Ruskin Commongood Boat Ramp Fishing

Ruskin Commongood Boat Ramp is a small county park on the Ruskin Inlet with a boat ramp, a dock and a boardwalk, and the FWC's Tampa Bay guide lists its fishing pier. It is a quiet, free spot to fish sheltered tidal water in the middle of Ruskin.

• A boardwalk on a tidal inlet, with a public fishing pier in the FWC's listing
• Snook, sheepshead and mangrove snapper around structure
• Redfish, trout, jacks and drum on the moving tide
• Free entry, open sunrise to sunset
• The inlet opens to the Little Manatee River and lower Tampa Bay

The park is in central Ruskin near US 41, on the Ruskin Inlet at 1st Avenue NW and 2nd Street NW.

• Getting there: head for 1st Avenue NW in Ruskin; the county lists the address as 107 1st Avenue NW
• Parking: at the park, which is a small site
• Fees: none listed for entry or fishing
• Hours: sunrise to sunset, year-round
• The walk: short, from the parking area to the boardwalk and pier
• Work notice: the county began replacing the picnic shelter on September 3, 2026, expecting the job to take about a month; the shelter is out of use until it is done

The Ruskin Inlet is sheltered tidal water, so it fishes best when the open bay is rough or cold.

• Spring (Mar–May): snook, redfish and trout become active as the water warms; sheepshead finish their run
• Summer (Jun–Aug): mangrove snapper around the pilings, snook early and late, jacks and ladyfish chasing bait, small tarpon now and then
• Fall (Sep–Nov): redfish and snook feed hard; mullet runs pull predators into the inlet
• Winter (Dec–Feb): snook and trout move into sheltered inlets and canals; sheepshead and black drum around pilings

Light to medium spinning tackle with 10–20 lb braid and a 20–30 lb fluorocarbon leader suits the inlet.

• Snook: live shrimp or small pilchards on a 1/0 circle hook, cast along pilings, docks and shadows
• Sheepshead and black drum: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader with a small egg sinker, dropped straight down beside pilings
• Mangrove snapper: small live shrimp on light fluorocarbon
• Redfish and trout: shrimp under a popping cork, or a small jig and soft plastic on the moving tide
• A long-handled landing net helps lift fish up to the deck

Tides here are mixed: two highs and two lows of unequal size on most days, only one of each on some days, and a small range; the inlet is sheltered from the open bay.

• A moving tide is best; the first of the falling tide pulls bait out toward the river
• Cold fronts push snook and trout into sheltered inlets like this one; the days after a front can be good
• Clear, calm mornings suit sight-fishing along the pilings
• After heavy rain the water turns darker and fresher; fish the higher tides then
• Summer afternoons bring storms and boat traffic

A small, simple park with boat-ramp cautions.

• Keep lines clear of boats using the ramp and dock
• No swimming, wading or diving: the county prohibits all three here
• Summer lightning builds quickly; leave the pier when storms approach
• Handle hardhead catfish carefully; their spines are venomous
• No restrooms are listed, so plan ahead
• The pier and boardwalk are a short walk from parking; the FWC once rated the pier accessible, but check the surface on arrival

Facilities are basic, so bring what you need.

• A single-lane boat ramp and a boat dock
• A boardwalk, and the fishing pier the FWC lists
• Picnic shelters and a playground (the shelter replacement began on September 3, 2026)
• Parking at the park
• No restrooms are listed
• No bait or tackle shop is listed, so buy bait before you arrive

• Winter cold snaps are the time for snook in the inlet
• Drop fiddler crabs tight to pilings for sheepshead from December to March
• Weekday mornings are quietest at the ramp
• Watch for bait flickering along the edges; snook and jacks are close by
• Keep casts off the ramp lane and away from passing boats
• Take old line and hooks home; manatees and birds use the inlet

Ruskin Commongood Boat Ramp is run by Hillsborough County.

• Open sunrise to sunset, year-round; entry is free
• County code allows fishing in county parks only where the county designates it; the county's park records list fishing here, but keep the ramp and dock clear and obey any posted signs
• No swimming, wading or diving
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit
• Snook and redfish have their own rules; check FWC
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything