Innerarity Point Park Fishing

Innerarity Point Park is a waterfront park, opened in 2020, that Escambia County and its partners built with Deepwater Horizon restoration funds on Old River, the sheltered channel that runs between Innerarity Point and Perdido Key out to Perdido Bay. Its T-shaped dock is large enough to fish from, and the park is laid out for easy access.

• Light-tackle inshore fishing for speckled trout, redfish, flounder and sheepshead
• ADA-accessible boardwalk, restrooms with rinse-off areas, pavilions and parking
• Sheltered water that stays fishable when the Gulf beaches are too rough
• A designated swim area beside the dock, so anglers and swimmers share the space

The park is on Innerarity Point in southwest Escambia County, with its entrance on Cruzat Way beside the county's Galvez boat ramp.

• Getting there: take Innerarity Point Road, then Galvez Road south toward the county boat ramp; the park is on Cruzat Way beside it
• Hours: the county lists the park as open daily from sunrise to sunset
• Parking: a paved lot on site
• Access: an ADA-accessible boardwalk leads to the dock and the kayak launch
• The neighboring Galvez Landing boat ramp closed for maintenance in early March 2026, and the county's boating page still showed a repair notice in September 2026, so check it before you tow a boat there

Old River is sheltered inshore water with seagrass and marsh edges, and it holds the classic Pensacola-area backwater mix.

• Spring (Mar-May): sheepshead around the dock pilings early, then speckled trout, redfish and the first flounder
• Summer (Jun-Aug): trout at dawn and dusk, mangrove snapper and pinfish around the structure, ladyfish chasing bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best season, with flounder on the move, and redfish and trout feeding hard
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the bottom, and trout on mild afternoons

Light spinning tackle with 10-15 lb line is plenty here.

• Speckled trout and redfish: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic on a 1/4 oz jighead worked along grass edges
• Flounder: a Carolina rig with a live mud minnow or finger mullet dragged slowly along the bottom
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader and a small, strong hook, dropped beside the pilings at the end of the dock
• Black drum: shrimp or cut crab on the bottom
• Mangrove snapper: small live bait or shrimp on light fluorocarbon near the structure in summer
• Keep your lines clear of paddlers using the kayak launch

Tides here are small, often only one high and one low a day, but the current still runs through Old River.

• Moving water on the rise or fall fishes far better than slack water
• Early morning and evening are best in summer, when boat traffic is lighter
• Clear water after a few calm days suits trout; a little color after wind is fine for redfish and drum
• North winds in winter drop the water level and push fish to deeper edges
• Heavy rain can freshen and cloud the water for a day or two

This is a very accessible, sheltered spot with few hazards beyond the usual.

• An ADA-accessible boardwalk leads to the dock
• A designated swim area runs along both sides of the dock, out to its end; cast away from swimmers
• Summer thunderstorms and lightning build quickly over the water; get off the dock at the first thunder
• Boats and personal watercraft use the channel; keep an eye on your line
• Bring water, a hat and sunscreen in summer
• Keep a close eye on children on the dock

The park was built with visitors' comfort in mind.

• Restrooms with rinse-off areas
• Large and small covered pavilions and two playgrounds
• Parking on site
• A dock large enough for fishing, and a kayak launch
• An ADA-accessible boardwalk and native shoreline plantings
• No bait or tackle is listed at the park, so bring what you need

• Cast out beyond the end of the dock, away from the swim area that runs along both sides of it
• Live shrimp is the most reliable bait for nearly everything here
• The kayak launch makes this an easy start for a paddle-fishing trip along Old River
• Weekday mornings are the quietest time to have the dock to yourself
• The county lists sunrise-to-sunset hours, so check the posted signs before planning an evening session
• A long-handled landing net helps with bigger redfish and drum

Innerarity Point Park is an Escambia County park, and county rules apply.

• Listed hours: daily, sunrise to sunset
• No vessels may be operated in the designated swim area, and no one may launch, dock or board a boat from the park pier except in an emergency
• Dogs are not allowed in county parks except in areas set aside for them
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything