Newport Fishing Pier

Newport Fishing Pier stands in Pier Park, Sunny Isles Beach, and is the go-to ocean pier in northern Miami-Dade. It reaches out past the surf into clear water where pelagic fish pass on their seasonal runs.

• A true ocean pier with a chance at kingfish, cobia and tarpon from the end
• Winter mackerel, bluefish and runners for steady action
• A managed deck with clear, posted rules and staff
• Walking the pier is free for sightseers

The pier sits at 16501 Collins Avenue, at Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard, in the city's Pier Park.

• Getting there: follow A1A (Collins Avenue) to Sunny Isles Beach Boulevard; the pier is on the ocean side.
• Parking: a small metered lot at Pier Park with a couple of dozen spaces plus accessible bays; meters are enforced around the clock.
• Walk: short and flat from the lot onto the deck, then out past the yellow line to the fishing area.
• Hours: noon to 9 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and weekends; check the city's schedule before you go.
• Transit: the city's community shuttle serves Pier Park.

Being close to clean, open water gives the pier a mix of beach and pelagic fish.

• Spring (Mar–May): kingfish and cobia on the northbound migration, blue runners, Spanish mackerel early
• Summer (Jun–Aug): snook along the beach, tarpon early in the day, jacks, barracuda
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the mullet run brings snook, tarpon, jacks and bluefish; kingfish return
• Winter (Dec–Feb): Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano in the surf, little tunny passing the end

Most anglers fish a light rod for mackerel and runners and keep a heavier one rigged for a pelagic, within the pier's gear rules.

• Spanish mackerel and bluefish: 1/2–1 oz spoons or small jigs with single hooks on a short wire tippet, retrieved fast
• Kingfish: live blue runner on a single-hook wire rig under a float, fished from the end; treble-hook stingers, trolley rigs and kites are not allowed here
• Pompano: pompano jigs worked slowly along the bottom toward the surf line, or sand fleas on a double-dropper rig with a 2–4 oz pyramid sinker
• Cobia: bucktail jig or live bait ready for a sight shot
• Heavy fish cannot be lifted by the line; ask pier staff about landing gear, as hoop and frame nets are banned for fishing.

Atlantic tides here are two a day (semidiurnal), with a range of about two to three feet.

• Moving water fishes better than slack; the incoming often brings the cleanest water
• Early mornings on the 7 a.m. days are best for mackerel and runners; evenings until closing for snook and tarpon in summer
• Light southeast wind and clear green water are ideal; a strong northeast swell dirties the water and pushes weed
• Winter cold fronts trigger bluefish and mackerel runs for a day or two after they pass

The pier is flat, railed and easy to use.

• Accessible parking bays and a flat walk from the lot onto the deck
• Surfers and swimmers use the beach alongside; do not cast toward them
• No sitting or climbing on the railings, and no jumping from the pier
• Lightning from summer afternoon storms; get off the pier early
• Strong sun with little shade; water and sunscreen are essential
• Rip currents run along this beach; never go into the water after a fish

The city provides good basics.

• Restrooms and showers at the pier, open daily from early morning to evening
• A lifeguard station on the beach and bike racks
• A restaurant at the pier, and a pier shop that rents rods
• Fish-cleaning tables and monofilament recycling bins; bait cutting and cleaning only at the cleaning stations
• No fishing after the 9 p.m. closing
• Bait at the pier can be limited; bring frozen shrimp or squid as a backup

• Stay east of the yellow line when fishing, or staff will move you.
• Three rods per person maximum; set up tidy.
• Swap trebles on plugs and spoons for single hooks before you walk out.
• Watch for bait showers at the end; that is the signal for mackerel and kings.
• Bring a small sabiki to catch runners for live bait.
• On Monday, Wednesday and Friday the pier does not open until noon, so plan an evening session.

Newport Fishing Pier is operated by the City of Sunny Isles Beach.

• Fishing only east of the yellow line; three-rod limit per person
• No cast, hoop or frame nets; no snatch hooks, kite or shark fishing; no yo-yos, hand lines or treble-hook fishing; no trolley rigs or oversized reels; keep well away from sea turtles
• No pets, bikes, alcohol, glass, plastic straws, Styrofoam or smoking; no trespassing outside park hours
• Fishing fee for non-residents, free for residents with a city ID card; walking the pier is free
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt or the pier's own license covers you; ask at the pier
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything