The Pensacola Beach Pier

The Pensacola Beach Gulf Fishing Pier is many things to many people.
It is a place to:
Catch saltwater fish of various species.
Take a romantic quarter-mile walk over emerald-green waters.
Observe stunning sun rises and sunsets.
The Pier, in the heart of Pensacola Beach, stretches 1,471 feet into the Gulf of Mexico. It's the longest such pier on the Gulf and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
"What can I say? It's beautiful out here," general manager Sal Pinzone said. "We're here so people can have a good time. We're here to serve the public."
Admittedly, fishing is the main attraction at the pier. Locals as well as visitors from places like Navarre, Santa Rosa County, south Alabama and the Florida Panhandle know about the many kinds of fish just waiting to be hooked at different times of the season. King mackerel, Spanish mackerel, cobia (a.k.a. Ling, lemonfish), pompano, redfish, flounder, bluefish and sheepshead are just some of the fish being taken this spring.
The annual cobia migration going on now is one of the most exciting times to visit the pier. Cobia, a sleek, extremely strong fish, generally weighs between 20 and 40 pounds. It puts up a mighty fight, which is thrilling for anglers or observers.
"We award a year's free pass to the person who catches the season's first cobia," Pinzone said. "We do the same for king mackerel. We also run a tournament in conjunction with Gulf Breeze Bait & Tackle and occasionally run our own tournaments."
Visitors can bring their own gear, but it not necessary. The pier is fully equipped with rental rods, reels, baits, nets, gaffes, coolers and carts. It also has a full line of artificial baits, replacement line and other necessities.
The pier also sells soft drinks and beer.
Visitors can bring a chest of their own beverages, but glass is prohibited on the pier. Coolers are inspected, and glass containers must be returned to parked vehicles.
"A Florida fishing license just for the pier for out-of-state visitors is included in our prices," Pinzone said. "When you pay to fish the pier, you are covered."
The pier is undergoing an expansion project that soon will add a modern short-order restaurant, a bait and tackle shop and gift shop. The restaurant will be called The Fish Sandwich and Snack Bar and offer picnic-style seating for 138 people.
"It will feature fish sandwiches and shrimp plus the stuff we had in the original diner — hotdogs, hamburgers, ice cream, snow cones, sodas," Pinzone said. "Hopefully it will open in the early part of April."
The pier is open 24 hours a day. Various prices for different age groups are posted. To learn more about the Pensacola Beach Gulf Fishing Pier, log on to http://www.fishpensacolabeachpier.com/ or call (850) 934-7200. n