Santa Clara Regional Beach Access Fishing

Santa Clara Regional Beach Access is the regional access for the Seagrove neighborhood, and one of four county accesses that lend out beach wheelchairs.

• An ADA boardwalk from the lot to the sand, ADA restrooms and a water fountain
• Beach wheelchairs, handled by the lifeguards, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the guarded season
• Pompano, whiting and redfish close in; mackerel, bluefish and jacks when the bait arrives
• A popular lunch and restroom stop for locals, according to SoWal

The access is at 3468 E. Scenic Highway 30A in the Seagrove area; turn south off 30A onto Bramble Grove Place, about half a mile east of County Road 395.

• Parking: a public lot at the end of the lane; no fee is listed
• The walk: the ADA boardwalk switches back down the dune face to the beach
• Seaside lies a short way west along 30A
• The TDC's Seagrove Regional Beach Access, a little under half a mile east, has another lot and restrooms
• No overnight parking is allowed in the county's beach access lots

The eastern 30A surf fishes much like the rest of South Walton, best in the spring and fall transitions.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano and whiting move into the trough as the water warms; mackerel, bluefish and now and then a cobia follow the bait along the bar
• Summer (Jun-Aug): ladyfish and mackerel early, whiting in the trough, reds and jacks late in the day
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the autumn mullet run pulls big reds and bluefish close, and pompano return
• Winter (Dec-Feb): whiting and a few pompano when the Gulf lies down

Light surf tackle does most of the work: a 9 to 11 foot rod for bait and a medium spinning rod for lures.

• Whiting and pompano: size 1 to 1/0 hooks on a two-dropper rig, held with a 2 to 3 oz pyramid, baited with sand fleas or shrimp
• Catch sand fleas by hand at the edge of the wash, and fill any hole you dig
• Reds: cut mullet or a chunk of ladyfish on a fish-finder rig out past the bar
• Mackerel and bluefish: silver spoons retrieved at speed through breaking fish
• A pompano jig worked in short hops across the trough
• Point rod holders along the beach, away from the guarded swimming area

Expect little tide, often one high and one low in a day and only a foot or two apart, so the look of the water counts for more.

• Clean water with a light, even surf is what pompano and whiting like
• A running tide gets bait moving in the trough
• Dawn and dusk are the productive hours in summer, and the beach is quiet then
• Southerly blows stir up sand; wait for the water to settle before making the trip
• Spring pompano show once the Gulf warms into the 70s °F

Getting onto the sand is easy here, with an ADA boardwalk, ADA restrooms and beach wheelchairs in season.

• The TDC gives the lifeguard season at the regional accesses as March 1 to October 31; follow their instructions and cast away from bathers
• Each beach wheelchair is operated by an on-duty lifeguard, and a waiver must be signed
• Double red flags mean the water is closed
• Rip currents are common on this coast; keep out of deep water in rough surf
• Shuffle for stingrays, and get off the sand when lightning threatens
• Leave a clear lane along the wet sand: county rules keep it open for walkers and emergency vehicles

The Walton County TDC lists these amenities for Santa Clara, and SoWal notes that plenty of locals stop here for lunch or the restrooms.

• ADA restrooms and a water fountain
• A public parking lot
• An ADA boardwalk
• Beach wheelchairs during the lifeguard season
• A beach conditions flag and seasonal lifeguards
• No bait or tackle is sold at the access, so bring bait, ice, food and water

• Come at sunrise in summer, before the beach fills and while the fish are feeding
• Walk away from the lifeguard stand before setting up rods
• If Seagrove is crowded, Grayton Beach State Park to the west and Deer Lake State Park to the east are other ways onto the same surf
• Scan for the deeper, darker trough from the top of the boardwalk
• County rules clear the sand of personal property from an hour after sunset to an hour after sunrise, so pack out as you leave

Santa Clara is a Walton County regional beach access, so the county's Waterways and Beach Activities Ordinance (amended by Ordinance 2025-22) applies.

• Deliberately fishing for sharks, and chumming or bloodbaiting, are illegal on the beach and within 2,500 feet of shore
• After an officer's warning that bathers are in danger, you must stop fishing in the Gulf
• No glass on the beach, and no metal shovels
• Pets are not allowed, apart from service animals and permitted residents' dogs on a leash at set hours
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless an exemption applies
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything