Timber Island Road Bridge, Carrabelle Fishing

The Timber Island Road Bridge is a plain county road bridge over Postun Bayou, tidal water near the Carrabelle River, and local anglers treat it as a sheepshead and redfish spot. It is free, uncrowded and close to town, but it was never built for fishing, so go prepared for traffic and a modest setup.

• Sheepshead on the pilings, redfish and seatrout in the channel
• Brackish tidal water that changes with the tide and the rain
• Close to the river walk and the county ramp
• A road bridge, so watch for cars and trucks

Timber Island Road leaves US 98 just east of the Carrabelle River bridge and runs south toward Timber Island and the county boat ramp. The bridge is on that road, and the road is public.

• Getting there: turn off US 98 onto Timber Island Road and drive to the bridge
• Parking: the county ramp at the end of the road has limited parking, and a launch fee applies to boats; look for a wide, safe spot off the pavement rather than stopping on the bridge
• Walk: the bridge deck is short and the shoulders are narrow; the banks near the ends are uneven
• Hours and fees for walking up to the bridge are not published

The channel under the bridge funnels the tide, and fish gather at the pilings and along the edges.

• Spring (Mar-May): spotted seatrout and redfish move through on the tide; sheepshead linger early in the season
• Summer (Jun-Aug): seatrout at first light, with jacks, ladyfish and catfish later in the day
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish and seatrout are most active; flounder move along the channel edges
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead around the pilings, with black drum and the odd flounder

Keep the gear light and simple, because there is little room to move and no rail.

• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs, shrimp or oyster pieces on a small hook, 10 to 15 lb line, dropped straight down beside the pilings
• Redfish and seatrout: live shrimp under a cork, or a small spoon or soft plastic worked along the channel edge
• Topwater plugs at dawn in warm weather can draw a strike from a trout
• Flounder: a bucktail or soft plastic dragged slowly along the bottom
• Bring a long-handled net; the water is a long way down from the road

Carrabelle sits in the Big Bend area, where most days have two uneven highs and two uneven lows. Check the nearest NOAA tide station for the day before you go.

• Moving water is best: the hours around the change of tide push bait through the channel
• The bridge pins sheepshead to its pilings in the cool months, so a clear day with light wind is ideal
• This is brackish water near the river mouth; heavy rain muddies it and pushes fish toward the sound
• Early morning and evening are calmer and have less traffic

The main hazard is the road itself, so treat the spot as a bank fishing stop rather than a fishing platform.

• Never stand in the travel lane; stay on the shoulder or bank and keep rods and lines out of the road
• Cars and trucks cross to reach the ramp; boat trailers are common on weekends
• Slippery, uneven banks and mud near the ends
• Lightning in summer afternoons; leave at the first thunder
• Not accessible for wheelchairs: the shoulder is narrow and the banks are rough

There is little here for visitors, so bring what you need.

• No restrooms, benches or lighting at the bridge that we could confirm
• The county boat ramp at the end of Timber Island Road is a public ramp with limited parking
• Restrooms, a pavilion, fishing piers and fish cleaning stations are at the Carrabelle River Walk and Wharf on Marine Street, a short drive away
• Bring your own bait and water; confirm local bait shops before you go

• Come at the change of tide and drown a shrimp or throw a small spoon along the channel edge
• Fiddler crabs are the standard sheepshead bait on the pilings in winter
• Pair the bridge with a visit to the river walk, which has accessible fishing piers
• Park at the ramp lot or a wide pull-off, never on the bridge
• A cast net for bait is not a good idea from a road bridge; buy bait instead
• Check the water after rain; muddy water slows the bite for a day or two

The bridge is on a public county road in Carrabelle, Franklin County.

• The county does not list fishing at this bridge, so read the signs posted there and follow them
• Florida allows fishing from state road bridges unless posted; this is a county road, so check the signs
• Stay out of the road and off private docks and property
• 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