Colee Hammock Park Fishing

Colee Hammock Park is a pocket of shade on a bend of the New River where you can fish a tidal river from the bank, minutes from downtown Fort Lauderdale. It is small and simple, but snook and tarpon move right past it on every tide.

• A grassy riverside park under big shade trees
• Snook, tarpon, jacks and mangrove snapper whenever the tide is running
• Open from early morning until 9 p.m., so the evening bite is within reach
• A quieter choice than the busy Intracoastal parks

The park is at 1500 Brickell Drive in Fort Lauderdale, on the north bank of the New River a short distance south of Las Olas Boulevard. The City of Fort Lauderdale runs it.

• Getting there: from Las Olas Boulevard, take the residential streets on its south side to Brickell Drive
• Parking: the city's listing mentions no parking lot; expect limited street parking and follow the posted signs
• Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• The walk: a few steps across the lawn to the river's edge
• Surface: grass to the bank; there is no pier, so you fish from the shore

The New River is tidal, so its fish ride the current up and down with the bait.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook push up from the Intracoastal, and jacks and ladyfish chase bait
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and tarpon feed at dawn, at dusk and after dark, and mangrove snapper hold on the pilings and seawalls
• Fall (Sep-Nov): bait floods into the river with the mullet run, and snook, tarpon and jacks follow it in
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum stay around the pilings, and snook take shelter in the river when a cold snap hits

Docks and pilings line the river, so keep the rig simple and the leader heavy.

• Snook and tarpon: on a 7- to 8-foot medium-heavy spinning rod with 30 lb braid and a 40 lb fluorocarbon leader, fish live shrimp, pilchards or finger mullet, or run a swimbait along the edge
• Mangrove snapper: a 1/0 hook with a small live shrimp and only enough split shot to take it to the bottom
• Sheepshead and black drum: a short knocker rig baited with fiddler crabs or shrimp, next to structure
• Jacks and ladyfish: throw small jigs and spoons across the current
• A long-handled net makes landing fish at the river's edge much easier

The Atlantic's twice-daily tides push up the New River from the Intracoastal, and you can see the river flow with them.

• Best: the opening hours of the ebb, as bait drains down past the bend
• Snook and tarpon are at their best at dawn, at dusk and in the first hours after dark, and the park is open until 9 p.m.
• Heavy rain freshens and discolors the river, and fish tend to slip back toward the Intracoastal afterward
• Boat traffic is lightest on weekday mornings
• A winter cold front can drive snook into the river's deeper, calmer water

The park is a small neighborhood green on a busy river.

• Large yachts pass close and their wakes wash the bank; stand back from the edge and watch children
• Never swim or wade in the river; the current and boat traffic make it dangerous
• Summer afternoon storms bring lightning fast; get off the bank when you hear thunder
• Bring insect repellent for dawn and dusk and plenty of water in the heat
• Accessibility: a flat, grassy park; there is no pier, so you fish from the bank

The park is simple, so bring everything you need.

• Picnic tables and shade under big trees
• The city lists no restrooms, concession or bait shop here
• Buy bait and tackle on the way; live shrimp is the most useful bait
• No lights are listed, so bring a headlamp for the last hour before closing
• Parking is not listed; plan on legal street parking

• Fish the outgoing tide around dusk, when bait washes down the bend and snook set up along the edge
• Cast parallel to the bank rather than out into the boat channel
• Reel in and wait when a big boat passes; props and wakes wrap lines fast
• For an all-round bait, nothing here beats a live shrimp fished without weight
• The park sits on a residential street, so keep the noise down and take all bait and line home

The City of Fort Lauderdale runs Colee Hammock Park under its city park rules.

• Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• A city rule prohibits fishing from or under any bridge in Fort Lauderdale
• Unless exempt, anglers need a Florida saltwater fishing license
• FWC sets separate seasons and release rules for snook and tarpon; look them up before keeping a snook
• Release tarpon in the water as FWC directs
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything