Fisherman's Landing, Grant Fishing

Fisherman's Landing, Grant is a quiet county river park beside the historic Grant Historical House, with a long fishing dock over the south Indian River Lagoon.

• A 200-foot fishing dock, listed by the county
• Seatrout, redfish and snook on the grass flats
• Restrooms and a big shaded pavilion with tables
• A calm place to launch a kayak and explore the lagoon islands

The park is at 5795 South US Highway 1 in Grant, part of the town of Grant-Valkaria, on the Indian River Lagoon.

• Hours: the county lists the park as open from dawn to dusk except for scheduled use
• Parking: on site, with a north parking area; no fee is listed
• A path and boardwalk lead to the fishing dock
• Motorized boat launching is not allowed, but canoes and kayaks can be carried in from the north parking area
• The county calls the 200-foot pier popular with people who like to fish, so expect company on good days

The south Indian River Lagoon holds a good mix of inshore fish around the dock and the grass beyond it.

• Spring (Mar-May): seatrout and redfish on the flats, black drum, snook moving shallow
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and mangrove snapper at dawn and dusk, jacks and ladyfish
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, redfish, jacks and the odd tarpon
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum at the dock, seatrout in deeper water on warm days

Light spinning tackle is ideal: 10 to 15 lb braid with a 20 to 30 lb fluorocarbon leader.

• Seatrout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a paddle-tail soft plastic worked along the grass edges
• Redfish and black drum: shrimp or cut crab on a Carolina rig near the dock
• Snook: live finger mullet or pinfish at first and last light
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp dropped beside the dock pilings
• A landing net helps; hauling good fish up by the line breaks leaders

Sebastian Inlet lies several miles to the south, so the lunar tide here is small and the wind usually matters more.

• Fish when a steady breeze or the tide has the water moving
• Calm, clear mornings are best for sight-fishing the grass
• Dawn beats the heat and the summer afternoon storms
• After heavy rain the lagoon stains; switch to live bait and darker lures
• Winter fronts push fish into deeper water, where sheepshead and drum gather at structure

A calm, family-friendly riverfront park.

• Summer lightning builds quickly over the lagoon; leave at the first thunder
• Heat and sun on the dock; bring water and shade
• Boats and paddlers pass close to the pier; keep lines clear of them
• Manatees are common; never snag, feed or disturb them
• Stingrays sit on the flats; shuffle your feet if you wade from the kayak launch
• The county flags the park as accessible, and a path and boardwalk lead to the dock

Fisherman's Landing has good basic facilities.

• Restrooms
• A 30 by 38 foot shaded pavilion seating 80, with two grills, available to reserve
• A path and boardwalk along the park
• The Grant Historical House, restored with a collection of antiques; the Grant Historical Society has details on visiting
• No bait shop in the park; buy bait in Melbourne or Sebastian before you come

• Work the end of the dock first; it reaches the most water
• The small islands along the lagoon off Grant are a popular paddle; a kayak from the north parking area gets you there
• Fish the pilings closely for sheepshead in winter
• Watch for mullet schools in the fall; predators follow close behind
• Visit the Grant Historical House while you are there; it dates from 1916

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

• No motorized boat launching in the park
• 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