Skyway Fishing Pier State Park

The approach spans of the old Sunshine Skyway Bridge, kept as two fishing piers on either side of the mouth of Tampa Bay: the north pier on the Pinellas side and the south pier on the Manatee County side. You drive out and park beside your spot, the piers are open 24 hours, and the lights at night draw bait and the fish that follow it. Florida State Parks lists snook, tarpon, grouper, black sea bass, Spanish and king mackerel, cobia, sheepshead, red snapper and pompano among the common catches. Since Oct. 27, 2025, after FDOT structural inspections, there's been no vehicle or foot access beyond the bait shop on the south pier; news reports put the closed part at nearly half of that pier and say the north pier is fully open. Since March 16, 2026 the south pier has had no power, limited bait-shop service and limited lighting at night.

How to fish it

Deep water and hard-running tides beside the main ship channel are the draw, so bring heavier tackle and enough weight to hold bottom, and fish the strongest tides (NOAA's PORTS current meter at the Skyway shows the flow). Throw spoons and jigs for Spanish mackerel when birds work bait in spring and fall, fish live bait or plugs near the lights at night for snook and tarpon in summer (single hooks only in winter), and drop shrimp along the pilings for sheepshead in late winter and early spring. Bring a pier net or sling so you can land or release a big fish without dropping it.