Skyway Bridge St. Petersburg, FL
The Skyway bridge is one of tallest and most iconic structures in Florida. The skyway bridge is referred to as the gateway to Tampa Bay. The bridge is 430 feet high which allows the cruise ships to pass underneath. The height of the bridge provides great views of the surrounding area while driving across. The skyway bridge is also over 4 miles long and is a beautiful drive.
The current skyway opened in 1987 and is the second bridge built on this site. The existing skyway bridge was built much higher than the original bridge and with additional safety features to prevent an accident. The first bridge was built in 1958 and collapsed in 1980 when a freighter collided with the bridge and 35 people perished. After the collapse, some of the remaining parts of the bridge were demolished. The remaining parts of the old skyway bridge were turned into the world’s longest fishing pier, Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.
Looking for a great spot to fish in St. Petersburg, FL? Then head on over to the Skyway Bridge! This bridge has a fishing pier that is perfect for anglers of all levels of experience. Fishermen at the pier catch a large variety of fish from the pier including snook, tarpon, grouper, black sea bass, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, cobia, sheepshead, red snapper, pompano, and even sharks. You area able to drive your car up the pier and park right near where you plan to fish so you won’t have to lug all of your fishing gear a long distance.
Although you need to bring your own poles, there is a bait shop on the pier that sells live and frozen bait in addition to some tackle. There is also a snack shop that serves up some light food and snacks. Plus, the views of the water and skyline are simply stunning.
There are some fees required, there is a toll of $1.50 to get on the bridge itself. After paying this toll you will be able to drive across the peak of the bridge and also explore some of the side roads and park areas that are near the rest stops. In order to go out on the fishing pier, there is an additional fee of $4 per vehicle and $4 per person, a very reasonable fee to be able to pull your car up and cast out a line, so come on down and enjoy a day of fishing at the Skyway Bridge!