Amelia Island State Park Fishing

Amelia Island State Park gives shore anglers the wild southern tip of Amelia Island, where the Atlantic surf meets the strong currents of Nassau Sound.

• Florida State Parks says fishing is popular from the park's shore
• The park calls Nassau Sound one of the best fishing areas in northeast Florida
• Whiting, redfish, flounder and seatrout, with tarpon following the fall mullet run
• Over 200 acres of undeveloped beach, marsh and maritime forest
• A different experience from the old bridge pier next door: fish from the sand, with room to roam

The park is at 9550 First Coast Highway (State Road A1A) at the south end of Amelia Island, just north of the bridge over Nassau Sound.

• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset every day, with no after-hours access
• Fees: $2 per person, paid at an honor box with correct change, the park says
• Parking: two large parking areas inside the park; park only in marked spaces, not on the vegetation
• Busy days: the park caps beach parking and closes to new visitors when it is full, reopening as people leave, so arrive early
• The walk: a short walk from the parking areas to the sand along the sound
• Beach driving: the park allows 4x4 beach access during its hours, and Nassau County limits driving on its beaches to county residents and property owners, with a few exceptions; check at the entrance before driving onto the sand

Nassau Sound mixes ocean and marsh water, so the park's shore sees both surf fish and inshore fish.

• Spring (Mar-May): redfish and seatrout in good numbers, whiting and pompano on the beach, bluefish passing
• Summer (Jun-Aug): whiting, flounder and croaker, jacks in the sound, the first tarpon
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the peak for redfish, flounder and seatrout, and tarpon follow the mullet run into the sound
• Winter (Dec-Feb): redfish and black drum on the calmer days, whiting on the surf

A 9 to 11 ft surf rod for the beach and a medium spinning rod for working the edges cover most situations.

• Cut mullet or crab on a fish-finder rig with enough lead for the current, for redfish and black drum
• A finger mullet or mud minnow on a sliding sinker rig for flounder
• Small pieces of shrimp on a double-drop rig for whiting and croaker
• A live shrimp under a cork, or artificials, for seatrout on the moving tide
• Bring or buy shrimp, clams or sand fleas: digging bait is not allowed in a state park, though the park notes mullet can be cast-netted along the shoreline

Nassau Sound has big tides, about five feet twice a day, and fast water on every tide.

• The hours either side of high tide give the most usable water along the beach
• Slack water at the turns is the easiest time to hold bottom
• Calm or offshore winds keep the surf clean for whiting and pompano
• A northeast blow roughens the ocean side, and the sound side is often the more fishable
• Summer storms build in the afternoon, so fish the morning

This is an undeveloped beach beside a tidal pass with strong currents.

• Lifeguards are not provided; the currents in the sound are dangerous, so never wade deep
• Seasonal closures protect nesting shorebirds from March through September, especially at the southern point; obey the posted signs
• Lightning is the summer danger; there is no shelter on the sand
• Watch for vehicles and horses on the beach, which the park allows
• Shuffle your feet to warn off stingrays
• The walk from the parking areas is short, but the beach itself is soft sand

Facilities are simple, in keeping with the undeveloped park.

• Restrooms near the fishing bridge area
• An outdoor shower station beside the restrooms
• Picnic tables, including some on the old fishing bridge
• Two large parking areas
• An accessible picnic area
• No bait sales listed by the park; bring or buy your bait before you arrive

• Check the tide before you go; the turns are the easiest time to fish the sound side
• Carry a cast net for mullet, which the park says can be caught along the shoreline
• Keep well away from posted bird-nesting areas, especially near the point in spring and summer
• Pay the honor-box fee with correct change
• If the beach is crowded with vehicles, walk a little way along the sound for space

Amelia Island State Park is managed by Florida State Parks; follow the posted park rules.

• Fishing within the park must follow state rules on size, number, method of capture and season, as the park states
• The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset, with no after-hours access
• Obey the seasonal closures that protect nesting shorebirds
• State park rules protect all animal life except edible and game fish, so do not dig sand fleas, clams or other bait
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit, and chumming from the beach is prohibited for any species
• Redfish follow the FWC's Northeast region rules, and tarpon have release rules
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything