South Ponte Vedra Park Fishing

South Ponte Vedra Park puts a small county lot, restrooms and a pavilion right beside a long, open surf beach on the barrier island north of Vilano, with no road to cross between the car and the sand.

• Surf fishing for whiting, pompano, bluefish, redfish and black drum
• Lot on the ocean side of A1A, with two ways onto the beach
• Restrooms, a pavilion, picnic tables and grills
• Open dawn to dusk
• No public vehicle ramp on this stretch

The park is on South Ponte Vedra Boulevard (A1A) between Vilano Beach and the Guana Tolomato Matanzas reserve; the county's beach guide calls it the South Ponte Vedra Recreation Area.

• Parking: 24 spaces, 2 of them ADA, per the county's beach access guide, so arrive early on fine weekends
• Onto the sand: a northern wooden boardwalk with about 19 steps up and over the dune, or a southern footpath across soft sand
• Hours: dawn to dusk
• Driving: the county's beach-driving ramps are all farther south, from Vilano Road down, so this is a walk-on beach

A straight run of open Atlantic beach, fished for the usual northeast Florida surf species.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano and whiting, bluefish and Spanish mackerel moving north
• Summer (Jun-Aug): whiting, croaker and spot at first light, Spanish mackerel over bait pods, flounder in the cuts
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run with bluefish, redfish and crevalle jacks close in, and pompano again as the water cools
• Winter (Dec-Feb): redfish and black drum, whiting on warm, calm days

Pack for a walk-on beach: one bait rod, one lure rod, and a small cooler.

• Bait rod: 10 to 12 ft, 17 to 20 lb line, a two-hook dropper with #1 to 1/0 hooks and a 3 to 5 oz sputnik or pyramid sinker to hold in the current along the bar
• Baits: shrimp or clam strips for whiting, croaker and spot; sand fleas for pompano; cut mullet or crab for reds and drum
• Lure rod: 7 ft spinning with small spoons or jigs for bluefish, Spanish mackerel and jacks
• Cast to the edge of the trough rather than as far as you can
• No shark tackle or chum on St. Johns County beaches

Tides come twice a day. NOAA's nearest open-coast prediction station, at St. Augustine Beach about 9 miles south, averages about 4 1/2 feet of range, up to around 6 1/2 feet on big spring tides.

• The two hours before high tide are usually best for whiting and pompano
• On big spring tides, keep coolers and spare rods well above the wrack line and move back as the water rises
• A northeast blow roughs up the surf and colors the water for days
• Calm, clear mornings suit pompano and Spanish mackerel
• In winter, fish the warmest part of the day for drum and reds

Houses line the beach to the south and open dune runs to the north, so be self-reliant here.

• The county lists no lifeguard tower here; the nearest seasonal towers it lists are several miles away
• Rip currents form where the bar is cut; do not wade deep, especially after a blow
• Lightning comes quickly on summer afternoons; get off the beach at the first thunder
• The walkover has steps and the southern path is soft sand, so heavy carts are hard work and wheelchair access to the sand is not listed
• Stingrays lie in the shallows: shuffle as you wade

St. Johns County lists a fair set of amenities for a 24-space lot.

• Restrooms, which the county's parks page lists as portable units (its beach guide calls them ADA accessible)
• A pavilion that can be reserved, plus picnic tables
• BBQ grills
• A 24-space lot with 2 ADA spaces
• No bait, tackle, food or drinking water is listed, so bring your own
• The lot is small, so have a second plan on busy days

• Come early: with only 24 spaces, the lot can fill on warm weekends
• Use the southern footpath if you are carrying a cart; the northern walkover is all steps
• Walk up or down the beach to find a trough; on a straight sand beach like this, the troughs are where the fish sit
• In fall, look for birds over mullet schools and throw a spoon ahead of them
• County beach rules list flashlights at night among things not permitted, and ban flashlights and lanterns outright from May 1 to October 31, so plan daylight sessions
• Pack everything out; items left on the beach overnight are removed

St. Johns County Parks and Recreation runs the park, and the county Beach Code covers the sand.

• Intentionally fishing for sharks, and chumming or blood baiting, are banned on the beach and within 600 feet of shore
• A deputy or county lifeguard can stop your fishing if swimmers are at risk
• No alcohol, glass, smoking, open fires or camping on the beach; dogs on a leash, even in the water
• Park hours are dawn to dusk
• 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