Fountain Pier, D'Iberville Fishing

Fountain Pier is D'Iberville's own family fishing park, a neat strip of boardwalk and finger piers on the Back Bay with live oaks, grills and a pavilion behind it. It is calm, easy to reach and set up for a whole afternoon rather than a quick cast.

• Four finger piers off a waterfront boardwalk, each with a covered shelter
• Speckled trout, redfish, sheepshead and black drum in brackish water
• A two-story pavilion, barbecue grills, picnic tables and fish-cleaning stations
• A saltwater fish identification board on the boardwalk for beginners

The park sits where Batia Avenue meets the water in south D'Iberville, across the Back Bay from downtown Biloxi. The City of D'Iberville Parks and Recreation Department runs it, and the sign at the entrance calls it the Fountain Pier Marine Education Park.

• Getting there: from Race Track Road, turn south onto Batia Avenue and follow it to the end
• Hours: the posted rules close the park from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Parking: the city does not publish parking details, so use the spaces at the park and keep the neighbors' driveways clear
• Surface: grass and a level wooden boardwalk out to the piers
• Fees: the city lists none for fishing; only the pavilion is rented, for private events

Three piers fish a sheltered cove and the fourth reaches the open bay, so you can follow the fish as the salt comes and goes.

• Spring (Mar-May): sheepshead on the pilings, with the first speckled trout and redfish pushing up from the Sound
• Summer (Jun-Aug): white trout, croaker and catfish on bottom baits; specks and reds at first light
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the busiest months, as trout, white trout and redfish chase shrimp in the cooling water
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum and sheepshead around the structure, while most trout drop into the deep holes of the bayous and rivers

These are low piers over shallow water, so light spinning gear with 8 to 12 lb line and a short fluorocarbon leader is plenty.

• Speckled and white trout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a 3-inch soft-plastic shrimp on a 1/4 oz jig, worked slowly
• Redfish: shrimp or cut mullet on a Carolina rig, cast toward the grass along the cove
• Sheepshead and black drum: a small, strong hook with shrimp or a fiddler crab dropped beside the pilings
• Croaker and catfish: a two-hook bottom rig with bits of shrimp, ideal for children
• Put old line in the recycling tube on the boardwalk

Like the rest of the Back Bay, the water here rises and falls once a day on most days, by only a foot or two, and a few days each fortnight it barely moves.

• Fish while the water is moving; the Biloxi area tide tables are a fair guide
• A south or southeast wind pushes saltier water and bait into the bay
• A hard north wind behind a winter cold front drains the cove and leaves the shallows thin
• Heavy rain upstate turns the bay fresh and brown for days, and catfish take over
• Summer mornings are best before the heat; mild winter afternoons suit drum and sheepshead

Fountain Pier is a gentle, family spot, and its posted rules are there to keep it that way.

• No swimming or diving from the piers, and no running or horseplay on the walk
• Bicycles, skates and skateboards are not allowed
• The finger piers have only low edge rails, so keep a close eye on small children
• Leave the piers at the first thunder; summer storms build fast over the bay
• Carry insect repellent for still mornings and evenings
• Access: a level boardwalk and short finger piers close to the pavilion and parking

For a small park, Fountain Pier is well equipped for a family day.

• Four finger piers joined by a waterfront boardwalk, each ending in a roofed shelter
• Lamp posts along the boardwalk and out on the piers
• A two-story pavilion that can be rented through the city
• Several barbecue grills and picnic tables under live oaks
• Stations for washing and cleaning the day's catch
• A saltwater fish identification board and a fishing-line recycling tube
• No bait or tackle on site, and the city lists no restrooms, so come prepared

• The fourth pier reaches out toward the open Back Bay with the Biloxi skyline across the water; try it when fish are moving along the shore
• The cove piers stay calmer on a windy day and suit children best
• Clean fish at the wash stations, never over the water; a posted notice bans dumping carcasses and line
• Glass and alcohol are banned, so pack drinks in cans or plastic bottles
• Book the pavilion through the city if you are planning a family fishing party
• Gates open at 6 a.m., early enough for the summer dawn bite

Fountain Pier is a City of D'Iberville park, and the rules posted at the entrance apply.

• Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., with no overnight stays
• No swimming, diving, alcohol, drugs, glass containers, firearms, fireworks or unleashed pets
• Fires only in the barbecue grills
• Do not throw fish carcasses or fishing line into the water
• 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