Thomas Pilcher Park Fishing

Thomas Pilcher Park is the modern county park that opened under the US 331 bridge in 2017, and it gives shore anglers something rare on Choctawhatchee Bay: a long, purpose-built pier beside bridge pilings in deep water.

• A 380-foot fishing pier plus three smaller fishing platforms
• Bridge pilings and shade lines for trout, reds, sheepshead and drum
• Restrooms, picnic shelters, fish cleaning stations and big parking lots
• Free and open 24 hours, with room to spread out on weekdays

The park is on the US 331 causeway on the south shore of Choctawhatchee Bay, underneath the Clyde B. Wells Bridge, between Santa Rosa Beach and Freeport.

• Getting there: take US 331 north from US 98 toward Freeport; the park is on the causeway before the bridge climbs
• Parking: plenty of parking for cars and boat trailers
• Entry: free; Walton County lists the park as open 24 hours, every day
• Surface: paved paths and a level pier deck; the county lists the park as ADA accessible

The bay here is brackish and fertile, and the bridge concentrates fish.

• Spring (Mar–May): sheepshead on the pilings, speckled trout, black drum and the first ladyfish
• Summer (Jun–Aug): trout around the pilings at night, redfish, flounder, jacks and ladyfish chasing bait
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the best season, with redfish schooling, flounder moving out and trout feeding hard
• Winter (Dec–Feb): white trout, black drum and sheepshead; speckled trout in the deeper holes on warm afternoons

A medium spinning rod with 15 to 20 lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader handles most fish here.

• Speckled trout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic worked along the bridge's shade line by day and around the pilings at night
• Redfish and black drum: a Carolina rig with cut mullet, crab or shrimp near the pilings
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader dropped tight to the concrete
• Flounder: a finger mullet or jig dragged slowly along the bottom off the end of the pier
• Bring a long-handled net for landing fish from the deck

Choctawhatchee Bay has small tides, usually one a day, so current under the bridge is what matters.

• Fish the hours when the tide is moving; the current pulls bait past the pilings
• Night fishing around the pilings in summer is often the best of the day
• Heavy rain in the rivers sends fresh, stained water down the bay and pushes fish toward the passes
• A strong north or south wind makes the open bay rough; the pier is exposed
• Winter fish feed best in the afternoon after the shallows warm

This is one of the most accessible fishing spots in Walton County.

• Level pier with paved access from the parking area; the county lists the park as ADA accessible
• Leave the pier at the first sign of lightning; the bay is wide open
• Boats come and go from the ramps and docks; do not cast across the launch lanes
• The causeway highway is busy; watch children in the parking lots
• Bring a light for night sessions, and water, a hat and sunscreen by day; shade is limited to the picnic shelters

Walton County built the park with anglers and boaters in mind.

• Restrooms, drinking water and three picnic shelters, with picnic tables, benches and grills
• Fish cleaning stations and a used fishing line recycling bin
• Four boat ramps and six docks
• Plenty of car and trailer parking
• No bait shop in the park; bring bait with you

• The end of the pier and the pilings closest to deep water fish best
• Summer nights around the pilings can be excellent for trout; the park never closes, so bring a light and bug spray
• Sheepshead stack up on the pilings from February to April
• The fishing platforms are quieter than the main pier when the ramps are busy
• Fall mornings bring schooling reds along the causeway shoreline
• Recycle your old line in the bin on site

Walton County manages the park; posted park rules apply.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Walton County's waterways and beach ordinance covers Choctawhatchee Bay: it is unlawful to intentionally fish for sharks, or to chum or bloodbait, from the shore or the water near it, this pier included
• Choctawhatchee Bay is Gulf sturgeon critical habitat and the fish is protected; release any sturgeon at once without taking it from the water
• Keep the launch areas and docks clear for boaters
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything