Stump Hole Beach Access Fishing

Stump Hole Beach Access is a popular surf fishing spot on the narrow neck of Cape San Blas, reshaped in 2026 by new sand and offshore breakwaters.

• Open Gulf surf for pompano, whiting, redfish and Spanish mackerel
• Walk-on access from Cape San Blas Road; the county has listed the drive-on access as closed since June 2023
• Eight new submerged rock breakwaters along the beach to the north, marked with warning signs
• St. Joseph Bay across the road, reached by kayak from the nearby Troy Deal canoe launch

The access is on Cape San Blas Road (County Road 30E) just past the elbow of Cape San Blas, where the road turns north up the St. Joseph Peninsula.

• Getting there: leave Port St. Joe on County Road 30A, turn onto Cape San Blas Road and follow it west, past Salinas Park, to the Stump Hole
• Parking: no lot is listed, so park only where signs allow and never block the county's vehicle access point
• Entry: a county beach access with no fee listed
• The walk: a short walk over sand to the beach; watch your footing near the rocks
• Beach driving: the county's beach driving notes have listed the Stump Hole access as closed until further notice since June 2023; driving elsewhere on the cape needs a Gulf County permit and a designated access

The Stump Hole's Gulf surf carries the classic Panhandle beach fish, and the new breakwaters add rock structure along the beach to the north.

• Spring (Mar-May): the troughs hold pompano and whiting, Spanish mackerel and bluefish show up, and cobia cruise along the beach
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and sharks, with whiting and pompano at the edges of the day
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the top season, when pompano run and bull reds come into the surf
• Winter (Dec-Feb): whiting and redfish on calm, sunny days

Carry two rods: a 9 to 11 foot surf rod for the bars, and something lighter for the first trough.

• Pompano and whiting: size 1 to 1/0 hooks on a double-drop rig over a 2 to 4 oz pyramid sinker, with sand fleas or shrimp for bait
• Redfish: a fish-finder rig and a 5/0 circle hook, baited with cut mullet or blue crab
• Spanish mackerel and bluefish: a short wire leader ahead of a small spoon or gotcha plug
• Keep your casts away from the submerged breakwaters, which snag rigs easily
• Put a sand spike and a cooler on a cart and you will make fewer trips back to the car

The tide range here is small, and many days bring just one high and one low, so the wind and the surf count for more than the tide table.

• The troughs fish best when a little surf and some tidal movement stir up food
• An east wind is offshore on this beach and calms the surf
• Strong currents can run along the neck when wind and swell build
• In summer, dawn and dusk are the productive and quiet times
• Fall cold fronts push pompano and reds along the beach

This is an exposed, unguarded beach with rocks, so take care.

• No lifeguards patrol Gulf County's beaches; read the flags, and stay out of deep water when the surf is rough
• The revetment rocks are uneven and slippery; fish from the sand beside them
• The submerged breakwaters are a hazard to waders and swimmers; stay clear of the marked areas
• Shuffle your feet for stingrays and leave at the first thunder
• Soft sand and rocks make this a poor choice for wheelchairs

The tourism office lists walk-on and drive-on beach access here and nothing else, so arrive stocked.

• No restrooms or water listed at the access
• Salinas Park, back along Cape San Blas Road, has restrooms and picnic shelters
• The Troy Deal canoe launch of the St. Joseph Bay Aquatic and Buffer Preserve is nearby on the bay side, open 8 a.m. until sunset
• Bait, ice and food in Port St. Joe or along Cape San Blas Road

• For pompano bait, dig your own sand fleas where the waves wash up
• Watch the new breakwaters: bait and fish may gather around them, but so do snags
• On a rough Gulf day, try the calmer St. Joseph Bay side instead, from Salinas Park's bay side or by kayak
• A kayak from the Troy Deal launch reaches miles of St. Joseph Bay grass flats
• Do not drive onto the beach here while the county lists the access as closed, and stay off the newly planted dunes

The beach access and the beach driving program are both run by Gulf County.

• You need a Florida saltwater fishing license unless an exemption applies
• Driving on the beach requires a Gulf County permit and a designated access, and the Stump Hole's access has been posted closed since June 2023
• Fishing for sharks from shore requires the free FWC permit
• Keep off the dunes and away from posted sea turtle nesting areas
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything