Camp Helen State Park Fishing

Camp Helen State Park sits where Lake Powell, the largest coastal dune lake in Florida, meets the Gulf. When the lake's outfall at Phillips Inlet is open, the moving brackish water draws inshore fish to the mouth.

• Quiet Gulf beach for pompano, whiting and redfish
• Lake Powell and its outfall for trout, reds and flounder
• A historic lodge, trails and a visitor center in a small day-use park
• The park lists both freshwater and saltwater fishing

The park is on US 98 (Panama City Beach Parkway) at the far western edge of Panama City Beach, just west of the Phillips Inlet bridge and next to the Walton County line.

• Getting there: follow US 98 west from Panama City Beach, or east from Inlet Beach; the park lies on the Gulf side of the highway
• Entry: a small per-vehicle fee paid at an honor box; walkers and cyclists pay less
• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year; day use only, no camping
• The walk from the parking area to the beach and the outfall is on trails and boardwalk and ends on soft sand; pack light

Two waters mean two sets of fish.

• Spring (Mar–May): pompano and whiting in the surf, trout and reds at the outfall, Spanish mackerel arriving
• Summer (Jun–Aug): Spanish mackerel and ladyfish early in the day, flounder and trout at the outfall, whiting in the troughs
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the best season: pompano, bull redfish, flounder leaving the lake
• Winter (Dec–Feb): whiting in the surf and trout in the lake on warm days

A medium spinning rod covers the lake; add a surf rod for the beach.

• Outfall trout and reds: live shrimp under a cork, or a soft plastic worked with the current
• Flounder: a finger mullet or jig bounced along the edge of the outfall channel
• Pompano and whiting: a double-drop rig with shrimp or bought sand fleas in the first trough
• Spanish mackerel: spoons retrieved fast when fish break along the beach
• Bring all your bait; digging sand fleas or collecting other animals is not allowed in a state park
• Keep tackle light for the walk

Gulf tides here are small, mostly one high and one low a day; the state of the outfall matters most.

• When the outfall is open, the falling tide draining the lake is the time to fish the mouth
• When it is closed, fish the surf and the lake shore separately
• Heavy rain raises the lake and often opens the outfall
• Clean green water and light winds are best in the surf
• On summer days the first hours after the 8 a.m. opening and the evening before sunset fish best

The park is natural and has no lifeguard.

• Current in an open outfall can be strong; never wade across it
• Rip currents form along the Gulf beach; check the warning flags posted at the park
• Swimmers use both the Gulf and the lake; fish away from them
• Shuffle your feet to avoid stingrays
• Leave the beach at the first sign of lightning, and allow for the walk back
• Reaching the water means walking on sand; the park has a beach wheelchair, so ask at the visitor center

Camp Helen is a small day-use park.

• A visitor center with interpretive exhibits, and the historic lodge
• Restrooms and an outdoor shower station
• Picnic tables through the park and one small covered pavilion
• No bait shop in the park; buy bait in Panama City Beach
• Carry water, shade and snacks; it is a walk back to the car for anything you forget

• Check whether the outfall is open before planning a trip around it
• The outfall fishes best on the falling tide after rain
• Flounder stack up at the mouth in the fall
• Weekdays are quieter than weekends on the beach and the lake
• Keep off the dunes and out of posted nesting areas
• Lake Powell freshwater fish need a freshwater license

The Florida Park Service manages the park; follow posted signs on where fishing and swimming are allowed.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt; freshwater fishing in the lake needs a freshwater license
• All fishing in the park must follow state rules on size, number, method of capture and season
• State park rules protect wildlife other than the fish you catch: do not dig or collect sand fleas, crabs or other bait
• Sea turtles and shorebirds nest here; stay out of posted areas
• Walton County's beaches begin just west of the park, and there shark fishing, chumming and blood baiting are banned
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything