Tampa Bay’s official facility pages document public fishing piers, docks and launches, but they generally do not state whether crab rings or traps may be used from the structure. The locations below are practical public-water access to evaluate for a handline or drop net after checking posted rules or asking the manager.
Mobbly Bayou Wilderness Preserve
Address: 423 Lafayette Boulevard, Oldsmar. Open dawn to dusk, with a fishing dock, kayak launch, parking, restrooms, trails and shelters. The main preserve page does not list a parking fee; do not confuse it with the separate South Support Beach lot.
Crab gear is not expressly authorized on the facility page. Ask before placing anything beyond a closely tended handline.
E.G. Simmons Conservation Park
Address: 2401 19th Avenue NW, Ruskin. This mangrove-fringed Tampa Bay park has a fishing pier and bank, ramp, restrooms, showers and parking. Current fees are $2 per vehicle and $5 to launch a boat.
Hours are 8 a.m.–7 p.m. in spring and summer and 8 a.m.–6 p.m. in fall and winter. The assisted kayak launch is closed; sand launching remains available.
Fort De Soto Park
Address: 3500 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde. Two fishing piers are open from 7 a.m. to sunset, with parking and restrooms. Current vehicle parking is $6, and Pinellas County says a fishing license is required even on its piers.
Storm repairs continue around the park and boat-ramp docks; only one floating ramp dock is currently available. Check the live repair page and confirm crab-gear permission.
Skyway Fishing Pier State Park
Address: 4905 34th Street South #5000, St. Petersburg. The pier is open 24 hours and has bait shops and restrooms. Admission is $4 per vehicle plus $4 per adult and covers the fishing license.
Structural restrictions prevent access beyond the bait shop, and the south pier has limited power and night lighting. An annual Skyway education course is required to fish. Confirm that your crab gear is permitted before visiting.
Florida blue crab rules
Florida allows handlines, dip nets, drop or fold-up traps and registered recreational blue-crab traps. The current daily limit is 10 gallons of whole blue crabs per harvester, with no minimum size; egg-bearing crabs must be released. Recreational traps require annual registration and may be pulled only during daylight. Regional trap closures also occur.
Red tide and safe harvest
Check FWC’s current red-tide status before harvesting. During red tide, never collect dead or distressed animals and do not eat crab tomalley or internal organs. A legal statewide gear type may still be prohibited by a park, pier or harbor manager, so facility rules control whether that gear can be used on the structure.
Mobbly Bayou · E.G. Simmons Park · Fort De Soto · Skyway Fishing Pier · current Florida blue crab rules · current red-tide status
Facility status, fees and rules checked August 13, 2026. See the Florida crabbing guide.