Skyway Fishing Pier (South)

Skyway Fishing Pier (South) lets you drive onto the old Sunshine Skyway bridge and fish beside your car at the mouth of Tampa Bay. For now it is a shortened pier: the section beyond the bait shop is closed, and the south pier has no power.

• Part of Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, on the Manatee County side
• Open section: roughly the first mile, from the shore to a point just south of the bait shop
• Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, snapper and snook; the park also lists grouper, cobia, tarpon and pompano
• A new pier is planned beside this one; FDOT says fishing access will continue during the work

The south pier runs out into Tampa Bay near the south end of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Manatee County, reached from I-275.

• The park lists the piers as open 24 hours a day, but night lighting on the south pier is limited while it has no power
• Entry: $4 per vehicle plus a $4 fishing fee per adult, less for children; see the park's fee page
• Since Oct. 27, 2025, vehicles and pedestrians may not go beyond the bait shop, about a mile out; vehicles can drive to a point just south of it
• Since March 16, 2026, the south pier has had no power, limited bait shop service and limited night lighting
• RVs, trailers, large trucks and vehicles over 12 tons are not allowed on the pier
• FDOT plans temporary timber fishing piers along the access road while the new pier is built, so check the park's alerts before you go

Even the landward section sits on moving Tampa Bay water, and the fish change with the seasons.

• Spring (Mar-May): Spanish mackerel and bluefish on the bait schools, pompano, cobia passing, sheepshead finishing their run
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper after dark, snook along the pilings, tarpon rolling, jacks and ladyfish
• Fall (Sep-Nov): Spanish mackerel again, snook and redfish, grouper moving shallower as the water cools
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the pilings; slower days in cold fronts

Pier gear here must lift fish from a height and handle strong current.

• A 7 to 8-foot medium-heavy rod with 20-30 lb braid and a 30-40 lb fluorocarbon leader
• Small spoons or a live pilchard for Spanish mackerel
• Fiddler crabs or shrimp dropped beside the pilings for sheepshead
• Live shrimp or small baitfish on a light leader for mangrove snapper after dark
• A sliding sinker rig with a live pinfish near the bottom for grouper
• Bring a pier (drop) net to land anything big; in winter use single-hook rigs only

NOAA's Port Manatee station shows two high and two low tides on most days, one pair bigger than the other, and a single high and low on some days; the daily range is about 1 to 3 feet.

• The first and last hours of a strong tide move bait and switch the fish on
• Current runs hard at the mouth of the bay; heavier sinkers are needed on big tides
• Night fishing is popular, but lighting on the south pier is limited while it has no power
• Clear, calm days bring mackerel and pompano close; strong winds make the deck rough
• Summer storms build fast over the bay

A drive-on pier is easy to reach, but it is exposed and busy.

• Watch for vehicles moving along the deck, and keep children back from the rail
• Lightning is a real danger with no shelter on the pier; leave when storms build
• Pelicans and other seabirds dive on baits; the pier's gear rules are there to protect them, and the FWC shows how to unhook a bird safely
• Handle sharks, catfish and spiny fish with care, and use a net rather than hand-lining big fish
• Bring water and sun protection; there is no shade on the deck
• Parking beside your fishing spot on a flat deck makes it one of the more accessible big piers, and about a mile of it is still open

Facilities are reduced while the south pier has no power.

• The bait shop, at the end of the open section, is open with limited service
• The park lists restrooms
• Lighting at night is limited
• Food and drinks are normally sold at the park, but service may be limited
• Pets are not allowed on the Skyway fishing piers
• Parking is on the deck itself, a few steps from where you fish

• Complete the FWC Skyway education course online before you go and carry your certificate
• Arrive early on good weekends; with the outer spans closed, everyone on this side shares the first mile of deck
• Watch for diving birds and bait schools in spring and fall, then cast spoons for Spanish mackerel
• Bring your own lights and bait backups while power and bait shop service are limited
• Check the park's alerts before each trip; closures can change as the rebuilding project moves ahead

Skyway Fishing Pier State Park is run by Florida State Parks; the FWC sets pier-specific rules.

• An FWC online education course is required every year to fish here, including anglers normally exempt from a license (younger anglers with a certified adult are covered)
• FWC limits how many rods each angler may fish, and from mid-November to mid-March bans multi-hook rigs and treble hooks; check the FWC's Skyway page
• Alcohol and pets are not allowed on the piers
• The park says the paid fishing fee covers your fishing license on the pier for 24 hours, so no separate license is needed here; shore-based shark fishing still needs the free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything