6th Street West Beach Access, St. George Island Fishing

6th Street West Beach Access gives surf anglers a bit of elbow room not far from the island's main beach. It is a county walkover with a small lot, set among beach houses on the west half of St. George Island.

• Open Gulf beach a short walk from the car
• Whiting and redfish most of the year, pompano and trout in warm water
• Close to the lighthouse beach if you need restrooms
• County does not list fishing here, so watch for swimmers and signs

Find the access where 6th Street West meets West Gorrie Drive, the road that runs the length of the western island. The island is reached by the long causeway bridge from Eastpoint.

• Parking: room for about five cars on the street end, and neighbors do not want blocked driveways
• Walkover: a raised path over the dunes, then soft sand to the water
• Trash can at the access, no restrooms
• Restrooms, pavilions and a larger lot are at the public beach by the lighthouse, roughly 1.3 km to the east
• Hours are not published that we could confirm

The surf here follows the same rhythm as the rest of the Forgotten Coast.

• Spring (Mar-May): whiting arrive in numbers and pompano begin to show as the Gulf warms
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Spanish mackerel and bluefish on bait pods, with sharks working the edges of the bars
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish along the troughs and the best trout and flounder days
• Winter (Dec-Feb): slower, with whiting the most dependable fish on a mild afternoon

Cast just past the second bar and let the bait sit, or walk and cast.

• Whiting: a light spinning rod, 12 lb line and a double-hook rig baited with shrimp
• Redfish: a fish-finder rig with cut mullet or a live shrimp, 20 lb leader
• Trout and Spanish mackerel: a silver spoon or a quarter-ounce jig on 10 lb line
• Flounder: a bucktail tipped with a strip of bait, dragged slowly along the trough
• A rod holder lets you watch more than one line at a time

Tides run twice a day with uneven highs and lows here, so look up the closest NOAA station before you plan.

• A moving tide beats slack water; the hour around the change is often best
• Fish the edge of the surf when waves wash up a little color
• Calm, clear mornings favor sight feeders like pompano
• Strong onshore winds stir weed and make surf fishing a chore
• Dawn and dusk offer cooler air and fewer people

There is no lifeguard at this access, and the beach is not marked for swimming that we could confirm.

• Look for swimmers and keep your casts well away from them
• Rip currents near the bars; do not wade deep
• Stingrays lie in the shallows, so shuffle your feet
• Lightning in summer afternoons; get off the sand quickly
• The walkover is easy but the soft sand beyond is hard on a wheelchair or cart

Only the basics are on site.

• A small lot and a trash can
• No restrooms, showers or food
• Restrooms are at the larger public beach to the east
• Bring bait, water, a hat and sunscreen, and plan to pack out your trash

• Check the water for pompano flashes and mullet schools before you pick a spot
• Bring bait from a shop; there is none at the access
• Park within the lined area and never block a neighbor
• Carry a short net or lip gripper for a flounder or a shark
• Visit midweek in summer to avoid the weekend traffic on the island road

Franklin County manages this beach access. The county does not list fishing here, so read the signs at the walkover, and stay out of any area posted for swimming.

• Franklin County bans glass on its beaches and requires items to be taken off the sand 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