Rod & Reel Pier over the years: See Anna Maria landmark before and after hurricanes

It was a survivor, until Mother Nature whipped up just a bit more than it could handle.

For decades, the Rod & Reel Pier and restaurant at the northern tip of Anna Maria Island withstood it all. Hurricanes. Lightning. Fire. The waves of saltwater and the passage of time.

Then Hurricanes Helene and Milton broke it all to bits with a quick and vicious one-two punch.

Opened in 1947, the landmark wooden structure jutting out into the blue-green waters near where the Gulf of Mexico meets Tampa Bay was a happy haunt for many a tourist, local, wildlife lover and angler.

It was a guaranteed spot for a “beer so cold it makes your teeth hurt,” as one local fondly put it. And if you were lucky, a place blessed with sightings of dolphins, manatees, sea turtles and more.

The pier’s story is sadly repeating around Florida as vintage structures crumble to modern storms.

But as if not quite ready to give up the fight, the Rod & Reel’s iconic sign remained planted at the water’s edge last week after Hurricane Milton. Now it stands like a gateway inviting one to stop, look in and remember an invisible past.

Many are hoping that a new Rod & Reel Pier will rise from the wreckage. After Helene, owner Oliver Lemke started a GoFundMe to raise $300,000 for a rebuild. It has continued to haul in donations after Hurricane Milton, topping $23,000 as of Monday morning.

As Anna Maria Island awaits the Rod & Reel Pier of the future, here’s a look at the landmark that was.

Photos show Rod & Reel Pier through the years

Surviving the elements

Helene and Milton wreck the Rod & Reel

This story was originally published October 14, 2024 at 11:33 AM.