Riverfront Veterans Memorial Park, South Daytona Fishing

Riverfront Veterans Memorial Park, South Daytona combines a T-head fishing pier, a seawall walkway and a boat ramp on one short stretch of the Halifax River.

• A T-shaped pier marked for fishing on the county's park map
• A seawall walkway that lets you work the edge for sheepshead and drum
• Trout and redfish most of the year, snapper and jacks in summer
• Free entry, restrooms and pavilions steps from the water

The park is at 1933 South Palmetto Avenue in South Daytona; the river side holds the pier, ramp and pavilions, and the courts sit across the avenue.

• Hours: Sports Volusia lists 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.; the city's page gives no hours, so check the posted sign
• Admission: free
• Parking: a paved lot on the river side, shared with boat trailers from the ramp
• The pier leaves the waterfront walkway between the boat ramp to the north and the kayak launch to the south
• Everything is on the level, a short walk from the parking

The pier and seawall sit on the edge of the open river, which brings a mix of edge feeders and fish moving along the shore.

• Spring (Mar-May): sheepshead finish up on the wall; redfish and trout pick up as the water warms
• Summer (Jun-Aug): trout early, mangrove snapper around the pier pilings, jacks and ladyfish busting bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish, flounder and jacks follow the mullet schools along the seawall
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the wall and pilings, croaker on the bottom

Medium-light spinning gear with 10 to 15 lb braid covers the whole list.

• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader, fished straight down along the seawall and the pier pilings
• Drum and redfish: a sliding sinker rig with shrimp or cut mullet cast out from the T-head
• Trout: a popping cork and live shrimp, or a small jerkbait, worked on the down-current side of the pier
• Flounder: a mud minnow bumped slowly along the bottom near the wall in the fall
• Jacks and ladyfish: a small spoon or bucktail when birds and bait show up
• Bring a landing net; the pier deck sits above the water

The Halifax off South Daytona has two modest tides a day, smaller than near Ponce Inlet, so wind can speed up, stall or reverse the current.

• Look for moving water around the tide changes and fish the side of the pier the current is running past
• A light chop is better than glassy calm for trout on the T-head
• Winter cold fronts pile sheepshead and drum onto the seawall
• Strong northeast winds and heavy rain muddy the river for a day or two
• Early mornings and evenings fish best through the heat of summer

This is a level, easy park with paved parking and walkways, and the fishing is from a pier and a seawall rather than a rough bank.

• Lightning is the big summer risk; leave the pier when storms build over the mainland
• The boat ramp can be busy, especially on weekends; stay off the ramp and its docks and watch for trailers in the lot
• Keep lines clear of boats heading to and from the ramp and the Intracoastal channel
• Watch children along the seawall edge
• Carry water and shade in summer; the pier is exposed to full sun

The city and the county's park map list a good set of amenities for a neighborhood park.

• Restrooms and picnic pavilions
• A playground
• A public boat ramp and a kayak launch
• Tennis and pickleball courts across South Palmetto Avenue
• A veterans memorial wall dedicated by the city in 2024
• No bait shop or food is listed at the park; bring bait and drinks

• Walk the seawall with a fiddler crab in winter: sheepshead often sit right against the wall, not only at the pier
• The T-head is the spot to be when the current is running; the inside corners hold snapper in summer
• Arrive before the weekend boat-ramp rush if you want easy parking
• Keep a spoon rigged for the jacks that blitz bait along the river in late summer
• Take a moment at the veterans memorial wall between bites

Riverfront Veterans Memorial Park is a City of South Daytona park, and the city lists fishing among its features.

• Admission is free
• Follow the posted park hours and rules at the pier, ramp and launch
• City code bans smoking (other than unfiltered cigars) and vaping in city parks
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything