Fishing spots in Miami-Dade County

Miami-Dade County's coast runs from the high-rise beaches of Sunny Isles and Miami Beach down past Key Biscayne into Biscayne Bay, a warm, clear, tropical shoreline only a few miles from the Gulf Stream. Shore anglers fish city piers, the rock-lined inlets at Haulover and Government Cut, and bay seawalls on Key Biscayne, catching a mix you will not find further north: mangrove and yellowtail snapper, barracuda, snook and tarpon in the inlets, winter runs of Spanish mackerel and bluefish, and pelagics such as kingfish off the ocean piers. The old Rickenbacker Causeway fishing pier has been closed since 2024, so Newport Fishing Pier, South Pointe Pier, Haulover Inlet and the Bill Baggs seawall carry most of the county's public shore fishing.

Sunny Isles and Haulover

• Character: open Atlantic beach and the hard-running Bakers Haulover Cut
• What it suits: ocean pier fishing at Newport Fishing Pier; snook and tarpon in the inlet
• Access: Collins Avenue (A1A); pier fee for non-residents, Haulover Park parking fee

Miami Beach and Government Cut

• Character: deep shipping channel beside South Pointe Park
• What it suits: snapper, jacks and night-tide snook from South Pointe Pier
• Access: paid city parking, flat accessible pier

Key Biscayne and Biscayne Bay

• Character: clear bay water, seawalls and flats off the tip of the key
• What it suits: snapper, barracuda, sheepshead from the Bill Baggs seawall; flats wading for experienced anglers
• Access: Rickenbacker Causeway toll, state park entrance fee, daytime hours only

Season	Likely species (shore)	Notes
Spring (Mar–May)	Kingfish, cobia, blue runners, jacks, mangrove snapper	Pelagics pass the ocean piers on the northbound run
Summer (Jun–Aug)	Mangrove snapper, snook, tarpon, barracuda	Fish dawn and dusk; afternoon storms are daily
Fall (Sep–Nov)	Snook, tarpon, jacks, bluefish	The mullet run is the year's big event in the inlets
Winter (Dec–Feb)	Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, sheepshead	Cold fronts trigger runs for a day or two

• Light spinning outfit (10–15 lb braid) for snapper, runners and mackerel
• Medium-heavy outfit (20–30 lb braid, 40–50 lb leader) for snook and inlet fishing
• Knocker rigs with egg sinkers for snapper in current
• Spoons and small plugs on wire for mackerel and bluefish
• Live pilchards, shrimp and mullet are the top baits; sabikis catch runners for live bait
• Carry a pier net or drop net everywhere; seawalls and piers sit high

• Atlantic tides are semidiurnal, two highs and two lows a day, with a range of roughly two to three feet
• Inlets (Haulover, Government Cut) run very hard mid-tide; fish the changes
• The incoming brings clean, clear ocean water; the outgoing carries bay water and bait
• Southeast trade winds are normal; a northeast swell muddies the beaches and makes inlets dangerous
• Summer heat pushes the best fishing to dawn, dusk and night where hours allow

• Summer lightning arrives fast in the afternoon; leave at the first rumble
• Inlet currents are deadly; never wade or swim at Haulover or Government Cut
• Heavy boat and ship traffic in the inlets and channels
• Rip currents on the ocean beaches
• Heat and sun year-round; carry water
• Parking is paid almost everywhere; state and county parks keep daytime hours

• Newport Fishing Pier is the county's main ocean pier now that the Rickenbacker pier is closed.
• Fish South Pointe Pier at dawn before the crowds.
• Time Haulover for the tide changes and the fall mullet run.
• Bill Baggs opens at 8 a.m.; the first hours are the best on the seawall.
• Buy live bait at Haulover's marina shop or catch pilchards on a sabiki.
• Keep snook and tarpon in the water when releasing them.
• Check the weather over the Everglades in summer; storms come from the west.
• Respect swimmers, surfers and divers; they share every spot.

• Broward County – ocean piers at Dania Beach, Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach, and the Port Everglades jetty
• Monroe County – the Florida Keys' bridges and flats, just south of the mainland

• 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 still fish the Rickenbacker Causeway fishing pier?
  • No. Miami-Dade County closed the old fishing pier in 2024 for safety reasons and is studying a replacement; fishing is also not allowed on the Bear Cut bridge.
• Where can I fish at night?
  • Newport Fishing Pier stays open until 9 p.m.; state and county parks generally keep daytime hours, so check posted signs.
• Is shark fishing allowed from shore?
  • Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit and specific gear and handling; some piers ban it outright.
• What is the best month?
  • October and November, during the mullet run, for snook, tarpon and jacks in the inlets.

Area	Coast character & access	Best species	Prime season	Go-to methods	Key safety notes	Facilities
Sunny Isles & Haulover	Ocean pier and hard-running inlet; paid parking	Mackerel, kingfish, snook, tarpon	Fall and winter	Spoons, live bait, bucktails	Inlet current, boat traffic	Pier restaurant, marina bait shop
Miami Beach (Government Cut)	Deep channel beside a city pier	Mangrove snapper, jacks, snook	Summer and fall	Knocker rigs, live pilchards	Ship wakes, crowds	Park restrooms, cafe
Key Biscayne	Bay seawall in a state park	Snapper, barracuda, sheepshead	Year-round	Shrimp on light leader, chum	Unrailed wall edge, heat	Restrooms, restaurants