Frank Butler Beachfront Park East Fishing

Frank Butler Beachfront Park East lets you fish two waters in one trip: the Atlantic surf from this park, and the Matanzas River from its twin park across A1A.

• Surf for whiting, pompano, bluefish, redfish and black drum
• Frank Butler Park West's river shoreline and boat ramp across the road
• Restrooms, outdoor showers, grills and two pavilions
• Open dawn to dusk
• A county park on A1A at Butler Beach

The park is at 5860 A1A South, St. Augustine, on the ocean side of the road at Butler Beach; Frank Butler Park West and its boat ramp sit opposite on Riverside Boulevard.

• Parking: a county lot with 84 spaces, 4 of them ADA, according to the county's beach guide
• Fees: none listed for the park
• Hours: dawn to dusk
• The walk: a boardwalk of about 309 feet with 21 steps over the dunes, and no ADA ramp
• On the sand: this beach is part of the county's driving stretch between the A Street and Crescent Beach ramps, which runs one way southbound; the nearest vehicle ramp is at Mary Street, just north
• Walk across the driving lane to reach the surf

Classic St. Johns County surf here, with a backwater option across the road on the same day.

• Spring (Mar-May): whiting and pompano in the troughs, bluefish runs, black drum
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Spanish mackerel over bait, whiting at dawn, flounder lying in the cuts
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings redfish, bluefish and jacks up to the beach
• Winter (Dec-Feb): whiting and black drum on calm days, and redfish in the deeper troughs

Two light setups cover most days.

• Surf: a 10 foot rod with a two-hook bottom rig, a 3 oz sinker and small hooks for whiting and pompano
• Baits: fresh shrimp, sand fleas or a Fishbites strip
• Reds and drum: a larger circle hook with crab or cut mullet on a sliding sinker
• Blues and mackerel: a small spoon on a short wire leader
• Pack a light inshore rod as well if you plan to cross to the river park for trout and reds
• Shark rigs and chum stay at home: the county bans fishing for sharks from the beach

The ocean here has two high and two low tides a day, several feet apart.

• The rising water into high tide is best in the surf
• The Matanzas River across the road also floods and ebbs twice a day, so you can fish the surf on one stage and the river on the next
• Low tide shows the bars and troughs
• Heavy northeast swell makes the beach hard to fish
• Early mornings in summer beat the heat, the beach traffic and the swimmers

Beach traffic, the dune crossing and the surf are the main concerns.

• Vehicles use this beach one way southbound between the A Street and Crescent Beach ramps, and the county requires at least 15 feet of clearance for traffic here
• Keep chairs, coolers and rod spikes on the ocean side of the cones
• The boardwalk has steps and no ramp, so it is hard going with a cart or a wheelchair
• Do not wade out through the cuts, where rip currents run
• Summer storms build fast, with lightning
• Stingrays: shuffle your feet in the shallows, and cross A1A carefully between the two halves of the park

St. Johns County lists good facilities on the beach side of the park, and more across the road.

• ADA-accessible restrooms, permanent and portable
• Outdoor showers
• Two pavilions, which can be reserved, with picnic tables and two grills
• Parking and beach access by boardwalk
• Across A1A, Frank Butler Park West adds a boat ramp, a floating dock and a river shoreline
• No bait shop is listed, so bring bait and ice with you

• Fish the surf on the flood, then cross to the river park for the ebb along the Matanzas
• Rake sand fleas in the backwash for pompano bait
• Keep the driving lane clear, even when the beach looks empty
• After a winter cold front, the first calm days are good for whiting and black drum
• Use the showers to rinse sand off reels before the drive home
• Beach lights stay off at night from May through October for nesting turtles

St. Johns County Parks and Recreation runs the park, and the beach falls under the county beach code.

• Park hours are dawn to dusk; a driving pass is needed March 1 to September 30 if you drive onto the sand
• On the beach: no alcohol, glass, smoking, fires or overnight camping, and no flashlights or lanterns from May 1 to October 31
• The beach code bans fishing for sharks, and chumming or blood baiting, and lets a lifeguard or deputy stop fishing that endangers swimmers
• Dogs must be leashed; horseback riding needs a county permit
• A Florida saltwater fishing license applies unless you are exempt; check current size, bag and season limits on myfwc.com before keeping fish