Palma Sola Causeway Fishing

Palma Sola Causeway carries Manatee Avenue West across Palma Sola Bay between Bradenton and Anna Maria Island, and the county park along it has a small wooden fishing pier over the grass flats. It is an easy stop on the way to the island.

• A county fishing pier over shallow grass flats near Bradenton
• Trout and reds are the backbone, with snook in the warm months
• A restroom building, picnic pavilions and a county boat ramp on the causeway
• Water quality is a concern; check it before you go

The causeway runs west from Palma Sola Boulevard along Manatee Avenue West (SR 64) toward the Anna Maria Island bridge; the park's address is 9500 Manatee Avenue West.

• Getting there: follow Manatee Avenue West from Bradenton toward Holmes Beach
• The pier: a short, low wooden T-shaped pier on the north side of the causeway, beside the park sign and a restroom building
• Parking: sandy pull-offs along the causeway beside the park; park fully off the highway
• Hours: sunrise to sunset unless otherwise posted
• Boat ramp: the county's Palma Sola Causeway Boat Ramp is on the causeway, with no overnight parking

Flats fishing that peaks in spring and fall.

• Spring (Mar–May): trout and reds on the flats, snook arriving, jacks and ladyfish chasing bait
• Summer (Jun–Aug): snook along the edges early in the day, ladyfish schools, the odd mangrove snapper around the pier
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the best redfish and trout months as the water cools
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the pier pilings and in the deeper cuts, and trout on warmer days

Light spinning gear with 10 lb braid and a 20 lb fluorocarbon leader.

• Trout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a 1/8–1/4 oz jighead with a soft plastic cast over the grass
• Reds: a weedless gold spoon or soft plastic worked along the grass edges, or cut mullet on the bottom
• Snook: live whitebait or a small swimbait along the edges early in the day
• Sheepshead and drum: fiddler crabs or shrimp dropped beside the pier pilings
• The pier is low, so a small landing net is all you need

Tides here are mixed: most days bring two highs and two lows of unequal size, and some days only one of each. The range between high and low is about 2 feet on a typical day and close to 3 feet on the biggest tides, and the flats are very shallow, so the stage of tide decides where the fish are.

• Best: the incoming tide, which floods the grass and brings fish up onto it
• Low water: fish the deeper edges and any cuts within casting range
• Wind: calm mornings are ideal; a strong west or north wind muddies the flats
• Light: early morning; midday summer heat pushes fish deeper

An easy spot, but mind the road, the water quality and the weather.

• Traffic: Manatee Avenue is busy; park fully off the road and watch children
• Water quality: the state has found Palma Sola Bay fails its bacteria standards; check the Florida Healthy Beaches results and avoid contact with the water after heavy rain
• Lightning and heat: summer storms build fast and there is little shade
• The pier is small and low; take care on wet boards
• Access: the pier is a short walk from the parking, but wheelchair access to it is not confirmed

Simple county-park facilities.

• A restroom building beside the pier
• Picnic pavilions along the causeway
• A county boat ramp on the causeway
• No bait shop or food on the causeway; buy bait in Bradenton or on the island
• No lights for night fishing, and the park closes at sunset

• Get to the pier early on an incoming tide; it is small, and weekends bring families to the causeway
• Watch for mullet schools; reds and snook often follow them
• Bring polarized sunglasses to spot fish and rays over the grass
• A kayak launched from the boat ramp reaches quieter flats away from the road
• Check water-quality results before you go, especially after rain

Palma Sola Causeway Park is managed by Manatee County.

• Open sunrise to sunset unless otherwise posted
• County code allows fishing in park waters only where the county designates it and never where swimming is permitted, and allows wading only in designated places: fish from the fishing pier, not from the beach
• The boat ramp is for launching and retrieving boats only
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything