Jensen Beach Causeway Fishing

Jensen Beach Causeway is an easygoing lagoon spot with bridge structure, grass flats and deep channel water all within a short walk of the car.

• Snook on the bridge pilings and lights
• Grass flats nearby for seatrout and redfish
• Winter pompano and sheepshead in the lagoon
• County causeway parks with boat ramps and a long fishing pier, open around the clock
• Cleaner water on the incoming tide

The causeway runs east from Jensen Beach (NE Indian River Drive) to Hutchinson Island (A1A). The west causeway park, with the boat ramps and the fishing pier, is at 2004 NE Causeway Boulevard.

• Getting there: take NE Jensen Beach Boulevard east through downtown Jensen Beach onto the causeway.
• Parking: free county parking at the causeway parks, shared with boat-ramp users; trailers take many spaces on weekends.
• Fishing pier: a long wooden pier runs out from the north side of the west causeway park, with shoreline fishing along the causeway.
• Surface: paved lots and pier; natural shoreline elsewhere.
• Hours: county code keeps causeway parks and fishing piers open at all times unless the county closes one for safety.

The Indian River Lagoon's mix of inshore species.

• Spring (Mar–May): snook, seatrout, jacks, redfish on the flats
• Summer (Jun–Aug): snook at night, mangrove snapper, tarpon in the channel
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the mullet run brings snook, jacks, ladyfish and tarpon
• Winter (Dec–Feb): pompano, sheepshead, black drum, seatrout
• Year-round: mangrove snapper, jacks and ladyfish are around the bridge most days
• Occasional flounder on sandy edges in the cooler months

Light to medium spinning tackle covers most of it.

• Snook: live shrimp, pilchards or finger mullet on a 30–40 lb leader around pilings and shadow lines; jerkbaits and jigs at night
• Snapper and sheepshead: 1/0 hooks with shrimp or fiddler crabs tight to structure
• Seatrout and redfish: soft plastics and topwater along the grass edges at dawn
• Pompano: small pompano jigs or doc jigs bounced along sandy channel edges
• A drop net helps from the pier.

The lagoon here has a small tide, well under the ocean range because the inlets are miles away: NOAA's station at the causeway park shows a mean range of about 1.3 feet, and wind often moves more water than the tide.

• Moving water is essential; an incoming tide usually brings cleaner water up the lagoon
• Night fishing around the bridge lights is prime for snook
• Winter cold snaps push fish to the deeper channel by the bridge
• After heavy rain or lake releases the lagoon can turn dark and fishing slows

A family-friendly lagoon spot.

• Paved park and fishing pier suitable for most mobility levels
• Boat traffic around the ramps and under the spans
• Stingrays on the flats: shuffle your feet if wading, and wade only on shallow flats away from the channel
• Lightning in summer; heat and sun
• Watch traffic crossing the causeway road
• Keep children back from the pier edge

County park basics.

• Restrooms, picnic tables, pavilions and grills
• Boat ramps on both sides of the west causeway park, open around the clock
• A sandy paddlecraft launch at the causeway's Wayside Park, open in daylight
• Lighting at the ramp parks
• Bait and tackle shops in Jensen Beach and Stuart
• Downtown Jensen Beach restaurants are a short drive west
• Bring your own light for night sessions

• Fish the bridge lights at night for snook in summer and fall.
• Dawn on the grass flats east of the bridge is best for trout and reds.
• The west side has stronger flow; the east side has a big grass bed.
• Winter pompano show on sandy edges near the channel.
• Avoid the ramps at weekend launch times; you may fish from the ramp docks only while no one is launching.
• Check lagoon water quality before long trips after big rains.

The causeway parks are managed by Martin County Parks and Recreation under county code.

• Causeway parks and fishing piers are open at all times unless the county closes them for safety
• County docks and boat ramps may be fished only while boaters are not using them
• County code bars chumming and blood baiting at causeway parks; in 2026 the FWC told the county such local fishing rules are preempted and the county is reviewing them, so follow the posted rules
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Snook, redfish and seatrout have their own rules; check FWC before keeping any
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything
• Release tarpon and goliath grouper as FWC rules require