Big Talbot Island State Park Fishing

Big Talbot Island State Park offers striking shore fishing on a driftwood-strewn beach facing the mouth of Nassau Sound.

• The park itself recommends the Blackrock Trail shoreline for flounder and pompano at the point
• Whiting, redfish and seatrout are caught all year, according to the park
• Big tidal currents between the sound and the Atlantic bring bait and fish along the beach
• Boneyard Beach's weathered trees make it, in the park's words, one of Florida's most stunning shorelines
• Remote and undeveloped: carry everything in and out

The park lines State Road A1A (Heckscher Drive) on Big Talbot Island, between Little Talbot Island and the Nassau Sound bridge north of Jacksonville.

• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset every day; the boat ramp at the north end is open around the clock
• Fees: the park lists $3 per vehicle at each parking area, including the Blackrock trailhead
• Parking: the Blackrock trailhead lot is on the east side of A1A; the Bluffs picnic area to the north serves Boneyard Beach
• The walk: the Blackrock Trail winds about half a mile through the maritime hammock to the beach
• The beach is open to walkers and cyclists only; no vehicles

Nassau Sound's mix of ocean and marsh water gives a long list of shore fish.

• Spring (Mar-May): whiting and pompano along the beach, redfish and seatrout on the moving tide, bluefish passing through
• Summer (Jun-Aug): whiting, croaker and flounder, with Spanish mackerel and sharks in the sound
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best season for flounder and redfish as mullet pour out of the marsh, and pompano return
• Winter (Dec-Feb): redfish, black drum and seatrout on the milder days; the park also names the Simpson's Creek bridge on A1A for black drum

Surf and inlet tackle both have a place here: a 9 to 11 ft rod for the beach and a medium spinning rod for the point.

• Pompano and whiting: a double-drop rig with shrimp, clam or sand fleas, and enough weight to hold in the current
• Flounder: a finger mullet or mud minnow on a sliding sinker rig, bounced slowly along the bottom near the point
• Redfish and black drum: cut mullet, crab or clam on a fish-finder rig
• Seatrout: a live shrimp under a cork or a soft plastic on the moving tide
• The driftwood and outcrops snag rigs; use lighter sinker leaders and carry spare rigs
• Bring or buy your bait: digging sand fleas or clams is not allowed in a state park, though the park notes that bait fish can be cast-netted along the shore in spring and fall

Tides here rise and fall about five feet twice a day, and the currents in Nassau Sound are strong.

• The last of the incoming and the first of the outgoing tide usually fish best
• Slack water around the turn is the easiest time to hold bottom at the point
• A calm or offshore wind keeps the water clean for pompano and whiting
• Rough seas after a northeast blow stir up the beach; redfish and black drum handle it better than pompano
• There is less beach to stand on at high tide, so plan the walk out and back around it

This is a wild beach with real hazards, and help is far away.

• The park advises against swimming because of the strong currents in Nassau Sound, and there are no lifeguards
• Fallen trees and outcrops are slippery and sharp; watch your footing and your line
• Lightning builds on summer afternoons; there is no shelter on the beach, so leave early
• Stingrays lie in the shallows; shuffle your feet
• The half-mile woodland trail makes this a poor choice for anglers with limited mobility; the Bluffs picnic area has an elevated viewing deck reached by a beach mat

There is almost nothing at the beach itself, so bring what you need.

• Restrooms at the Bluffs picnic area and the boat ramp parking area, not at the Blackrock trailhead
• Covered picnic pavilions with grills and tables at the Bluffs
• A boat ramp with a floating dock at the north end of the island
• Parking areas along A1A, including the Blackrock trailhead lot
• No bait, water or shade on the beach, so bring or buy bait before you come; the park does not sell fishing licenses

• Walk the Blackrock Trail on a falling tide to have more beach to fish when you arrive
• Pack light: a backpack and one rod bag make the half-mile carry far easier than a cooler
• Look for bait showering along the shoreline at the point; flounder lie in wait below
• Leave the driftwood where it lies; collecting it is prohibited in the park
• The Simpson's Creek bridge area on A1A, named by the park for black drum, is a good backup when the beach is too rough

Big Talbot Island State Park is managed by Florida State Parks; follow the posted park rules.

• Fishing is permitted in accordance with Florida law, as the park states
• The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset; a per-vehicle fee applies at the parking areas
• Pets are not allowed on the beach, and collecting driftwood is prohibited
• State park rules protect all animal life except edible and game fish, so do not dig sand fleas, clams or other bait
• Stay on the designated beach access trails to protect the bluffs, and obey any posted signs around nesting shorebirds
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit, and chumming from the beach is prohibited
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything