Peters Point Park Fishing

Peters Point Park is one of Nassau County's beachfront parks on Amelia Island, an open Atlantic beach with room to spread out and fish the surf. Whiting and pompano are the regular targets, with bigger fish on the seasonal runs.

• Whiting and pompano in the first trough
• Redfish, black drum and bluefish on the fall and spring runs
• Sharks in the warm months
• Parking, showers and a picnic area at the park

The park is on the Atlantic side of Amelia Island in unincorporated Nassau County, south of the Fernandina Beach city limits. The county lists the address as 4600 Peters Point Road, Fernandina Beach.

• Parking: a county beachfront lot, for people using the beach only; no vehicles may stay in the lots between midnight and sunrise
• Entry: no fee is listed
• Beach driving: allowed from the Peters Point access north to the city limits for Nassau County residents and property owners, active-duty military and drivers with a disability placard, in four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicles or beach buggies
• Driving hours: no vehicles on the beach from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. between May 1 and October 31, or from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. the rest of the year

The surf here fishes all year, with the best action on the spring and fall runs.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano and whiting in the troughs, bluefish and black drum passing along the beach
• Summer (Jun-Aug): whiting and croaker on the bottom, blacktip and sharpnose sharks at dawn and dusk, Spanish mackerel when bait is close
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best season, when the mullet run brings redfish, bluefish and jacks into the surf, with pompano returning late
• Winter (Dec-Feb): whiting, black drum and redfish on calmer days, pompano when the water warms

Standard Atlantic surf tackle works well here.

• Whiting and pompano: a double-drop rig with size 2 to 1/0 hooks, 2 to 4 oz pyramid sinkers, and shrimp, sand fleas or clams, fished in the first trough
• Redfish and black drum: a fish-finder rig with a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and cut mullet or blue crab, cast past the bar
• Bluefish and Spanish mackerel: metal spoons or small diving plugs when fish are busting bait
• Sharks: a heavier rod with a wire leader and cut bait; land and release quickly
• A sand spike and a bait cooler make a long session easier

The Atlantic tides here run twice a day, and the bars and troughs change shape with each tide and every storm.

• The first half of the rising tide usually fishes best, as fish move into the troughs
• Low tide shows you the bars, the troughs and the cuts to fish on the rise
• A light onshore breeze and some wave action stir up sand fleas and bring pompano in
• A strong northeast wind makes the surf rough and weedy
• Early morning and evening are best in the summer heat

This is an open surf beach with some traffic on the sand.

• Rip currents: never wade out past your knees in rough surf
• Vehicles and horses use the beach; keep your gear and lines clear of the driving lanes
• Stingrays: shuffle your feet in the shallows
• Summer lightning: leave the beach at the first thunder
• Sea turtles nest here in summer; fill in holes and keep lights off the beach at night
• The walk from the lot to the water is on soft sand

The county lists the basics for a beach day.

• Indoor and outdoor showers
• A picnic area with tables
• A beachfront parking lot, with walkovers and a vehicle ramp down to the sand
• No bait shop is listed at the park, so bring bait and ice
• Check the beach warning flags before you wade
• Pack out everything, including old line and bait bags

• Dig your own sand fleas at the water's edge; pompano love them
• Fish the first two hours of the rising tide
• Look for the darker water of a trough or cut between the bars
• In the fall, fresh cut mullet is the bait for redfish and bluefish
• Keep unattended gear off the beach at night; the county removes it

Peters Point Park and the beach around it are managed by Nassau County under its beach ordinance.

• County parks are open from dawn until midnight unless posted, and no vehicles may stay in the beachfront lots between midnight and sunrise
• Beach driving only for eligible drivers, in the permitted areas and hours
• No fires on the beach from May 1 to October 31, and no camping on the beach
• Alcohol and glass containers are banned on the beach and in the beach parking areas
• Unattended personal property left on the beach between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. is removed
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt, and shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything