Twin Rivers Park, Stuart Fishing

Twin Rivers Park is a quiet preserve park with a fishing pier on the water near the mouth of the St. Lucie River.

• A fishing pier on tidal water a short run from the St. Lucie Inlet
• Snook, mangrove snapper, sheepshead and redfish
• Restrooms, a pavilion and picnic areas
• Nature trails through scrub, home to protected gopher tortoises

The park is at 3505 SE Kubin Avenue, with a Stuart address, in the Port Salerno area east of US 1. Martin County runs it.

• Getting there: follow SE Kubin Avenue to the park entrance; the county's Maggy's Hammock Park is a short way south on the same road
• Parking: a paved loop lot at the end of the park drive; no fee is listed
• The walk: paved paths cross the big lawn to the pier, which runs along the shore at the park's north edge; the side trails are unpaved
• Hours: under the county's park code the grounds are open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. unless signs give other hours, while fishing piers stay open at all times; check the signs at the entrance
• Dogs are welcome under the county's BARK Ranger rules

Water from the nearby inlet mixes with the river and the lagoon here, so both inlet fish and lagoon fish turn up.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook on the move, jacks and ladyfish, the last of the sheepshead
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook at dawn and dusk, mangrove snapper around structure, the odd tarpon rolling
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, jacks and redfish along the shoreline
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the pier, seatrout on warmer days, pompano and bluefish passing through from the inlet

A medium spinning rod with 15-20 lb braid and a 30-40 lb fluorocarbon leader handles snook around structure; go lighter for the rest.

• Snook: live shrimp or pilchards, or soft-plastic swimbaits worked with the current
• Mangrove snapper: small live baits or cut shrimp on a light leader and a small hook
• Sheepshead and black drum: shrimp or fiddler crabs on a small knocker rig close to the pilings
• Seatrout and redfish: a popping cork with shrimp, or a gold spoon along the shoreline
• Jacks and ladyfish: small spoons and jigs when bait shows
• Bring a landing net; a snook lifted by the line often breaks off

The St. Lucie Inlet brings two Atlantic tides a day, and the water near the river mouth moves well.

• The incoming tide brings clearer, saltier water from the inlet and often the best bite
• The outgoing tide carries bait from the river; snook and jacks wait for it
• Dawn and dusk are prime, especially in summer
• Heavy rain and freshwater releases down the St. Lucie River can turn the water brown for days; fish the incoming then
• Winter cold fronts slow the bite, then sheepshead and drum feed on the calmer days after

The park is quiet, and the county lists it as wheelchair-accessible, with paved paths to the pier.

• Lightning builds on summer afternoons; leave the pier at the first thunder
• Boats pass on the nearby waterway; keep casts clear of them
• Gopher tortoises are protected; give them space and never disturb their burrows
• Bring insect repellent for dawn and dusk
• Bring water and sun protection
• Manatees and dolphins use these waters; never feed wildlife

Facilities are simple but cover the basics.

• Restrooms
• A pavilion, picnic areas, tables and park benches
• A fishing pier and water access
• Unpaved hiking and walking trails
• No bait shop in the park; buy bait before you arrive

• Time a session for the first half of the incoming tide, when inlet water pushes in
• Fish the pier pilings with fiddler crabs for winter sheepshead
• Check the rainfall and any river-release news; clearer water fishes better
• Walk the trail and look for gopher tortoises while you wait for the tide
• Bring a light rod too; snapper and trout bite best on light line and small hooks

Twin Rivers Park is a Martin County park.

• Follow the posted hours and rules, and stay on designated trails
• Under the county code, no cast net may be thrown onto seagrass from a county park
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Snook and tarpon have their own seasons, permits and handling rules; check FWC
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything