Princess Place Preserve Fishing

Princess Place Preserve pairs Flagler County's oldest intact structure, the lodge Henry Cutting built, with a wild edge of salt marsh, and its paddle launch gives shore anglers a quiet way onto a tidal creek draining into Pellicer Creek.

• Redfish and trout, the main targets in the marsh channels
• Black drum, sheepshead and flounder in the cooler months
• Historic lodge tours, trails and camping to round out a day
• Restrooms and a rentable picnic pavilion

The preserve is at 2500 Princess Place Road, Palm Coast; inside it, the paddle launch sits beside the Creekview Trail, west of the lodge grounds.

• Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Sunday
• Entry: the county's page lists no admission fee
• The launch is a small landing on the creek bank; follow the preserve's signs and park where they direct you
• Trails in the preserve are both paved and unpaved
• Camping and the eco-cottages are by advance reservation only; campers check in at the ranger station from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The creek at the launch is a nursery-rich tidal marsh channel feeding the Pellicer Creek estuary, so fish move with the water.

• Spring (Mar-May): redfish and trout become active on warming afternoons; black drum and sheepshead linger
• Summer (Jun-Aug): trout and reds early in the morning, small mangrove snapper, jacks and ladyfish chasing bait on the tide
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best season, as mullet and shrimp flush out of the marsh and redfish and flounder feed hard
• Winter (Dec-Feb): redfish school in the deeper bends, with black drum, sheepshead and croaker on the bottom

Keep it light and quiet: a 7-foot medium-light spinning rod with 10 lb braid and a 20 lb fluorocarbon leader.

• A gold weedless spoon or a scented soft plastic on a 1/8 oz jighead, cast along the marsh edges
• Live or fresh shrimp under a popping cork, drifted with the current past the bends
• A knocker rig with cut mullet or blue crab on the bottom of the deeper holes for redfish and black drum
• A mud minnow on a light Carolina rig for flounder at the mouths of small drains in the fall
• Fiddler crabs on a small strong hook for sheepshead around any shell or structure
• Step back from the launch itself when paddlers are using it

The tide comes twice a day and drives everything in the marsh; NOAA has no station on Pellicer Creek, but it predicts about 1.5 to 2 feet of range at Bings Landing to the south and about 3 to 4 feet at Matanzas Inlet to the north, and the creek lies between them.

• The first two hours of the flood push bait and redfish up the creek
• The last of the ebb drains fish out of the grass into the channel, a classic time for trout and reds
• Dead low water can leave the creek edges shallow and muddy
• Winter fish bunch in the deepest bends on cold, clear days
• Summer afternoons bring heat and storms; mornings are the better bet

This is a natural preserve, not a manicured park, so come prepared for mud, bugs and weather.

• Creek banks can be soft and slippery; wear sturdy footwear
• Mosquitoes, no-see-ums and ticks are common in the warm months; use repellent and check for ticks after
• Horses use the equestrian trails; give riders room and keep dogs under control
• Lightning comes quickly over open marsh; head for your vehicle at the first thunder
• The launch area is small and the bank uneven, so access is harder for anglers with limited mobility
• Bring plenty of water; no food or drinks are listed for sale in the preserve

The preserve has the basics near the lodge grounds and camping areas.

• Restroom facilities and a bathhouse
• A rentable picnic pavilion and picnic areas
• A canoe and kayak ramp
• Primitive tent camping, equestrian camping and eco-cottages, all by advance reservation
• Historic lodge tours at 2 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, first come, first served
• No bait, tackle or food is listed; stock up before you arrive

• Time your visit around the flood tide and plan to leave by closing time, 6 p.m.
• A weedless gold spoon is a classic marsh-creek redfish lure and shrugs off floating grass
• Watch for pushes of water and tailing fish along the edges on calm mornings
• Pair an early session with the 2 p.m. lodge tour on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday
• If you have a kayak, the launch opens up far more of the marsh than you can reach from the bank

Princess Place Preserve is run by Flagler County Parks and Recreation.

• Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; camping only by advance reservation
• Pets are allowed; keep them under control around wildlife and horses
• County park rules ban digging and disturbing wildlife, so bring your bait with you
• 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