Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park Fishing

Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park gives you two kinds of fishing in one park: a pier on the Indian River lagoon and the Atlantic surf a short walk across the road.

• Seatrout, redfish, black drum and sheepshead from the river pier
• Whiting, pompano and bluefish in the surf
• Restrooms on both sides, showers and pavilions at the beach
• A remote stretch of beach between New Smyrna Beach and the national seashore

The park is at 6656 South Atlantic Avenue, about 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and a mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore.

• The riverside area, with the fishing pier, courts and playground, sits across South Atlantic Avenue from the beachfront area
• On the riverside, the fishing is from a railed wooden boardwalk that wraps the park's water's edge beside the playground
• Parking: county off-beach lots charge a daily fee; registered Volusia County residents park free through ParkVolusia, and nonresidents can buy an annual off-beach pass
• No parking from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• The park is described as handicapped accessible, but the county says there is currently no ADA access to the beach itself

The two sides fish very differently through the year.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano and whiting in the surf; trout and redfish waking up in the lagoon
• Summer (Jun-Aug): early and late trout from the pier, mangrove snapper and jacks, whiting in the surf
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings bluefish, jacks, redfish and the odd tarpon along the beach; flounder in the lagoon
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the pier pilings, pompano and whiting in the surf on calm days

Pack a light spinning rod for the pier and a longer surf rod for the beach.

• Pier trout: a popping cork with live shrimp, or a soft plastic early and late
• Pier redfish and black drum: shrimp or cut crab on a small sliding sinker rig
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a small, strong hook beside the pilings
• Surf: a two-hook bottom rig with a pyramid sinker, baited with sand fleas, shrimp or clam
• Fall surf: cut mullet or metal spoons for bluefish and jacks
• Sand spikes and a small cooler make the beach walk easier

The beach side follows the Atlantic's two highs and two lows a day, while the lagoon behind the island has only a small tide and moves more with the wind.

• Surf: fish the troughs on the incoming tide and the first of the outgoing
• Calm, clean surf is best for pompano and whiting
• Lagoon: calm, clear mornings are best for trout and redfish
• Strong wind muddies the lagoon shallows and makes the surf heavy
• Winter fronts bring good pompano days once the wind settles

The two halves of the park carry different risks.

• Rip currents on the beach; wade only knee deep and never in a rough sea
• Keep lines away from swimmers and surfers
• Stingrays: shuffle your feet when wading
• Summer afternoon lightning; leave the beach or pier when thunder starts
• Crossing South Atlantic Avenue between the two sides; use care with traffic
• Nearly 800 feet of beachfront sidewalk overlooks the beach, but there is no ADA access down to the sand

The county lists good facilities on both sides of the road.

• Beachfront: restrooms, large picnic pavilions, showers and the long beachfront sidewalk
• Riverside: fishing pier, restrooms, playground and tennis, pickleball, basketball and volleyball courts
• Restrooms open from within an hour of sunrise to within an hour of sunset
• Pavilions can be reserved through the county
• No bait shop is listed at the park; buy bait in New Smyrna Beach

• Start on the pier at first light for trout, then move to the surf as the sun climbs
• Dig or buy sand fleas for the surf; they are the best whiting and pompano bait here
• Look for birds working over the lagoon; trout and jacks are usually underneath
• Watch for manatees, dolphins and pelicans around the pier
• Visit on a weekday for the quietest beach

Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park is run by Volusia County's Coastal Division.

• County off-beach lots charge a daily parking fee unless you are a registered county resident or hold an annual pass
• No parking from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• County beach code: no chumming or bloodbaiting from the beach or near the water's edge, and stop fishing the surf if Beach Patrol warns that swimmers are at risk
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything