Ponce Inlet Jetty, Lighthouse Point Park Fishing

Ponce Inlet Jetty, Lighthouse Point Park is Volusia County's best-known land-based inlet spot: a long rock jetty on the north side of Ponce de Leon Inlet with an 800-foot deck for anglers, in a county park of dunes, boardwalks and beach. The inlet links the Halifax River and the Indian River North with the Atlantic, so bait and predators pass on every tide.

• Sheepshead and black drum on the rocks in the cooler months.
• Redfish, flounder and snook along the inlet side.
• Bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jacks and tarpon on the bait runs.
• The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse close by makes it a good family outing.

Lighthouse Point Park is at the south end of South Atlantic Avenue in the Town of Ponce Inlet, at the tip of the peninsula south of Daytona Beach Shores.

• Entry: a per-vehicle admission, or the Inlet Park annual pass (sold online and at Park Volusia offices, not at the gate); Volusia's beach driving and parking permits do not cover the inlet parks, and vehicles with handicapped or disabled-veteran plates enter free.
• Hours: from 6 a.m. daily; closing is 6 p.m. from December 1 to February 9, 7:30 p.m. from February 10 until daylight saving time starts and again in October and November, and 9 p.m. from the start of daylight saving time to September 30.
• Parking: Paved lots inside the park, a short walk from the jetty; no trailers on weekends and holidays.
• Surface: An 800-foot deck runs out along the jetty; the rocks beside it are rough and uneven.
• Boardwalks cross the dunes to the ocean beach and the inlet shoreline.

The inlet fishes all year, with winter sheepshead and the fall mullet run as highlights.

• Spring (Mar-May): Sheepshead and black drum peak on the rocks, pompano and whiting on the beach, bluefish and Spanish mackerel moving north.
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Redfish, flounder and mangrove snapper along the rocks, snook at dawn, tarpon rolling in the inlet, jacks and ladyfish chasing bait.
• Fall (Sep-Nov): The mullet run brings redfish, bluefish, jacks, snook and tarpon; flounder move toward the inlet to spawn offshore.
• Winter (Dec-Feb): Sheepshead and black drum at their best, bluefish on cold fronts, whiting in the surf.

Most anglers fish close to the rocks rather than casting far.

• Sheepshead: Fiddler crabs, shrimp or sand fleas on a 1/0 hook with a short 20 lb fluorocarbon leader and a 1/2-1 oz sinker, dropped right beside the rocks.
• Redfish and black drum: Cut mullet, crab or shrimp on a fish-finder rig with 2-4 oz of lead to hold in the current.
• Flounder: Live mud minnows or finger mullet on a Carolina rig dragged along the sandy bottom next to the rocks.
• Mackerel, bluefish and jacks: Spoons, Gotcha plugs and topwater plugs through bait schools, with a bite leader.
• A long-handled net or drop net helps land fish without climbing onto the rocks.

Tides at Ponce Inlet are semidiurnal: two highs and two lows a day, with a range of a few feet and strong flow through the inlet.

• The outgoing tide carries bait out of the rivers and is prime for redfish, snook and flounder.
• The last of the outgoing and the first of the incoming are easiest for sheepshead and drum.
• Clear, green water on the incoming tide brings Spanish mackerel and pompano close.
• A northeast swell breaks over the end of the jetty and can make the deck wet and dangerous.
• Cold fronts in fall and winter turn on bluefish and move sheepshead onto the rocks.

The jetty deck makes this far safer than most jetties, but the inlet is powerful.

• Rocks: Stay on the deck; algae-covered rocks are very slippery.
• Current: Swimming near the jetty and in the inlet is dangerous; strong currents run on every tide.
• Boats: The inlet is busy with charter and recreational boats; never cast at boats.
• Weather: Summer afternoon storms bring lightning; leave the jetty early.
• Wildlife: Sharks follow bait; shuffle your feet in the surf for stingrays.
• Access: The county describes the park's amenities as handicapped accessible, and the deck and boardwalks suit most visitors.

Lighthouse Point Park is a 52-acre county coastal park.

• Restrooms and elevated boardwalks.
• Picnic pavilions, which can be reserved, and a nature trail to an observation tower over the Halifax River.
• A dog-friendly swimming area on the inlet shore.
• The Volusia County Marine Science Center is in the park.
• No bait shop in the park; bait and tackle shops are close by in Ponce Inlet and along South Atlantic Avenue.
• No lighting for night fishing; the park closes in the evening.

• Arrive at opening on winter weekends: sheepshead season draws a crowd to the rocks.
• Fiddler crabs are the best sheepshead bait; buy them before you arrive.
• For redfish, fish the inlet side of the jetty on the outgoing tide.
• Watch the birds over the inlet mouth for Spanish mackerel and bluefish schools.
• Combine a trip with the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, a short walk away.
• If the jetty is crowded, try Smyrna Dunes Park across the inlet.

Lighthouse Point Park is managed by Volusia County's Coastal Division on state land.

• Park hours change with the season, and admission or the Inlet Park annual pass is required; alcohol is banned in the park under a Town of Ponce Inlet ordinance.
• Pets are allowed only on a leash on the inlet shore beach, never on the ocean beach, and not on the boardwalks after 10 a.m.
• Volusia County's beach code bans chumming and bloodbaiting on the beach and within 600 feet of the water's edge.
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required to fish from the jetty or the beach unless you are exempt.
• Snook and tarpon have their own permit, season and release rules; shore-based shark fishing requires a free FWC permit.
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything.