Standish Drive Beach Access, Ormond Beach Fishing

Standish Drive Beach Access puts you on an open stretch of Ormond Beach sand with an accessible dune walkover and a county lot close by. It is a good place to learn the surf: simple rigs, shrimp, and a quiet beach at the edges of the day.

• A wheelchair-friendly dune walkover to the sand
• Whiting and pompano on the bottom, bluefish and mackerel in season
• A county beach lot within sight of the access
• Less crowded than the busy beaches farther south

The access is in the 700 block of Ocean Shore Boulevard (A1A) at Standish Drive, in Ormond Beach.

• The Ormond Scenic Loop describes a dune ADA walkover here
• A county public beach lot is listed on Standish Drive
• Volusia County off-beach lots charge a daily fee; registered county residents park free after signing up with ParkVolusia
• Use the walkover rather than the dunes; the dunes and sea oats are protected
• Expect soft sand beyond the walkover

Think surf species, with a seasonal change.

• Spring (Mar-May): whiting, pompano, and the first bluefish
• Summer (Jun-Aug): whiting and croakers in the troughs, bonnethead and sharpnose sharks at night, Spanish mackerel near bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): mullet run and bait schools draw bluefish, jacks and mackerel
• Winter (Dec-Feb): pompano and whiting on calm, clear days, and an occasional black drum

A medium spinning rod or surf rod of 9 to 10 feet with 15 to 20 lb line handles most conditions.

• Whiting and pompano: a double-hook bottom rig with a pyramid or sputnik sinker
• Bait: fresh shrimp, sand fleas from a tackle shop, or a strip of squid
• Pompano jigs in white or pink, hopped along the bottom
• Bluefish and mackerel: spoons or cut bait on a short wire leader
• Carry a sand spike and a small cooler for bait

Two tides a day on this Atlantic coast, so check a nearby NOAA tide station.

• Fish an hour or two on each side of high tide
• Look for the dark gully behind a sandbar and cast across it
• Light onshore winds keep bait close and the water lively
• Big swells and brown water make fishing difficult
• Cloudy mornings after a cool front often fish well in winter

Open-beach hazards are the main concern.

• Rip currents can form near sandbar breaks; keep your wading shallow
• Leave the beach at the first sign of an afternoon thunderstorm
• Fish away from swimmers and surfers
• Shuffle your feet through the shallows for stingrays
• Access: an ADA walkover reaches the sand, but the beach itself is soft and sloped

Expect a bare-bones access, with a county beach lot nearby and a walkover to the sand.

• Restrooms and bait are not confirmed here, so buy bait at a tackle shop before you arrive
• Carry water, sun protection, a sand spike and a small cart for your gear
• There are no lights on the sand, so bring a headlamp if you stay after dark
• Other beach accesses along Ocean Shore Boulevard may have different amenities, so check the signs at each one

• Come early on summer weekends; lots fill by mid-morning
• Pack sand fleas or fresh shrimp; frozen bait is a distant second for pompano
• Cast at an angle along a trough rather than straight out
• Wear polarized glasses to read the sandbars at low tide
• Bring a bucket for any fish you plan to keep and a towel for bluefish
• Take your line and trash with you

Volusia County runs the beach parking and the beach is open to the public.

• The county's published information does not list this exact access as a fishing spot, so read the signs and follow lifeguard instructions
• Chumming is not allowed on Volusia County beaches
• Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything