Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park Fishing

Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park is a quiet mangrove and salt marsh park beside busy US 19, with tidal creeks, bayous and salt springs that feed a rich inshore fishery.

• Best fished by kayak or canoe through the mangrove creeks and bayous, as the park itself suggests
• Limited shore access at the canoe and kayak launch at the main entrance
• Trout, redfish, snook, sheepshead and snapper along the mangrove edges
• Restrooms, a kayak launch and kayak rentals

The main entrance is at 8737 US 19 in Port Richey; the Black Rail Trail Head, a short trail to a view across the salt marsh, is off State Road 52.

• Getting there: turn west off US 19 into the main entrance
• Fees: $4 per vehicle (up to eight people), $2 on foot or by bicycle
• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, every day
• Parking: at the main entrance
• A boardwalk leads from the main entrance area to the canoe and kayak launch on the bayou

The springs and mangroves hold fish year round.

• Spring (Mar-May): spotted seatrout and redfish along the mangrove edges, sheepshead finishing their spawn
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook in the creeks and at the spring run, mangrove snapper, juvenile tarpon in the backwaters, ladyfish and jacks
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish and trout at their best, flounder moving toward the Gulf
• Winter (Dec-Feb): the springs keep water milder, so trout, snook and sheepshead gather in the deeper creeks and near the spring outflow on cold fronts

Light spinning tackle is ideal: 10-15 lb braid and a 20-30 lb fluorocarbon leader for snook.

• Live shrimp on a 1/8 oz jighead along mangrove edges and creek bends
• Weedless soft plastics or a small gold spoon skipped under the mangroves for redfish and snook
• A popping cork with shrimp over the grass flats at the creek mouths
• Fiddler crabs next to oyster bars for sheepshead
• Small topwater plugs early in the day in summer for snook and trout
• From a kayak, anchor quietly on the up-current side of a creek mouth and let the tide bring the fish

Tides here are mixed, with two uneven highs and lows on most days and a range of about 3 feet, and the park's creeks and bayous change a lot between them.

• The outgoing tide pulls bait out of the marsh into the creek mouths; that is prime
• The rising tide lets redfish push under the mangroves
• At low water many bayous become too shallow to paddle; plan the return with the tide
• The spring outflow is clear, so fish it on cloudy days or when the light is low
• Winter cold fronts push fish toward the springs and the deeper creeks

The park is sheltered and calm, but paddlers need to plan.

• The park lists its nature trail boardwalk, interpretive displays, picnic facilities and restrooms among its accessible amenities
• Paddlers can get lost among the mangrove islands and creeks; pick up a map at the kiosk and carry a phone
• Oysters cut; wear shoes if you step out of a kayak
• Watch for powerboats in the open bayous and at the creek mouths
• Summer heat and afternoon lightning are the main dangers
• Mosquitoes and no-see-ums near the mangroves

The main entrance has the park's facilities.

• Restrooms and a picnic area at the main entrance
• A canoe and kayak launch, with Salty Dog Kayak Rentals open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday to Sunday
• Boardwalks, hiking trails and bird-viewing stands
• No bait or tackle in the park; bring your own bait, as the park advises
• No lighting; the park closes at sunset

• Rent or bring a kayak; the best fishing is back in the creeks, away from the launch
• Fish the spring outflow on a winter morning after a cold front for trout and snook
• Pick up a paddling map at the kiosk or the rental office before you launch
• Carry a tide chart; the bayous can go dry and strand a kayak
• Launch when the park opens in summer to be off the water before the afternoon storms
• There are no beaches or swimming areas in the park; paddlers swim at Durney Key, outside it

Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park is run by the Florida Park Service (Florida Department of Environmental Protection); state park rules apply.

• A per-vehicle entry fee applies; the park closes at sunset
• State park rules allow fishing in park waters except where posted otherwise; stay off fragile marsh and spring edges
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt.
• Snook and redfish have FWC rules and seasons for this coast; release tarpon under the FWC's rules
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything.