Kennedy Point Park Fishing

Kennedy Point Park gives you a paved walkway along the Indian River Lagoon to fish from, with a boat ramp, restrooms and a big parking lot, and launch views across the river to the Kennedy Space Center.

• A paved shoreline walkway with benches, listed by the county for fishing
• A breakwater sheltering the ramp basin, which holds fish
• Seatrout, redfish and black drum; sheepshead in winter
• Restrooms, a large pavilion and plenty of parking

The park is at 4915 S. Washington Avenue (US 1) in south Titusville, on the river side of the road.

• Getting there: follow US 1 south from downtown Titusville; the park is on the east side, a little south of Rotary Riverfront Park
• Parking: a large lot for cars and boat trailers; keep the trailer spaces for boaters
• Fees: none are listed by the county
• Hours: the county lists the park as open from dawn to dusk
• The walk: from the parking area past the pavilion to the paved shoreline walkway on the river side of the park
• The boat slips north of the ramp belong to a separate marina; fish from the park's own walkway

The shoreline and the breakwater around the ramp basin fish much like the rest of the northern lagoon.

• Spring (Mar-May): seatrout and redfish along the shoreline, black drum, sheepshead finishing around the breakwater
• Summer (Jun-Aug): seatrout early and late, jacks and ladyfish on bait, mangrove snapper around the breakwater, catfish on cut bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings redfish, jacks and the occasional snook close; flounder along the bottom
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the breakwater, seatrout in the deeper water

Light to medium spinning gear with 10-15 lb braid and a 20 lb fluorocarbon leader suits the walkway fishing.

• Seatrout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic on a 1/4 oz jig head cast along the shoreline
• Redfish and black drum: shrimp, crab or cut mullet on a light Carolina rig
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp fished tight to the breakwater and dock in winter
• Jacks and ladyfish: small spoons and jigs when bait is flipping
• A long-handled net helps land fish from the walkway

This part of the lagoon has almost no lunar tide; wind moves the water and the bait.

• An east wind blows onto this shore and piles bait along it
• A change in wind direction often starts a feeding spell
• Calm, clear mornings are best for spotting fish along the edges
• Winter north winds lower the water and push fish toward the deeper water off the breakwater
• Heavy summer rain freshens and clouds the lagoon

A paved walkway with benches makes this an easy place to fish.

• Keep lines clear of boats using the ramp and the basin
• Leave at the first thunder; summer storms build fast over the lagoon
• Watch your footing near the edge of the walkway, and stay off the breakwater itself
• Manatees use the basin and shoreline; never snag or feed one
• Bring water and sun protection in summer; shade along the shore may be limited

Brevard County lists a practical set of facilities for a small riverfront park.

• Restrooms
• A paved shoreline walkway with benches
• A two-lane motorized saltwater boat ramp with a central dock
• A large hexagonal pavilion that can be reserved for groups
• A large parking area for cars and boat trailers
• No bait shop in the park; bring bait and drinks with you

• Work the corner where the walkway meets the breakwater for sheepshead and drum in the cooler months
• Early mornings are quietest, before the ramp gets busy
• On an east wind, walk the shoreline to find where bait is stacking up
• Launch days bring big crowds along this shore; come another day to fish
• If the shoreline is slow, the pier at Rotary Riverfront Park is a short drive north on US 1

Kennedy Point Park is run by Brevard County Parks and Recreation; 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
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything