Coffee Pot Bayou Shoreline Path Fishing

Coffee Pot Bayou Shoreline Path is a walkable seawall shore in a tidal bayou, a quiet place to cast light tackle in the middle of St. Petersburg. It is a casual, neighborhood spot with a handy ramp and parking.

• A wide public sidewalk beside the bayou
• Mangrove snapper, snook and seatrout around walls and pilings
• Parking and a ramp at the park
• Fishing noted by a travel guide, not listed by the city

The path follows Coffee Pot Boulevard along the west side of the bayou, near Coffee Pot Park in the Old Northeast. The City of St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation manages the park area.

• Parking: OpenStreetMap shows a public lot with no fee; check signs
• Surface: a paved sidewalk beside the water, with a ramp dock nearby
• A boat ramp and small dock are mapped beside the path
• Fish from the walkway, not the ramp lanes

Sheltered bayou water holds the classic Tampa Bay inshore mix, with snapper and snook near the structure.

• Spring (Mar-May): seatrout and snook as the water warms, bait on the flats
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper at night and snook at dawn near the walls
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish and trout on moving tides, jacks and ladyfish
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead along any wall or pilings, trout on warm days

Light spinning tackle with a fluorocarbon leader handles the bayou.

• Snapper: live shrimp on a small hook, a split shot and a 20 lb leader
• Snook: live pilchards or a small swimbait along the wall and mangrove shadows
• Seatrout: a jig or live shrimp under a popping cork
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp near the pilings in winter
• Pick a spot clear of the ramp lanes and walkers

The bayou follows Tampa Bay's two uneven highs and lows on most days.

• Moving water fishes best, especially the first hours of the outgoing tide
• Clear water on a rising tide helps in the calm bayou
• Summer fishing is best at dawn and after dark
• Heavy rain muddies the bayou for a day or two
• A cold winter snap slows the bite

The path is flat and paved, with the usual care around water.

• Watch for bikes, joggers and dog walkers when casting
• Keep lines clear of boats using the ramp
• Seawall edges can be slippery; keep children back
• Leave when lightning approaches
• Shuffle your feet near the shallow edge for stingrays

A neighborhood park setup, with the basics near the ramp and little else confirmed.

• A public parking lot beside the ramp, per OpenStreetMap, with no fee shown
• A mapped boat slipway and small pier beside the path
• Coffee Pot Park and the North Bay Trail run next to the path
• Restrooms and bait were not confirmed, so bring bait and plan on none
• Shade and benches along the path were not confirmed either
• Lighting was not confirmed; carry a headlamp for dawn or dusk

• Bring bait with you, since none is confirmed nearby
• Walk the path to find a clear stretch of wall with moving water
• A light popping cork in the bayou can draw trout
• Fish at dawn or dusk for quiet and less foot traffic
• Avoid the ramp area on weekend mornings when trailers line up
• Check posted signs for any rules on the path

The City of St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation manages the park and path.

• The city does not list fishing here, so read the posted signs before you fish
• The ramp area is for boats; keep tackle clear of it
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Snook and redfish have their own rules; check FWC before keeping one
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything