Tomoka State Park Fishing

Tomoka State Park is a shady live oak hammock on the Tomoka River, with a fishing pier and dock, a boat ramp and a 13-mile canoe trail through the marshes and tidal creeks.

• Redfish, black drum, sheepshead and spotted seatrout, with snook and tarpon in the warm months
• A state survey counted 90 fish species in the Tomoka River
• Boat ramp, canoe and kayak rentals and a park concession
• Campground, picnic pavilions and a half-mile nature trail

The park is at 2099 North Beach Street, Ormond Beach. From State Road 40 in Ormond Beach, turn north on North Beach Street before the high-rise bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway and continue to the park entrance.

• Hours: 8 a.m. until sunset, 365 days a year
• Fees: a per-vehicle entrance fee is charged; check the park's current rates
• Fishing spots: the accessible fishing pier and dock, and other designated areas only
• Boat ramp to the Tomoka River and its tributaries
• Canoe and kayak rentals at the park store
• Pets only in designated areas, on a leash no longer than 6 feet

The Tomoka River is brackish and rich, and it fishes all year.

• Spring (Mar-May): redfish and seatrout active on the flats and creek mouths; black drum and sheepshead finishing up
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and juvenile tarpon in the river and creeks, trout early and late, jacks and ladyfish
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings redfish, snook, flounder and jacks to the river mouth
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum and sheepshead around structure, trout in deeper holes on cold days

Match the tackle to the spot: light gear on the pier and dock, a little more for snook around structure.

• Redfish and black drum: shrimp, crab or cut mullet on a small sliding sinker rig
• Seatrout: popping cork and live shrimp, or a soft plastic worked along grass edges
• Snook: live shrimp or finger mullet on 30 lb fluorocarbon around docks and shorelines at dawn and dusk
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs beside pilings and oyster
• Tarpon: small juveniles take small jigs and live bait in summer; release them
• From a canoe or kayak, drift the creek mouths on a falling tide

Tides here are small, but the park's salt marshes flood with them daily, and the moving water is what feeds the fish.

• Fish the last of the outgoing tide at creek mouths, as bait drains off the marsh
• Calm, clear mornings are best for trout and redfish
• The open Tomoka Basin turns choppy in wind and sudden summer thunderstorms; paddlers should stay in the rivers and creeks unless it is very calm
• Heavy rain darkens the river; slow down and use natural bait
• Cold snaps push fish into deeper holes

The park is a natural hammock and river system, with a few hazards to respect.

• Rattlesnakes are common and well camouflaged; watch where you step in grass and leaf litter
• Biting insects in the warm months; bring repellent
• The waters around the park are a manatee sanctuary with idle and slow speed zones
• Summer afternoon lightning; get off the water and the pier when storms build
• Accessible amenities include the fishing pier and dock, picnic pavilions, the paved nature trail and the concession

The park is well equipped for a day or a weekend.

• Accessible restrooms at the marina boat ramp area and at the Oak Pavilion, Nocoroco Point and Sunset Pavilion day-use areas
• Park concession with snacks, souvenirs, picnic and camping items, plus canoe and kayak rentals
• Boat ramp and fishing pier and dock
• Five picnic areas with covered pavilions and grills
• A 100-site campground with water and electric, and a youth camping area

• Rent a canoe or kayak to reach the quieter creek mouths along the canoe trail
• Fish the pier and dock soon after the 8 a.m. opening, before the day-use crowd arrives
• Watch for mullet schools in the fall; redfish and snook follow them
• Release juvenile tarpon quickly and keep them in the water; they are fragile
• The half-mile nature trail through the hammock is worth a walk between tides

Tomoka State Park is managed by the Florida Park Service, and the park's rules apply on top of the state's.

• Open 8 a.m. until sunset; an entrance fee is required
• Fishing, boating, swimming and fires are allowed only in designated areas
• All waters around the park are a manatee sanctuary; idle and slow speed zones are strictly enforced
• A Florida fishing license may be required; the park keeps current regulations on hand
• 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