St. George Island Fishing Pier (Old Bridge)

St. George Island Fishing Pier is what remains of the original 1965 bridge to St. George Island, replaced by the new bridge in 2004. Its surviving spans at each end became public fishing piers over Apalachicola Bay, one of the most productive estuaries in the Gulf.

• A long, straight bridge pier over bay channels and oyster bars
• Redfish, trout, black drum and sheepshead year-round; mackerel and tripletail in summer
• A second pier stands at the Eastpoint end of the old bridge
• A parking area at the foot of the pier on the island side

The pier starts at the island end of the St. George Island Bridge, beside the modern causeway on Franklin Boulevard, just north of the island's main intersection.

• Getting there: from US 98 in Eastpoint, cross the St. George Island Bridge; the old bridge pier runs beside it at the island end
• Parking: a lot at the foot of the pier on the island side; obey posted signs
• The Eastpoint pier is at the mainland end of the old bridge, off US 98
• Surface: the old bridge deck is wide, level and railed, but long; a cart helps
• There is no confirmed fee; check posted signs when you arrive

An estuary pier with a strong summer run.

• Spring (Mar–May): sheepshead peak around the pilings, black drum, trout and redfish; Spanish mackerel arrive in April
• Summer (Jun–Aug): Spanish mackerel and bluefish on the tide, tripletail under floating debris and pilings, flounder, sharks at night
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the best season, with redfish, trout and flounder feeding before winter
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the pilings; trout in the deeper channels

Medium spinning tackle with enough power to pull fish out of the pilings.

• Redfish and trout: live shrimp on a jighead or under a popping cork along the piling line
• Sheepshead and black drum: fiddler crabs, shrimp or oyster-bar crabs on a short leader with a 1/0 hook, straight down the pilings
• Flounder: live mud minnows on a Carolina rig near the channel edges
• Spanish mackerel and bluefish: spoons and gotcha plugs on the moving tide
• Tripletail: live shrimp drifted under a cork to fish lying near the pilings
• A drop net or bridge gaff is essential from the high deck

Tides in Apalachicola Bay are modest, about 1 to 3 feet; NOAA's nearby St. George Island bayside station shows two uneven highs and lows on most days and one on some, and the bay's channels still carry strong current past the pilings.

• A moving tide is best; the first of the falling tide pulls bait toward the passes
• Slack water suits sheepshead and drum on the pilings
• Clear water is best for trout; after heavy rain upriver, the Apalachicola River turns the bay brown and pushes fish to the saltier water near the island
• Nights and summer dawns are prime

The old deck is level and easy to walk, but it is exposed.

• Summer lightning over the open bay is the main danger; leave the pier at the first thunder
• No shade; bring water, a hat and sun protection
• Strong current around the pilings; never climb down or swim off the pier
• The wide deck suits wheelchairs and carts, though the walk is long

Facilities on the pier are basic, as it is simply the old bridge deck left in place for anglers. Bring everything you need, including water and a cooler.

• Parking at the foot of the pier on the island side
• Rails and a wide deck along its length
• Bait and tackle shops on St. George Island (the county tourist office lists several)
• The island's public beach and restrooms are a short drive south

• Fish the pilings on the up-current side and let your bait wash back to them
• Sheepshead fishing peaks from February to April; bring fiddler crabs
• Scan for tripletail lying on their sides near the pilings in summer and cast a shrimp past them
• Nights are productive for reds, drum and sharks; bring a headlamp
• Check the wind: a strong north wind blows the bay out and muddies it
• Try the Eastpoint pier when the wind makes the island end rough

The old bridge fishing piers are public piers in Franklin County.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Follow any posted pier rules on cast nets, lights and hours
• Shore-based shark fishing, including from a pier, requires the free FWC shore-based shark fishing permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything