Salinas Park Fishing

Salinas Park gives you St. Joseph Bay and the Gulf of Mexico in one stop, with a pier on the bay side and a beach walkway on the Gulf side.

• A long boardwalk pier across the salt marsh to a tidal creek at the head of St. Joseph Bay
• Gulf surf across the road for pompano, whiting and redfish
• Restrooms on both sides, plus a shower, grills and screened picnic tables on the bay side
• Free parking, and a kayak launch on the bay side

The park is on Cape San Blas Road (County Road 30E) near its junction with County Road 30A, south of Port St. Joe.

• Getting there: from Port St. Joe take County Road 30A southeast, then turn onto Cape San Blas Road; the park is on both sides of the road
• Parking: free, at both the bay side and the Gulf side
• Entry: a free county park
• The walk: level; the bay-side pier runs a few hundred feet across the marsh from the parking, and a walkway crosses the dunes to the Gulf beach
• Cape San Blas keeps Eastern Time, an hour ahead of Panama City

Two very different fisheries sit a few hundred yards apart: a marsh creek on the bay side and open Gulf surf across the road.

• Spring (Mar-May): trout and reds along the creek; pompano and whiting in the Gulf surf; Spanish mackerel arrive along the beach
• Summer (Jun-Aug): trout at first light in the creek, flounder along its edges, Spanish mackerel and ladyfish off the Gulf beach, sharks in the surf
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best season, with redfish in the creek and pompano and bull reds in the surf
• Winter (Dec-Feb): trout and reds in the deeper creek bends on sunny afternoons, sheepshead and black drum; whiting in the surf

Carry a light spinning rod for the bay and a surf rod for the Gulf.

• Creek trout and reds: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic on a 1/8 oz jighead worked along the marsh edges
• Flounder: a mud minnow dragged slowly along the creek bottom
• Topwater walking plugs at dawn for trout in summer
• Surf pompano and whiting: a double-drop rig with size 1 to 1/0 hooks, 2 to 3 oz sinker, shrimp or sand fleas
• Spanish mackerel in the surf: small spoons fished fast when bait shows
• Light braid and a fluorocarbon leader suit the creek; bring a heavier rod for the surf

Tides here are small and often run once a day, so the wind decides which side to fish.

• A moving tide is key: the creek fills and drains the marsh, and slack water is slow
• Low light is best: dawn, dusk and cloudy days
• When the Gulf is rough, the bay side is sheltered; on calm days the surf is clear and easy to read
• Summer heat pushes bay fish off the shallows by midmorning
• Red tide sometimes reaches St. Joseph Bay, as it did in fall 2025; check the FWC's reports if the water looks discolored

The park is easy to reach and flat, but watch the water and the weather.

• Rip currents form along the Gulf beach; Gulf County has no lifeguards on its beaches
• Fish from the pier's platform rather than wading: the marsh is soft mud, and stingrays are common in the shallows
• Leave the pier and the beach at the first thunder
• The bay-side boardwalk and pier are level, starting beside the parking
• There is little shade away from the picnic shelters, so bring water and sun protection

Gulf County's tourism office lists good facilities on both sides of the park.

• Bay side: restrooms, a shower, an observation boardwalk and pier, the Serenity Trail boardwalk, screened picnic tables, grills, a fire pit, a playground, volleyball and pickleball courts
• Gulf side: restrooms, covered picnic tables, grills and a playground
• Free parking on both sides
• No bait shop in the park; buy bait and ice in Port St. Joe or along Cape San Blas Road

• Check the wind: a north wind flattens the Gulf surf, while a south wind sends you to the bay side
• Watch the creek from the end of the pier for pushing or tailing reds at low light
• The pier doubles as a kayak launch; paddle the creek out to St. Joseph Bay's grass flats
• Keep a stringer or fish bag well away from you when wading; sharks notice
• Scallop season fills the bay with boats and swimmers in summer, so fish early

Gulf County manages Salinas Park, and St. Joseph Bay is a state aquatic preserve.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Protect the seagrass: do not drag anchors or dig in the grass beds
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit
• Stay off the dunes and out of posted sea turtle nesting areas
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything