Christenson's Landing, Grant Fishing

Christenson's Landing pairs a big county boat ramp with two dedicated fishing piers on the south Indian River Lagoon, a good base for shore anglers who want to reach past the shallow shoreline.

• Two county fishing piers beside a six-lane boat ramp
• Grass flats with seatrout, redfish and snook, plus winter black drum and sheepshead
• Benches overlooking the river, which the county recommends for watching wildlife
• Free parking and a restroom building
• The county calls it a staging area for exploring the islands, so kayakers use it too

The landing is at 5355 US 1 in Grant, part of the Town of Grant-Valkaria, on the Indian River side of the highway.

• Parking: free, on a large paved lot shared with boat trailers
• The piers: two, just south of the boat ramps; walk along the lot's east edge to reach them
• Hours: the county's park page does not list hours; follow the posted signs
• Launching: six saltwater ramp lanes for motorized boats
• The county's Fisherman's Landing park, which also has a fishing pier, is about three-quarters of a mile south on US 1

The south lagoon's grass flats give this stretch a reliable inshore mix.

• Spring (Mar-May): seatrout and redfish on the flats, snook moving back into the shallows, black drum on the bottom
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and mangrove snapper at dawn and dusk, jacks and ladyfish chasing bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, redfish and jacks close in, and the odd tarpon rolls in the lagoon
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the pier pilings, seatrout on warm afternoons

A 7-foot medium spinning outfit with 10 to 20 lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader handles everything from seatrout to a good snook.

• Live shrimp under a popping cork, cast toward the grass edges from the end of a pier
• Soft plastic shrimp or paddle tails on a light jig head, retrieved slowly over the grass
• A live finger mullet or pinfish at dawn for snook
• Shrimp or crab on a knocker rig beside the pilings for black drum and sheepshead
• Bring a long-handled net, as the piers stand above the water

The lagoon off Grant has only a few inches of tide, so the wind decides where the fish feed.

• Light winds and clear water are ideal for sight-fishing and soft plastics
• A steady breeze pushes bait along the shoreline and toward the piers
• Early morning is best in summer, before the heat and afternoon storms
• Winter cold fronts send fish deeper; fish the warm afternoons that follow
• After heavy rain the water can darken; switch to natural bait

The piers are straightforward to reach from the paved lot, but the ramps next door are busy.

• Stay off the ramp docks and clear of launching boats and trailers
• Lightning is the main summer hazard; there is little shelter, so leave at the first thunder
• Sun and heat: bring water, as the restroom water is not drinkable
• Manatees use the lagoon; never cast at them
• The paved lot and short walk make the piers reachable for most anglers

Facilities are simple and aimed at boaters, with the two piers set aside for anglers.

• A restroom building with flush toilets (its tap water is non-potable)
• Two fishing piers south of the ramps
• Six boat ramp lanes with docks
• Benches overlooking the river
• Free parking on a paved lot; the FWC's ramp survey counts roughly 80 car and 50 trailer spaces
• No bait shop at the landing; bring bait and drinking water with you

• Weekday mornings are quietest; weekend launches can fill the lot early
• The southern pier is farther from the ramp traffic
• Cast along the grass line rather than straight out; the fish patrol the edges
• The county recommends the landing as a staging area for exploring the small islands off Grant, so bring a kayak if you have one
• Watch for mullet schools in the fall; snook and jacks follow them

Christenson's Landing is a Brevard County park; follow the posted park rules.

• County code allows fishing in county parks only where it is designated; here the county lists two fishing piers and describes the park as popular for fishing
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Snook need an FWC snook permit to keep
• Redfish fall under the FWC's Indian River Lagoon region rules; check them and plan to release any redfish you catch
• Tarpon have their own FWC release rules; check before handling one
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything