Coliseum Pier, Biloxi Fishing

Coliseum Pier is the long one: at 908 feet it is one of the longest piers on the Harrison County beach, and its 2025 rebuild left it in the best shape it has been in for years. It is a pier for steady bottom fishing with a chance of something bigger at the end.

• 908 feet of pier, with new decking, handrails and benches
• Sheepshead, croaker, white trout and flounder on cut bait or shrimp
• Spanish mackerel in the fall
• A public restroom right next to the pier

The pier leaves the Harrison County sand beach on Beach Boulevard (US 90) in west Biloxi, directly across the highway from the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center. The City of Biloxi looks after it through its Ports and Harbor Division.

• Getting there: US 90 to the Coliseum, then cross the highway at a signal to the beach side
• The walk: a flat deck the whole way out, rebuilt end to end in 2025
• Restroom: the city lists one directly next to the pier
• Hours and fees: none published that we found; follow the signs at the entrance

Most fish here are caught on the bottom, but the end of the pier sees roaming fish too.

• Spring (Mar-May): croaker and white trout arrive, sheepshead are on the pilings, and speckled trout start to bite
• Summer (Jun-Aug): croaker, hardhead and gafftopsail catfish, flounder at dusk and the odd redfish
• Fall (Sep-Nov): Spanish mackerel make their run past the end, with trout and flounder at their best
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the pilings, white trout on mild days

Bring a light or medium spinning rod with 10 to 12 lb line and a stout leader for the pilings.

• Croaker and white trout: a high-low bottom rig with size 4 to 1 hooks and fresh shrimp or cut squid
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or a piece of shrimp on a small, strong hook right against the pilings
• Flounder: a live mud minnow or shrimp on a Carolina rig, dragged slowly along the sand
• Spanish mackerel: a 1/2 oz silver spoon or a small jig ripped fast across the surface
• Speckled trout: shrimp under a popping cork from the end of the pier
• Bring a long-handled pier net for flounder and redfish

The Biloxi coast gets one high and one low tide on most days, rising and falling only a foot or two, with a few days each fortnight when it barely moves.

• Moving water, even a gentle current, usually wakes the bite
• South winds raise the water and bring baitfish in to the pier
• After a winter cold front, north winds drop the Sound and move fish to the deeper end
• Muddy water after heavy rain slows the trout, though catfish and croaker still bite
• Early mornings are best in summer; the new lights may help at night once they are working

The rebuilt deck and rails make this a comfortable pier for families and anglers with limited mobility.

• The deck is level and railed all the way out
• Cross US 90 only at a signal; it is a busy four-lane highway
• Leave the pier at the first thunder; storms build quickly on summer afternoons
• Bring sun protection, as there is almost no shade on the pier
• Watch your casts around benches and other anglers
• Handle catfish carefully to avoid their spines

The essentials are close at hand.

• A public restroom directly next to the pier, according to the city
• New benches along the deck
• Sixteen new light poles, built for solar lights that the city arranged with Mississippi Power
• No bait shop on the pier that we could confirm; bring bait
• Food and drink are a short drive away on US 90

• In fall, keep a spoon rigged and watch for Spanish mackerel slashing bait off the end
• Fiddler crabs are worth the trouble for sheepshead on these pilings in late winter
• Fish the last third of the pier when the water is low after a north wind
• A long-handled pier net saves losing a good flounder at the rail
• Check the Coliseum's event calendar; big shows can tie up traffic and parking nearby

The Coliseum Pier belongs to the City of Biloxi and is maintained by its Ports and Harbor Division.

• Follow the rules posted at the pier, including any hours
• Keep the deck and benches clear for others
• A Mississippi saltwater fishing license is required south of US 90 unless you are exempt; between US 90 and I-10 either a saltwater or a freshwater license will do
• Anglers under 16 are exempt
• Check current MDMR rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything