Floridatown Park Fishing

Floridatown Park is a county park on the upper end of Escambia Bay with a pier and a boat ramp; the park is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and the ramp around the clock for fishermen.

• A 92-foot pier over brackish Escambia Bay
• Redfish, speckled trout, flounder, croaker and black drum
• Big schools of mullet, and catfish in summer
• Free, with restrooms, four pavilions, picnic tables and a playground
• A new living shoreline along the park's bay front, finished in June 2026

The park is at 3900 Floridatown Road in Pace, on the eastern shore of Escambia Bay near the mouth of the Escambia River.

• Getting there: follow Floridatown Road to the park on the bay
• Entry: free
• Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; the boat ramp is open 24 hours a day for fishermen only
• Parking: in the park, shared with boaters using the ramp
• Surface: a level pier and park grounds, easy with a cart
• The pier runs out beside the boat ramp, so give way to boats launching and tying up

This is the brackish upper end of the bay, where river water and bay water meet, so the mix of fish changes with rain and season.

• Spring (Mar–May): redfish, croaker and speckled trout as the water warms
• Summer (Jun–Aug): croaker, catfish, flounder and big schools of mullet
• Fall (Sep–Nov): redfish at their best, flounder, and black drum
• Winter (Dec–Feb): speckled trout and black drum on calm, mild days; the bay can run fresh after heavy rain

Medium spinning tackle with 10 to 20 lb line covers most of it, with bottom rigs doing most of the work.

• Redfish and black drum: cut mullet, shrimp or crab on a Carolina rig
• Speckled trout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic on a light jighead
• Croaker: small hooks with bits of shrimp on a two-hook bottom rig
• Flounder: finger mullet or a jig dragged slowly over the bottom
• Mullet: tiny hooks with bread or dough under a small float

Tides in the upper bay are small and often one a day, and the flow of the Escambia River and the wind shape the water as much as the tide does.

• Fish moving water, especially the rising tide pushing saltier water up the bay
• Heavy rain upriver freshens and muddies the bay for days; saltwater fish drop down the bay
• A dry spell brings saltier water, and more trout and reds, up toward the park
• Early morning and evening are best in summer
• A strong south wind can push water up and stir the shallows

The park is flat and easy to get around, with public restrooms beside the large pavilion.

• Leave the pier when thunderstorms build; summer lightning is frequent
• The water is shallow off the shore; stay off the new rock and plantings of the living shoreline
• Watch for boats at the ramp and keep casts clear of the launch
• Catfish spines and stingrays are the main hazards in the water
• Bring water and sun protection; shade is under the pavilions

The county lists a good set of facilities for a small neighborhood park on the bay.

• A pier, 8 by 92 feet
• A concrete, shallow-water boat ramp
• Four pavilions, one large one attached to the public restrooms (it can be rented)
• 17 picnic tables and benches
• A playground and a basketball court with no lighting
• No bait shop is listed, so bring bait and ice

• Fish after a dry spell, when saltier water brings trout and reds up the bay
• Cut mullet on the bottom is the best all-round bait here
• Mullet schools are easy targets for kids with small hooks and dough
• The park closes at 10 p.m.; only the ramp stays open overnight, for fishermen
• Pack out line and bait; the park is shared with families

Santa Rosa County manages the park; posted park rules apply.

• Park hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; the ramp is open 24 hours for fishermen only
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt, and freshwater fish need a freshwater license unless you are exempt
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit
• Take old line and hooks home
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything