Castaway Island Preserve Fishing

Castaway Island Preserve is a city preserve in the salt marsh near the Intracoastal Waterway, where a walkway leads from the parking area to a dock on a tidal creek, with a canoe launch nearby. It suits light-tackle anglers who like wildlife and space.

• Redfish, seatrout and flounder in the tidal creek
• Sheepshead and black drum in the cooler months
• Restrooms, drinking water, grills and picnic tables
• A wheelchair-accessible trail and a birding trail

The preserve is on the east side of San Pablo Road South in southeast Jacksonville, between the road and the Intracoastal Waterway. The city lists the address as 2921 San Pablo Road South.

• Hours: open at sunrise, closed at sundown
• Parking: the city lists car parking and bike racks; no entry fee is listed
• The dock: at the end of a wooden walkway from the parking area, on a tidal creek
• The city lists the trail as wheelchair accessible
• The canoe and kayak launch sits beside the parking area, close to the start of the walkway

The dock sits on a salty tidal creek between the marsh and the Intracoastal, and the catch follows the season.

• Spring (Mar-May): redfish working the creek edges, seatrout moving in from the waterway, and the last sheepshead and drum around the dock supports
• Summer (Jun-Aug): flounder on the soft bottom, croaker on small baits, and jacks and ladyfish chasing bait schools
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the peak, as mullet and shrimp drain from the marsh and redfish, trout and flounder feed on them
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum close to the dock, trout in the deeper water on mild afternoons

A 6- to 7-foot spinning rod with 10 lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader handles everything here.

• Redfish: a quarter of a blue crab or a chunk of mullet on a small egg-sinker rig, or a gold spoon along the grass
• Seatrout: shrimp under a popping cork set about two feet deep, or a shrimp-imitation lure twitched slowly
• Flounder: a finger mullet on a fish-finder rig, retrieved an inch at a time
• Sheepshead: a fiddler crab on a short, strong leader beside the dock supports
• Jacks and ladyfish: a small bucktail or spoon cast into breaking bait

The creek fills and empties through the Intracoastal Waterway on the usual Atlantic schedule of two tides a day.

• Mid to late ebb concentrates bait and fish in the creek channel beside the dock
• The first push of the flood brings redfish back up the edges
• At the top of a big tide the marsh floods and the fish scatter
• Clear water after a few dry, calm days fishes best
• A hard rain turns the creek tea-colored for a day or two

There are few dangers here beyond the marsh itself.

• Paddlers launch beside the walkway and use the creek, so give kayaks and paddleboards room and never cast across their path
• Do not step off the walkway into the marsh; the mud is soft and deep
• Storms: lightning over flat marsh is dangerous, so leave early
• Insects: repellent is essential on warm, still days
• The city lists the preserve and its trail as wheelchair accessible

The city lists good facilities for a nature preserve.

• Restrooms and a drinking fountain
• Picnic tables, grills and benches
• A boat dock and a canoe and kayak launch
• Nature trails, a birding trail and scenic overlooks
• Car parking, bike racks, security lighting and trash barrels
• No bait shop is listed, so bring bait and ice

• Arrive as the tide starts to fall
• A gold spoon covers water quickly when you cannot see fish
• Weekday mornings are quieter at the launch than weekends
• Look for nervous water and mullet flipping along the grass
• Binoculars and a bird guide make slow spells pass quickly
• The dock is at the end of a wooden walkway, so pack light or use a small cart

Castaway Island Preserve belongs to the City of Jacksonville, whose parks department runs it.

• City hours are sunrise to sundown
• City park rules can post No Fishing signs on walkways, picnic areas and floating docks meant for mooring boats; follow the signs on the dock
• Florida requires a saltwater fishing license unless you qualify for an exemption
• Shore anglers after sharks need the free FWC shore-based shark fishing permit
• FWC size, bag and season limits change, so check myfwc.com before keeping fish