# Idiot's guide to Pensacola fishing



## tennesseebantam

ok, no idea of layout of fishing in Pensacola. Came down last October, fished off pier on beach ($7 a day, not too bad). Keep reading about Bob Sikes, is this when you leave Pensacola towards PCB there is like half a bridge on the left of the highway (full of cars and people fishing? If so, do I need a license to fish it or is it just a pay per day like PCB pier? Finally, I stayed at a PCB hotel (Paradise Inn), it has a little pier on the gulf breeze side, do I need to pay to fish that or is it covered by hotel fee? (Nobody at hotel knew the answer!). Hope to be down again in a couple of weeks, any info would be helpful and, how do I get onto Bob Sikes if it is where I think it is?


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## Snagged Line

http://myfwc.com/license/


Here is a information resource... 

Hope you do well on your trip...


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## bay slayer

no liscense needed if you are on a bridge or pier. If you are on the shore you will need a license. drop by pensacola pier. spanish should be thick and kings will be running by then.


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## Fisherdad1

Go to Google maps. Type in this: Bob Sikes Fishing Pier - South, Pensacola Beach Boulevard, Gulf Breeze, FL.
The Bob Sikes Bridge connects Gulf Breeze to Pensacola beach. The old Bob Sikes Bridge is now a fishing pier. It has a north section on the GB side with great parking across the street from the Marina; and a south section on the 
Pensacola beach side. If you look at the regular view in Google maps it shows the drawing of the roads and bridge. Switch to satellite view to see the actual pier. There is no cost to fish. You have to walk on, not drive but you DO need a license and marine patrol does foot patrol it and ticket people. If you are on a paid fishing pier you do not need a license, similar to a charter boat, because the pier operator pays the licenses fee. This is not a paid pier.

Great spot for many species at different times of year.
Fisherdad


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## sunnyjim

*License required*

A license IS required when fishing from a bridge. A license IS required when fishing from a pier, UNLESS the pier itself is licensed (such as the Pensacola Beach pier, or the Navarre pier). :yes:


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## SushiKing

sunnyjim said:


> A license IS required when fishing from a bridge. A license IS required when fishing from a pier, UNLESS the pier itself is licensed (such as the Pensacola Beach pier, or the Navarre pier). :yes:


Big brother's permission slip and tax to drop a hook in "your" water.
Take pride in bowing down to your government - ha!
Gotta love "freedom"


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## WisconsinFisherman

SushiKing said:


> Big brother's permission slip and tax to drop a hook in "your" water.
> Take pride in bowing down to your government - ha!
> Gotta love "freedom"


Well, Without OUR money that pays for licensing and the like WHO would stop the over harvesting and stop people from keeping the "spawning " sized fish? Everyone would keep everything and sooner rather than later there would be nothing left to fish for. Figure out how much your license costs and divide that by the number of times you go fishing. VERY inexpensive by most standards. Fishing licenses are pretty cheap for the most part if you get to go out all year round. Unlike me when I come down. Only 7 days worth of fishing but I have to pay $30 where as you as a resident only pay $17 for salt water license. I'm paying $4+ a day even if I get to fish every day of my trip. Say you get out??? 100 times this year. Means you pay .17 a day, Yup. 17 CENTS per day. You probably lose more than that in sinkers or line each day or week. Or you lose more than that simply by dropping a quarter now and again. Fishing licenses are cheap. Be glad you have fish to catch thanks to regulations preventing over fishing. Makes is so we can ALL have a chance to feed our families or just enjoy catch and release.


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## SushiKing

WisconsinFisherman said:


> Well, Without OUR money that pays for licensing and the like WHO would stop the over harvesting and stop people from keeping the "spawning " sized fish? Everyone would keep everything and sooner rather than later there would be nothing left to fish for. Figure out how much your license costs and divide that by the number of times you go fishing. VERY inexpensive by most standards. Fishing licenses are pretty cheap for the most part if you get to go out all year round. Unlike me when I come down. Only 7 days worth of fishing but I have to pay $30 where as you as a resident only pay $17 for salt water license. I'm paying $4+ a day even if I get to fish every day of my trip. Say you get out??? 100 times this year. Means you pay .17 a day, Yup. 17 CENTS per day. You probably lose more than that in sinkers or line each day or week. Or you lose more than that simply by dropping a quarter now and again. Fishing licenses are cheap. Be glad you have fish to catch thanks to regulations preventing over fishing. Makes is so we can ALL have a chance to feed our families or just enjoy catch and release.


It's not the cost there chief, it's the principle.
Keep worshipping.


