Dania Beach Pier Fishing

Dania Beach Pier is a laid-back city pier on a quieter stretch of Broward coast, open into the evening for anglers who like a late session.

• Winter mackerel, bluefish and pompano
• Kingfish chances in spring and fall from the end
• Snook and tarpon along the beach in summer and fall
• Bait, tackle and rod rentals at the pier concession, restaurants in the park

The pier is at Ocean Park Beach (300 North Beach Road), off A1A between Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale.

• Getting there: take Dania Beach Boulevard east to the beach; the park and pier are at the end.
• Parking: paid public beach parking at Ocean Park; busy on weekends.
• Walk: short and flat from the parking to the entrance.
• Hours: city code closes Ocean Park's beach and parking from midnight to 5 a.m. (restaurant patrons aside), so plan night sessions to end by midnight and check the pier's posted hours; police or lifeguards can close the pier when conditions are unsafe.

A classic southeast Florida pier mix.

• Spring (Mar–May): kingfish, blue runners, Spanish mackerel, pompano tailing off
• Summer (Jun–Aug): snook, tarpon, jacks, mangrove snapper at night
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the mullet run with snook, tarpon, jacks and bluefish
• Winter (Dec–Feb): Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, the odd cobia
• Year-round: blue runners and jacks pass along the pier most days, and snapper hang around the pilings after dark
• Occasional little tunny blitzes off the end in winter

Keep it simple and mobile, and read the pier's gear rules first.

• Mackerel and bluefish: spoons and small plugs rigged with single hooks, or cut bait on a float rig; treble hooks are banned on this pier
• Pompano: pompano jigs or sand fleas on a dropper rig with 2–4 oz pyramid sinker in the surf trough
• Kingfish: live runner on a wire rig with single hooks from the end
• Night snapper and snook: shrimp or live pilchards around the pilings on 20–40 lb fluorocarbon
• Reels no larger than 4/0, no trolley rigs or handlines, and a pier net to land anything heavy.

Atlantic tides, two highs and two lows a day, with a mean range of about 2.5 feet at the nearby NOAA stations.

• Moving tide and clean water fish best; the incoming often brings clearer water up from the south
• Dawn for mackerel and pompano; evening for snook and snapper
• Light onshore breezes are fine; a big northeast swell muddies the water and loads it with weed
• Winter fronts trigger bluefish and mackerel for a day or two

The pier is flat and railed.

• Easy access from the park parking
• Lightning from summer storms; leave at the first sign
• Evening sessions: bring a headlamp and watch your footing
• Rip currents along the beach; never enter the water after a fish
• Sun and heat with little shade
• Shoes must be worn at all times on the pier
• Keep children back from the rails and keep hooks tidy on a busy deck
• Handle bluefish and mackerel carefully; their teeth cut deep

Good basics.

• Pier concession with bait, tackle, snacks and drinks, and rod rentals
• Two privately owned restaurants in Ocean Park
• Park facilities, lifeguards on the beach and Tootie Adler Park's playground and shelter nearby
• Benches on the pier
• Nearby Dania Beach Boulevard has more food and shops
• Bring your own light for evening sessions
• The city streams a live beach and pier camera, handy for checking conditions

• Fish the first hour of light for mackerel when the water is clean.
• Evening sessions before the midnight closing can be productive for snapper and snook around the pilings.
• Carry a sabiki for runners and pilchards as live bait; sabikis carry single hooks.
• Parking fills early on weekends; arrive before 9 a.m.
• Ask at the concession about the day's bite.
• Surf casting from the beach is banned from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and within 100 yards of the pier at any time.

Dania Beach Pier is owned and operated by the City of Dania Beach.

• Small sightseeing and fishing fees; four rods per angler
• Pier rules: no cast nets, snatch hooks, kite fishing, shark fishing, pets, glass, bikes or skateboards; no yo-yos, handlines or treble hooks; no reels over 4/0; no trolley rigs; shoes at all times
• No alcohol, grills or pets on the beach
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything
• Snook have their own seasons and permit requirements; check FWC
• Release goliath grouper and tarpon as FWC rules require