Weaver Park, Dunedin Fishing

Weaver Park is a pleasant city park on the Dunedin waterfront, and while its fishing pier is closed, the shoreline and seawall still give you a place to cast into the sound. It is a quiet, family-friendly stop for light-tackle fishing.

• A City of Dunedin park on the Pinellas Trail beside Alternate 19
• Shoreline and seawall fishing while the pier is closed
• Seatrout, redfish, sheepshead and ladyfish on the grass flats
• Restrooms, pavilions and a playground make it easy for a family

The park is on Bayshore Boulevard just north of downtown Dunedin, along Alternate 19, and the City of Dunedin's parks division runs it. The waterfront section faces St. Joseph Sound; a second section lies across the road.

• Hours: open daily from sunrise to sunset, unless otherwise posted
• Fees: none are listed on the city's park page
• Parking: lots serve the park; the city page gives no parking details, so read the signs
• Walk: a short, flat walk from the lots to the shoreline
• The fishing pier is closed

The sound is shallow and grassy, so fish are mostly flats and edge species.

• Spring (Mar-May): seatrout and redfish on the grass, ladyfish and Spanish mackerel on the tide
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and mangrove snapper along the seawall at first light and dusk, jacks chasing bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish, seatrout and mullet-run snook
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead around hard structure and black drum on the bottom; fewer fish in a hard cold snap

Go light: 8 to 12 lb line, a 20 lb fluorocarbon leader and small hooks.

• Seatrout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic on a 1/8 oz jig head
• Redfish: cut mullet or live pinfish on a light bottom rig along the edge
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp dropped against any rock or hard structure
• Snook: live pilchards or a small swimbait on a free line at first light
• Cast along the edge rather than straight out, since the bottom is shallow

Dunedin has two uneven highs and lows on most days; use the Clearwater Beach or Dunedin tide predictions as a guide.

• A rising tide floods the shallows and brings fish to the shoreline
• Early morning is calmest and clearest
• A strong west wind roughens the sound and stirs the grass
• Heavy rain brings runoff and a stained edge
• Midday summer sun is hot and fish slow down

The shore is easy to reach, but it is not a railed pier.

• Shuffle your feet at the water's edge for stingrays and watch for horseshoe crabs
• Keep children back from the seawall edge
• Leave at the first thunder of a summer storm
• Shade is limited at the shoreline; bring water
• Access: flat paths from the lot; the seawall and shoreline surface are uneven in places

The city lists restrooms, two picnic pavilions, a nature-themed playground and a fitness zone at the park.

• The Pinellas Trail runs past the park
• The city describes a living shoreline project at the water's edge
• No bait shop at the park that we could confirm; buy bait in town first
• Lighting for night use was not confirmed

• Bring your own bait; downtown Dunedin is a short drive away
• Walk the shoreline rather than fishing one spot all morning
• A calm, clear morning on a rising tide is the best window
• Look for the grass edge and any rock at the waterline
• Combine a fishing session with a Pinellas Trail ride
• Ask the parks office when the pier will reopen

Weaver Park is a City of Dunedin park and is open sunrise to sunset unless posted.

• The city lists a fishing pier, which is closed, but does not publish rules for shoreline fishing, so read the posted signs
• 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