Smyrna Dunes Park Fishing

Smyrna Dunes Park is a 184-acre Volusia County inlet park on the south shore of Ponce de Leon Inlet, where the Indian River North meets the Atlantic. Its long boardwalks reach three kinds of water: the ocean surf, the inlet beach by the south jetty, and the calmer river shore.

• Redfish, black drum, sheepshead and flounder around the inlet and jetty.
• Whiting and pompano from the surf.
• Bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jacks and snook when bait moves through the inlet.
• A 300-foot accessible fishing pier on the river side for easier fishing.

The park is at the north end of North Peninsula Avenue in New Smyrna Beach, across the inlet from Lighthouse Point Park.

• Entry: pay the per-vehicle admission or show an Inlet Park annual pass, which is sold online and at Park Volusia offices but not at the gate. Volusia County's beach driving and parking permits don't extend to the inlet parks, and a vehicle with a handicapped or disabled-veteran plate gets in free.
• Hours: the park opens at 6 a.m. every day and closes at a time that moves with the season: 9 p.m. between the start of daylight saving time and September 30; 7:30 p.m. in October and November, and again from February 10 until daylight saving time begins; 6 p.m. from December 1 through February 9.
• The walk: Over two miles of wide, elevated boardwalk lead from the parking area to the inlet, ocean and river shores; allow time to carry gear.
• Surface: Boardwalk, then soft sand on the beaches.
• Alcohol and trailers are not allowed in the park.

The inlet funnels fish past the park all year.

• Spring (Mar-May): Sheepshead and black drum near the jetty, pompano and whiting in the surf, and bluefish and Spanish mackerel heading north.
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Redfish and flounder along the inlet beach, snook at dawn, jacks, ladyfish and tarpon chasing bait.
• Fall (Sep-Nov): Redfish, bluefish, jacks, snook and flounder follow the mullet run close to shore.
• Winter (Dec-Feb): Sheepshead and black drum near the rocks, whiting in the surf, trout on the river side.

Pack light for the walk but bring enough lead for the inlet current.

• Redfish and black drum: A fish-finder rig with 3-5 oz of lead and cut mullet, crab or shrimp on a 3/0-5/0 circle hook.
• Sheepshead: Fiddler crabs or shrimp on a 1/0 hook fished close to the jetty rocks.
• Flounder: Live mud minnows on a Carolina rig along the inlet beach drop-off.
• Surf: A two-hook pompano rig with sand fleas or Fishbites for pompano and whiting.
• Mackerel and bluefish: Small spoons and plugs with a bite leader when birds work the inlet.
• A small cart helps with the long boardwalk.

Ponce Inlet has a semidiurnal tide, with two highs and two lows each day, and the flow through the inlet is fast.

• Bait washes out of the river on the outgoing tide, which makes it the best stage for redfish, flounder and snook.
• Slack tide and the early incoming are the easiest times to hold bottom for sheepshead and drum.
• Clear incoming water suits pompano and Spanish mackerel.
• Strong northeast winds make the ocean beach rough; the river shore stays fishable.
• Seasonal park hours limit dawn and dusk sessions in winter.

The inlet here is one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the county.

• Current: The inlet current is extremely strong; never swim or wade deep near the jetty or inlet mouth.
• Rocks: Keep off slippery jetty rocks.
• Boats: Busy boat traffic runs through the inlet.
• Weather: Summer lightning comes fast over open beaches; the walk back to the car is long, so leave early.
• Wildlife: Sharks are common in the inlet; shuffle your feet for stingrays.
• Access: The elevated boardwalk and the 300-foot fishing pier are wheelchair-accessible; the beaches are soft sand.

Smyrna Dunes is a well-kept county park with basic amenities.

• Restrooms.
• Picnic pavilions (first come, first served) and scenic overlooks along the boardwalk.
• A 300-foot accessible fishing pier on the river shore.
• Dog-friendly beach areas on the river shore.
• The park has no bait shop, but New Smyrna Beach has bait and tackle shops nearby.

• Bring a cart or pack light: the boardwalk walk to the inlet beach is long.
• Fish the inlet beach on the outgoing tide for redfish and flounder.
• The river-side fishing pier is the calm choice for kids and older anglers.
• Check the seasonal closing time before planning an evening session.
• If the inlet is too rough, the river shore still fishes for trout and reds.
• Lighthouse Point Park across the inlet gives a different angle on the same fish.

Smyrna Dunes Park is managed by Volusia County under leases from federal and state agencies.

• Seasonal park hours and the admission or Inlet Park annual pass apply; alcohol and trailers are not allowed in the park.
• Under Volusia County's beach code, chumming and bloodbaiting are banned on the beach and anywhere within 600 feet of the water's edge.
• Unless you are exempt, a Florida saltwater fishing license is a must.
• FWC sets separate permit, season and release rules for snook and tarpon, and fishing for sharks from shore needs its free permit.
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything.