Fishing spots in Martin County

Martin County sits where the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie River meet the St. Lucie Inlet, backed by the quiet beaches of Hutchinson Island and Jupiter Island. Shore anglers here mostly fish the lagoon: the Jensen Beach and Stuart causeways put you on bridge pilings, grass flats and channel edges holding snook, snapper, sheepshead, seatrout and redfish, with winter pompano runs through the lagoon. The ocean beaches offer surf fishing for pompano and whiting away from guarded areas, but Bathtub Reef Beach is a protected, lifeguarded swimming beach where fishing is restricted. Water quality in the lagoon can suffer after heavy rain and lake releases, so check conditions.

Jensen Beach

• Character: causeway parks, a fishing pier and grass flats in the Indian River Lagoon
• What it suits: snook, seatrout, redfish and snapper; family trips
• Access: free county parking at the causeway parks

Stuart and Sewall's Point

• Character: the Ernest F. Lyons Bridge causeway close to the St. Lucie Inlet
• What it suits: snook, sheepshead, jacks and winter pompano
• Access: free parking at the causeway boat-ramp park; rocky shoreline in places

Hutchinson Island beaches

• Character: Atlantic surf beaches and near-shore reef
• What it suits: winter pompano and whiting in the surf, away from guarded swimming areas
• Access: county beach parks; Bathtub Reef Beach is for swimming, not fishing

Season	Likely species (shore)	Notes
Spring (Mar–May)	Snook, seatrout, jacks, redfish	Lagoon flats warm up
Summer (Jun–Aug)	Snook, mangrove snapper, tarpon	Night fishing around bridge lights
Fall (Sep–Nov)	Snook, jacks, ladyfish, tarpon	Mullet run through the lagoon and inlet
Winter (Dec–Feb)	Pompano, sheepshead, black drum, seatrout	Pompano in the lagoon and surf

• Medium spinning tackle with 30–40 lb leader for snook around bridges
• Live shrimp, pilchards and finger mullet are top baits
• Soft plastics, gold spoons and topwater for seatrout and redfish on the flats
• Small pompano jigs for winter pompano
• Fiddler crabs for sheepshead

• Ocean tides are semidiurnal, about two to three feet; inside the lagoon the tide is much smaller away from the St. Lucie Inlet
• Wind often moves lagoon water more than the tide
• The incoming brings clean inlet water to the causeways
• Heavy rain and Lake Okeechobee releases can darken the lagoon and slow fishing

• Boat traffic around causeway ramps and bridges
• Fast road traffic along the causeways
• Stingrays on the flats; shuffle your feet when wading
• Summer lightning and heat
• Fishing is restricted on guarded beaches during guarded hours; check current county rules

• Fish bridge lights at night for summer snook.
• Dawn on the grass flats is best for seatrout and redfish.
• Check lagoon water quality reports after heavy rain.
• Winter pompano run through the lagoon; watch for skipping fish.
• Bring fiddler crabs for winter sheepshead.
• Avoid boat ramps at weekend launch times.
• Surf fish the Hutchinson Island beaches well away from lifeguard stands.

• St. Lucie County – Fort Pierce Inlet and its jetties to the north
• Palm Beach County – Jupiter Inlet and Juno Beach Pier to the south

• Do I need a fishing license?
  • A Florida saltwater fishing license is needed unless you are exempt, or you fish from a pier whose own license covers visitors (ask at the pier). Check the FWC website for current rules.
• Can I fish at Bathtub Reef Beach?
  • It is a protected, lifeguarded swimming beach, and fishing is restricted there; fish the causeways or other beaches instead.
• Where is the best shore snook fishing?
  • Around the Jensen Beach and Stuart causeway bridges at night on moving tide; check FWC seasons.
• Does lagoon water quality affect fishing?
  • Yes; after heavy rain or lake releases the water can turn dark and fishing slows.
• Is shark fishing allowed from the beaches?
  • Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit, and Martin County is revising its beach fishing rules; check current rules.

Area	Coast character & access	Best species	Prime season	Go-to methods	Key safety notes	Facilities
Jensen Beach	Causeway parks and lagoon flats; free parking	Snook, seatrout, redfish	Spring to fall	Live shrimp, soft plastics	Boat traffic, stingrays	Restrooms, pier, ramps
Stuart Causeway	Bridge and channel near the inlet	Snook, sheepshead, pompano	Summer nights, winter	Live bait, jigs, fiddler crabs	Road traffic, rocks	Ramp, basic parking
Hutchinson Island beaches	Atlantic surf and reef	Pompano, whiting	Winter	Sand fleas, jigs	Rip currents, guarded areas	County beach parks