Intracoastal Waterway Park, Merritt Island Fishing

Intracoastal Waterway Park puts a concrete fishing pier right beside the Hubert Humphrey Bridge on the SR 520 causeway, where the Intracoastal channel runs under the bridge between Cocoa and Merritt Island.

• A concrete fishing pier with benches, run by Brevard County
• Bridge pilings and channel edges for seatrout, redfish, black drum and sheepshead
• Snook, jacks and ladyfish in the warm months
• Restrooms, boardwalks and small picnic shelters along the river

The park sits on the SR 520 causeway at the Hubert Humphrey Bridge, on the Merritt Island side of the Indian River, just east of Cocoa.

• Getting there: cross the Hubert Humphrey Bridge east from Cocoa on SR 520; the park lines the causeway at the east end of the bridge
• Parking: in the park off the causeway; follow the posted signs and never stop on the shoulder of SR 520
• Fees: none are listed by the county
• Hours: the county lists the park as open from dawn to dusk
• The walk: paved paths and boardwalks lead along the river to the pier, which runs west from the park's tip beside the bridge
• Lee Wenner Park and the Cocoa riverfront are across the bridge on the mainland side

The bridge and channel give fish a place to hold all year, and the mix shifts with the water temperature.

• Spring (Mar-May): seatrout and redfish along the edges, black drum and sheepshead around the pilings
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook around the bridge at dawn and dusk, mangrove snapper at the pilings, jacks and ladyfish on bait schools
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, redfish, jacks and ladyfish close to the causeway; flounder on the bottom
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum and sheepshead on the bridge pilings, seatrout in the deeper channel water

A medium spinning rod with 15-20 lb braid and a 20-30 lb fluorocarbon leader handles the bridge fish.

• Seatrout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or soft plastics on a 1/4 oz jig head along the channel edge
• Redfish and black drum: shrimp, blue crab or cut mullet on a Carolina rig near the pilings
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader dropped tight to the bridge pilings
• Snook: live mullet or pinfish, or a swimbait, worked along the shadow line of the bridge at dawn and dusk
• Jacks and ladyfish: small spoons and jigs when bait is flipping
• Bring a drop net for bigger fish; the pilings will cut a line if you let a fish run

The Indian River Lagoon at Cocoa has almost no lunar tide; the wind pushes water through the bridge instead.

• A steady wind creates a current past the pilings; fish the down-current side where bait is swept along
• A change of wind direction often starts a feeding spell
• Dawn and dusk are best, especially for snook along the bridge shadows
• Winter cold fronts push trout and drum into the deeper channel water beside the bridge
• Heavy summer rain freshens and clouds the lagoon, and the bite slows

Paved paths and a concrete pier make this one of the easier spots on the causeway to reach.

• Leave at the first thunder; the pier and open lagoon give no shelter from lightning
• Boats run the Intracoastal channel under the bridge; keep casts and lines clear of it
• Keep off the bridge itself and away from the traffic on SR 520
• Manatees and dolphins pass through; move your bait if a manatee comes close
• Watch your footing on wet concrete and boardwalk, and bring a light at dusk

Brevard County lists a small set of facilities along the causeway.

• Restrooms on the south side of the park
• A concrete fishing pier with benches
• Paved paths for walking and biking, and boardwalks along the river
• Seven small picnic shelters, each with a table
• No bait is sold in the park; bring it with you
• Lights on the pier are not confirmed; bring a headlamp

• Fish close to the pier's own supports for sheepshead and black drum in the cooler months; drop straight down rather than casting
• Dawn along the bridge shadow line is the best chance of a snook in summer and fall
• On a windy day, move to whichever side of the causeway the wind is blowing toward
• The far end of the pier sits closest to the channel under the bridge, where the deepest water is
• The pier faces west, so it doubles as a sunset spot; bring a light for the walk back

Intracoastal Waterway Park is a Brevard County park; follow the posted park rules and hours.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Keeping a snook needs a snook permit as well as the license
• Redfish and seatrout in the Indian River Lagoon are managed by region, and the lagoon region has release rules for redfish; check FWC before keeping any fish
• Shore-based shark fishing, including from a pier, needs the free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything