Royal Palm Pointe, Vero Beach Fishing

Royal Palm Pointe is a pretty riverside park with its own fishing dock on the mainland side of the Indian River Lagoon in Vero Beach, a short hop from the Merrill P. Barber Bridge.

• The City of Vero Beach lists fishing among the park's features
• An L-shaped dock reaches from the fountain plaza into open lagoon water
• Snook and mangrove snapper in the warm months, seatrout and redfish most of the year
• Free entry, restrooms, picnic tables and an interactive fountain for children
• A good pick for a relaxed family session with a view of the river

The park is at 2 Royal Palm Pointe in Vero Beach, at the end of the Royal Palm Pointe peninsula on the mainland side of the lagoon, south of the SR 60 Merrill P. Barber Bridge.

• Entry: free, according to the city
• Hours: the city lists the park as closed on Tuesdays for maintenance; otherwise check the posted times
• Parking: the city's page does not describe it; use only marked public spaces on the pointe
• The walk: short and level from the peninsula to the plaza and the dock
• The bridge's own fishing catwalk is across the water at Riverside Park on the barrier island, reached by driving over the bridge

The dock reaches open lagoon water a short way south of the bridge, and the catch follows the lagoon's seasons.

• Spring (Mar-May): seatrout and redfish on the edges, snook moving shallower, sheepshead finishing up on the pilings
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and mangrove snapper around the dock at dawn and dusk, jacks and ladyfish in the open water
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run pushes snook, jacks and the odd juvenile tarpon along the shore
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the dock pilings, seatrout on warm afternoons

Light to medium spinning gear, 15 to 20 lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader, is enough for everything except a big snook.

• A live shrimp free-lined or under a cork, drifted along the dock pilings, for snook and snapper
• Small live pinfish or pigfish at dusk for snook
• Shrimp or a piece of crab dropped straight down beside the pilings for sheepshead and black drum
• A soft plastic or a small bucktail cast along the shoreline for seatrout and redfish
• Carry a long-handled net; a snook will try to run you into the pilings

The lagoon off Vero Beach has a small tide, usually under a foot, twice a day, so wind and time of day matter more than the tide table.

• Moving water, whether from the small tide or a steady wind, gets the snook and snapper feeding
• Dawn and dusk are prime for snook in the warm months; check the park's posted hours before planning either
• Calm, clear water suits light leaders and small live baits
• Winter cold fronts slow things down; fish the warm afternoons after a front
• Heavy rain can color the water; switch to natural bait

A small, well-kept city park with a level walk to the dock, which suits families.

• Watch children around the dock edge and keep hooks away from the fountain crowd
• Lightning builds on summer afternoons; leave at the first thunder
• Manatees use the lagoon here; never cast at them
• The city allows leashed dogs in the park, but not on the dock, in the fountains or near the restrooms
• Paved paths and a level dock make it easy to reach

The park is compact but comfortable.

• Restrooms
• Picnic tables
• An interactive fountain that runs on weekends, and daily except Tuesdays during school breaks
• The fishing dock
• A gated area for the dock, fountain and restrooms that dogs may not enter
• Free entry
• No bait or tackle sold in the park; bring bait with you

• Avoid Tuesdays, when the city lists the park as closed for maintenance
• Weekend fountain hours bring families; fish early or late for a quieter dock
• The pilings hold snapper and sheepshead; fish tight to them rather than casting far
• Snook feed best in low light, so the first and last hour of the day are worth the effort
• The Merrill P. Barber Bridge catwalk on the barrier island makes a good second stop

Royal Palm Pointe is a City of Vero Beach park; follow the posted park rules.

• The city lists fishing among the park's features
• The city lists the park as closed on Tuesdays for maintenance, and city code has each park's hours posted at the park
• City code bans chumming and bloodbaiting from any city park or beach
• Dogs must be leashed and are not allowed past the gate to the dock, fountains and restrooms
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• Snook need an FWC snook permit to keep, tarpon have release rules, and redfish fall under the FWC's Indian River Lagoon region rules, so plan to release any redfish
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything