North Peninsula State Park Fishing

North Peninsula State Park is a free, peaceful state park with fishing on both sides of the barrier island: bank fishing and crabbing at Smith Creek Landing on the Intracoastal Waterway, and surf fishing on its beach.

• Redfish, seatrout, black drum and sheepshead from the river banks
• Blue crabs from the banks at Smith Creek Landing
• Whiting, pompano and bluefish in the surf
• No entry fee, restrooms and a canoe and kayak launch

The park's address is 40 Highbridge Road, Ormond-by-the-Sea, on State Road A1A about four miles south of Flagler Beach. Smith Creek Landing, the river side, is across A1A down Highbridge Road.

• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year
• Fees: none
• Parking: the park lists parking; for the river, head for Smith Creek Landing
• The Coastal Strand Trail starts at the landing if you want to explore on foot
• Beach access: the park lists several boardwalks to the sand, including an accessible ramp; from October 2025 erosion made the access point on A1A near Highbridge Road unavailable, and that alert no longer appears, but storms can close it again, so check the park's alerts before a surf trip

The river banks and the beach fish differently through the year.

• Spring (Mar-May): redfish and seatrout on the river, pompano and whiting in the surf
• Summer (Jun-Aug): trout early and late, mangrove snapper and jacks on the river, whiting in the surf
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings redfish, flounder and jacks to the waterway and bluefish to the beach
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the river, pompano on calm surf days

Keep it simple on the banks and carry a surf rod only if the beach access is open.

• Redfish and black drum: shrimp, crab or cut mullet on a small sliding sinker rig
• Seatrout: a popping cork with shrimp, or a soft plastic along grass edges
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs near any rocks, pilings or oyster
• Crabbing: chicken necks in a crab trap or on a hand line, where the park allows it
• Surf: two-hook bottom rig, pyramid sinker, sand fleas or shrimp
• Bring a long-handled net; banks can be soft at the edge

The Intracoastal Waterway here is a long way from any inlet, so its tide is small and wind often moves the water more; the beach has the Atlantic's two tides a day.

• River: fish around the tide changes, in the morning after the 8 a.m. opening and in the last hour before sunset
• Calm, clear water is best for trout; a light breeze helps on bright days
• Strong north-east wind and heavy rain color the water
• Surf: fish the troughs on the incoming tide, and calm, clean water for pompano
• Summer afternoons bring storms; mornings are best

This is an undeveloped park, so plan for natural footing and few services.

• Boat traffic on the waterway; keep lines clear of passing boats
• Soft or muddy banks; watch your step at the water's edge
• Rip currents on the beach; wade only knee deep and not in rough surf
• No lifeguard is on duty, though park staff patrol the beach
• Summer afternoon lightning; leave the banks or beach when thunder starts
• Heat, sun and biting insects; bring water and repellent
• Smith Creek Landing has accessible picnic tables and an accessible creek overlook, and an accessible boardwalk leads to the beach

Facilities are simple: this is a nature park rather than a developed beach park.

• Accessible restrooms in the picnic area, and parking
• Canoe and kayak launch on the waterway
• Accessible picnic tables and a creek overlook at Smith Creek Landing
• The Coastal Strand Trail, which begins at Smith Creek Landing
• A bicycle maintenance station for riders on the Ormond Scenic Loop
• Picnicking, birding and wildlife viewing are among the park's listed activities
• No food, bait or tackle is listed in the park; bring everything you need, including drinking water

• Crabbing at Smith Creek Landing is a good way to keep children busy between bites
• Fish the first hours after opening for trout and redfish, before boat traffic builds
• Winter sheepshead and black drum like any structure along the banks
• Check the park's alerts for beach access before you haul surf gear across A1A
• Sea turtles nest on the beach from late spring through summer; stay clear of marked nests

North Peninsula State Park is managed by the Florida Park Service.

• Open 8 a.m. to sunset; no entry fee
• Pets are not allowed on the beach or in park buildings; elsewhere keep them on a short leash
• Alcohol is prohibited
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption; recreational blue crabbing has its own FWC rules
• Shore-based shark fishing on the beach needs a free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything