Florida fishing piers
in northwest Florida

Florida fishing piers in northwest Florida are an excellent choice to experience freshwater fishing. Let's take a look at some of the best freshwater and saltwater pier fishing found in the northwest Florida area.

Florida fishing piers in northwest Florida: Why pier fishing?

Not everyone owns a boat. Not everyone wants to fish from a boat. For a variety of reasons, some folks who love to fish in northwest Florida's waters don't choose boat fishing.

We understand that. Personally, we love pier fishing because we have younger kids who need potty breaks. End of explanation...

For whatever reason - whether's its simply a personal preference, time and budgetary considerations, or any other reason - northwest Florida fishing piers are a low fuss, low cost, quick way to fully enjoy Florida freshwater and saltwater fishing.

If you enjoy crappie fishing, try Lake Talquin in the winter! This lake is known throughout the U.S. for high caliber black crappie fishing (though those less than 10 inches total length must be immediately released). The 8,800 surface acre Lake Talquin is found just west of Tallahassee. There's plenty of fish camps and boat ramps at the lake, too. Fishing piers are plentiful; there's a total of five fishing piers off of Highway 20, and 2 more piers on the east side of the lake, closer to Tallahassee. One popular pier is on the west side of Lake Talquin, at the end of High Bluff Road. It's barrier-free with fish attractor but doesn't have restrooms; a pier that does have restrooms as well as disabled accessibility is located on the south side of the lake, in the Lake Talquin State Recreation Area. A few more fishing piers are located at...

• - Wainwright Landing: From Tallahassee, travel west on Highway 20 for about 15 miles; make a right turn onto Wainright Road and follow Wainright Road to the ending at the landing. There's also a paved boat ramp in addition to the pier.
• - Ben Stoutamire Landing: Follow Highway 20 west from Tallahassee for about 15 miles to Ben Stoutamire Road and turn right; the road dead ends at the landing. There's also a paved boat ramp and dock as well as the pier.
• - Williams' Landing: Take Highway 20 west from Tallahasse approximately 10 miles toWilliam's Landing Road and turn right. The road dead ends at the landing. There are also restrooms and picnic areas at this location, and nearby camping. A good family fishing spot!
• - Coe's Landing Take Highway 20 west from Tallahassee about 7.4 miles to Coe's Landing Road and turn right; follow the road to the end. In addition to the fishing pier, there's restrooms, RV hook-ups, camping, and a fish camp; boat rentals, boat dock and a paved ramp; and picnic areas. Another great spot for family fishing vacations.

Hurricane Lake is near the Florida/Alabama border. To get there from
Baker, drive northeast on SR 4 about 12 miles northeast to Hurricane Lake Road; turn left and follow for about 7 miles (Hurricane Lake road will turn into Beaver Creek Road; just keep going!) to the North entrance to the lake. Hurricane Lake is on the small side - only 318 surface acres - and is part of the Blackwater State Forest. Fishing includes bluegill, shellcracker, AKA redear sunfish, largemouth, and channel catfish. There's campgrounds in both the north and south areas of the lake; the south campground is primitive but does have restroom and picnic areas. There are also several fishing fingers for bank angling as well as a new fishing pier. To get to the south campground, follow Beaver Creek Road from SR 4 to Kennedy Bridge Road and follow the signs.

The north campground is more modernized, with electric and water hookups and a disabled-accessible fishing pier, with restrooms and fish attractor within casting length of the pier. To get there, take Kennedy Bridge Road to Beaver Creek Road; go north to Hurricane Lake North Campground Road and follow to the campground.

Lake Stone is found in Escambia County, Florida, 1.5 miles west of Century, off Highway 4. This is the fourth biggest lake in Florida, and is part of the Escambia River system. You'll find many native freshwater species (about 85 varieties!), with the most popular fish including shadow, largemouth, sunshine and spotted bass; longear, redear, and spotted sunfish; bluegill, black crappie; channel catfish as well as monster blue and flathead catfish. The fishing pier at Lake Stone has restrooms, is barrier-free and has fish attractors within casting distance.

Just 7 miles north of Panama City off US 231 and SR 77 at Southport, Deerpoint Lake at 5,000 surface acres is well known for the spring shellcracker, AKA redear sunfish, fishing during April, May, and June. Bluegill, AKA bream fishing is also good during the springtime months. Earthworms are good bait for panfish. Largemouth bass are most active in spring through early summer; and also in the fall at Deerpoint Lake, fished using plastic worms, crankbaits, and minnow lures fished near the shoreline. Deerpoint Lakes' fishing pier is barrier-free, but lacks restrooms. Fish attractor plans are in the works.

Bear Lake is part of the Blackwater State Forest, and is found near Munson, Florida, about 2 miles east on SR4. Fish habitat in the 107 surface acre lake is provided by a large amount of flooded timber, and the lake's been stocked with popular freshwater fish such as striped bass, largemouth bass, bluegill and shellcracker, crappie and channel cat. The fishing pier within the campground has a fish attractor within casting distance and is disabled accessible; restrooms are provided. If you're not camping but just want to use the fishing pier, there's a $2.00 fee per car.

Lake Miccosukee's fishing pier is off Hwy. 90, 5 miles west of Monticello; it's about a 22-mile drive northeast of Tallahassee. This pier is disabled-accessible but there isn't restrooms or fish attractors. This quiet lake has a surface area of 6,226 miles, and is stream-fed with streams also flowing out of the lake.

