Beach Access 19A, Fort Pickens Area Fishing

Beach Access 19A is the Park Service's first Gulf-side beach access after you pass the Fort Pickens Area entrance station, with a small lot and a walk of about 100 yards over open sand to the surf. It is a way onto the national seashore's western beaches without driving on to Langdon Beach, the area's guarded swim beach.

• Open, undeveloped surf in the westernmost eight miles of Santa Rosa Island
• Pompano and Gulf whiting in spring and fall
• Fall redfish, in the season of the bull red run at Pensacola Pass
• Summer runs of Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and bluefish
• A small lot for cars only, with no restrooms or water

The lot is on the Gulf side of Fort Pickens Road, less than a mile west of the Fort Pickens Area entrance station.

• Getting there: cross the toll bridge to Pensacola Beach, turn right onto Fort Pickens Road, pass Park West and pay at the entrance station
• Entry: the area charges an entrance fee, payable by card only
• Gate hours: March to October the entrance station is open 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., and November to February 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Lot rules: the park bars loitering in this lot from sunset until 8 a.m., and overnight parking is never allowed
• Parking: limited spaces, cars only, with no RVs or campers
• The walk: a sandy approach from the lot to the water; no boardwalk

This is classic western Santa Rosa Island surf, and fall, when bull redfish run through Pensacola Pass to the west, is the season for big reds along the beach.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano along the inner trough, Gulf whiting, bluefish and the first Spanish mackerel
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and blue runners over the bar; small sharks on cut bait late in the day
• Fall (Sep-Nov): big redfish cruising the beach, a second pompano run, bluefish schools and now and then little tunny close in
• Winter (Dec-Feb): Gulf whiting and black drum when the surf lies down between fronts

Because the park bars loitering in this lot until 8 a.m., plan a mid-morning to afternoon session and bring gear for both bait and lures.

• Pompano and whiting: a 10- to 11-foot rod, 15- to 20-lb line, a two-hook rig with size 1 hooks and a 2- to 4-oz sinker, baited with sand fleas or shrimp
• Redfish: a heavier rod with a fish-finder rig, a 5/0 or 6/0 circle hook and a chunk of mullet or a blue crab half
• Lures: silver spoons and heavy jigs for Spanish mackerel, bluefish and ladyfish, thrown past the breakers
• Bring your bait: the national seashore prohibits digging for bait, and nothing is sold at the access, so buy fleas or shrimp beforehand
• Carry gear in one trip with a cart or a surf backpack; the lot is small and may be full

Water level barely changes here. NOAA's Pensacola Beach Pier station, a few miles east, predicts one high and one low on most days, with a range of up to about 2 feet.

• The mid-morning hours after 8 a.m. are often the calmest part of a summer day before the sea breeze builds
• A moderate surf with green, clear water is the pompano's favorite
• In fall, cooler water and northerly winds after a front bring redfish and bluefish close to the beach
• A strong south wind turns the surf brown and heavy for a day or more
• Look for gaps in the outer bar; fish tend to move through them as the water rises

The Park Service rates the Fort Pickens Area high-risk for rip currents, and this access has no lifeguard.

• Stay out of the water under red or double red flags, and never wade deep to cast
• In an emergency call 911 and say you are at Beach Access 19A on Fort Pickens Road
• There is no shade or water; bring both, especially in summer
• Lightning storms can build quickly over the island in the afternoon
• Shuffle your feet when wading to warn off stingrays
• The route to the water is unpaved sand with no boardwalk, so it is hard going for wheelchairs; Langdon Beach, farther west, has the area's accessible mat and loaner beach wheelchair

Beach Access 19A offers parking and little else.

• A small parking area for cars
• No restrooms, showers or drinking water at the access
• The Fort Pickens Area's only concessions are at the ferry plaza near the fort
• Restrooms and showers are at the Langdon Beach pavilion, farther west
• Bring bait, ice and water; nothing is sold at the access

• If this lot is full, Beach Access 17A is the next Gulf-side stop farther west along Fort Pickens Road
• Keep your entrance pass handy; the Park Service says passes are good for seven days
• Buy sand fleas or shrimp before you come; they are the best baits here for pompano and whiting
• In October and November, keep a mullet-baited rod out for a bull redfish; the run centers on Pensacola Pass to the west
• Leave dogs at home: pets are not allowed on the beach in the Fort Pickens Area
• Stay off the dunes and out of any roped-off shorebird nesting area

Beach Access 19A is part of Gulf Islands National Seashore, and National Park Service rules apply along with Florida law.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required on the beach; only the Fort Pickens fishing pier carries its own license
• Commercial fishing, including shrimping and crabbing, is prohibited in seashore waters
• Digging for bait is prohibited under federal park rules
• No loitering in this lot from sunset until 8 a.m.; the Fort Pickens Area itself closes overnight except to registered campers
• No pets on the beach, and no ATVs, UTVs, golf carts or scooters in the park
• Shore-based shark fishing requires the free FWC shore-based shark fishing permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything