Gifford Dock Fishing

Gifford Dock is a small county park with a fishing pier on the Indian River Lagoon, long the Gifford community's way down to the water and still a quiet place to fish and paddle.

• Snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, sheepshead and mangrove snapper, the species the county names
• A fishing pier plus calm water for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards
• Listed by the county as open 24 hours
• Sunrise views straight across the lagoon

The dock sits at the lagoon end of Gifford Dock Road in Gifford, on the mainland north of downtown Vero Beach; the county also calls it the 45th Street Dock.

• Address: Gifford Dock Road, Vero Beach, as the county lists it
• Parking: the county lists parking; no fee is listed
• Hours: the county gives the dock round-the-clock hours
• Paddlers can launch straight into the lagoon from the park
• The Merrill P. Barber Bridge and Riverside Park are a short drive south if you want a busier spot

The county names snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, sheepshead and mangrove snapper, and the usual lagoon supporting cast turns up too.

• Spring (Mar-May): seatrout and redfish on the grass flats, black drum, snook moving shallow as the water warms
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and mangrove snapper early and late, ladyfish and jacks busting bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): mullet schools bring snook, redfish, jacks and the occasional tarpon
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum at the pier, seatrout in deeper water on mild days

Keep it light: a 7-foot spinning rod, 10 to 15 lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader of 20 to 30 lb.

• Seatrout and redfish: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic worked slowly along the grass
• Snook: live pilchards or finger mullet, or a topwater plug at first light
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader tight to the pier pilings
• Black drum: shrimp or cut crab on a Carolina rig
• From a kayak, drift the grass edges and cast ahead of the boat

This stretch of the lagoon is far from either inlet, so the lunar tide is small (well under a foot at the nearest NOAA lagoon station, Vero Beach) and the wind often moves more water.

• A steady breeze that moves water along the shoreline switches the fish on
• Calm, clear mornings are best for spotting fish on the grass
• Summer fishing is best at dawn, before heat and afternoon thunderstorms
• Heavy rain freshens and stains the lagoon; slow down and use live bait
• Cold snaps push fish off the flats and into deeper water

Gifford Dock is basic, so bring what you need.

• Manatees and dolphins are regular visitors; never snag, feed or chase them
• Lightning builds quickly over the lagoon on summer afternoons; leave early
• With no listed shelter, bring a hat, water and bug spray for the mangrove mosquitoes
• Stingrays sit on the flats; shuffle your feet if you wade out to launch
• Paddlers should watch the wind, which can build a chop across the open lagoon
• The county lists no accessibility features, so check the pier before bringing a wheelchair

The county's listing for Gifford Dock names just two amenities, a fishing pier and parking.

• The county lists no restrooms here
• No bait or tackle on site; stock up in Vero Beach before you come
• No lights are listed, so bring a headlamp for dawn starts
• Room to launch a kayak, canoe or paddleboard
• Wide lagoon views, especially at sunrise

• Fish the first hour of light in summer; the bite fades as the sun climbs
• Look for mullet flipping and birds diving; predators follow the bait
• A kayak opens up miles of mangrove shoreline that you cannot reach from the pier
• In winter, fish right against the pilings for sheepshead and set the hook on the slightest tap
• If the wind is howling from the east, the water along this shore can be churned and stained; try again on a calmer day

Gifford Dock is an Indian River County park, and the county's park rules apply.

• County parks allow no pets, no alcohol, no open fires, no camping and no overnight parking
• 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