Skyway Fishing Pier State Park

Bay NEws 9 - Fisherman are holding out hope that part of Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, which closed in August, will reopen someday.
"We catch everything from grouper, free lining, for grouper, right now the king mackerel, a lot of different species of fish," said Joshua Taylor.

But Taylor has to find a new fishing hole since a chain link fence now blocks the east pier.

The state doesn't have the money to repair the eastern side of the pier and it's looking for money to tear it down.
Taylor has a petition he hopes will keep that from happening.
"A lot of people are going to lose something local to do that's pretty inexpensive," he said.

It looks like the future of the west pier is also questionable. It's not as old as the other structure but the state doesn't have any money set aside for refurbishing projects. That would be necessary if the pier's going to last.

"I can't believe over the next 20 years they can't come up with enough money to gradually get this bridge back in shape so people can use it," said fisherman Roger Smith.
People like Tim Ruilova fished there since childhood.
"We all enjoy it, Ruilova said. "We all come out here, peace and quiet, you know, get away from the world."
Visitors pay a couple of dollars to visit the Skyway fishing pier but the majority of that money is used for staffing, utilities and general maintenance.