Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park Fishing

Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park mixes history and backwater fishing: a walk to the sugar mill ruins of a plantation destroyed in 1836, then a line in Bulow Creek from the dock beside the park's boat ramp.

• A state park dock on a narrow, marsh-lined tidal creek
• Redfish, trout and black drum, with sheepshead and flounder in the cooler months
• Shady picnic grounds, an interpretive center and a trail to the ruins
• Open five days a week, so plan your trip around the schedule

The park is at 3501 Old Kings Road, Flagler Beach, on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway; the ramp and dock are on Bulow Creek at the edge of the park grounds.

• Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday and Thursday through Sunday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday
• Fee: $4 per vehicle, paid with the QR code at the park
• Parking: at the park, a short walk from the dock
• The ramp is for canoes and small powerboats; the small floating dock beside it is where shore anglers fish
• Check the park's alerts before you go: in August 2026 it reported parts of the Bulow Woods Trail closed after storm damage

Bulow Creek is brackish and winding, so its fish are the backwater regulars of the upper Halifax system.

• Spring (Mar-May): redfish and trout start feeding along the marsh edges as the water warms
• Summer (Jun-Aug): trout in the morning, redfish, small mangrove snapper, and jacks and ladyfish chasing bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the prime season, with redfish, flounder and trout feeding on shrimp and finger mullet
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum and sheepshead near any structure, redfish in the deeper creek bends

Light spinning tackle is ideal; long casts are rarely needed on a creek this narrow.

• Live shrimp under a small popping cork, drifted along the far bank
• A 1/8 oz jighead with a 3-inch soft plastic, worked slowly along the grass line
• A light sliding sinker rig with shrimp, crab or cut mullet for redfish and black drum in the deeper water off the dock
• Fiddler crabs for sheepshead around the dock pilings in winter
• A mud minnow on the bottom for flounder in the fall
• Fish from the dock without blocking the ramp, and reel in when a boat is launching

The creek feeds the Halifax River, and NOAA's nearby stations on Smith Creek and on the Halifax River at Ormond Beach predict about a foot or less of tide, so the water here often moves more with wind and rain than with the moon.

• Any moving water helps; fish the hours after a tide change
• After heavy rain the creek runs dark with runoff; slow down and fish closer to the bottom
• Calm, clear mornings give the best topwater and cork fishing
• In winter, fish the warmest part of the afternoon for drum and redfish
• The park closes at 5 p.m., so evening sessions are out

The park is peaceful and shaded, and the risks are the usual ones for a wooded creek.

• Mosquitoes and biting flies are common in warm weather; bring repellent
• Summer lightning is dangerous on open water and docks; leave the dock when storms approach
• Watch for boat trailers and launching boats around the ramp
• The dock surface can be slick when wet
• The state park lists accessible amenities; ask the park about getting to the dock if access is a concern

Florida State Parks lists modest but useful amenities.

• Restroom facilities and parking
• A picnic pavilion (rentable) and picnic facilities
• An interpretive center and museum on the plantation's history
• A nature trail and the walk to the sugar mill ruins
• A boat ramp for canoes and small powerboats, with the dock alongside
• No bait, tackle or food is listed; bring what you need

• Plan around the schedule: the park is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
• A kayak turns this into a much bigger fishing trip, since the creek is a designated state canoe trail
• Small baits and light leaders outfish heavy gear in a creek this narrow
• Combine a morning on the dock with the self-guided ruins walk
• Fall, when finger mullet and shrimp flush out of the marsh, is the time for redfish here

The park is managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Florida State Parks.

• Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday and Thursday through Sunday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday
• $4 per vehicle entrance fee
• State park rules forbid disturbing or removing the ruins or any artifacts
• The same rules protect all wildlife except edible and game fish, so bring bait rather than collecting it in the park
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything