Avalon State Park Fishing

Avalon State Park is a state-park beach with room to spread out and fish that run close along the shore.

• The park lists bluefish, snook, red and black drum, pompano and whiting among the catches
• 1.7 miles of beach with no buildings, so an empty trough is rarely far away
• A restroom, a beach shower and four open-air pavilions with grills by the lot
• A trail across A1A reaches the Indian River shoreline for calm-water fishing

The park lies along State Road A1A near the north end of North Hutchinson Island, north of the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum and Fort Pierce Inlet, and the Florida Park Service runs it.

• From Fort Pierce, cross the North Causeway to the island and follow A1A north to the entrance
• Fee: $2 per vehicle in the honor box, and the park asks for correct change
• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset every day, so dawn and night sessions are not possible
• A coquina-shell path crosses the dune from the lot to the beach
• The park tells paddlers to expect a carry of 30 to 40 yards to the water; plan the same for a loaded cart

The park notes that fish can sometimes be seen migrating along this coast, and the catch follows those runs.

• Winter (Dec-Feb): pompano, whiting and bluefish, best on the settled days after a front
• Spring (Mar-May): the tail of the pompano run, Spanish mackerel in clear water, whiting in the troughs
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook cruising the wash, with croaker and whiting on the bottom
• Fall (Sep-Nov): mullet schools draw snook, jacks, redfish, bluefish and blacktip sharks tight to the beach
• On the Indian River side across A1A: redfish, black drum and snook along the shoreline

Bring a long surf rod for the outer trough and a lighter spinning rod for fish feeding in the wash.

• Pompano and whiting: a two-hook pompano rig with sand fleas, clam or shrimp and a 3-4 oz pyramid sinker
• Bluefish and Spanish mackerel: a silver spoon or small jig on a short wire bite leader, thrown into the bait
• Snook: a white bucktail or paddle-tail swimbait drifted along the first trough in the first hours after opening
• Black drum and redfish: crab, shrimp or a chunk of mullet left on the bottom
• Pack spare rigs, because the old wartime obstacles offshore can snag tackle

Two highs and two lows reach this beach each day, as on the rest of Florida's Atlantic coast.

• Pompano and whiting feed hardest from the middle of the flood to high water
• The water is often clear enough for snorkeling; on those days fish lighter leaders and cast farther
• A northeast blow muddies the surf and piles up weed, so give it a day to settle
• A gentle swell after a winter front uncovers sand fleas and pulls pompano in
• Walk the beach at low water to see the bar, then work the cuts as the tide returns

No lifeguards work this beach, and the park warns that concrete and steel obstacles the U.S. Navy left offshore during World War II training can seriously hurt anyone who meets them in the water.

• Never dive in, and do not wade out blind to reach a trough
• Rip currents build in onshore swell; keep your wading shallow
• Summer storms bring lightning most afternoons; leave the beach at the first thunder
• Loggerhead, green and leatherback turtles nest here in spring and summer; keep clear of marked nests and fill in holes
• The restroom and shower are accessible, and the park lends a free beach wheelchair if you call an hour before you arrive

Everything sits beside the lot, and there is nothing for sale.

• A restroom with a shower station in front and a refill station for water bottles
• Four small open-air pavilions with accessible grills, first come, first served
• Sheltered picnic tables that look over the beach
• A nature trail, plus the trail across A1A to the river
• Parking for about 40 cars
• No food, bait or tackle; bring what you need

• Keep a few dollar bills in the car for the honor box
• Walk a few hundred yards from the pavilions and you will usually have a trough to yourself
• Buy fresh sand fleas before you come in winter: state park rules protect animal life other than game and food fish, so don't dig your own
• When the ocean is too rough, cross A1A and try the calmer Indian River shoreline
• In fall, watch for bait showers and diving birds as the migration passes
• If the bite dies, the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is a short drive south

Avalon is a Florida State Park, and the park asks that all fishing follow state rules on size, number, method and season.

• Park hours are 8 a.m. to sunset
• Anglers need a Florida saltwater fishing license unless they qualify for an exemption
• Fishing for sharks from the beach requires the free FWC shore-based permit
• Snook and tarpon carry extra FWC permit, season and handling rules
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything