Long Point Park Fishing

Long Point Park is a county campground on a lagoon island near Sebastian Inlet, built around fishing: shoreline campsites, a fishing bridge, a small dock and a fish cleaning station.

• Snook, redfish and seatrout in inlet-fed water
• A 100-foot bridge for fishing that links to Scout Island
• A boat ramp for small boats, kayaks and canoes
• Camp for up to two weeks and fish from your site

The park is at 700 Long Point Road, off A1A south of Melbourne Beach, on an island in the Indian River Lagoon across the highway from the ocean beaches.

• Day visitors: the county charges fees for boat ramp use and non-camper parking, and sells parking passes; check current rates
• Campers: the campground is open to registered campers 24 hours a day, with a 14-day maximum stay
• Fishing: from the shoreline, the 100-foot bridge to Scout Island and the small fishing dock
• Scout Island has more than a mile of natural trails
• Sebastian Inlet State Park is a short drive south if you want the jetties

The inlet brings clean water and more fish into this end of the lagoon.

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

Medium-light spinning tackle with 15 lb braid and a 20 to 30 lb leader covers most fish; step up to a 40 lb leader for snook around structure.

• Snook: live finger mullet or pilchards, or a swimbait, worked around the bridge at dawn, dusk and after dark for campers
• Seatrout and redfish: live shrimp under a popping cork or a soft plastic along the grass edges
• Sheepshead and black drum: fiddler crabs or shrimp beside the bridge and dock pilings
• Flounder: a slowly dragged soft plastic or a live mud minnow along sandy edges in fall
• Clean your catch at the park's fish cleaning station

Sebastian Inlet is close, so the tide moves more water here than in most of the lagoon, although the range is still small and the wind still matters.

• An incoming tide brings cleaner, cooler inlet water and often the best bite
• Moving water under the bridge concentrates bait and gamefish
• Dawn and dusk are best in summer; campers can fish into the night
• After heavy rain, fish the incoming tide for clearer water
• Winter cold fronts push fish into the deeper channels and holes

A campground park, but the island is still wild country.

• The county lists alligators, manatees, dolphins, otters and bobcats among the wildlife; keep your distance and never feed any of them
• Summer lightning over the lagoon; get off the bridge at the first thunder
• Boats use the ramp and channels; keep lines clear of boat traffic
• Stingrays sit on the flats; shuffle your feet if you wade
• Mosquitoes and no-see-ums can be fierce at dawn and dusk
• The county lists accessible parking, restrooms, showers, a boat dock and the playground

Long Point is very well equipped for anglers who camp.

• Restrooms, showers and laundry for campers
• A fish cleaning station
• A one-lane saltwater boat ramp that also takes canoes and kayaks
• Pavilions, including a large one seating up to 200, picnic tables and a playground
• Shoreline campsites with water and electric, some with sewer, plus rustic sites
• Free WiFi for campers
• No bait shop listed; bring bait from Melbourne, Sebastian or Vero Beach

• Book a waterfront campsite and you can fish from your own shoreline at first light
• Fish the bridge to Scout Island on moving water; bait gets pushed through the gap
• Walk the Scout Island trails at low light to scout grass flats and mangrove edges
• In the fall mullet run, fish a live mullet on the edge of the schools for snook and tarpon
• Reserve early for winter weekends; the county takes reservations months ahead

Long Point Park is a Brevard County park and campground with its own posted rules.

• Dogs are allowed on a short leash for campers only, and not around the lake, picnic areas or playground; service animals are allowed
• 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