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## WisconsinFisherman

So I take it sushiking that you think you should be able to fish for FREE anywhere? What about your driving license??? Or Hunting license?? Without the $$ you spend on licensing there will be NO control over harvests and you will soon be fishing where there are very few fish to be had. I'm more than happy to pay the $30 for my one little old week of fishing in Florida. Gets me away from home for a week or so and I enjoy just being there. MUCH more expensive things I could be doing. Feel fortunate that you have fish to catch. Without regulations (enforced by PAID employees from your tax and licensing dollars) it would be much harder to even see a fish. Ok. Im done trying to explain it to you. :thumbup::thumbup:


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## SushiKing

WisconsinFisherman said:


> So I take it sushiking that you think you should be able to fish for FREE anywhere? What about your driving license??? Or Hunting license?? Without the $$ you spend on licensing there will be NO control over harvests and you will soon be fishing where there are very few fish to be had. I'm more than happy to pay the $30 for my one little old week of fishing in Florida. Gets me away from home for a week or so and I enjoy just being there. MUCH more expensive things I could be doing. Feel fortunate that you have fish to catch. Without regulations (enforced by PAID employees from your tax and licensing dollars) it would be much harder to even see a fish. Ok. Im done trying to explain it to you. :thumbup::thumbup:


Congratulations you have become totally institutionalized and a product of the system. Heaven forbid government not be involved in every aspect of our lives (you listed some of them) and heaven forbid we the people acquire the benevolence and maturity to police ourselves and eliminate people overfishing/overcatching so we can continue to have fish to catch. The culture has devolved well beyond any ability to do this mainly because of people who clearly "need" the government to intrude and tell you how to live. (and when to pay what tax, etc etc). Now we pay for equipment and salaries of FWC officers to ride around on $100K boats with twin 250s and fine us for having the wrong type of life jacket on board, no permission slip (license), or a burned out bulb. Heaven forbid we police ourselves in that aspect. Welcome to the bread and circus generation. Ok. Im done trying to explain it to you. :thumbup::thumbup:[/QUOTE]


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## eym_sirius

I think that people who complain about supporting our government by funding it should have the opportunity to opt out, as long as they don't use the roads, bridges, piers, police or fire protection, educational system, monetary system (including loans and accounts guaranteed by the gov't) and don't accept any assistance in the event of natural disasters. See, they want to USE the infrastructure PAID FOR by our forefathers, but don't want to continue the legacy for future generations. And this all stems from an unnamed "principle" that apparently does not include a shred of social responsibility. The purpose of our government is to make things better for the citizenry. As adults, we know that this means providing adequate funding for these things that make life better for all of us. There ARE primitive tribes in the world which pay NO taxes and govern themselves. I suggest that a burgeoning population ensures that there will be an ever-growing need for social organization. Those who do not wish to participate in the American Experience may be able to find a primitive tribal sponsor to take them in, so that their no-government "principle" may be nourished.


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## eym_sirius

Back to the original question, though - The answer is, from my perspective, "Get a license". You're covered, then, and you don't have to worry about being ticketed because of where you were fishing. I also put a measuring tape in my box, so that I comply with length-limits.


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## AndyS

WisconsinFisherman said:


> ... Unlike me when I come down. Only 7 days worth of fishing but I have to pay $30 where as you as a resident only pay $17 for salt water license. ...


Well if I go up to Wisconsin to fish I'd have to pay $24 for a 4 day license so it seems.

You could always buy a Florida annual Non-resident for $47 - not that much more.


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## Snatch it

I think this thread got derailed??:yes:


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## kilroy1117

Yeah, congrats on ruining the thread lol. Ironic to speak of self policing and even on this smallest scale, it can't be done. ONWARD!!!!!!


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## badonskybuccaneers

tennesseebantam said:


> ok, no idea of layout of fishing in Pensacola. Came down last October, fished off pier on beach ($7 a day, not too bad). Keep reading about Bob Sikes, is this when you leave Pensacola towards PCB there is like half a bridge on the left of the highway (full of cars and people fishing? If so, do I need a license to fish it or is it just a pay per day like PCB pier? Finally, I stayed at a PCB hotel (Paradise Inn), it has a little pier on the gulf breeze side, do I need to pay to fish that or is it covered by hotel fee? (Nobody at hotel knew the answer!). Hope to be down again in a couple of weeks, any info would be helpful and, how do I get onto Bob Sikes if it is where I think it is?


I think the logical consensus might be to buy the annual non-res license and you would be covered to fish anywhere- that is what we do. Better safe with one in hand than sorry!
Good luck and have fun.


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## Chapman5011

WisconsinFisherman said:


> Well, Without OUR money that pays for licensing and the like WHO would stop the over harvesting and stop people from keeping the "spawning " sized fish? Everyone would keep everything and sooner rather than later there would be nothing left to fish for. Figure out how much your license costs and divide that by the number of times you go fishing. VERY inexpensive by most standards. Fishing licenses are pretty cheap for the most part if you get to go out all year round. Unlike me when I come down. Only 7 days worth of fishing but I have to pay $30 where as you as a resident only pay $17 for salt water license. I'm paying $4+ a day even if I get to fish every day of my trip. Say you get out??? 100 times this year. Means you pay .17 a day, Yup. 17 CENTS per day. You probably lose more than that in sinkers or line each day or week. Or you lose more than that simply by dropping a quarter now and again. Fishing licenses are cheap. Be glad you have fish to catch thanks to regulations preventing over fishing. Makes is so we can ALL have a chance to feed our families or just enjoy catch and release.


I sure am glad the feds acted so quickly to save our red snapper population. They were almost depleted a few years ago. Now thanks to our wonder government, we can have the chance to catch red snapper again. There are so few out there now. Your real lucky if you even get to meet someone who caught one last year. 
Thank you government for saving them from extinction. We couldn't have done without you.


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