Davis Bayou Fishing Pier

Davis Bayou Fishing Pier is a small, peaceful pier in the Mississippi district of Gulf Islands National Seashore, set among salt marsh and pine woods minutes from downtown Ocean Springs. It suits a quiet morning with a light rod more than a hunt for big fish.

• The only designated fishing spot in the Davis Bayou Area
• A covered board pier over a brackish bayou
• Trout, redfish and flounder in season
• Restrooms, picnic areas, trails and a visitor center nearby

The Davis Bayou Area is off Park Road in Ocean Springs, and the pier is near the William M. Colmer Visitor Center. The National Park Service manages it.

• Getting there: park at the visitor center; the pier is a short walk away
• The pier is a board deck about 50 feet long, ending under a small pavilion
• Area gate: 8 a.m. to sunset all year; the boat launch and picnic area open at 6 a.m.
• Visitor center: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The boat launch here has its own fees; check current park fees before launching

Davis Bayou is brackish marsh water, so expect estuary fish rather than open-Gulf species.

• Spring (Mar-May): speckled trout and redfish move back up the bayou as it warms; sheepshead linger early in the season
• Summer (Jun-Aug): croaker, catfish and pinfish keep the rod bending; trout bite best at the 8 a.m. opening
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the prime season, with trout, redfish and flounder feeding on shrimp leaving the marsh
• Winter (Dec-Feb): slow, but black drum and sheepshead hang around the pier pilings on mild days

Light tackle is all you need: a 6 1/2 to 7 ft spinning rod with 8 to 12 lb line.

• Trout: live shrimp under a popping cork set 2 to 3 feet deep, or a small soft plastic on a 1/8 oz jig
• Redfish: shrimp or a piece of crab on a light Carolina rig along the marsh edge
• Flounder: a live mud minnow or a slowly worked soft plastic on the bottom
• Sheepshead and black drum: shrimp on a small hook tight to the pilings
• Children: a bobber and a bit of shrimp brings pinfish and croaker
• Bring your own bait; collecting bait in a national park unit is not allowed

The bayou has one tide a day with a small range, and some days it hardly moves; wind and rain shape the fishing as much as the tide.

• A moving tide, especially the outgoing water that drains the marsh, fishes best
• The early hours after the gate opens are the best of a summer day
• After heavy rain the bayou goes fresh and dark for a few days
• North winds after winter fronts lower the water and slow the bite
• Light winds and clear skies make for good sight of feeding trout and birds

This is one of the gentlest places on the coast to fish.

• The pier is a short walk from the visitor center parking; the NPS does not describe the path, so ask at the visitor center about access
• Leave the pier at the first thunder; afternoon storms are common in summer
• Alligators live in the seashore's bayous; keep distance, keep children and pets close and never feed wildlife
• Mosquitoes and biting flies can be bad in warm months; bring repellent
• Carry water and sun protection

The Davis Bayou Area has good visitor facilities.

• The fishing pier with a small pavilion at its end
• Restrooms near the visitor center and in the picnic area
• Picnic tables, grills and shaded pavilions
• The William M. Colmer Visitor Center with exhibits and an observation deck
• A campground and a boat launch elsewhere in the area
• No bait or tackle sales on site

• Be at the gate when it opens at 8 a.m. in summer; the bite fades as the heat builds
• Watch for diving birds over the bayou; they show where trout are pushing shrimp
• Combine fishing with a walk on the area's boardwalks over the marsh
• Keep noise down; the pier is small and fish spook in the shallow water
• Dolphins sometimes hunt the bayou, and the trout scatter when they do; give it a few minutes

The pier is in Gulf Islands National Seashore, managed by the National Park Service.

• Fishing is allowed only from the designated pier; the boat-ramp finger piers are closed to fishing and netting
• Commercial fishing, including commercial shrimping and crabbing, is prohibited in seashore waters, and state fishing rules apply
• Do not collect bait in the park
• 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. Under-16s are exempt; no federal license is needed
• Check current MDMR rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything