Anclote River Park Fishing

Anclote River Park puts shore anglers right on the mouth of the Anclote River, with the open Gulf just beyond, Anclote Key a few miles offshore and a steady flow of bait on every tide.

• Fishing access on a park that runs about three tenths of a mile along the river
• Snook, redfish, trout and sheepshead, with summer jacks, snapper and the odd tarpon
• The largest county-run boat ramp in Pasco, so expect traffic on weekends
• A small sandy beach, picnic shelters, restrooms and a playground for a family day out

The park is at 1119 Baillies Bluff Road in Holiday, on the north side of the Anclote River where it opens to the Gulf.

• Getting there: follow Baillies Bluff Road from the Holiday area to the park entrance
• Parking: large lots for cars and boat trailers; the county page lists no parking fee, but check the posted signs
• The beach and the south end of the shoreline are next to the picnic shelter and restrooms
• Hours: the park is open 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset; the boat ramps stay open around the clock for launching and retrieving boats only
• A paved multi-use trail spur from the coastal trail reaches the park for walkers and cyclists

The river mouth mixes Gulf water with the Anclote's outflow, so the fishing changes with the season.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook moving back to the river mouth, spotted seatrout and redfish on the edges, Spanish mackerel chasing bait off the mouth
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook, mangrove snapper, crevalle jack and ladyfish; tarpon sometimes roll past the mouth
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish and trout at their best, flounder and black drum as the water cools, mackerel again
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the docks and any hard cover; snook head up the river on cold fronts

A 7-foot spinning rod with 15-20 lb braid and a 25-30 lb fluorocarbon leader covers the river mouth; step up for snook near structure.

• Live shrimp or pilchards on a 1/0 circle hook, free-lined or under a popping cork along the edges
• Soft plastics and paddle-tails on a 1/4 oz jighead, worked with the current
• Cut mullet or pinfish on a fish-finder rig for redfish and black drum on the bottom
• Fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader for sheepshead around hard cover in winter
• Small silver spoons or jigs thrown into busting fish for mackerel, jacks and ladyfish
• A landing net helps for lifting fish over the bank

The Anclote River mouth gets two high and two low tides most days, usually one bigger than the other, with a range of roughly 2 to 4 feet.

• The falling tide flushes bait out of the river and the marsh; fish the first few hours of it
• The rising tide brings clearer Gulf water in and pushes redfish up along the grass
• Dead low leaves shallow flats exposed; fish the deeper channel side then
• Strong north and northeast winds after winter fronts blow water out and make very low tides
• Early morning is best in summer, before boat traffic and afternoon storms build

The park is flat and easy to reach, but the ramp end is one of the busiest spots on the county's coast.

• Stay well clear of the boat ramp lanes and docks while boats are launching
• Keep lines away from swimmers at the beach and the swim area
• Afternoon thunderstorms build fast over the Gulf in summer; leave at the first thunder
• Shuffle your feet if you wade; stingrays lie in the sand
• Tidal current can be strong at the river mouth; do not wade out on a falling tide
• Large parking lots and the flat beach make this one of the more accessible shore spots in Pasco

Anclote River Park has more facilities than most spots on this coast.

• Restrooms
• Picnic area with shelters, a playground, a volleyball court and horseshoe pits
• Small sandy beach and swimming area on the river
• Canoe and kayak access, and a multi-lane public boat ramp with a dock
• No bait shop confirmed in the park, so bring live bait and ice
• No lighting confirmed for fishing, and the park itself closes at sunset

• Arrive early on weekends; boat trailers can back up onto Baillies Bluff Road at peak times
• The south end of the shoreline, past the roped swimming area, is calmer and easier to fish than the busy ramp end
• Watch for diving birds and bait showers off the mouth; mackerel and jacks follow them
• The park holds a Native American mound and a historic Spanish well; leave the cultural sites undisturbed
• The county plans to redesign the park for more trailer parking, so check for construction notices
• If the river is blown out, the Anclote Gulf Park pier is a short drive north

Anclote River Park is owned and run by Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources; posted park rules apply.

• The park is open from sunrise to sunset; the ramps are open around the clock for launching and retrieving only
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC shore-based shark fishing permit
• Snook and redfish have strict FWC rules, and tarpon have release rules, so check FWC
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything