Jim King Park at Sisters Creek Fishing

Jim King Park at Sisters Creek turns an old commercial marina into a public waterfront where shore anglers can reach fast-moving tidal water from firm, level ground.

• The City of Jacksonville lists fishing among the park's amenities, and it is open 24 hours
• The old marina's concrete wall and a palm-lined waterfront stand over moving tidal water
• Redfish, black drum and sheepshead all year, flounder and seatrout on the tide
• Home of the annual Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament, according to the city
• Free parking, restrooms and wheelchair-accessible facilities

The park is at 8203 Heckscher Drive in north Jacksonville, beside the bridge that carries Heckscher Drive over Sisters Creek, near where the creek meets the St. Johns River.

• Hours: open 24/7, according to the city
• Parking: free, with a large trailer lot and overflow parking on the grass
• The walk: short and paved from the lot to the waterfront
• Where to fish: along the waterfront where fishing is allowed, well away from the ramps and the floating docks, and never where "No Fishing" is posted
• Joe Carlucci Sisters Creek Park is a separate city park on its own road to the southwest, at the creek's mouth on the St. Johns River

Salty water from the St. Johns River mouth flows up Sisters Creek on every tide, bringing a wide range of inshore fish.

• Spring (Mar-May): black drum and sheepshead on the wall, redfish and seatrout moving along the creek edges
• Summer (Jun-Aug): croaker, spot and flounder on the bottom, jacks chasing bait, the odd tarpon rolling in the creek
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best of the year for redfish and flounder as mullet move out, with seatrout feeding hard
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum stay tight to the concrete wall

The current decides the rig: use a medium-heavy rod with 20 to 30 lb braid and enough weight to hold bottom.

• Cut mullet, crab or shrimp on a fish-finder rig for redfish and black drum
• Fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short, strong leader close to the wall for sheepshead
• A mud minnow or finger mullet on a Carolina rig, dragged slowly, for flounder
• A live shrimp under a cork along the edges for seatrout on the slower stages of the tide
• Bring spare rigs and a landing net; snags along the wall claim tackle

Tides at Sisters Creek range roughly three to five and a half feet, twice a day, and the current runs hard in the middle of each tide.

• The first and last hours of the outgoing tide are usually the best for redfish and drum
• Slack water around the turns is the easiest time to hold bottom and fish close to structure
• Strong mid-tide current calls for heavier sinkers or a move to an eddy along the wall
• Summer mornings and evenings beat the midday heat
• After heavy rain the river runs dark; fish slower with natural baits

A modern, paved park, but the tidal water beside the wall runs fast.

• The current in Sisters Creek is strong; keep children well back from the edge and never wade here
• Stay clear of the ramp lanes and docks, and never cast across boats coming and going
• Lightning builds most summer afternoons; leave at the first thunder
• The concrete wall can be slick where it is wet
• The city lists the park as wheelchair accessible, and the FWC's ramp survey rates it highly accessible, with accessible restrooms

Jim King Park is well equipped for a day on the water.

• Restrooms, rated accessible by the FWC survey
• Picnic tables and grills
• A four-lane boat ramp with floating docks, and a kayak launch dock
• A boat pumpout and a scenic overlook
• Free parking for cars and trailers, with overflow on the grass
• Manatee education, listed among the city's amenities
• No bait shop listed at the park; bring bait with you

• Fish the corners and eddies along the wall, where bait gathers out of the main current
• The outgoing tide pulls bait out of the marsh creeks; it is often the best time
• Weekend mornings bring a rush of boaters; fish away from the ramp or arrive at dawn
• Check the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament dates before a trip; the tournament is based at the park
• Sheepshead bites are subtle; set the hook at the first tap

Jim King Park is a City of Jacksonville park; follow the posted park rules.

• The city lists fishing among the park's amenities
• City code allows fishing in city parks only in designated areas and bars it beside boat ramps and their approaches, on floating mooring docks and their gangways, on walkways and picnic tables, near playgrounds and anywhere posted "No Fishing"
• The park is open 24/7, according to the city
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Redfish follow the FWC's Northeast region rules; check them before keeping one
• Tarpon have their own FWC release rules
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything