Palm Valley East Boat Ramp Fishing

Palm Valley East Boat Ramp gives shore anglers a way onto the Intracoastal Waterway at the Palm Valley bridge, where strong tides sweep past bridge pilings and sandbar edges.

• Redfish and black drum along the channel edge most of the year
• Sheepshead around the bridge pilings in the cooler months
• Mangrove snapper in summer and flounder in the fall
• Easy parking under the bridge, with portable restrooms

The ramp is at 383 South Roscoe Boulevard, on the east bank of the Intracoastal under the Palm Valley bridge on County Road 210, in the Palm Valley area of Ponte Vedra Beach.

• Hours: dawn to dusk
• Parking: a lot under and beside the bridge, shared with boat trailers
• No launch or parking fee is listed by the county
• Shore anglers fish from the bank beside the ramp, never the ramp lane itself
• The county's Palm Valley West Boat Ramp, with a kayak ramp and picnic tables, sits on the opposite bank at 230 Lori Lane

Big tides and hard structure make for varied inshore fishing at the bridge.

• Spring (Mar-May): black drum and sheepshead on the pilings, redfish becoming more active
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper around the bridge, redfish on the edges, jacks passing through
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best time, with redfish, flounder and trout following the bait along the drop-offs
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum stacked on structure, croaker on the bottom

A medium spinning rod with 15 to 20 lb braid and plenty of sinkers will handle the current.

• A fish-finder rig with 1 to 3 oz of lead and cut mullet, shrimp or blue crab for redfish and black drum
• Fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short, strong leader close to the bridge pilings for sheepshead
• Live shrimp on a light leader near the pilings in summer for mangrove snapper
• A jighead with a paddle-tail or shrimp imitation, bounced down the sandbar drop-offs for flounder and trout
• Heavier leader around the pilings, where barnacles cut light line
• Fish the current seams downstream of the pilings rather than straight into the flow

NOAA's Palm Valley station on the Intracoastal predicts two tides a day with a range of roughly four to nearly six feet, so the current is the main event.

• The hour before and after each turn is when fish feed hardest and baits hold bottom
• Mid-tide current can be too strong for light rigs; switch to heavier weights or wait for the slack
• The outgoing tide pulls bait off the flats and draws redfish to the drop-offs
• Winter cold fronts put sheepshead and drum on the pilings
• Wind against the tide makes the channel choppy; watch your footing near the water

The ramp area is flat and close to the parking, but it is a working boat launch with strong current alongside.

• Boats and trailers come and go through the day, especially at weekends; stay out of the ramp lane and off the courtesy dock
• The current is strong; do not wade, and keep children well back from the edge
• Boat ramps are slick with algae near the waterline; keep off the wet concrete
• The bank can be slippery and uneven; wear shoes with good grip
• Summer lightning and heat: head for the car at the first thunder and bring water

The county lists simple facilities built around the boat launch.

• Portable restrooms
• Parking for vehicles and boat trailers
• A single-lane boat ramp with a floating dock
• No bait shop, food or water is listed at the ramp itself, so bring what you need
• The county's west-side ramp across the waterway adds picnic tables and a kayak ramp

• Pick your spot along the bank with the current in mind: the downstream side of the bridge pilings holds feeding fish
• Weekday mornings are usually calmer at the ramp than weekends
• Keep a few fiddler crabs for winter sheepshead on the pilings
• In summer, small live shrimp near the bridge turn up mangrove snapper early in the morning and late in the day
• Bring a tide chart: with this much range, the same bank can go from a trickle to a strong current within a few hours

Palm Valley East Boat Ramp is a St. Johns County Parks and Recreation facility, one of the county's free public boat ramps.

• Open dawn to dusk
• Keep the ramp and floating dock clear for launching boats
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything