Howard E. Futch Memorial Park at Paradise Beach Fishing

Howard E. Futch Memorial Park at Paradise Beach is a Brevard County regional beach park, a lifeguarded family beach where the county also lists surf fishing.

• Whiting all year and pompano in the cooler months, best at dawn
• Spanish mackerel and bluefish passing in spring and fall
• Restrooms, showers, pavilions and a playground
• Year-round lifeguards at the main tower, so fish away from the swimmers

The park is at 2301 North Highway A1A in Melbourne, on the barrier island a short drive north of Indialantic.

• Hours: dawn to dusk, except for scheduled events
• Parking: in the park's own lot; no fee is listed
• Access: three dune crossovers lead to the beach
• Lifeguards: the county's main tower here is staffed every day of the year from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and a second tower in summer
• Fish outside the lifeguarded area and well away from swimmers

The troughs here hold the same migrants as the rest of the Space Coast, but you fish them around the lifeguards' day.

• Winter (Dec-Feb): pompano and whiting at dawn, bluefish on windy days
• Spring (Mar-May): whiting and pompano, with Spanish mackerel and bluefish heading north
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and whiting before the tower opens, croaker in the evening
• Fall (Sep-Nov): mullet schools with crevalle jacks, redfish, tarpon and snook close to shore

Short sessions call for simple rigs you can set up fast.

• Whiting: a two-hook bottom rig with small hooks and fresh shrimp, fished in the first trough
• Pompano: sand fleas on a single dropper with a small float, cast just past the first breaker
• Spanish mackerel and bluefish: a 1 oz spoon cranked fast across the trough
• Snook: a soft jerkbait twitched along the first trough at dawn
• As swimmers arrive, pack up or move well away from the guarded area

Two high and two low tides roll through each day.

• A high tide near dawn makes for the best session of the day here
• A late-afternoon high is the second chance, once the swimmers thin out
• Clear, calm water suits lures; rougher water suits bait
• Onshore wind and weed make bottom fishing hard, so switch to spoons
• Summer storms usually build in the afternoon

A popular lifeguarded beach with good facilities, where anglers work around the swimmers.

• Rip currents are a real risk at this busy swimming beach; never wade deep
• Keep casts well clear of swimmers, surfers and the guarded area
• Leave the beach when thunder starts
• Stingrays bury in the sand of the shallows, so shuffle as you wade
• Turtles nest here in summer; use the crossovers and keep off the replanted dunes
• The county flags the park as accessible, and the crossovers were rebuilt in a county renovation

Paradise Beach is well equipped for a family day at the beach.

• Restrooms, outdoor showers and park benches
• A large round pavilion seating up to 200 and two medium pavilions, all reservable, with grills
• A playground and four volleyball courts
• Three dune crossovers, replaced in a county renovation
• Year-round lifeguards at the main tower
• No bait shop in the park; buy bait in Melbourne or Indialantic before you come

• Plan around the main tower's 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. lifeguard hours; fish before and after them
• Walk north or south of the guarded area to find an open trough
• Groups can reserve the large round pavilion through the county for a combined fishing and picnic day
• Keep a spoon rod rigged for passing mackerel and bluefish in spring and fall
• For midday fishing, Canova Beach Park about a mile north has no lifeguards listed

The park is a Brevard County park; follow posted park rules and lifeguard instructions.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Fishing for sharks from shore requires the free FWC shore-based shark fishing permit, and chumming from the beach is prohibited
• Keeping a snook also requires a snook permit
• This beach is in the FWC's Indian River Lagoon region, which has release rules for redfish; check FWC before you fish
• Stay off the dunes and clear of sea turtle nests
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything