Fishing & Boating

End of an era: Three stories of the south Skyway Fishing Pier's closure

Stories by Bradenton Herald journalists and contributing writers, with AI summarization

The Florida Department of Transportation recently closed the southern Skyway Fishing Pier due to safety concerns, ending fishing access.

This collection of stories recounts the pier's closure and its emotional impact on Florida anglers, who shared stories of fishing at the local spot for decades.

Read more below.

The entrance to the south Skyway fishing pier runs alongside I275 to the Skyway north. By Tiffany Tompkins

NO. 1: PART OF SKYWAY FISHING PIER TO CLOSE AFTER ISSUES FOUND, FLORIDA OFFICIALS SAY

Nearly half of the south Skyway Fishing Pier State Park — located on the Manatee County side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge — is now closed indefinitely. | Published October 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Carter Weinhofer

The entrance to the south Skyway fishing pier runs alongside I275 to the Skyway north. By Tiffany Tompkins

NO. 2: ‘DAYS ARE NUMBERED.’ TAMPA BAY ANGLERS REACT TO SKYWAY FISHING PIER CLOSURE

When the original Sunshine Skyway bridge opened in 1954, it was given a 50-year life span. | Published October 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jon Chapman

As of Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, a barrier permanently blocks access to the South Skyway Fishing Pier after the Florida Department of Transportation found structural issues with the bridge. By Provided photo

NO. 3: ‘MEMORIES WILL LIVE ON.’ MANATEE ANGLERS SHARE STORIES AFTER SKYWAY PIER CLOSURE

On Monday, Oct. 27, the last half-mile of the southern Skyway Fishing Pier was blocked off with fences and barriers, preventing access for both vehicle and foot traffic. | Published November 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jon Chapman

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists or contributing writers.