The Best of Northeast Florida Pier Fishing...

It's Relaxing and Affordable!

In northeast Florida pier fishing is a low-stress, low-cost way for the beginning angler to test the waters and add to growing skills!


"What I really like about pier fishing is how friendly the people are - when you land your catch, everybody on the pier is just as excited about it as you are!"

There are many seasoned fishers in northeast Florida that prefer the piers over getting out in boats - we affectionately refer to them as "pier rats" - and we have found the veterans are very eager to lend a friendly hand and plenty of advice to the novice.

We've put together a list of the best public fishing piers in northeast Florida, including both freshwater or saltwater fishing.

We know that a major hassle for some folks when choosing a new fishing spot is restroom facilities; and so we've noted those piers that we know provide them.

We've also noted fishing piers with accessiblity for the disabled; and for the freshwater piers, those with a fish attractor near the pier.

The fishing pier at popular Asbury Lake is about 9 miles northwest of Green Cove Springs, but is closer to Middleburg near SR 218; the pier is disabled-accessible; there's a fish attractor within casting distance of the pier; restrooms are provided.

Doctors Lake Park is located 20 miles southwest of Jacksonville, on Fleming Island at the corner of White Owl Lane and Lakeshore Drive North. To get there, follow US 17 Hwy to SR 220 (Doctor's Inlet Road) and go west for about 5 miles. The park also provides a picnic area with a covered pavilion and a 320-foot fishing pier. This one-acre park gives access to Doctors Lake for fishing, small boats and canoes.

Black Creek's public fishing pier is near Middleburg on Hwy 21; just a short drive southwest of Jacksonville. While there's no fish attractor, there are restrooms and the pier is handicapped-accessible. The pier is in Main Street Park, which is located next to the Main Street Boat Ramp in Middleburg on the North Fork of Black Creek. This 5-acre park includes three pavilions with picnic areas, playground equipment, an 825-foot boardwalk, and two fishing piers.

There are a couple of fishing piers on the St Johns River:

• The first pier is found just before the Old Shands Bridge, 4 miles east of St Augustine, outside Green Cove Springs. There's restrooms and handicapped access, but no fish attractor. The pier is located southeast of Green Cove Springs following Rt 17 to Rt 16 east, where the county park and pier is on the left before you get to the bridge. The bridge is also excellent for Florida bass fishing.

• Another pier is found in the city of Palatka, about 25 miles south of Green Cove Springs on U.S. Hwy 17. Palatka has a very nice Riverfront Park, situated on the west banks of the St Johns River, what has a barrier-free pier, restrooms nearby, but there is not a fish attractor. There are picnic areas, a concession stand, boat slips, a boat ramp and dock. This park is also used as a staging area for bass tournaments.

Ponte Vedra's pier is located on SR A1A, about 13 miles north of St Augustine. It's a bare bones pier; there are no restrooms provided, no fish attractor, and isn't disabled-accessible.

Jacksonville does know its fishing! The Jacksonville area has a half-dozen public freshwater piers:

• POPE DUVAL PARK is a 411-acre regional park located at 13500 West Beaver Street in Jacksonville. The pier is disabled-accessible; has no restrooms but there is a fish attractor off the pier.

• OCEANWAY POND is at the Oceanway Sports Complex, 12215 Sago Avenue in Jacksonville. The pier has restrooms and fish attractor, and is disabled-accessible.

• HANNAH PARK POND: One of Jacksvonville's nicer parks, Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park is located at 500 Wonderwood Drive in Jacksonville. The pier, while not disabled-accessible, does have restrooms, and fish attractor. There's also camping available, and a unique, small water playground for the kids to have a water fight using the water-squirters provided.

• BETHESDA's pier is found off I-295 at 10790 Key Haven, Jacksonville. This 16-acre lake is disabled-accessible; restrooms are provided; there's also a fish attractor within casting of the pier.

• HUGUENOT POND, 10980 Heckscher Drive, at Huguenot Memorial Park, is a 60-acre park on Jacksonville Beach; the city-run pier is disabled-accessible; with restrooms and fish attractor; there's also camping and beach access by vehicle on the Atlantic side. A great park!

• ST AUGUSTINE ROAD Fish Management Areas on St Augustine Rd in E. Central Jacksonville is not disabled-accessible; but restrooms and fish attractor are provided.

A word of caution to you about saltwater fishing piers: The action is sizzling on the Atlantic fishing piers, and we love the sound of many reels singing harmoniously when a group of fish comes past the piers. It's great fun!

However, with saltwater pier fishing comes...hurricane season. And, unfortunately, Florida fishing vacation plans that include saltwater pier fishing need to allow for the possibility that your favorite pier might be closed for repairs. So, please call ahead to make sure the pier is available!

George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's a bridge but it's pedastrian-only, which makes it a fishing pier, right? This mile-long fishing bridge/pier is at the entrance to the Amelia Island State Park; if you've paid the entrance fee there, there's no further cost to fish the pier; otherwise, the charge is only a dollar to fish at this location. Phone 904-251-2320.

This state park is located in the Fernadina Beach/Amelia Island area northeast of Jacksonville off SR 200. The park has a half-mile long fishing pier. There's a $5.00 charge per vehicle to enter the park. Phone: 904-277-7274

Daytona Beach has 2 saltwater fishing piers:

• Sunglow Fishing Pier on A1A in Daytona Beach, FL, Phone: (386) 788-3364. Adults fish for $6.00 daily, children younger than 12 cost $3.00; nonfishers are a dollar for grownups, fify cents for kids. There's a restaurant, bait and tackle, and even pole rental for a small charge.

• Main Street Pier is found on, you guessed it, Main Street in Daytona Beach. The waterfront operation also has a restaurant, and a 180-ft observation tower, too, to occupy those in your group that get bored easily (like kids!). For more entertainment at this pier, there's a gondola-style sky lift swings riders out over the ocean, and even helicopter rides! Phone 386-253-1212

Jacksonville Beach fishing pier is at 503 1st Street North in Jacksonville. This 1,320-foot pier opened in late December, 2004, and it's a nice one!. It is 20 feet wide, and the dimensions at the 'T-end' are 31 x 48 feet. Fish all day, for only $4.00/person. Children under 6 fish for free, and spectators or walkers pay only a dollar. Hours of operation are 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, seven days a week. Please respect the 3-rod/angler limit.

In our humble opinion, this list offers a comprehensive review of public freshwater AND saltwater fishing piers in the northeastern Florida area. We hope it's been informative and useful to you as you plan your Florida fishing vacation. If you have a favorite fishing pier in northeast Florida that's not listed here - freshwater or saltwater, public or private - please drop us a line and tell us about it!

Thanks for visiting our northeast Florida fishing piers page!

--- John & Laurie, FFVA

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