Port Orange Causeway Park Fishing

Port Orange Causeway Park is the city's main boat ramp park on the Halifax River, with three fishing piers at the foot of the Dunlawton Bridge. The ramps and docks were rebuilt and reopened in September 2026.

• Sheepshead, black drum and redfish around the pilings in the cooler months
• Snook, mangrove snapper, jacks and ladyfish in summer and fall
• Restrooms, covered pavilions, picnic tables and grills
• A busy launch, so give boats room and fish the piers, not the ramp docks

The park is at 93 Dunlawton Avenue in Port Orange, on the causeway under the west end of the high Dunlawton Bridge, which carries Dunlawton Avenue across the Halifax River from the mainland to the beachside.

• Parking: a lot for cars and boat trailers; the 2026 project also covered resurfacing and restriping
• Fees: the city lists no entry fee; a pavilion can be rented for a fee
• Hours: city parks keep the hours posted at their entrances; the city's page for this one says only that it stays lighted until dawn
• Access: the 2026 project included accessibility upgrades, and the piers are reached on foot from the lot
• Size: about 30 acres of park around the ramps

A few miles north of Ponce Inlet, the causeway gets a steady mix of inlet and river fish.

• Spring (Mar-May): sheepshead and black drum finishing up, redfish and seatrout along the channel edges
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and mangrove snapper around the pilings, jacks and ladyfish chasing bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, redfish, flounder and the odd tarpon
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum tight to the pilings, seatrout on warmer afternoons

Bring two rods: a light one for trout and snapper and a stouter one for fish that run to the pilings.

• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or pieces of shrimp on a short leader and a small, strong hook, dropped straight down beside the pilings
• Redfish and black drum: shrimp, crab or cut mullet on a sliding sinker rig
• Snook: live shrimp or finger mullet on 30 to 40 lb fluorocarbon at dawn, dusk and after dark
• Mangrove snapper: small live shrimp near the structure
• Seatrout: a popping cork with shrimp, or a soft plastic worked along the edges
• A long-handled landing net saves fish at the rail

Atlantic tides reach up the Halifax River from Ponce Inlet, two highs and two lows a day, so the current past the piers is real.

• Fish the moving water; slack tide is usually slow
• The incoming tide brings cleaner inlet water and more game fish
• Snook feed best at dawn, dusk and after dark in summer; check the posted hours before a night session
• Winter cold fronts push sheepshead and drum tight to the pilings
• Heavy rain stains the river; slow down and use natural bait
• Strong wind against the tide makes the channel choppy

The piers are built for walking anglers, but this is first of all a busy public boat launch.

• Keep clear of the ramps and launch docks while boats are launching or loading
• Boat wakes and traffic under the bridge; keep lines out of the channel
• Barnacled pilings cut line and fingers
• Summer afternoon lightning; leave the pier when storms build
• Open decks get hot; bring water, a hat and sun protection
• Manatees and dolphins use the river; never cast at them

The city lists a full set of facilities for a ramp park.

• Restrooms
• Covered pavilions (one can be rented), picnic tables and grills
• Seven boat ramps and a lot for cars and trailers
• Three fishing piers
• The city says the park stays lighted until dawn
• No bait shop is listed at the park, so bring bait with you

• Winter and early spring sheepshead are the most dependable catch on the pilings
• A falling tide around dusk is a good time for snook in summer and fall
• Weekday mornings are quieter at the ramps than weekends
• Cast up-current and let the bait drift back to the pilings rather than fighting the flow
• Keep fiddler crabs alive in a damp bucket; they outlast shrimp on picky days
• Watch for dolphins and wading birds; wildlife viewing is part of the draw here

Port Orange Causeway Park is run by the City of Port Orange Parks and Recreation.

• Stay within the hours posted at the park entrance (city code)
• The park is a tow-away zone: park only in marked spaces and leave the trailer spaces to vehicles towing trailers
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Snook and tarpon have their own rules; check FWC before keeping a snook or handling a tarpon
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything