Leighton Park, Palm City Fishing

Leighton Park sits at the foot of the Palm City Bridge, where the South Fork of the St. Lucie River is tidal and brackish. It pairs a county fishing pier with bridge structure and shoreline that hold snook and sheepshead.

• A fishing pier listed by the county's tourism site, beside a boat ramp park
• Bridge pilings, dock shade and river current close at hand
• Snook, sheepshead and mangrove snapper are the main draws
• Restrooms, picnic tables and a walking path make it easy for a family trip

The park is in Palm City, on the southwest side of the Palm City Bridge, and Martin County runs it.

• Getting there: follow the Palm City Bridge road to the park entrance at the bridge's southwest foot
• Parking: a paved lot serves the park and the boat ramp; the boat ramp is posted with a daily parking fee, so check the signs for what applies on foot
• Hours: the boat ramp is listed as sunrise to sunset, so plan to fish in daylight
• Surface: paved and level from the lot to the water, with a walking path along the shore
• A recent renovation rebuilt the ramp, floating docks and piers, so walk the shoreline to see which are for fishing

The South Fork is a tidal river, so the catch changes with salinity and season.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook move back toward the bridge and docks; sheepshead linger on the pilings; seatrout on the grass edges
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook at dawn and dusk, mangrove snapper, jacks and ladyfish
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook and jacks to the bridge, and redfish show along the shoreline
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the pilings and docks, with seatrout on warm afternoons

Light to medium spinning gear is plenty here.

• Snook: live shrimp, pilchards or finger mullet on 20 to 30 lb leader, or a white bucktail jig near the bridge shadow
• Sheepshead: a small hook, 1/0 or smaller, with fiddler crab, oyster or shrimp worked right along the pilings
• Mangrove snapper: small live shrimp on a knocker rig with 15 lb leader
• Seatrout: a live shrimp under a popping cork or a soft plastic on a 1/8 oz jig head
• Dawn and dusk: a bait or lure drifted along the bridge shadow line

The tide here is the Atlantic's, two highs and two lows a day, but it is muted this far up the river.

• Fish the first two hours of the outgoing tide, when bait is pulled past the bridge
• Slack water is slow; wait for the water to move
• After heavy rain or river releases the water turns tea-colored and fresher, and the saltwater species move downstream
• Dawn and dusk are best in warm months, and the ramp is posted sunrise to sunset, so check the signs before fishing after dark
• Strong east wind against an outgoing tide chops the water

The park is level and paved, but it is also a busy boat ramp.

• Keep your cast away from the ramp lanes and the floating docks
• Watch for boat wakes and trailer traffic in the lot
• Leave the water at the first thunder in summer storms
• Handle catfish and sheepshead carefully; both have sharp spines
• Shade is limited, so bring water and sun protection
• Access: no stairs between the lot and the shoreline, so it suits wheelchairs and young anglers

Services come with the county boat-ramp park.

• Restrooms
• Picnic tables and grills, a playground and a walking path
• Gazebos added in the recent renovation
• Palm City's chamber of commerce and a rowing club also use the park
• No bait shop was confirmed at the park, so buy bait and ice on the way in

• Arrive early on weekends before the boat ramp fills with trailers
• Pilings under the bridge shade hold sheepshead; use a heavy sinker and keep your line tight
• Check the river color before you go, since heavy rain and discharges change what bites
• Bring a long-handled net if you plan to land a snook from the pier
• A short drive east puts you at the Stuart shoreline if the river is running muddy
• The county's tourism site lists a fishing pier, but read posted signs for which piers are for fishing

Leighton Park is managed by Martin County Parks and Recreation.

• The boat ramp is posted sunrise to sunset with a daily parking fee, so check the signs for hours and fees
• Fishing from boat docks is not allowed while a boat is being launched or retrieved
• Follow any signs on the new piers about which are open to fishing
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• The FWC's Indian River Lagoon region has release rules for redfish; check FWC
• Snook and tarpon have their own rules; check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything