Lee Wenner Park, Cocoa Fishing

Lee Wenner Park puts the mainland end of the SR 520 bridge within a short walk of the car, in the middle of historic Cocoa Village.

• The City of Cocoa lists fishing at the park and at neighboring Cocoa Riverfront Park
• A paved path runs around the point above a rock-lined shore, right beside the bridge
• Black drum and sheepshead around the rocks and bridge in the cooler months, snook and jacks when it is warm
• Restrooms, a covered pavilion and the Indian River boardwalk next door
• The riverfront parks sit on the edge of historic Cocoa Village's downtown

The park is at 300 Riveredge Boulevard in Cocoa, on the Indian River where State Road 520 leaves the mainland for the Hubert Humphrey Bridge.

• Hours: city code sets the park's hours as 7 a.m. until sunset (the city's website says dawn to dusk)
• Parking: in the park lot beside the boat ramps, rebuilt in 2024 and 2025 to add spaces; no fee is listed, and the trailer spaces are for boaters
• The walk: short and level, on paved paths from the lot to the point by the bridge
• Cocoa Riverfront Park (401 Riveredge Boulevard) and its boardwalk continue south along the water from the park
• The Intracoastal Waterway Park is on the far side of the bridge, reached by driving across to Merritt Island

The mix of rocks, bridge pilings and the nearby channel gives this spot more structure than most lagoon parks.

• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum along the rocks and around the bridge, seatrout on sunny afternoons
• Spring (Mar-May): black drum and sheepshead linger, redfish and seatrout move along the shoreline
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook in the bridge shadows early and late in the day, mangrove snapper around structure, ladyfish and jacks
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, jacks and redfish along the shore, and seatrout feed well as it cools

Medium spinning tackle with 15 to 20 lb braid gives enough muscle to steer fish away from the rocks.

• Shrimp or a piece of crab on a short knocker rig, dropped close to the rocks, for black drum and sheepshead
• Fiddler crabs or small pieces of shrimp on a small, strong hook for winter sheepshead
• Live shrimp under a cork, drifted along the shoreline, for seatrout and redfish
• Soft plastic swimbaits or a live finger mullet toward the bridge in the low morning light for snook
• Expect to lose some rigs in the rocks; carry spares

The Indian River Lagoon at Cocoa has almost no tide, so the wind decides how the water moves past the bridge.

• A steady wind pushes a gentle current along the causeway and around the point; fish the side it is blowing toward
• The first hours after the park opens and the last hour before sunset are best, especially in summer
• Winter cold fronts bring sheepshead and black drum onto the rocks; fish the milder days after a front
• Glassy calm days can be slow; a little chop helps
• Heavy rain darkens the water near town, so switch to natural baits

A tidy city park with paved paths, but a busy boat launch sits right beside the fishing.

• Stay clear of the boat ramps, docks and day slips, and never cast across a boat lane
• The rocks along the shore are uneven and can be slick; fish from the path rather than climbing down
• Lightning builds most summer afternoons; leave at the first thunder
• Traffic on SR 520 is fast; walk only on the park paths, never along the causeway shoulder
• Fish from the park's own shore and paths, not from the wide old concrete bridge span that runs out beside the point, which the city does not list as part of the park
• Paved paths make the point and the neighboring riverfront park easy to reach for anglers with limited mobility

The riverfront parks together have more amenities than most lagoon spots.

• Restrooms at Lee Wenner Park and at Cocoa Riverfront Park
• A covered picnic pavilion
• Four boat ramps and day slips
• Parking in the park
• The Indian River boardwalk, a playground and an amphitheater in the neighboring Cocoa Riverfront Park
• Historic Cocoa Village's downtown borders the riverfront; no bait shop is listed in the park

• The point by the bridge gathers current when the wind blows along the causeway; start there
• Sheepshead in winter need a light touch: set the hook at the first tap
• Fish early at weekends before the ramps get busy
• A session here combines easily with a stroll through downtown Cocoa Village
• Riverfront Park hosts reserved special events, so check the city's calendar before a weekend trip

Lee Wenner Park is a City of Cocoa park, with the city's Leisure Services department as the contact; follow the posted park rules.

• The city lists fishing among the park's features
• City code sets the park's hours at 7 a.m. until sunset and bars anyone from staying after hours
• City code bans alcohol in the park, except beer in designated areas under a permit
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Snook need an FWC snook permit to keep; redfish fall under the FWC's Indian River Lagoon region rules, so check them and plan to release any redfish
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything