Hugh Taylor Birch State Park Fishing

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is a quiet, shady state park in the heart of Fort Lauderdale, with a seawall along the Intracoastal Waterway that is open to anglers. It is a relaxed place to fish a tide before a walk on the beach.

• Fishing from the Intracoastal seawall and public access areas only
• Snook, jacks, snapper, barracuda and tarpon in deep, tidal water
• A state park with shade, rentals and a café
• The Atlantic beach is just across A1A

The park is at 3109 East Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, between the Intracoastal Waterway and A1A, and is run by the Florida Park Service.

• Getting there: take Sunrise Boulevard east toward the beach; the entrance is on the north side just before A1A
• Entry: a per-vehicle entrance fee, which covers parking in the park's lots
• Hours: 8 a.m. until sunset, every day
• The walk: the one-way park drive and paved paths lead to the seawall on the west side
• Surface: paved paths and a level seawall
• The park's floating dock on the Intracoastal is closed (since May 2026)

The Intracoastal here is deep and tidal, with seawalls and mangrove edges for structure.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook, jacks and ladyfish, mangrove snapper starting
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper along the wall, snook early and late in the day, barracuda and tarpon
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run pushes snook, jacks and tarpon along the seawall
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead on the wall, jacks and ladyfish, catfish on the bottom

A medium spinning rod with 20 lb braid and a 30 lb leader is plenty.

• Snook: live shrimp or pilchards on a 2/0 circle hook drifted along the seawall, or a soft plastic at dawn
• Mangrove snapper: small live shrimp on a light knocker rig tight to the wall
• Jacks and barracuda: small swimbaits, jigs and spoons when bait is on the surface
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a small, strong hook against the wall in winter
• A long-handled net helps land fish from the seawall

The Intracoastal here has two tides a day, flooding in through Port Everglades, with a mean range of a little over 2 feet at the nearest NOAA station.

• The incoming tide brings cleaner ocean water and is usually best
• The first and last hours of each tide let baits hold near the wall
• Early morning and late afternoon are best in summer, before and after the heat and boat traffic
• Heavy rain clouds the water for a day
• Boat wakes stir the bottom along the wall; the bite often picks up after a string of boats

The seawall is level and easy to reach from the park roads.

• Heavy boat traffic and wakes on the Intracoastal; watch your footing on a wet wall
• The seawall has no railing; keep children close
• Summer thunderstorms bring lightning; head for shelter when you hear thunder
• Bring water and sun protection
• Paved paths make the seawall reachable for most visitors

The park is well equipped for a day visit, with some buildings under construction.

• The Grove at the Beach Gate: café and bar, shop, and bike, kayak and beach chair rentals
• Picnic areas with grills, and a playground in the North End
• The large pavilions and the Banyan and North End restrooms are closed for construction; the beach concession restroom is open
• A beach wheelchair at the ranger station
• Beach access across A1A, 8 a.m. to sunset
• No bait for sale that we could confirm; buy bait before you arrive

• Fish the seawall at the park's 8 a.m. opening, when the boat traffic is still light
• Watch for snook in the shade lines along the wall
• Live shrimp is the bait that catches almost everything here
• Pair a morning on the seawall with an afternoon on the beach across A1A
• Fishing is only allowed on the Intracoastal side; do not fish the lake or the mangroves, and obey the no fishing signs
• The park closes at sunset, so there is no night fishing

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is run by the Florida Park Service, and state park rules apply.

• Fishing is allowed in public access areas and from the Intracoastal Waterway seawall only; no fishing in the mangroves, the coastal dune lake or other interior waters
• Park hours are 8 a.m. to sunset, with an entrance fee
• State park rules protect all animal life except edible and game fish, so do not collect bait in the park
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Snook and tarpon have their own seasons and release rules; check FWC before keeping any snook
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything