Albert Whitted Park, St. Petersburg Fishing

Albert Whitted Park is a grassy bayfront park at the south end of downtown St. Petersburg, with a seawall that looks out on Tampa Bay and the small planes of the neighboring airport. It is an easy, scenic place to cast a line close to the city.

• A city seawall on Tampa Bay with open sight lines
• Snook, redfish, seatrout and sheepshead on moving water
• Playground and picnic shelter for the family
• No fishing facilities; bring your own gear and bait

The park sits at the southern tip of the downtown waterfront, beside Albert Whitted Airport, and the City of St. Petersburg runs it. You walk from the parking area across the lawn to the seawall.

• Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to 11 p.m.
• The park lists one accessible parking space near the playground; other parking is in nearby lots and on streets, so check the signs
• The walk is short over level lawn and path
• Fishing is done from the retaining wall along the bay side

Expect the usual downtown Tampa Bay mix around the wall.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook, seatrout and sheepshead on rising water
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and tarpon rolling off the wall, with jacks and ladyfish
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish, Spanish mackerel and mullet-run snook
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and seatrout, with redfish on warm afternoons

Light spinning gear with 10 to 15 lb line is plenty from a low wall.

• Snook and redfish: live shrimp or pilchards on a 2/0 circle hook, or a paddle-tail on a 1/4 oz jig
• Seatrout: a popping cork with live shrimp
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp dropped straight down by the wall
• Mackerel and jacks: small spoons or jigs cast and retrieved fast
• Use a landing net or a drop net; the wall is not high, but a fish can be hard to lift

Tampa Bay has two uneven highs and lows on most days, so check the nearest NOAA station before you go.

• Moving water, in or out, is best
• Fish the lighted wall after dark in summer when snook feed on bait
• A strong west wind can chop the water along the wall
• Heavy rain brings murky water for a day or two
• Early mornings are cooler and quieter

The park is flat and open, with a short walk to the wall.

• Keep children back from the edge of the wall
• Bring a hat, water and sun protection; there is little shade at the seawall
• Leave the wall at the first thunder
• Aircraft noise from the neighboring airport is part of the scene
• Do not cast toward people on the bay path

Facilities are limited and best confirmed on arrival.

• The park has a playground and a picnic shelter
• One accessible parking space near the playground
• An accessibility guide lists no restrooms at the park, so plan accordingly
• No bait shop, fish-cleaning table or rod rental at the park
• Bait and tackle are available elsewhere downtown

• Bring bait with you; the park has no tackle shop
• Walk the wall and cast along the shadow line rather than staying in one place
• The airport side is busy on weekends with spectators, so fish early
• A light drop net saves lost fish at the wall
• After dark, bring a headlamp and fish where there is light
• Check the posted signs at the park for any rules on fishing

The City of St. Petersburg manages the park. We could not read the city's park page, and no source we found confirmed or banned fishing from this wall, so read the posted signs before you cast.

• Park hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 11 p.m.
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Snook, tarpon and goliath grouper have special or release rules; check FWC
• Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything