Archie Glover Park Fishing

Archie Glover Park is a county launch park at the end of a residential street on Mulatto Bayou, with a pier and dock on a sheltered, salty arm of Escambia Bay. It is a modest, out-of-the-way fishing stop that suits a quiet morning.

• A pier and fixed dock on a sheltered bay bayou
• Trout, redfish, sheepshead and drum in the cool months; croaker and catfish in summer
• Pavilions, restrooms and parking beside the ramp
• Low traffic away from the launch lanes

The park is at the end of 14th Avenue in the Avalon area, south of Milton, and Santa Rosa County runs it.

• Parking: a ramp lot of about 20 spaces, per a boat-ramp directory
• Fees: the county's listing shows no ramp fee; the pier is not listed separately
• Hours: the county's listing shows the site open 24 hours
• Surface: level lot and a short walk to the pier and dock
• The launch lanes share the grounds; the dock and the pier are separate structures

Mulatto Bayou is salty and sheltered, so the fishing follows the seasons of the bay.

• Spring (Mar-May): spotted seatrout and flounder as the water warms; some redfish near the shoreline
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Atlantic croaker, hardhead catfish, pinfish and mullet; small sharks and rays are possible
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish, seatrout and southern flounder as the mullet move through
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the pier and dock pilings

Light to medium spinning gear with 10 to 12 lb line is plenty.

• Seatrout: live shrimp under a popping cork or a soft plastic on a 1/4 oz jig head along the shoreline
• Redfish and drum: cut mullet, shrimp or crab on the bottom with a fish-finder rig
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or small shrimp straight down the pilings
• Flounder: a live minnow bumped along the bottom near the ramp edge
• Catfish and croaker: a small piece of shrimp on a two-hook bottom rig

The Pensacola Bay system has one small high and low on most days, so the current in the bayou is gentle.

• Moving water beats slack water; the first and last hours of a tide fish best
• A rising tide brings cleaner, saltier water in from the bay
• A strong south wind can chop up the bay side and make casting harder
• Heavy rain dulls the water and slows the bite for a day or two
• Check the nearest NOAA tide station for Pensacola Bay before you go

This is a working launch, so stay aware of boats.

• Keep lines well clear of the lanes and the courtesy docks
• Ramps and docks are slippery when wet; wear shoes with grip
• Leave the pier at the first thunder of a summer storm
• The ramp has a steep drop-off at the end, so keep children and pets back
• Mosquitoes and biting flies can be heavy near dusk

The park has the basics.

• A fishing pier and a fixed dock, per boat-ramp directories and the county's ramp record
• Flush toilets and two pavilions
• A boat ramp with several lanes and courtesy docks
• No bait shop at the park that we could confirm; buy bait before you go
• Lighting was not confirmed; plan to fish in daylight

• Buy live shrimp before you come; the park does not sell bait
• Early mornings are quietest, before boats start launching
• Fish the last two hours of the incoming tide for the cleanest water
• Cast along the shoreline and the dock edge rather than into the lanes
• Check the pier's condition on the signs on arrival; we could not confirm its current status
• Bring bug repellent from late spring to fall

Archie Glover Park is managed by Santa Rosa County.

• Follow the posted park rules and hours signs
• Keep clear of swim and launch areas; the county bars fishing inside designated swim areas
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Redfish, snook and other species have their own rules; check FWC before keeping any
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything