St. Joseph Peninsula State Park (Cape San Blas) Fishing

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park sits at the tip of the Cape San Blas peninsula and gives you two very different fisheries in one park: open Gulf surf and the sheltered grass flats of St. Joseph Bay.

• Remote, undeveloped beaches and some of the tallest sand dunes in the state
• Gulf side: pompano, whiting, redfish and Spanish mackerel
• Bay side: speckled trout, redfish and flounder over clear grass flats in a bay the park calls some of the richest fishing habitat in the Panhandle
• This part of Gulf County keeps Eastern Time, an hour ahead of Panama City

The park is at the northern end of Cape San Blas Road on the St. Joseph Peninsula, west of Port St. Joe.

• Getting there: from Port St. Joe take County Road 30A south, then Cape San Blas Road north up the peninsula to the park entrance
• Entry: an entrance fee per vehicle is charged at the gate, plus a fee to launch a boat
• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, every day
• Parking: day-use lots with boardwalks to the Gulf beach and access to the bay side
• The walk: boardwalks over high dunes, then soft sand; the bay shore is firm sand and grass for wading
• The park is on Eastern Time, while Bay County to the west keeps Central Time

Two fisheries a few hundred yards apart.

• Spring (Mar–May): pompano and whiting in the surf; trout and reds on the bay flats; Spanish mackerel and cobia along the Gulf beach
• Summer (Jun–Aug): trout at dawn on the bay grass, Spanish mackerel and ladyfish in the surf, flounder on the bay edges, sharks along the Gulf side
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the best season, with redfish schooling in the bay, bull reds and pompano in the surf, flounder moving out of the bay
• Winter (Dec–Feb): trout and reds in the deeper bay holes on calm, sunny days; whiting in the surf

Bring a surf rod and a light spinning rod and switch sides with the wind.

• Surf: double-drop rigs with 1/0–2/0 hooks, 2–4 oz pyramid sinkers, sand fleas or shrimp for pompano and whiting
• Surf reds: cut mullet or crab on a fish-finder rig
• Bay trout and reds: soft plastics on 1/8–1/4 oz jigheads, topwater walking plugs at first light, or live shrimp under a popping cork
• Flounder: a live mud minnow dragged along the edges of sand holes in the grass
• Spanish mackerel: small spoons and gotcha plugs when bait shows along the beach
• Wade light: a sling bag, a stringer kept well away from you, and a landing net

Tides here are small, usually under 2.5 feet, and NOAA's Cape San Blas station often shows only one high and one low a day; wind decides which side you fish.

• A light onshore breeze and a little surf bring pompano into the Gulf troughs
• When the Gulf is rough, the bay side is sheltered and clear
• In the bay, fish the moving tide over the grass; low water concentrates fish in the potholes and channel edges
• Dawn and dusk are best in summer, when the shallow bay water heats up fast
• Clear water lets you sight-fish reds on the flats

The park is remote, so plan to look after yourself.

• Rip currents are common on the Gulf beach; never wade deep in rough surf and watch the flags
• Shuffle your feet when wading the bay; stingrays are common on the flats
• Summer lightning storms move fast over the open bay; get out of the water at the first thunder
• Heat and sun are intense and there is little shade on the beach or flats
• There are no lifeguards
• Boardwalks reach the beach; beyond them it is soft sand, and the park lends beach wheelchairs from the ranger station

The park has good day-use facilities for such a remote spot.

• Restrooms in the day-use areas and near the boat ramp
• A paved boat ramp on the bay with a fish cleaning station and an outdoor rinse station nearby
• Canoe and kayak launch points into the bay, including the Bayview day-use area
• A park concession listing food, drinks, groceries, fishing supplies and kayak rentals
• Picnic pavilions with grills, and boardwalks to the beach
• Overnight camping and cabins in the park
• Bring bait with you; fuel is back toward Port St. Joe

• Check the wind before you go: south wind means fish the bay, north wind means the Gulf surf is calm and clear
• A kayak opens up the grass flats of St. Joseph Bay far beyond wading range
• Topwater plugs at first light are the classic way to catch bay trout
• Carry a stringer or cooler well away from you when wading; sharks notice
• Remember the time change: the park is an hour ahead of Panama City
• Red tide has reached St. Joseph Bay in some recent falls; check the FWC's weekly red tide status before a trip

T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park is managed by the Florida Park Service, and St. Joseph Bay is also an aquatic preserve.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Park hours apply; day use ends at sundown
• Protect the bay's seagrass: do not drag anchors or dig in the grass
• Stay off the dunes and out of posted nesting areas
• Spearfishing is not allowed in the park, and pets are not allowed on its beaches
• Shore-based shark fishing requires the free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything