Eau Gallie Pier Fishing

Eau Gallie Pier is a City of Melbourne fishing pier in the Eau Gallie district, a small neighborhood park where the pier itself is the attraction.

• One of the two fishing piers the city lists
• Sheepshead and black drum on the pilings in winter
• Evening fishing until the 9 p.m. closing
• Near Pineapple Park and the Eau Gallie Library

The pier is at 1513 Pineapple Avenue in the Eau Gallie part of Melbourne, near the Eau Gallie Library and Pineapple Park, near the west end of the Eau Gallie Causeway.

• Hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the city says its fishing piers are for use during park hours
• Parking: not detailed on the city's page; follow posted parking signs nearby
• No fee is listed
• The pier runs out from the shoreline into the lagoon

Winter is sheepshead and black drum time at the pilings, and the grass around the pier holds seatrout the rest of the year.

• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum crowd the pilings; seatrout hold deeper on cold days
• Spring (Mar-May): seatrout and redfish return to the shallows, and jacks show up
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper around the pilings, snook in the evening, ladyfish over the grass
• Fall (Sep-Nov): mullet schools bring snook, redfish and crevalle jacks along the shoreline

A 7 ft medium-light rod with 15 lb braid suits most of the fishing; drop to lighter line for trout.

• Sheepshead: a short fluorocarbon leader, a size 1 hook and a split shot, with a fiddler crab held straight down along a piling
• Black drum: half a blue crab or a clam on a sliding-sinker rig
• Seatrout: a jig head with a shrimp-tail soft plastic, cast off the end and crawled slowly over the grass
• Snook: a live pinfish free-lined along the pier in the evening, on a 30 to 40 lb leader
• A drop net or long-handled net saves the better fish

There is barely any lunar tide at the pier; the wind sets the water level and the current along the pilings.

• A breeze that sets up a gentle flow past the pilings is ideal
• Hot summer days fish best from late afternoon to the 9 p.m. closing
• Cool, clear winter days are sheepshead days
• Heavy rain and runoff stain the water; lean on bait rather than lures
• Strong winds across the open lagoon make pier fishing hard work

A small city park where the pier is the main attraction.

• On summer afternoons, watch the sky and get off the pier before lightning arrives
• The deck is exposed, so carry water and sun protection
• Mind the pier's edges with young children
• Manatees and dolphins pass through; let them go by before casting again
• Rain makes decking slick, so wear shoes with grip
• Wheelchair access to the pier is not confirmed; check before you go

The city lists the fishing pier as the park's amenity.

• A fishing pier
• Pineapple Park and the Eau Gallie Library nearby
• Restrooms are not on the city's amenity list; check on arrival
• No bait shop at the pier; buy bait at tackle shops in Melbourne before you come
• No lighting is listed for night fishing, and the pier closes at 9 p.m.

• Evening sessions before the 9 p.m. closing beat the summer heat
• In winter, the pilings are the draw; fish tight to them with a taut line and set the hook at any tick
• Drift a live shrimp under a small cork along the side of the pier for trout
• On a windy day, fish the side of the pier out of the wind, where a light line holds better
• Bring your own bait; there is none for sale at the park

The Eau Gallie Pier is a City of Melbourne park; follow the posted rules.

• The city's fishing piers are for use during park hours, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Keeping a snook also requires a snook permit
• The FWC's Indian River Lagoon region has release rules for redfish; check FWC before you fish
• Manatees are protected by state and federal law
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything