Curry Hammock State Park Fishing

Curry Hammock State Park is the Middle Keys' quiet, natural alternative to the busy fishing bridges: a sandy Atlantic beach backed by hammock and mangroves, with shallow flats in front and a channel alongside. The park itself points anglers to both.

• Permit and bonefish on the flats, in the park's own words
• Sharks, snapper and snook from the channel alongside the park
• Restrooms, an outdoor shower and shaded pavilions a short walk from the water
• Kayak and paddleboard rentals to reach more of the flats

The park entrance is at 56200 Overseas Highway on Little Crawl Key in Marathon, and the day-use area, beach and kayak launch are on the ocean side.

• Entry: $4.50 for one person, or $5.50 for two or more people
• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, every day of the year
• Parking: limited, with no overflow lot; once every space is filled the park closes until spaces free up
• Walk: short and flat from the day-use parking to the 1,200-foot beach
• The Hammock Nature Trail has its own parking on US 1, about a mile south of the main entrance

The park describes permit and bonefish on its flats and sharks, snapper and snook in the channel; the seasons follow the water temperature.

• Spring (Mar-May): bonefish and permit on rising tides; tarpon start to show along the channel; barracuda on the flats
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper and snook in the channel in low light; bonnethead and blacktip sharks cruise the shallows
• Fall (Sep-Nov): good bonefish and permit days as the water cools; jacks chase bait along the beach
• Winter (Dec-Feb): barracuda and the odd bonefish on warm afternoons between cold fronts

Pack two setups: a light rod for the flats and a heavier one for the channel.

• Flats: 8 to 10 lb braid, a fluorocarbon leader and a live shrimp on a 1/0 hook, or a small tan jig, cast well ahead of cruising bonefish
• Permit: a small live crab or a crab-style jig on 15 to 20 lb tackle
• Channel: a knocker rig with live shrimp or cut bait for snapper, or a live pinfish or pilchard for snook
• Sharks: cut bait on a wire leader, fished well away from swimmers and released at the water
• Barracuda: a tube lure or fast plug on a short wire leader

This Atlantic shore has two tides a day, and the flats and the channel fish best at different stages.

• Flats: the first half of the rising tide, in the morning or late afternoon
• Channel: moving water on either tide, especially in the last hours before the park closes at sunset
• Calm, sunny mornings make fish easy to see; strong wind clouds the water and brings out the kiteboarders
• The park warns paddlers that some shallow areas may not be reachable at low tide
• After a winter cold front, wait for a warm afternoon before expecting fish on the flats

The beach is gentle and shallow, but there are no lifeguards.

• Check the beach warning flags posted at the park; a purple flag means marine pests are present
• Shuffle your feet as you wade: the park lists stingrays among the wildlife seen from the beach
• Give kiteboarders, swimmers and paddlers plenty of room
• Leave the water when afternoon thunderstorms build
• Accessibility: the park says all its restroom facilities are ADA accessible, and one picnic pavilion is too
• Pets are not allowed on the beach, in the water or in the bathhouses

The day-use area is well set up for a long session.

• A day-use restroom with a cold outdoor shower; hot showers in the campground bathhouse for a fee
• Four picnic pavilions at the southeast end, first come, first served unless reserved
• Kayak, paddleboard and bike rentals at the ranger station
• A kayak launch; motorized boats may not be launched
• A 28-site campground with electric and water hookups
• Bait and tackle: none listed by the park, so bring your own

• Arrive early on busy days: when the lot fills, the park closes until spaces open
• Ask at the ranger station where fishing is allowed, and keep clear of the swimming area
• Walk the edge of the beach first and look for tailing fish before wading out
• Try the deeper water near the kayak launch when the flats are too bright or too still
• Rent a kayak to reach the sandbars and the flats around Deer Key
• On windy days fish early, before the kiteboarders take over the water
• Pick up live shrimp in Marathon on the way in

The park is run by Florida State Parks (Florida Department of Environmental Protection), and it says fishing is allowed within the park under Florida fishing rules. Hours are 8 a.m. to sunset, and state park rules allow fishing only in designated areas, so ask at the ranger station where to fish.

• Spearfishing, carrying spearfishing gear and collecting tropical fish by any method are prohibited in the park
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless an exemption applies
• Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC shore-based shark fishing permit
• Tarpon and goliath grouper have release rules: check FWC
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything