Deer Lake State Park Fishing

Deer Lake State Park is a small state park on 30A where a boardwalk crosses the dunes to a half-mile of protected beach, with a coastal dune lake behind it.

• The park names surf fishing as one of its draws, with swimming and picnicking
• Pompano and Gulf whiting in spring and fall, redfish on the bar, Spanish mackerel in the warm months
• Honor-box entry, open 8 a.m. to sunset every day of the year
• No lifeguards and no shop, so come prepared

The entrance is at 6350 E. County Road 30-A in South Walton, on the Gulf side of the road; the park's nature trail starts across 30A on the north side.

• Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year
• Fees: $3 per vehicle (2 to 8 people) and $2 for pedestrians, cyclists and extra passengers, paid at the honor box with correct change
• Capacity: since June 2024 the park often fills at busy times and closes to new visitors, walkers and cyclists included, sometimes for several hours
• Parking: a paved lot close to the boardwalk, the picnic pavilion and the restrooms
• The walk: the boardwalk across the dunes, then soft sand to the water; a cart with wide wheels helps

The surf here fishes like the rest of the South Walton beaches, with spring and fall the best seasons.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano and Gulf whiting in the first trough, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on the bait schools, an occasional cobia cruising past the bar
• Summer (Jun-Aug): ladyfish and Spanish mackerel early in the day, whiting through the day, jacks and redfish late in the afternoon
• Fall (Sep-Nov): pompano return, bull redfish move along the bar with the mullet run, mackerel and bluefish follow the bait
• Winter (Dec-Feb): slower; whiting and the odd pompano on calm, clear days

A 9 to 11 foot surf rod for the bar and a 7 foot spinning rod for the trough cover this beach.

• Pompano and whiting: a double-drop rig with size 1 to 1/0 hooks and a 2 to 3 oz pyramid sinker, baited with sand fleas, peeled shrimp or a scented synthetic bait
• Buy sand fleas before you come: state park rules protect animal life other than game and food fish, so don't rake your own
• Redfish: cut mullet or a live finger mullet on a fish-finder rig cast to the bar
• Spanish mackerel and bluefish: a silver spoon or gotcha plug on a short 30 lb fluorocarbon leader, retrieved fast
• Pompano jigs bounced slowly through the trough on a moving tide
• Leave the shark rig at home: the county bans shark fishing and chumming from the beach

Tides on this coast are small and usually come once a day, so water clarity and surf matter more than the height of the tide.

• Clean green water with a light surf is best; flat calm water fishes slower
• A moving tide, rising or falling, gets the troughs working
• The first hours after the 8 a.m. opening and the last hours before sunset fish best, and are quietest in summer
• A strong south wind muddies the surf; give it a day or two to clear
• Pompano show in numbers as the Gulf warms into the 70s °F in spring

The beach faces the open Gulf and is unguarded, so treat the surf with respect.

• Lifeguards are not provided: check the beach warning flags posted at the park; double red means no swimming at all, and red means high surf or strong currents
• Rip currents are common along this coast; never wade deep in rough surf
• Shuffle your feet in the troughs for stingrays
• Leave the beach at the first sign of lightning; summer storms build quickly in the afternoon
• There is no shade on the sand: bring water, a hat and sun protection
• The park lists the boardwalk to the beach, picnic facilities, parking and restrooms as accessible amenities; the last stretch to the water is soft sand

The park's facilities are by the parking lot, not on the beach.

• A restroom at the parking area
• A picnic pavilion with tables and a grill
• A paved parking lot and the boardwalk to the beach
• A 1.5-mile nature trail across 30A for a break from the sun
• The park lists no bait shop or concession, so bring bait, ice, food and water
• Beach warning flags posted for the day's surf conditions

• Arrive close to 8 a.m. on summer weekends and holidays, before the park fills and closes to new visitors
• Carry correct change for the honor box
• Pets are welcome in the park but not on the boardwalk or the beach, so plan a surf session without the dog
• Walk away from the boardwalk to find an empty trough away from swimmers
• Fish the near edge of the darker, deeper water in the first trough
• Take every piece of gear off the beach and fill any holes before you leave; snowy plovers and other shorebirds use this beach

Deer Lake State Park is run by Florida State Parks, and posted park rules apply along with Walton County's beach rules.

• Open 8 a.m. to sunset; pay the entrance fee at the honor box before you head to the beach
• Park rules require all fishing to follow state rules on size, number, method of capture and season
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless an exemption applies
• Walton County's Waterways and Beach Activities Ordinance makes it unlawful to intentionally fish for sharks, or to chum or bloodbait, from the beach or within 2,500 feet of shore
• Pets are not allowed on the boardwalk or the beach
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything