Bethune Point Park Fishing

Bethune Point Park is Daytona Beach's riverfront recreation park beside Halifax Harbor Marina, and its T-shaped fishing pier is an easy, family-friendly way to fish the Halifax River in the city.

• Sheepshead and black drum on the pilings in the cooler months
• Redfish and seatrout along the edges year-round
• Mangrove snapper, jacks and ladyfish in summer
• Restrooms, pavilions and plenty to keep a family busy

The park is at 11 Bellevue Avenue, Daytona Beach, on the Halifax River beside Halifax Harbor Marina and its surrounding attractions and shops.

• Pier: about 100 feet over the water to a 130-foot T dock
• Parking: a lot at the park
• Boat ramp on site, so share the waterfront with launching boats
• Hours: under the city code, city parks close from one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise; the new playground keeps sunrise-to-sunset hours
• The Halifax Sailing Center is immediately south of the pavilions

Mid-river in Daytona, the pier sees the Halifax River's standard cast through the year.

• Spring (Mar-May): sheepshead and black drum finishing up; redfish and trout on the edges
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper on the pilings, jacks and ladyfish chasing bait, trout early and late
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings redfish, flounder, jacks and the odd snook
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum tight to the pilings

Light and medium spinning tackle covers everything on this pier.

• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a small, strong hook straight down beside the pilings
• Black drum and redfish: shrimp, crab or cut mullet on a sliding sinker rig off the T
• Seatrout: popping cork and live shrimp, or a soft plastic, early and late
• Mangrove snapper: small live shrimp near the pilings with light fluorocarbon
• Flounder: mud minnows or finger mullet bounced slowly along the bottom
• A long-handled landing net helps from the T

The Halifax River at Daytona gets small tides, two a day, from Ponce Inlet to the south.

• Fish the moving water around the tide changes; slack water is slow
• Calm, clear mornings are best for trout and redfish
• Winter cold fronts push sheepshead and drum onto the pilings
• Strong north-east wind and heavy rain color the water
• Summer heat slows midday fishing; go early or late

The pier sits in a busy, developed city park, which makes it an easy, sheltered place to fish.

• Boats use the ramp and the neighboring marina; keep casts clear of boat traffic
• Barnacled pilings cut line; retie often
• Summer afternoon lightning; leave the pier when storms build
• Sun and heat on the open T; bring water and a hat
• Watch for manatees and dolphins and never cast at them
• The pier is reached on foot from the park's parking area

The city lists a full set of park facilities.

• Restrooms, pavilions and picnic tables
• Boat ramp and fishing pier
• Skateboard park, baseball fields with press boxes and a new playground for ages 5 to 12
• Parking
• Halifax Harbor Marina next door is within walking distance of the downtown riverfront shops and restaurants
• No bait shop is listed at the park; bring bait with you

• Fish the T end for the most water and the best drum and sheepshead chances
• In winter, lower fiddler crabs down the T's pilings one at a time for sheepshead
• Arrive early on weekends when the skate park, ballfields and ramp get busy
• Watch for birds diving along the channel; trout and jacks are usually below
• Live shrimp outfishes frozen shrimp for snapper and trout on this pier

Bethune Point Park belongs to the City of Daytona Beach Parks and Recreation.

• City parks are closed from one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise (city code)
• Follow posted park rules and give launching boats room at the ramp
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Snook have their own rules; check FWC before keeping one
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything