Shell Mound Pier Fishing

6.2· Pier · Cedar Key, FL

Free: No entrance fee for the refuge (checked Sep 27, 2026)

The Shell Mound Pier is a small fishing and observation deck in the Shell Mound Unit of Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, at the end of County Road 326 about nine miles north of Cedar Key. It reaches over a tidal creek and marsh edge beside a huge ancient oyster-shell mound, and gives shore anglers quiet access to redfish, speckled trout, sheepshead and black drum, with flounder in fall and mangrove snapper and ladyfish in summer. Fish the moving tide, especially the start of the flood. The refuge is free and open sunrise to sunset; the county's paved boat ramp beside the deck was listed as closed for channel dredging from May 28, 2026. Hazards are summer lightning, heat and mosquitoes in a remote setting.

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Map of Shell Mound Pier

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7-day fishing forecast for Shell Mound Pier — 7-day forecast

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Sea: pale calm, deep blue surf, amber rough Water: blue clear, brown colored

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Thursday, Oct 1 · windows & tide · Today

SeaSlight1.0 ft here · wind chop
Water colorClearYou could see the bottom in about six feet of water
Wind6 mph EDirection vs this shore unknown
73°E 6 · dry
71°E 6 · dry
85°SE 9 · dry
80°SE 13 · 28% rain
▲ High tide4:16 AM4.4 ft
▼ Low tide11:48 AM0.1 ft
▲ High tide6:24 PM2.9 ft
▼ Low tide10:42 PM2.3 ft
12 AM
6 AM
12 PM
6 PM
12 AM
Small tides2.6 ft range · 10% below normalEasing toward smaller tides

Why 68 · 6 AM–9 AM

  • WindGoodA light wind (6 mph)+5
  • Sea & chopOkayChop 0.0 ft · FlatShort, steep waves−1
  • Tide stateGoodOutgoing tide (ebbing)+9
  • Tide sizeOkaySmall tides−2
  • LightGoodDawn or dusk light+6
  • PressureOkaySteady or slowly falling pressure+1
  • RainGoodDry (2% chance of rain)

Confidence high · updated 3h ago

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Fishing report · October 2026

What's biting at Shell Mound Pier

  • RedfishReliableOpen: keep up to 1 a day between 18 in and 27 in

    In season this month

  • Spotted SeatroutReliableOpen: keep up to 5 a day between 15 in and 19 in

    In season this month

  • Black DrumReliableOpen: keep up to 5 a day between 14 in and 24 in

    In season this month

  • LadyfishWorth a try

    In season this month

  • PinfishReliable

    In season this month

Built from this month's seasons, today's FWC rules and the catches anglers logged here in the last 30 days. Updated Thu, Oct 1.

Shell Mound Pier tide chart

Tides for fishing at Shell Mound Pier: every high and low tide for the next 7 days, from the Shell Mound tide station. Times are local.

Shell Mound Pier tide chart
  • High4:16 AM4.6 ft
  • Low11:48 AM0.0 ft
  • High6:24 PM3.0 ft
  • Low10:42 PM2.3 ft
  • High5:04 AM4.3 ft
  • Low1:02 PM0.3 ft
  • High8:27 PM2.6 ft
  • Low11:08 PM2.6 ft
  • High6:07 AM3.9 ft
  • Low2:35 PM0.3 ft
  • High11:11 PM3.0 ft
  • Low2:23 AM2.6 ft
  • High7:26 AM3.6 ft
  • Low3:59 PM0.3 ft
  • High11:46 PM3.0 ft
  • Low4:10 AM2.3 ft
  • High9:18 AM3.6 ft
  • Low4:59 PM0.3 ft
  • High12:11 AM3.3 ft
  • Low5:12 AM2.0 ft
  • High11:03 AM3.6 ft
  • Low5:47 PM0.3 ft
  • High12:35 AM3.6 ft
  • Low6:01 AM1.3 ft
  • High12:08 PM3.9 ft
  • Low6:28 PM0.3 ft

Local knowledge

Shell Mound Pier fishing guide

Practical access, seasons, methods, tides, safety and facilities for this spot.