Round Island Oceanside Beach Park Fishing

Round Island Oceanside Beach Park is the ocean half of the Round Island parks south of Vero Beach: a wide beach with World War II history, free parking and fishing allowed outside the guarded swimming zone.

• Pompano and whiting through the cooler months, snook in summer
• Surf in the morning and the lagoon across A1A in the afternoon
• Free parking, restrooms, showers and five pavilions
• Interpretive signs on the beach's wartime training history

The park is at 2201 South Highway A1A, Vero Beach, near the south end of Indian River County, across A1A from Round Island Riverside Park.

• Parking: free, with 73 spaces and 6 accessible spaces
• Hours: 7 a.m. to sunset every day
• Access: an accessible dune crossover leads to the beach
• Lifeguards cover a 390-foot stretch from 9:10 a.m. to 4:50 p.m.; fish outside it
• The county lends a beach wheelchair between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.; bring photo ID and sign its waiver

At the south end of the county, with Fort Pierce Inlet about six miles away, this beach sees a steady run of fish all year.

• Winter (Dec-Feb): pompano on sand fleas and clam, whiting, bluefish on blustery days, black drum on crab
• Spring (Mar-May): whiting and the last pompano, Spanish mackerel moving north, blacktip sharks offshore of the bar
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook patrolling the first trough at dawn, whiting and croaker, ladyfish in the wash
• Fall (Sep-Nov): mullet schools pushing south with snook, tarpon, redfish, bluefish and crevalle jacks behind them

A 10 ft surf rod for bait and a lighter spinning rod for lures is the right pair here.

• Pompano and whiting: a two-hook dropper rig with 1/0 hooks and a small orange bead above each, baited with clam strips or sand fleas
• Snook: a 3/4 oz bucktail jig tipped with a strip of shrimp, swept along the trough at first light
• Bluefish and jacks: a heavy silver spoon on a short wire leader, thrown into breaking fish
• Redfish: a fresh mullet head or half a crab on the bottom during the fall run
• Note where the old concrete obstacles show and keep your casts clear of them

The Atlantic tide turns twice a day here, filling and draining the troughs each time.

• Start midway through the incoming tide and fish until an hour or so after high
• Rip channels and cuts between bars hold fish along their edges
• A moderate east wind stirs the surf and pushes bait in; a gale piles up weed
• Clear, calm water suits lures and snook; stained water suits cut bait
• The quiet hours come before the lifeguards start at 9:10 a.m.

Lifeguards cover 390 feet in season; the rest of the beach is up to you.

• Rip currents form along this beach; keep out of the water in rough surf
• Fish outside the guarded zone and cast well away from swimmers
• Leave the beach when thunder starts; summer storms come in quickly
• Stingrays lie in the shallows; slide your feet as you wade
• Sea turtles nest from March 1 to October 31, when sections of beach are blocked off to protect nests; stay clear of them
• Keep your casts, and any swimmers in your group, clear of the World War II obstacles offshore

Round Island Oceanside is well equipped for a full day on the beach.

• Restrooms, outdoor showers and water fountains
• Five covered pavilions with grills and picnic tables
• A playground and a short walking trail
• Free parking with accessible spaces
• A county beach wheelchair on loan and an ADA crossover
• Interpretive signs on the World War II history of the beach
• No bait shop in the park; buy bait in Vero Beach or Fort Pierce

• When the surf is blown out, cross A1A to Round Island Riverside Park and fish the lagoon instead
• Read the World War II interpretive signs, then cast clear of the obstacles you can see offshore
• Walk well away from the guarded stretch to find an empty trough
• The five pavilions make a shaded base for a family day between tides
• For the beach wheelchair, arrive between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. with photo ID and the county's waiver

Round Island Oceanside Beach Park is an Indian River County park, and the county's park rules apply.

• The county allows fishing outside the guarded zones
• The park is pet-free, and county parks allow no alcohol, no open fires, no camping and no overnight parking
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Fishing for sharks from shore requires the free FWC shore-based shark fishing permit, and chumming from the beach is prohibited
• Keeping a snook also requires a snook permit
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything