Portland Park Landing, Freeport Fishing

Portland Park Landing is the quiet, southern of the two county access points on Alaqua Creek, with a creek dock, a pavilion and a gravel lot at the end of the road. It suits a relaxed afternoon of light tackle fishing.

• A dock along the deep, wide lower creek
• Redfish, trout and flounder in brackish water
• Pavilion, grills and picnic tables
• No fee and room for about twenty vehicles

The landing is at the end of Portland Park Road, which turns south off State Road 20 beside the Dollar General in Freeport.

• Parking: a gravel lot listed at about twenty vehicles, no fee
• The dock is beside the single-lane concrete ramp, so keep out of the launch lane
• The creek is brackish here and widens toward the bay
• The landing is reachable at all hours; check the signs for posted hours

The lower creek mixes salt and fresh water, so the catch moves with rain.

• Spring (Mar-May): flounder and trout along the shoreline, the first redfish of the season
• Summer (Jun-Aug): redfish and catfish, bream and bass when the creek freshens
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish, flounder and trout following bait down to the bay
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum around docks and pilings, slower trout

Light tackle with 8 to 12 lb line suits the open creek.

• Redfish: cut mullet or live shrimp on a light bottom rig
• Trout: live shrimp under a popping cork over the edges of the channel
• Flounder: a slow-rolled bucktail or soft plastic along the bottom
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp dropped beside docks and pilings
• Dock fishing is best with a long-handled net

Walton County sees one small high and low on most days, so the creek current is gentle.

• Moving water at either end of the tide is best
• Use the Choctawhatchee Bay NOAA predictions as a guide
• After heavy rain the creek fills with tannic water and the saltwater fish move toward the bay
• Early morning and evening beat the midday sun
• A steady south wind brings in bay water

This is an easy, flat park, but it is a boat ramp too.

• Watch for trailers backing down the ramp
• Keep children back from the dock edge; the creek is deep
• Leave the dock at the first thunder
• Sun and biting insects are heavy in summer
• Gravel parking and a short walk to the dock

Facilities are basic and unstaffed, so bring what you need for the day.

• A single-lane concrete ramp with courtesy docks for boaters
• A covered pavilion, grills and picnic tables for a family cookout
• A portable toilet rather than a full restroom building
• No bait shop at the park; bring bait or stop in Freeport on the way
• Bring water, sun protection and insect repellent, since shade is limited on the dock

• Come early on weekends, when the ramp lot fills with trailers
• Fish the dock's shadow on bright days; redfish and trout hold in it
• Alaqua Creek Park, about a mile up on the opposite bank, makes a second stop
• Watch the creek's color after rain before you commit to saltwater baits
• Bring a bucket; there is no cleaning station that we could confirm

Portland Park Landing is a Walton County facility, but we found no county page listing fishing rules here, so read the posted signs.

• Keep lines clear of the ramp and launching boats
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Redfish have FWC rules of their own; check FWC before keeping one
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything