10th Street East Beach Access, St. George Island Fishing

10th Street East Beach Access is a modest county walkover on the east half of St. George Island, away from the lighthouse crowds. It is a simple place to cast into the surf for the Panhandle's usual beach fish.

• Wide Gulf beach reached by a short dune walkover
• Whiting, redfish and pompano are the dependable surf catches on this coast
• About five parking spaces and no restrooms
• Fishing is not listed by the county here, so read the signs

The access is at 10th Street East and East Gorrie Drive, on the island's eastern side, past the bulk of the houses and before the state park gate. You reach the island by the long bridge from Eastpoint and then follow the main road east.

• Parking: a small street-end lot of roughly five spaces
• A walkover crosses the dunes to the sand; a trash can stands at the access
• No restrooms here
• Other street-end accesses lie along the island, so walk the sand to find a good trough
• Hours are not published that we could confirm

Panhandle surf fishing here follows water temperature more than the calendar.

• Spring (Mar-May): whiting, then pompano and trout as the Gulf passes 70 degrees
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Spanish mackerel and bluefish on bait schools, with sharks in the cuts
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish and flounder in the troughs, the strongest season for the beach
• Winter (Dec-Feb): whiting and the odd redfish on calm, mild days

Light to medium surf gear is plenty.

• Whiting and pompano: a double-hook rig, a 2 oz pyramid weight and fresh shrimp or sand fleas
• Redfish: cut mullet on a fish-finder rig, cast just past the breakers
• Trout and mackerel: a silver spoon or small jig on 10 to 12 lb line when you see birds or bait
• Flounder: a bucktail dragged along the bottom of a trough
• Bring a sand spike and a bucket; there is no table or cleaning station

The Gulf side has two uneven highs and lows on most days, so check the nearest NOAA station for your day.

• A rising tide pushes fish into the troughs close to the beach
• Cloudy, rolling water after a breeze suits redfish; calm and clear suits pompano
• Winter cold fronts shut the bite down for a day or two
• Summer middays are slow and hot; early or late is better

There are no lifeguards at this access.

• Rip currents are strongest near gaps in the bars; stay out of the water above your knees
• Stingray shuffle in the shallows
• Sharks feed near the bars in warm water, so keep fish handling short
• Lightning builds quickly on summer afternoons
• The walkover is a raised path, but the beach beyond is soft sand with no mat

Almost nothing is on site.

• A small lot and a trash can
• No restrooms, showers or food at the access
• The state park and the main beach have the island's developed facilities
• Pack bait, water, shade and a trash bag

• Walk toward the east to find quieter beach if cars fill the lot
• Look for a darker trough just past the first bar and put your bait there
• Fresh shrimp beats frozen on whiting
• Fish the lowest water to see where bars and cuts lie, then return on the rising tide
• Never leave rods or gear on the sand overnight
• Keep your catch off the dune vegetation

Franklin County manages the access. The county does not list fishing at this walkover, so read the posted signs and stay clear of any swim area.

• Glass containers are not allowed on Franklin County beaches, and personal items must be removed overnight
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything