Convoy Point Jetty Fishing

Convoy Point Jetty is the shore-fishing spot at Biscayne National Park's mainland headquarters, where the park permits fishing from the jetty bridge over southern Biscayne Bay. It is a short, level walk from the visitor center and one of the easiest places in south Miami-Dade to wet a line.

• Fishing from the jetty bridge, which the park describes as wheelchair accessible
• Mangrove snapper, jacks, barracuda and snook along the rocks and grass edges
• No entrance fee, with restrooms at the visitor center by the trailhead
• Daytime hours only, so it suits a relaxed family morning rather than a night session

Convoy Point is on Biscayne Bay at the end of SW 328th Street (North Canal Drive), about 9 miles east of Homestead. The park entrance is just before the entrance to the county's Homestead Bayfront Park and its marina.

• Getting there: from Homestead, take SW 328th Street east to the end of the road; the park entrance is on the left
• Entry: Biscayne National Park charges no entrance fee
• Parking: a lot at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, with room for buses and RVs
• The walk: the Jetty Trail starts near the visitor parking area and is about half a mile out and back on pavement, boardwalk and compacted and loose gravel
• Hours: the grounds, Jetty Trail, kayak launch and picnic area open at 7 a.m. and close at 5:30 p.m.; the visitor center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

The jetty looks over shallow grass flats and mangrove shoreline in southern Biscayne Bay, so the catch is a typical bay mix that changes with the water temperature.

• Spring (Mar-May): mangrove snapper waking up, jacks and ladyfish chasing bait, snook along the rocks
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper at their best, barracuda over the flats, the odd tarpon rolling early in the day
• Fall (Sep-Nov): snook and jacks feeding on mullet, snapper still biting, seatrout on the grass
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead around the rocks, seatrout and ladyfish; a cold front slows everything for a day or two

Light to medium spinning tackle covers almost everything here: a 7-foot rod with 15-20 lb braid and a 20-30 lb fluorocarbon leader.

• Mangrove snapper: live or fresh shrimp on a 1/0 circle hook with a small split shot or a light knocker rig, dropped beside the rocks
• Snook, jacks and ladyfish: small bucktail jigs and soft plastic shrimp worked along the rocks and grass edges
• Seatrout: a shrimp or soft plastic under a popping cork over the grass
• Barracuda: tube lures or flashy spoons on a short wire bite leader
• A long-handled landing net helps from the bridge
• Cast nets are banned along the jetty and foot bridge, so bring your bait with you

Biscayne Bay has two tides a day, and they are small this far south, so it is water movement rather than height that matters.

• Fish the falling tide and the first of the rise, when water moves along the jetty and off the flats
• In summer the first hours after the 7 a.m. opening are the coolest and usually the best bite
• A light southeast breeze keeps the flats clear; a strong east wind stirs up the bay and dirties the water
• After a winter cold front, give the water a day or two to warm before expecting snook or snapper
• Calm, clear mornings are when you may spot tarpon rolling over the flats

This is one of the most accessible fishing spots in south Miami-Dade, but it is fully exposed to sun and storms.

• The park describes the jetty bridge as wheelchair accessible and the trail as level, though some of it is loose gravel
• There is little shade: bring water, a hat and sunscreen
• Summer thunderstorms build fast over the bay; walk back at the first thunder
• Mosquitoes and no-see-ums can be fierce in still, humid weather
• The end of the jetty is a designated bird sanctuary; give roosting birds room and never leave line or hooks behind
• Kayakers launch nearby, so check behind you before casting

The Dante Fascell Visitor Center at the trailhead covers the basics for a morning on the jetty.

• Restrooms, including accessible restrooms, and a water bottle-filling station
• Snacks, books and park information at the visitor center, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
• Picnic tables and grills in the picnic area
• A canoe and kayak launch
• No bait shop at Convoy Point; the county's Herbert Hoover Marina next door in Homestead Bayfront Park lists a bait and tackle shop, so check it is open before relying on it
• No lights on the jetty, which closes with the grounds at 5:30 p.m.

• Arrive at the 7 a.m. opening in summer; by midday the bay is hot and the bite slows.
• Bring bait from home or the marina next door: cast netting is not allowed on the jetty or foot bridge.
• Fish the rocks and grass edges rather than open sand; that is where snapper and snook hold.
• Ask the rangers at the visitor center which areas are closed to fishing before you set up.
• Pack out every scrap of line: terns, cormorants and shorebirds use the sanctuary at the end of the jetty.
• Plan around the 5:30 p.m. closing; there is no sunset session here.
• Homestead Bayfront Park next door is a separate county park with its own entrance fee and rules; the county lists fishing among its activities, so follow its posted signs if you move over there.

Convoy Point is run by the National Park Service as part of Biscayne National Park, and park rules apply on top of state fishing rules.

• Fishing is permitted from the jetty bridge; it is prohibited in the park headquarters boat basin, along the entrance road and at the northern end of the picnic area by the canoe launch
• Cast netting is prohibited along the Convoy Point Jetty and foot bridge, and blue land crabs may not be taken at Convoy Point
• Digging for bait and dumping bait or bait buckets into park waters are prohibited
• Goliath grouper, Nassau grouper, sawfish and many sharks are protected; release them at once
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt, and snook, tarpon and shore-based shark fishing carry extra FWC permit or tag rules
• Some limits inside the park are stricter than elsewhere; check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything