Tracking Station Park Fishing

Tracking Station Park is a county beach park north of Vero Beach where three separate boardwalks make it easy to fish away from the lifeguarded swimming area.

• Whiting and pompano through the cooler months
• Spanish mackerel and bluefish on their passes, small snook in summer
• An accessible crossover and a beach wheelchair to borrow
• Restrooms, showers and a pavilion by the lot

The park is at 800 46th Place, Vero Beach, with its entrance off Highway A1A on the barrier island north of the city's beaches.

• Parking: a paved lot with 78 spaces, four of them accessible; no fee is listed
• Hours: the park opens at 7 a.m. and closes at sunset
• Access: three boardwalks cross the dunes, and the park has an accessible crossover
• Lifeguards cover a 624-foot stretch from 9:10 a.m. to 4:50 p.m.; fish outside it
• A beach wheelchair can be borrowed from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a photo ID and a signed waiver

The surf here is typical of the Vero Beach shoreline, with each season bringing its own fish.

• Winter (Dec-Feb): pompano and whiting in the troughs off the outer boardwalks, bluefish when the wind blows
• Spring (Mar-May): whiting, the last pompano, and Spanish mackerel and bluefish on their way north
• Summer (Jun-Aug): croaker, whiting and small snook at first light, with ladyfish and jacks chasing bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run, with snook, crevalle jacks, redfish and the occasional tarpon working the wash

A light surf rod of 8 to 9 ft handles most fish here; bring something heavier only for the fall run.

• Whiting: a single-hook fish-finder rig with a small circle hook and a strip of clam or fresh shrimp
• Pompano: sand fleas on a two-hook rig cast just beyond the first break
• Spanish mackerel and bluefish: a Gotcha-style plug or a small spoon, retrieved fast and erratically
• Snook: a white bucktail bounced along the trough at dawn
• Fall run: cut mullet on the bottom for redfish, or a big swimbait for jacks and snook

Tides here rise and fall twice a day, and the fish follow the water into the troughs.

• The last of the flood and the first of the ebb are the most reliable hours
• Darker water and a gap in the breakers show a trough worth fishing
• Some surf keeps pompano feeding; a flat sea is better for plugs and spoons
• Strong onshore wind drags a light rig; add weight or wait for it to ease
• The 7 a.m. opening gives you calm, cool water before the guarded hours begin

A guarded beach with good access, but the Atlantic still needs respect.

• Rip currents form along this beach; do not wade deep in rough surf
• Fish only outside the guarded stretch, and keep casts clear of swimmers and surfers
• Clear the beach at the first thunder
• Watch for stingrays in the shallows as you walk out
• Sea turtles nest from March 1 to October 31; stay off the dunes and fill in any holes
• The accessible crossover and the loaner beach wheelchair help anglers with limited mobility

Tracking Station Park has the basics for a day on the beach.

• Restrooms and outdoor showers
• A water fountain
• A pavilion with picnic tables and a grill
• Paved parking with accessible spaces
• An accessible crossover and a beach wheelchair to borrow
• No bait shop in the park; buy bait in Vero Beach before you come

• Take the boardwalk farthest from the guarded stretch, where the troughs are usually quieter
• Arrive at 7 a.m. to fish the calm, cool hours before the guards and the crowds
• In the fall run, watch for bait showering near the beach and cast right behind it
• Keep a spoon rod rigged; mackerel and bluefish often pass in a few minutes
• For the beach wheelchair, come between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. with photo ID and the county's signed waiver

Tracking Station Park is an Indian River County park, and the county's park rules apply.

• The county allows fishing during park hours outside the guarded areas
• 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
• 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