Halifax Harbor Marina Fishing Pier

Halifax Harbor Marina Fishing Pier is the Halifax River's lighted public pier at the south end of Daytona Beach, with a fish-cleaning station on the deck. It suits an easy evening trip for sheepshead, trout and flounder.

• Lighted public pier beside a city marina
• Fish-cleaning station and new handrail after the city's rebuild
• Sheepshead, seatrout, flounder and black drum on live shrimp or crabs
• Parking close to the pier

The pier is at Halifax Harbor Marina on Basin Street in Daytona Beach, on the Halifax River side of the city's marina. The City of Daytona Beach runs it.

• Getting there: drive to the marina on Basin Street and follow the signs to the pier
• Parking: the visitor bureau calls it plentiful; I found no published fee, so read the signs
• The walk from the lot to the pier is short and level
• Hours: the city's listings describe public access, but check the posted hours before a night trip

The river here is a mix of marina pilings, grass and sand, so the catch changes with the season.

• Spring (Mar-May): spotted seatrout and flounder on the moving tide, jacks and ladyfish when bait is around
• Summer (Jun-Aug): expect pinfish, catfish, ladyfish and jacks, best at dawn and dusk
• Fall (Sep-Nov): mullet runs bring redfish, seatrout and flounder past the pier
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the pilings

Light spinning gear with 10 to 15 lb line covers most of the pier.

• Sheepshead and drum: fiddler crabs or half a shrimp on a small hook right against the pilings
• Seatrout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic on a 1/8 oz jig head
• Flounder: a live mud minnow or a jig bounced slowly along the bottom
• Redfish: cut mullet or a live finger mullet on a bottom rig
• Kids and beginners: a split shot and a piece of shrimp will catch pinfish and catfish

The Halifax River follows the Atlantic's tides, two highs and two lows a day, softened by distance from Ponce Inlet.

• Fish the hours around a tide change, when the basin and the river current move bait past the pier
• The incoming tide brings the cleanest water
• The pier's lights help after dark, and seatrout and flounder often feed under them
• Strong east wind can stir the river; calm mornings are best
• Heavy rain muddies the water for a day or two

This is an easy, flat pier, but it sits beside a working boat basin.

• Keep lines clear of boats using the ramp and the marina channel
• Keep children back from the edge of the deck
• The city rebuilt one section after damage; stay off any part that is fenced or marked closed
• Leave the pier at the first thunder in a summer storm
• Handle catfish and stingrays carefully; the pier is level and close to the lot

The pier has more built in than most river piers.

• A fish-cleaning station on the pier
• Lights over the deck for evening fishing
• A public boat ramp and parking at the marina
• Restrooms and a bait shop at the marina were not confirmed; bring bait and check on site
• Granada Pier Bait & Tackle in Ormond Beach sells live and frozen shrimp if you need bait on the way

• Come on the first of the incoming tide and cast along the pilings
• Bring a small bucket for fiddler crabs or buy them before you arrive; they are the winter sheepshead bait
• Fish under the lights on warm evenings for trout and ladyfish
• Stay clear of the boat ramp lanes on weekends when trailers are busy
• Carry a net or ask a neighbor for help with bigger fish; the deck sits low over the water
• Check the city's notices before a trip, since the pier was under repair in 2025

The City of Daytona Beach manages Halifax Harbor Marina and its fishing pier.

• Follow the posted rules at the marina and pier, including closed sections
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything
• Redfish, snook and tarpon have special rules; check FWC before keeping one