Lantana Bridge (Sportsman's Park) Fishing

Lantana Bridge (Sportsman's Park) is a town fishing pier under the west end of the East Ocean Avenue bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway, open around the clock. It is a classic Palm Beach County bridge spot for snook at night and sheepshead in winter.

• A fishing pier that spans Sportsman's Park and Bicentennial Park
• Open 24 hours a day for fishing, apart from town event closures
• Snook, snapper, sheepshead, jacks and black drum on the bridge pilings
• Three fish cleaning stations in the park

Sportsman's Park is at 320 East Ocean Avenue in downtown Lantana, at the west end of the bridge over the Lake Worth Lagoon, with Bicentennial Park across the road; both are run by the Town of Lantana.

• Getting there: take Ocean Avenue east from US 1 toward the bridge
• Parking: 37 metered car spaces (pay by ParkMobile) and 27 boat trailer spaces; trailer parking needs a town decal
• The pier: it runs under the bridge from Sportsman's Park to Bicentennial Park, and both parks have seawalls you may fish from
• Surface: a level pier and paved park paths
• Hours: both parks are open 24 hours, but after sunset only parking, the restrooms, the fishing pier and seawall fishing are allowed; the town closes them for events such as the Fourth of July

The Intracoastal here is deep, tidal and close enough to the Boynton Inlet to see ocean fish.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook moving toward the inlets, jacks, mangrove snapper starting, last of the pompano
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper on the pilings, snook and tarpon at night, jacks
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, tarpon and jacks under the bridge
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum on the pilings, pompano running the channel, bluefish on cold fronts

Bring a medium-heavy rod for the pilings and a light one for pompano and snapper.

• Snook: live shrimp or pilchards drifted along the bridge shadow line at night on a 3/0 circle hook and 40 lb leader
• Mangrove snapper: small live shrimp on a light knocker rig close to the pilings
• Sheepshead and black drum: fiddler crabs, shrimp or pieces of blue crab on a strong 1/0 hook tight to the structure
• Pompano: small pompano jigs bounced along the channel bottom in winter
• Jacks and tarpon: swimbaits and live mullet on heavier gear
• A bridge net or long-handled net is needed to lift good fish

The Lake Worth Lagoon has two tides a day, and the current runs hard under the bridge.

• The first and last hours of each tide are best, when the current eases enough to hold baits near the pilings
• The incoming tide brings clear, cooler water from the Boynton Inlet for snapper and pompano
• Night fishing under the bridge lights is the snook specialty
• Winter cold fronts push pompano, bluefish and sheepshead into the lagoon
• Heavy summer rain can dirty the water for a day

This is one of the more comfortable Intracoastal spots: a level pier in a small town park.

• Strong current under the bridge; never wade or swim here
• Boat traffic on the Intracoastal is steady, and the drawbridge opens for boats; keep lines clear of passing boats
• Watch for lightning with summer afternoon storms
• At night, bring a light and fish with a friend
• The level pier and paved paths suit wheelchairs and carts

The park is set up for anglers and boaters.

• A fishing pier spanning Sportsman's Park and Bicentennial Park, plus seawalls
• Three fish cleaning stations
• The town lists two boat ramps, but the FWC boat ramp inventory showed the ramp closed in September 2026, so check before towing a boat
• Restrooms, which the town keeps available after dark
• Picnic tables, a gazebo pavilion and a playground in Bicentennial Park
• No bait shop in the park; bring bait with you
• Restaurants and shops are a short walk away along Ocean Avenue

• Night is best for snook: fish the shadow line where the bridge lights meet dark water
• Carry a few fiddler crabs in winter for the sheepshead on the pilings
• Winter pompano run the channel; watch for them skipping in the boat wakes
• Parking is limited; arrive early on weekends
• Fish from the pier, not the bridge span: the county built the pier for anglers and has posted no cast netting signs at the bridge walkways
• A heavy sinker is often needed at mid-tide to hold bottom

The pier and parks are run by the Town of Lantana.

• Sportsman's Park and Bicentennial Park are open 24 hours; after sunset only parking, restrooms, the fishing pier and seawall fishing are allowed
• No alcoholic beverages in the parks; trailer parking requires a town decal
• Town code bans taking fish with any net larger than 8 feet across, and the county bans cast netting from the bridge walkways
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Snook and tarpon have their own seasons and release rules; check FWC before keeping any snook
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything