Navarre Beach Marine Park (Sound Side) Fishing

Navarre Beach Marine Park stretches across Santa Rosa Island beside the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier, and its sound-side accesses give anglers a sheltered alternative to the Gulf surf.

• Calm, shallow Santa Rosa Sound shoreline with grass beds and sand holes
• Redfish, speckled trout and flounder are the main quarry
• Sound-side parking and pavilion areas with ADA boardwalks and an accessible kayak launch
• Good for families, beginners and windy days when the Gulf is rough

The park is on Gulf Boulevard on Navarre Beach, across the Navarre Beach Causeway bridge from US 98, and it surrounds the fishing pier.

• Getting there: cross the bridge from Navarre, then follow Gulf Boulevard to the park entrances
• Sound side: parking and pavilion areas at the east and west ends of the sound-side recreation area, including Snowy Plover Court, linked to the water by ADA boardwalks
• Parking: public lots at the accesses; no overnight parking
• An accessible kayak launch in the middle of the sound-side park lets paddlers reach grass flats farther along the shore
• Surface: sand and boardwalks; wading is on firm sand and grass

The sound fishes like a big, clear inshore bay, with fish moving on and off the grass with the seasons.

• Spring (Mar–May): speckled trout and redfish on the flats, sheepshead finishing up, flounder arriving
• Summer (Jun–Aug): trout and reds at dawn and dusk, Spanish mackerel and ladyfish in the deeper water, pinfish everywhere
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the best season, with redfish schooling, flounder moving toward the passes and trout feeding hard
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead and black drum near hard structure and deeper holes; trout in deeper, warmer water on sunny days

Light spinning tackle, 10–15 lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader cover almost everything here.

• Live shrimp under a popping cork over grass is the most reliable method
• Soft plastics (paddle tails or shrimp imitations) on a 1/8–1/4 oz jighead for trout and reds
• Topwater walking plugs at first light in summer and fall
• Flounder: live mud minnows or finger mullet on a Carolina rig along the edge of sand holes
• Sheepshead and black drum: shrimp or fiddler crabs on the bottom near structure
• Carry a wade belt or small sling bag and keep casting along the drop-offs

Tides in Santa Rosa Sound are small, mostly one high and one low a day, so light and water movement matter most.

• Fish the moving tide; still water on a bright midday is slow
• Early morning and evening are best, especially in summer when the water is warm
• Light winds keep the sound clear; a strong wind across the sound makes it choppy, but the sound side is still calmer than the Gulf
• After cold fronts in winter, fish the deeper edges on the first warm afternoon
• Clear water lets you sight-fish reds over the sand

The sound side is one of the gentlest places to fish in the county.

• Shuffle your feet when wading; stingrays are common on the sand flats
• Boats, kayaks and personal watercraft use Santa Rosa Sound; stay near the shore and wear bright colors when wading
• Swimmers use the sound-side beaches in summer; stay outside any signed bathing area
• Lightning is the main summer hazard; get off the water at the first thunder
• ADA boardwalks reach the sound shore; the rest is soft sand
• Bring sun protection and water; there is little shade along the shore

Navarre Beach Marine Park is a well-equipped county park.

• Public restrooms and parking at the pavilion areas, and outdoor showers at the beach accesses
• Pavilions with picnic tables, some with grills, rentable from the county
• ADA boardwalks on the sound side and an accessible kayak launch
• Bait and rod rentals at the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier's store, across the island

• Go on the days the Gulf is too rough to fish; the sound side stays fishable
• Look for potholes of bare sand within the grass; reds and flounder sit on the edges
• A kayak lets you reach quieter grass flats east and west of the park
• Bring live shrimp with you; the pier store across the island also sells bait
• Fall evenings are the best time for schooling redfish
• Release undersized trout carefully; they fight hard and tire quickly in warm water

Navarre Beach Marine Park is managed by Santa Rosa County, and the county's beach rules apply.

• From March 1 to October 31 the county may ban fishing with a hook, spear or barb inside designated public bathing areas, marked by signs; fish outside them
• No glass, no fires and no pets on the beach; no overnight parking or camping
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Avoid tearing up the seagrass beds when wading or launching
• Gulf sturgeon, a protected species, use these waters; release any sturgeon immediately
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything