Fort Pickens is a land based fisherman’s dream. You have the choice of pristine ocean facing beaches, bay side beach access, a really nice pier and even a small jetty, not to mention the deep water access right at the mouth of Pensacola Bay. Let’s see how to fish Fort Pickens in order to take full advantage of all that it has to offer.
About The Park
Gulf Islands National Seashore
Fort Pickens is part of the larger Gulf Islands National Seashore national park system. Before we get into the discussion specific to Fort Pickens, you should know that your entry fee includes access to all of the other parks falling under the umbrella of this national park system. One of these other such parks is Opal Beach, discussed shortly below.
Opal Beach – A Bonus Option In The Area
If you need a change of scenery, or perhaps want to make a move to a different stretch of beach to find biting fish, Opal Beach is a good secondary option.
It’s about a 40 minute drive from Pickens, so it’s far enough away that you may encounter totally different water conditions there.
Opal Beach is away from the tourist areas, and can be a good option to try in case you run into the dreaded June grass at the fort. Just something to keep in mind. Now let’s dive into Fort Pickens.
What Is Fort Pickens?
As the name implies, this is a park encompassing the remnants of an old military fort. It was built in the early 1800’s to protect Pensacola Bay and the nearby Navy Yard. Aside from the intriguing history of the fort itself, the park has even more meaning for us anglers. It serves as a great launching pad for some of the best land-based fishing in the area.
Lots Of Access In One Place!
Within the park, you have beach access, bay access, pier access and even jetty access all in one location. As a bonus, the park is positioned in a peaceful and largely undeveloped spot along Pensacola Beach. It’s a true fisherman’s paradise.
You Can Both Camp And Fish Here
There are 2 campgrounds located within the park. I love taking my tent and doing combination camping and fishing trips with friends here. The prices are low, and the campsites are really good. The smaller campground is close enough to the beach that you can actually walk to the water without even getting in your vehicle. Those sites are very high demand though, so you’ll need to book way in advance to get them.
Check Ahead Of Time To Make Sure The Park Is Open
Before making final plans to fish or camp here, it’s best to check to see if the park is actually open. The road to get in there is notorious for washing out with hurricanes and other bad storms. When this happens, it’s sometimes quite a while before they open the park back up.
Fort Pickens Fishing Supplies
Before heading out to the park, you’ll want to be sure you have all the gear that you need, as it’s quite a long slow drive to get out there. The speed limit on Fort Pickens road is very SLOW!
Besides a rod and reel, and some terminal tackle, the other obvious priority is bait. You can go the artificial route if you want, but I usually have more consistent success with natural baits, so that is mainly what I stick to.
There is a great chance of catching fish here that you can actually eat, so bring along a cooler with ice. Other notable supplies you’ll need are a fishing license, pliers, extra leader material, extra sinkers, a knife, sunscreen, drinks, snacks, and sunglasses. I personally like to include a beach cart, sand spikes, and a cast net as well.
Bait
You can try to catch bait on location, but I like to at least purchase some bait around Pensacola before heading out to the fort. I don’t like to show up empty handed.
Get Some Shrimp
Live shrimp is usually your best bet. Hit up one of these Pensacola bait suppliers on the way down. If you can’t get your hands on live shrimp, go with fresh dead shrimp instead.
For those that don’t know, “fresh” is key when it comes to using shrimp as bait. Pretty much any non-frozen shrimp that you would eat yourself is good for fishing. Usually you can buy it from local bait shops, but not always. Other places to source fresh dead shrimp are grocery stores and Joe Patti’s Seafood Market in Pensacola. Avoid frozen shrimp if you can.
Backup Bait
If you plan to fish the surf, bring along some Fish Bites or Fish Gum as a backup bait. Those are very effective baits from the beach in case you run out of shrimp.
Cast Net Some Lively Bait
Particularly if you plan to fish the bay side early or late in the day, a cast net is your friend. If pods of small bait fish are around, you can net some and most assuredly get bites when using it.
3 Places To Fish At Fort Pickens
1. Fort Pickens Fishing Pier
The pier inside Fort Pickens is certainly one of the very best places to fish within the park. It’s a well known productive spot. Even though it’s buried within a national park, a far drive from the nearest town, it can still be very busy.
You’ll have to share this popular fishing pier with campers and locals alike, especially during peak months. If you can go during the week you’ll avoid much of the crowd. If you don’t mind fishing alongside a collection of other anglers, this is a great Pensacola fishing hole for land-based anglers.
There is no fee to fish the pier, but if you step onto the surrounding sand, you’ll need to have a saltwater fishing license. I recommend purchasing a saltwater license, so you won’t be constrained to only fishing the pier.
What You Can Catch At Fort Pickens Pier
Lots of different species hang out near this pier, and even right beneath the pilings, including mangrove snapper, redfish, red snapper, pompano, Spanish mackerel, flounder and more. You can also hook into some real giants right under your feet. The problem with that is that the larger fish usually wrap you up in the structure and immediately break off. So, the chances of actually landing a huge fish lurking beneath the pier is slim, but it’s fun nevertheless.
Cast Netting Bait Here
From the pier, and really anywhere on the bay side, you’ll be able to cast net bait early in the mornings, and then use that bait to catch your dinner. The Fort Pickens pier is a one stop shop in that regard.
Where To Park To Fish The Pier
There will be nearby parking right along the old fort wall that runs alongside the water, as shown above. The pier can be seen in the distance in the image above.
Notice how there are very few cars in this photo. This is what you want to see when you arrive. Obviously the busier it is, the further away you will have to park, and the more company you will have on the pier.
If you have a lot of gear, such as coolers and ice, it’s nice to have a fishing cart, no matter how close you park. It’s much easier to transport gear from your vehicle to the pier by using a cart. I just use my surf fishing cart when fishing piers. A good beach cart is a worthwhile investment, if you have a way to transport them, and they can double as your pier cart.
2. Surf Fishing At Fort Pickens
There are several great beach access points within the park. For fishermen and tourists alike, the park entry fee is well worth it to utilize these lesser crowded beaches. That’s especially true for anglers, since fewer swimmers in the water equate to less spooked fish, and more fish feeding up closer to the beach.
Where To Park To Fish The Beach
There are no less than 4 different parking areas where you can park and walk to the beach. Some parking areas are further from the water than others.
The further away the parking lot is, the harder the trek is to get to the beach. However, that generally equates to fewer people around you. So, it’s a tradeoff.
Look at Google maps ahead of time, and take note of all the roadside parking areas. You can clearly see footpaths through the sand, to see where people access the beaches. I’m hesitant to name a specific number of beach access points, since they have been known to shut the gates to a couple of them at various times. So, you’ll always want to have a backup spot in your mind.
What You’ll Catch When Surf Fishing Fort Pickens
There are actually quite a few species of fish you can catch from the beaches surrounding Fort Pickens . The number one target when surf fishing this area has to be the Florida Pompano, especially in the spring.
Aside from pomps, you’ll also be targeting whiting, redfish and Spanish mackerel, among others. Of course, you’ll run into a whole host of undesirables as well, such as stingray, catfish and ladyfish.
Whether the fishing is good or not, the time is always well spent in this historical beachside paradise.
3. Bay Side Beach At Fort Pickens
There are a couple reasons I often find myself fishing the bay side beaches of Fort Pickens. I go there for the calm waters, and for the deep water access.
The Pensacola Bay Side Is Usually Calmer
If the surf side is really rough, you can usually escape to the calmer waters north of the peninsula. While this does mean you drastically diminish your chances of catching certain species, such as pompano, you still have many other species in play, as will be discussed below.
Close In Access To Deep Water
Deep water is key if you’re after large fish. The closest access point to the deepest water is this little stairway, shown above. This ramp will lead you over the fort wall, and to the sandy beach nearest the drop-off to deep water. It’s located at the very northwest corner of the fort wall where it makes a 90 degree turn.
When pursuing medium sized sharks or bull redfish, the bay side of Fort Pickens is a great land-based fishing option. This is especially true when night fishing with big baits. I find that it takes considerable skill to get good casting distance with heavy payloads, especially in the dark. Because deep water is so close in on the bay side, you can just lob your bait out there a short ways and you’re in business.
What You’ll Catch On The Bay Side
While you will give up a few species by turning your back on the beach side, there are still plenty of fish to be had on the Pensacola Bay side. Sharks, redfish, flounder, croaker, mangrove snapper, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, and many others are still available to you.
Parking For The Bay Side
Just as with fishing the pier, you’ll park along the fort wall nearest the little access ramp shown above. If the parking along the wall is full, there are a couple other nearby lots where you can usually find a spot to park.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a local, a camper, a tourist, a dolphin enthusiast, or a bird watcher, Fort Pickens has something for you. I truly mean it when I say it’s one of my absolute favorite places.
Here you can escape the more crowded beaches closer to town, and fish in relative peace amongst the abundant wildlife.
To really do Fort Pickens right, you’ll need to get yourself a campsite and fish at night. A tent is all you really need. Other daytime visitors will have to leave the park after the sun goes down. Then, you’ll have the park to share with only a few fellow campers that venture out at night. This is a great time to cast big baits out for the many sharks and bull reds that call this area home.
If you would like more information on how to beach fish, I have an extensive article on how to go surf fishing on a family vacation linked here.
Good Luck!
Augustus Clay
