Little Duck Key Veterans Memorial Park Fishing

Little Duck Key Veterans Memorial Park is a scenic roadside beach park with wadeable flats and big views of the Seven Mile Bridge.

• Clear, shallow Atlantic flats for wading and sight-casting
• Bonefish, barracuda and jacks on the flats; snapper on the channel edges
• Picnic pavilions, with the Little Duck Key wayside boat ramp across the highway
• Free, with daytime hours
• Across the highway from the Old Seven Mile Bridge fishing section

The park is on Little Duck Key at mile marker 40 on US 1, at the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge, and is run by Monroe County Parks and Beaches.

• Getting there: drive the Overseas Highway to the Lower Keys end of the Seven Mile Bridge
• Parking: the park lot; the Little Duck Key wayside boat ramp and its lot are across the highway
• Hours: open daily from 7:30 a.m. until sunset
• Surface: sand and a short walk to the water; the flats are firm sand and grass in most places

Flats fishing is about sight and timing; the channels give steadier bites.

• Spring (Mar–May): bonefish and permit on the flats, barracuda, jacks
• Summer (Jun–Aug): barracuda, small sharks on the flats, mangrove snapper on the channel edges
• Fall (Sep–Nov): bonefish again as the water cools, jacks and snapper
• Winter (Dec–Feb): barracuda on warm afternoons, blue runners and Spanish mackerel after fronts

Light spinning tackle and a pair of polarized glasses are the essentials.

• Bonefish: a live shrimp or a small tan jig cast well ahead of cruising fish on 8 to 10 lb line
• Barracuda: a long tube lure or a live pinfish, retrieved fast
• Snapper and grunts: shrimp on a small hook and split shot along the deeper channel edges
• Carry a wading belt with a few jigs and leaders; keep bait in a floating bucket

The Atlantic side has two tides a day, and the flats drain and flood with them.

• The rising tide in the morning, from the 7:30 a.m. opening, is the best time for bonefish and barracuda on the flats
• Low tide exposes sandbars; walk out on them to reach the channel edges
• Bright sun and a light breeze are ideal for spotting fish
• A strong wind stirs the flats and makes sight-fishing hard

The flats are shallow and forgiving, but the sun and the channels deserve respect.

• Shuffle your feet for stingrays and wear wading boots
• Channels between the sandbars are deeper and flow hard: do not cross them
• Watch the rising tide behind you when wading far out
• No shade on the flats; water, hat and sunscreen
• The park itself is small and level; wading access is not suited to wheelchairs

The county lists basic facilities.

• Portable toilets; the permanent bathrooms and one pavilion await renovation
• Picnic pavilions, tables and grills
• The Little Duck Key wayside boat ramp is across the highway on the bay side
• No bait, food or fresh water: bring what you need
• Some shade under the pavilions; none on the flats
• Bring a small cooler, drinking water and a bag for trash and line
• The nearest bait and food are on the keys either side, a short drive along US 1

• Be there at opening time on a calm morning for the best sight-fishing
• Walk the sandbars at low tide to reach the edges of the deeper channels
• For deeper water, the Old Seven Mile Bridge fishing section across the highway is open 8 a.m. to sunset
• Tailing bonefish spook easily: cast long and let the bait settle before moving it
• Keep an eye out for nurse sharks and rays; they are harmless if left alone

The park belongs to Monroe County and is run by its Parks and Beaches department; follow the posted rules and hours.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC shore-based shark fishing permit
• Goliath grouper and tarpon have their own release rules: check FWC before you fish for either
• Bonefish are catch-and-release in Florida
• The flats are inside the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; follow its rules
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything