Nature Park, Redington Shores Fishing

Nature Park, Redington Shores is a small town-run nature refuge on the Intracoastal Waterway, known for years as Del Bello Park. The town says its dock is for fishing the inner coastal waters, and the FWC's Tampa Bay guide lists it as a public fishing pier.

• A dock over sheltered Intracoastal water with sheepshead, snapper, trout and snook.
• A kayak launch, benches, two small pavilions and outdoor exercise equipment.
• Refreshed in 2024 and replanted with Florida-friendly landscaping.
• Town code makes room for night fishing, on the dock only.

The park is at 17925 Gulf Boulevard in Redington Shores, on the bay side of the road facing the Intracoastal Waterway.

• Getting there: follow Gulf Boulevard (SR 699) to Redington Shores; the park is on the east side of the road.
• Parking: check the posted signs at the park before you leave the car.
• The walk: a short path through the landscaped park to the dock and the kayak launch.
• Hours: town code closes the park between sunset and sunrise, except that police may allow people who are on the dock and actively fishing, or walking to and from their car to fish, to stay after dark.
• Restrooms: none are listed at the park; the county's beach access across Gulf Boulevard lists restrooms.

The Intracoastal here is sheltered water lined with docks and seawalls, so structure fish and grass-edge fish are the mix.

• Spring (Mar–May): sheepshead finish their run, trout feed over the grass and snook move back to the edges.
• Summer (Jun–Aug): mangrove snapper around the dock and nearby seawalls, snook at dawn and dusk, and ladyfish and jacks chasing bait.
• Fall (Sep–Nov): redfish and trout feed hard along the edges, and flounder show on sandy bottom.
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the pilings, with trout on the warmer afternoons.

Keep it light: a 7-foot spinning rod, 10–15 lb braid and a 20–25 lb fluorocarbon leader.

• Sheepshead and black drum: a fiddler crab or shrimp on a 1/0 hook with a small split shot or egg sinker, tight to the dock pilings.
• Snapper: a small live shrimp on a light knocker rig in the shade of the dock.
• Trout and snook: a live shrimp under a popping cork, or a paddle-tail soft plastic worked along the edges.
• Redfish: cut bait or a shrimp on the bottom on a rising tide.
• Kayak: the launch lets you reach the grass flats farther along the Intracoastal.

Tides behind the island are small and mixed, often two uneven highs and lows a day, so the current is gentle except around a change.

• Best: the incoming tide, which brings cleaner water in from the passes, and the first hour of the outgoing.
• Light: dawn and dusk for snook and trout; the middle of the day suits sheepshead in winter.
• Wind: sheltered from the Gulf, so it fishes when westerlies make the beach rough.
• Water: after heavy rain the Intracoastal runs darker for a day or two.

The dock is a short walk from the road and suits children and older anglers, but it is still a structure over open water.

• Boats: the Intracoastal carries boat traffic, so watch your line and the wakes.
• Edges: keep children back from the edge of the dock and never climb down to free a snag.
• Lightning: summer storms build quickly, so leave at the first thunder.
• Heat and bugs: bring water, sunscreen and repellent for dawn and dusk sessions.
• Kayaks: give paddlers room at the launch.

The town lists a fishing dock, a kayak launch, benches, two small pavilions and outdoor exercise equipment at the park.

• Restrooms: none are listed at the park; the county's Redington Shores Beach Access across Gulf Boulevard lists restrooms and beach showers.
• Bait and food: none on site, so bring bait, water and snacks.
• Shade: the small pavilions give a break from the sun.
• Lights: none are listed, so bring a headlamp if you fish the dock after dark.

• Work the dock pilings on the last of the incoming tide for sheepshead from January to March.
• Use the kayak launch to reach the quieter grass flats along the Intracoastal on calm mornings.
• When a strong westerly makes the Gulf side rough, this sheltered dock usually stays fishable.
• Drop a live shrimp in the dock's shade for mangrove snapper on summer evenings.
• The dock is small, so bring one rod and a compact bucket and leave room for others.
• After sunset the rest of the park is closed; only anglers on the dock and actively fishing may be allowed to stay, at the police department's discretion.

Nature Park is run by the Town of Redington Shores as a nature refuge.

• Town code closes all town parks from sunset to sunrise; at Nature Park, police may let anglers who are on the dock and actively fishing stay after dark.
• Town code bans seines and nets in town waters, except individual hand cast nets.
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt.
• Treat it as a refuge: leave plants and wildlife undisturbed and follow the posted park rules.
• Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit, and snook and tarpon have their own FWC rules; check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything.