Park Boulevard Boat Ramp Park, Indian Shores Fishing

Park Boulevard Boat Ramp Park is a Pinellas County park on the Intracoastal Waterway where the fishing is done from two piers rather than the ramp. It is open round the clock and lit at night, which makes it one of the easier after-dark bay spots in Indian Shores.

• Two piers: one near the boat ramp, one near the drawbridge
• Sheepshead, snapper, snook, redfish and seatrout in season
• Open 24 hours, with night lighting and restrooms
• Good current on the tide, but a busy ramp next door

The park is at 18651 Gulf Boulevard, Indian Shores, on the bay side of the road beside the Park Boulevard drawbridge. Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources runs it.

• Parking: a paid lot with 73 vehicle-and-trailer spaces; the pay stations take credit cards only (Visa, Mastercard or American Express)
• Hours: open 24 hours a day
• The piers are a short walk from the lot
• Expect launch-day crowds on summer weekends, when trailer traffic fills the lot

The Intracoastal funnels bait and game fish past the pilings and the bridge shadow.

• Spring (Mar-May): sheepshead finishing up, seatrout and snook arriving, jacks on the tide
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper and snook at night under the lights, ladyfish and jacks at dawn
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish and snook along the edges, mullet and bait schools drawing predators
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the pilings, with the odd seatrout

Light to medium spinning gear fits the piers, with a short fluorocarbon leader for snapper and snook.

• Sheepshead and black drum: fiddler crabs or peeled shrimp dropped tight to the pilings on a small hook
• Snapper: a live shrimp or small pilchard on a knocker rig, drifted back toward the bridge
• Snook and redfish: a live pinfish or shrimp under a float, or a small jig worked along the edge
• Lights: a small white jig or live shrimp under the night lights catches seatrout and snapper
• Keep a long-handled net for lifting larger fish to the deck

The Intracoastal here moves with Tampa Bay and Gulf tides, which give two uneven highs and lows on most days.

• Moving water is best; the hours either side of a tide change give the strongest bite
• Slack tide leaves the pilings quiet
• Dawn and dusk are best in summer, and the lights extend the bite after dark
• Clear, cool winter days favor sheepshead
• Strong wind against the tide chops the water by the bridge

This is a working boating park, so watch for traffic as well as the water.

• Keep your line clear of launching boats and the floating docks
• Boat wakes and a strong tidal current can tangle lines at the bridge
• Leave the piers at the first thunder; summer afternoons bring lightning
• The park lists restrooms and night lighting; check conditions on the piers before bringing small children
• Hot, shadeless decks in summer, so bring water and sun protection

The park is built for boaters, with a few comforts for anglers.

• Restrooms and night lighting are listed by the county
• Six boat lanes and three floating docks
• Paid parking with credit-card pay stations
• No bait shop was confirmed in the park; bring your own bait or buy it nearby
• Annual parking passes are available from the county

• Come at night in summer, when the lights draw shrimp and the snapper and seatrout follow
• Arrive early on weekends to get a parking space before trailers fill the lot
• Bring a pre-paid card; the pay stations do not take cash
• Fish the shadow lines of the bridge on a falling tide
• Pick a pier away from the boat lanes if the ramp is busy
• A bucket and a dip net for shrimp save the bait cost on slower days

Park Boulevard Boat Ramp Park is a Pinellas County park, and county code allows park fishing only in designated areas, so stay on the two fishing piers.

• The park is open 24 hours a day
• Paid parking applies; the pay stations accept credit cards only
• Shore-based shark fishing is restricted in Indian Shores, so do not target sharks here
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless an exemption applies
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything