Alimacani Park Fishing

Alimacani Park is a city park and launch on the Fort George River, inside the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, close to where the river meets the Atlantic at Fort George Inlet. Salty water, sand flats and strong tides bring inshore fish close to the shore.

• Redfish, seatrout and flounder along the channel edges
• Black drum and sheepshead in the cooler months
• A sandy shore, a kayak launch and a dock on the river
• Restrooms, picnic shelters and grills

The park is on Xalvis Island, just west of State Road A1A (Heckscher Drive) at the Fort George River bridge, in northeast Jacksonville. The city lists the address as 11080 Heckscher Drive.

• Hours: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. during daylight saving time and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. during standard time
• Parking: the city lists car and trailer parking; no entry fee is listed
• The shore, the kayak launch and the dock are beside the parking area
• The unimproved ramp is meant for kayaks, jet skis and small jon boats

The river is salty close to the inlet, and fish move in and out with every tide.

• Spring (Mar-May): redfish and black drum, seatrout on the flats, bluefish passing through
• Summer (Jun-Aug): flounder, jacks and ladyfish, redfish on the falling tide, whiting in the sandy channels
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best season, as the mullet run brings redfish, flounder and seatrout
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the dock and any shell, seatrout on milder days

Light and medium spinning tackle both work here.

• Redfish: cut mullet or crab on a fish-finder rig with 1 to 3 oz of lead, or a live finger mullet along the channel edge
• Seatrout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or soft plastics on a 1/4 oz jig head
• Flounder: mud minnows or finger mullet on a Carolina rig, dragged slowly along the drop-offs
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader, dropped close to shell and pilings you can reach from the shore
• Jacks, ladyfish and bluefish: small spoons and bucktails when bait is showering
• Carry more weight than you think; the current runs hard

This is Atlantic tidal water close to Fort George Inlet, with two high and two low tides a day and a strong current through the channels.

• The first half of the falling tide often fishes best as bait washes off the flats
• Low tide exposes sand flats and shows you the channels to fish on the rise
• Slack water is the easiest time to hold bottom
• Clear, calm mornings are best for sight-fishing redfish on the flats
• A northeast wind against the outgoing tide makes the water rough

The park is easy to reach, but the river is powerful.

• Strong tidal current: do not wade deep or swim
• If you step into the shallows, shuffle your feet to warn stingrays
• Jet skis, kayaks and small boats use the ramp; keep lines clear of them
• Summer lightning: leave at the first thunder
• Bring water and sun protection; shade is limited near the water
• The sandy shore is soft underfoot for anyone with limited mobility

The city lists solid facilities for a launch park.

• Restrooms
• Picnic shelters, picnic tables and grills
• A boat dock, an unimproved boat ramp and a kayak and shore launch
• Car and trailer parking
• Security lighting and trash barrels
• No bait shop is listed at the park, so bring bait and ice
• Manatee education signs; watch for manatees in the river

• Fish the falling tide along the edge where the sand flat drops into the channel
• Live shrimp and mud minnows are the most reliable baits here
• Check the closing time before you set up; it changes with daylight saving time
• Weekday mornings are quietest, before the jet skis arrive; set up well away from the ramp
• Keep an eye on the tide if you walk out on the flats; they flood quickly

Alimacani Park and Boat Ramp is run by the City of Jacksonville's Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, on land the city leases from the state inside the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.

• Open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in daylight saving time, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in standard time
• City park rules post no-fishing areas at the approach to a boat ramp, along the shore within 30 feet either side of it, and on floating docks meant for mooring boats and their gangways
• The National Park Service allows fishing in the preserve under state law, except in the places it restricts, which do not include this park
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything