Ross Marler Park Fishing

Ross Marler Park is a large county park on the bay side of Okaloosa Island, and its fishing pier puts you over brackish bay water a short walk from parking and restrooms.

• A fishing pier with an ADA-accessible fishing platform
• Speckled trout, redfish and flounder on the grass and sand around the pier
• Sheepshead on the pilings in late winter and spring
• Two boat ramps, pavilions, grills, a fenced playground and a walking trail
• Easy access for families and anglers who use a wheelchair

The park is at 1275 Santa Rosa Boulevard on Okaloosa Island, on the Choctawhatchee Bay side just east of the Brooks Bridge from downtown Fort Walton Beach.

• Getting there: cross the Brooks Bridge on US 98 onto the island, then take Santa Rosa Boulevard to the park on the bay side
• Parking: in the park, with designated spaces for boat trailers
• Hours: one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset
• Surface: level paths to the pier and a fishing platform built for wheelchair users
• The Brooks Bridge is being replaced next door, so expect changed lanes and construction traffic around the entrance

The pier sits at the narrow western end of Choctawhatchee Bay, where the bay runs into Santa Rosa Sound, so inshore fish are around all year.

• Spring (Mar–May): sheepshead on the pilings, speckled trout, redfish and the first Spanish mackerel
• Summer (Jun–Aug): trout at dawn, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, bluefish, and mangrove snapper around structure
• Fall (Sep–Nov): redfish and flounder at their best, and trout feeding hard before winter
• Winter (Dec–Feb): white trout and sheepshead, with trout on warm afternoons

Light to medium spinning tackle with 10 to 20 lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader covers almost everything here.

• Speckled trout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic on a 1/8 to 1/4 oz jighead
• Redfish: cut mullet or live shrimp on a Carolina rig along the grass edges
• Flounder: finger mullet or a jig bounced slowly over the sand
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader tight to the pilings
• Spanish mackerel and bluefish: small spoons retrieved fast
• Bring a long-handled landing net for anything bigger than a trout

Tides here are small and often only one high and one low a day, but water still moves through this narrow end of the bay.

• Fish the moving tide, especially the first hours of the incoming
• Early morning and evening are best in the heat of summer
• A stiff wind puts a chop on the bay and muddies the shallows
• Heavy rain can freshen and stain the water for a day or two
• In winter, fish the warmest part of the afternoon

The park is flat and built for families, and the ADA-accessible fishing platform makes it a good choice for anglers who use a wheelchair.

• Leave the pier when thunderstorms build; summer lightning is frequent
• Watch for boats at the two ramps and never cast into the launch lanes
• Since 2025 the county has been stabilizing about 2,000 feet of the bay shoreline with a living shoreline, so stay off the plantings and fish from the pier
• Expect construction traffic while the Brooks Bridge is replaced
• Bring water and sun protection; shade is under the pavilions

The county lists a full set of facilities here.

• A fishing pier with an ADA-accessible fishing platform
• Two boat ramps and designated boat trailer parking
• Two sets of restrooms
• Several pavilions, grills and a fenced-in playground
• Green space and a walking trail with interpretive signs
• No bait shop or food is listed, so bring bait, ice and drinks

• Work the moving tide; the incoming usually brings the cleanest water
• Sheepshead stack on the pilings from late winter into spring
• A live shrimp drifted under a cork is the most reliable trout bait here
• The park closes an hour after sunset, so plan your last cast
• Summer mornings are cooler and quieter than afternoons
• Pack out line and bait scraps; the park is busy with families

Okaloosa County manages the park; posted park rules apply.

• Park hours are one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• The county code makes it unlawful to fish for sharks, or to chum or blood-bait, from its beaches; pets and glass are not allowed in county parks
• Keep the ramps and launch lanes clear, and take old line and hooks home
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything