Navarre is next to Fort Walton Beach on the west side of a small area of the Florida panhandle in the far north of the state also near Pensacola, FL. Locals are mostly US Military, civil servants, retirees, and defense contractors. You can see why they made a huge fishing pier here – lots of anglers in that group!
But they didn’t just make a pier, they made the biggest fishing pier in Florida if you’re not counting the Sunshine Skyway (which they don’t for some reason).
The pier has over 6,000 reviews on Google Maps and a 4.8 out of 5 rating. That’s as good as pier ratings get!
What Time Does Navarre Fishing Pier Open and Close?
The pier opens to the public at 5 am. and closed at 11 pm. during summer hours and during winter from 6 am. to 9 pm. I have to admit I’m a bit disappointed that you can’t stay and fish all night. They really should reconsider that policy.
In Tampa when we had the Gandy Bridge, it was open all night and there was no security. I don’t remember any problem because of it when I was there. All-night piers should be the norm all over the country. Please Navarre City Council – reconsider this!
Fees? Is a Fishing License Included?
Fees are very reasonable to enter the pier at just $1 to walk the pier for children 6+ and adults. Kids under 5 are free. Adults can enter and fish for just $7. Kids 6-15 can fish for $4. Active military and seniors can fish for $6 per day. Kids under 5 are free.
That’s 19 hours they’re open during the summer, so the fees are not bad at all.
They offer a weekly pass you can buy at the bait shop. Adults $45 to fish. Seniors and active duty military $40. Youths 6-15 is $25. A walking pass for 6+ and adults is $5.
Yearly passes are also available and can save you some money. Adults for $150. Seniors and active duty military $100. Youth 5-15 $75. Family pass $300. Family pass means you, your spouse, and any kids you have. Walking pass for 6+ and adults $60.
This does include your fishing pass so you don’t need a Florida saltwater fishing license.
Here’s information about buying your saltwater fishing license online. Or, you could go to Walmart’s fishing section.
How Big is the Fishing Area at the Pier?
At 407 yd (1,221 feet and 372m long) over water and 22 feet wide, this is the second longest fishing pier in Florida. The first is the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier in St. Petersburg.
The Sunshine Skyway pier is also big enough to drive your vehicle out onto with plenty of room to spare! It is 42 feet wide, so nearly twice as wide too!
Also, I give pier measurements based on how much is ‘over water’ because who cares if a pier is 15 miles long if only the last 100 yards is over water? The Navarre Beach Fishing Pier is officially 1545 feet (515 yds and 471 m) long.
A pier this big never feels crowded unless it’s a holiday and the weather is perfect for fishing.
The pier is approved by the American Disabilities Act and accessible for handicapped users in multiple places.
Kayak Fishing Tournament June 18
Every year sponsors put on a kayak fishing tournament in Navarre and it’s a great event and encourages what I think is the best way to catch fish ever – in a kayak. There is more information here (goatkft.com).
What Fish Species Can You Catch at Navarre Pier?
Pier fishing is variable, but there are some species you can usually catch at a pier if you fish at the same spot regularly. Sometimes knowing more about the pier and what’s under the water can help you tremendously when targeting a certain species, like grouper for instance.
If you know where the rock piles are, or a sunken boat or other artificial reefs near the pier, you can use that information to catch far more fish than others at the pier. It probably pays to do your research before arriving!
The list below covers the usual species available at Navarre pier.
Common Fish at Navarre Pier
- whiting
- blackfin tuna
- redfish
- pompano
- jacks
- flounder
- sheepshead
- tarpon
- grouper
- snapper
- sharks
- kingfish, Spanish mackerel
- pinfish (for bait)
- catfish
You may see other wildlife and marinelife like dolphins, rays, egrets, eagles, hawks, turtles, and manatees at this pier.
Does the Pier Have a Bait Shop?
Yes, there is a small bait shop at the pier with frozen shrimp, sea lice, and minnows by the dozen. You might stop at a bait shop that has pinfish, shrimp, and other baitfish before coming here. Sea lice are good for pompanos and reds but you might want some other bait.
Here’s a well-stocked bait shop not too far from the Navarre Fishing Pier that may have more bait options – GPS (30.4222283,-86.6458139).
They have fishing gear like rods and reels and all the other gear you’ll need to catch fish and bait, and keep bait alive.
The bait house also has carts to help you carry your gear down the length of the pier! How smart is that? I thought I’d never see this.
Shade on the Pier?
None. The pier was built without any roofs to shelter people from rain or Florida’s strong sunshine.
Restroom?
Over 700 yd (660+ meters) away is a restroom if you walk east down the beach. No kidding. That’s the closest public restroom at the pier! I’m sure all those people in wheelchairs are going to crank through the sand to reach the restroom almost half a mile away. This is ridiculous!
There must be a restroom at the start of the pier, but it isn’t listed in Google maps. If anyone knows where it is exactly, do let me know!
Restaurants on the Pier?
There is no restaurant on the pier length, but there are places to eat before you walk out on the pier.
Windjammers on the Pier Bar and Grill is at the start of the pier. It only has a 3.8 out of 5 stars and I wonder if that’s because prices are higher than a lot of people expected.
Broussard’s of Navarre Beach is a Cajun grill restaurant next to the pier as well and they got 3.8 out of 5 stars.
Is Rental Gear (Rod and Reel) Available?
For adults, rod rental is $10. For kids under 15, just $5. At bait shops, you can rent rod and reel. Bring your own lures, hooks, and other gear to save money if possible. You can buy at Amazon or Walmart…
Pier Restrictions?
At fishing piers the management is usually rather restrictive about the following list of things. This is to ensure that overall people don’t intrude on others’ rights to enjoy the place. That said, there’s nothing that restrictive and it’s always fun to spend time fishing at the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier.
I cannot find a complete list of rules for the pier, but the following is probably in effect. There is not much room here, so sit on a cooler or upside down 5-gallon bucket instead of bringing a chair.
And don’t forget, if you want to play music, grill, or sleep in a tent or in your car ON the pier, just go to the Sunshine Skyway Pier down in St. Petersburg.
Prohibited List
- Alcohol
- Music
- running
- jumping from pier
- glass containers
- camping, cooking
- fish or cleaning on the pier
- lights
- No sabiki rigs allowed at the end of the pier (these catch pinfish).
They also have rules about where you can put your gear. They want you to put all your gear in the center of the octagon area except one rod and reel. They don’t want the railing to be clogged up with gear so people can’t walk around when they hook something.
This makes sense because otherwise, it would be a huge cluster smuk. I never heard of this restriction anywhere else, but I can think of a few more piers where they should implement this rule.
Is a Live Web Cam on the Pier?
There IS a live video feed here from the beach that includes the waves near the pier and the last section of the pier. It’s easy to see how crowded the pier is. I was a bit shocked to have a look just now at 9 am. and there are already many people fishing at the end of Navarre Beach Fishing Pier.
There are a couple of surfers too. The clarity on the video feed is quite good. Bravo – the best pier camera I’ve seen yet!
Remember (I forgot!), today (20 June) is Father’s Day so the pier is extra crowded. Dads taking some time to relax. Nice to see it, to be honest.
During regular weekdays the pier won’t be half this crowded. On the weekends, the pier will be crowded from morning to night. This pier is huge, so it never gets so crowded that you feel it. Many people have heard about this massive pier and want to try fishing it.
Some people come from far away to give it a try. If I lived anywhere close by this would be one of my regular pier spots for sure.
Where is Navarre Fishing Pier Located?
The pier is in the Florida panhandle up north and bordering the Gulf of Mexico. The address is 8579 Gulf Blvd, Navarre, FL 32566. The GPS coordinates of the fishing area at the end of the pier are [30.375994647068893 N, -86.86304401304969 W].
Parking
Parking is right at the beginning of the pier and there are 445 parking spaces available (I counted). There is plenty of parking for people with disabilities and the lot doesn’t get full on weekdays. On the weekends it won’t be hard to get a space because there is constant turnover with people arriving and leaving the pier.
Bring your own cart to haul your gear, or the bait shop rents them if you need one.
Cautions
Navarre Pier is quite crowded down in the ‘octagon’ area at the end of the pier. You’ll have to move for people who’ve hooked fish and are moving down the pier. Of course, they’ll move for you too when you get one, so play the game, please.
There are many sharks caught here at the pier be careful about Florida State Fishing Regulations regarding sharks before fishing for them. You’ll need to take an online class before targeting sharks. Find out more here on our Shark page.
Great Day at Navarre Beach Fishing Pier (Video)
This video is short and sweet, showing a range of different fish caught at the pier during a warm afternoon. The pier is 30 feet up off the water so a net on a rope or a 4-prong gaff hung from a rope is necessary sometimes.
Catching Blackfin Tuna from the Pier? Yes! (Video)
Here’s another video link to a couple of guys catching blackfin tuna in the 30 lb. range off the Navarre Fishing Pier. Who wouldn’t drive all day to do this? Blackfin at Navarre Beach Pier >
Website, Phone, and Social Media
- Navarre Beach Fishing Pier phone – +1 850-710-3239
- Their Facebook page is here. There are 30,000+ followers.
- An Instagram search has thousands of photos of people catching fish on the pier, animals around the beach, and people voguing on the beach.
Where’s the Closest Fishing Pier to Me?
Whether you live on the East or West Coast of Florida, there are some great fishing piers within short driving distance of your area. The closest one may not be the best one, so we cover only the best piers in Florida at the links below.
Choose “Fishing Pier Guides” below to get tips on pier fishing and to see ALL of our Florida pier guides.
Fishing Piers Close to the Navarre Pier
[Image credits: Images not marked with credits taken from their official website, videos, Unsplash, and FB pages without listed copyright.]