Spanning six Florida counties, the Apalachicola River runs from Lake Seminole at the Florida/Georgia junction, crossing into Chattahoochee on the Florida side; continuing south through another 106 miles of Panhandle country, and emptying into the Gulf of Mexico at Apalachicola (the town). Some of the best Apalachicola river fishing is found at the upper river at Chattahootchee, where there's a fishing pier in the city park on the river. While there's no restrooms at the pier, and isn't disabled-accessible, the pier is at an excellent location just below the Lake Seminole's Woodruff Dam, for those who care to take advantage of the angling opportunities found there. The city's full-service RV park is literally behind the city park, complete with tent camping and a couple of spring-fed catfish ponds. Maybe the campground will let you use their restroom facilities; it couldn't hurt to ask!

The Intercoastal Waterway has a fishing pier at White City on hwy 71, just a few minutes north of Port St Joe. There's no restroom facilities available at the pier but this pier, being off the beaten track, isn't as well-known so it could be less crowded.

Gulf Coast fishing in Florida is just as exciting, the action just as thrilling, and the pace as nonstop from the fishing piers of northwest Florida as out in a boat. You get all the action at a tiny fraction of the price of the costly charter boats. Unfortunately, there's something that occurs with regularity in Florida - hurricanes. And hurricanes sometimes damage the piers, that's true.

With that said, we want to offer a word of caution to the wise - when your Florida fishing travel itinerary includes a Florida saltwater fishing pier as part of your Florida vacation, please call ahead and make sure the pier is open for fishing. We've heard sad stories from folks who were very disappointed to arrive at their fishing destination, only to find that the pier was closed for hurricane-related repairs.

We don't want you to be one of the disappointed vacationers, so call ahead!

Fort Walton Beach has the famous Okaloosa fishing pier as part of its 6-acre Fort Walton Landing waterfront park. The pier is 1,262 feet long, well-lighted for night fishing, and has restrooms, too. This pier is popular for tarpon fishing; 100 pounders have been landed regularly from this pier. There's a $6.50 charge per person to fish. Fort Walton Landing with the popular pier is located at 139 SE Brooks Street in Fort Walton Beach. Call 850-244-1023 for pier availability.

Fort Pickens is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. If fishing from only the pier at Fort Pickens, you do not need a saltwater fishing license. There are restrooms nearby. To reach the pier, come via Pensacola on Santa Rosa Island to the western end of the island; and turn right at Fort Pickens Road. Follow that road for about 2 miles until you reach the toll entrance to the park. If you've already purchased a day permit to the National park, or hold an annual National Park pass, the entrance fee is waived; otherwise there is a usage charge. CALL 850-934-2600 before going as the Fort did suffer some hurricane damage from Ivan; so please check pier availability.

Pensacola Beach fishing pier is an awesome 1,471 feet long! Located on Fort Pickens road at Pensacola Beach, the pier has a reputation for friendliness and is a favorite attraction. Winter fishing is good for redfish and sheephead; while warmer weather brings abundant redfish, cobia, Dolphin, AKA Mahi Mahi, flounder, tarpon, and pompana, to name just a few species caught from the pier. There's restrooms, a diner, a bait/tackle shop (you can even rent a rod there). Many folks go there just to walk, and you can for $1.00 admission fee; however, if you want to fish, daily charges start for adult fishing at $6.50, 6-12 yrs $3.50, 65 & older $5.50, children under 6 fish for free. 850-934-7200 for pier hurricane updates.

Panama City Beach, Florida's Dan Russell Municipal Pier offers up very satisfying angling opportunities, with Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, red fish, flounder, cobia, and pompano frequently landed there. The pier was 1,642 feet long, making it the longest Gulf Coast fishing pier; however, it suffered major hurricane damage from Ivan in '04, and has lost the usage of about a quarter of its length at the end of the pier. The city has been slow to repair the pier, but that isn't stopping dedicated pier anglers from gathering at their favorite pier! While it's a little more crowded these days, the fishing is just as exciting as ever - there's nothing quite like the sound of the drags on many poles singing in harmony as a group of fish comes by! The pier is disabled-accessible, costs $5.00 per person, children ages 12 and younger cost $2.00, $1.00 just to walk or watch, and disabled can fish free. The pier is located at 16101 Front Beach Road in Panama City Beach (which is just a short hop from Panama City), or call 850-233-5080 to double check the info given here and get driving directions. Just four miles further down the beach is the M.B. Miller County Pier at 12213 Front Beach Road in Panama City Beach. There's restrooms provided, a lighted parking lot, plus the lovely beach, too!

Navarre Beach,'s 900-foot fishing pier has been closed for awhile due to (you guessed it) hurricane damage from Ivan and Dennis, but rebuilding is underway - call the pier building at (850) 936-6188 to check the pier's current status. The park is just across from Navarre, Florida, at 8579 Gulf Blvd., Navarre, Florida 32566. To get there, from I-10, follow Hwy 87 south to Hwy 98; go east for about a quarter- mile, where you'll find the Navarre Beach Toll Bridge; then continue south about another mile and the road ou dead ends at Navarre Beach State Park and Fishing Pier. It's a great spot to catch early Pompano, Cobia, and Mackerel Gulf Coast runs. If you're going to fish only from the pier, a saltwater fishing licensed isn't needed. Pier fees are $5.00 for adults; kids 6-12 years are $2.50; and kids under 6 fish for free. There's also a dollar entrance fee for walkers.

These are the best public freshwater AND saltwater fishing piers in the northwest Florida area, in our humble opinion. We hope you have found our fishing piers review useful. If there's a pier you'd like to see added to this review of Florida fishing piers in northwest Florida - freshwater or saltwater, private or public - please drop us a line and tell us!

Thanks for visiting our Florida fishing piers in northwest Florida page!

--- John & Laurie, FFVA