.

Stubbs said the catch on the beach isn't as great as fishing on the pier.

"Being on the pier, you can drop down and you can see the fish and you catch more fish being deeper out in the water," said Stubbs.

But he's hoping to be able to use it again soon.

"The sooner they get it up, the better. It'll be a wonderful feeling and we're praying that they do that," said Stubbs.

The city manager said once they permanently fix the pier, he hopes to make this the longest pier in Florida.

The city manager said several marine construction companies would be interested in the bids. Once the bids are in, the federal government requires them to pick three companies to choose from. 

They hope to have the pier open by March 1.