Bear Point Sanctuary Fishing

Bear Point Sanctuary rewards a walk with a 450-foot fishing pier out over the Indian River Lagoon flats, in a quiet county preserve on South Hutchinson Island. It is a spot for anglers who like room to themselves and don't mind carrying their gear.

• A 450-foot fishing pier over the lagoon, plus a raised viewing tower
• An unpaved dike trail of about a mile, open to walkers and bikes
• Snook, seatrout, redfish and jacks, with sheepshead and drum in winter
• A covered picnic table at the end of the trail and a kayak launch at the entrance

The sanctuary is at 2601 South Ocean Drive (State Road A1A) on South Hutchinson Island, south of the Fort Pierce Inlet, on the lagoon side of the island. It is managed by the St. Lucie County Mosquito Control District.

• Getting there: follow South Ocean Drive south from Fort Pierce to the sanctuary entrance
• The walk: an unpaved dike trail, about a mile in all, leads west to the viewing tower, the pavilion and the pier; the long pier is roughly half a mile from the entrance
• Bikes are allowed on the dike trail, and bike racks are listed
• Entry: no fee is listed; follow any posted signs
• Hours: none are published for the sanctuary; St. Lucie County's code closes county parks and preserves from sunset to sunrise unless other hours are posted

Being close to the Fort Pierce Inlet gives this stretch of lagoon clean water, strong bait runs and a wide mix of fish.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook move onto the mangrove edges, seatrout and redfish feed on the flats, jacks arrive
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook and mangrove snapper early and late, tarpon passing through, ladyfish on the moving water
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, redfish and jacks crashing bait along the shore
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum, with pompano and bluefish on cooler days

Everything has to be carried or biked out, so pack one or two rods and a small tackle bag.

• Spotted seatrout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a small jig over the grass off the pier
• Snook and redfish: a 7-foot medium spinning rod, 20 lb braid and a 30 lb fluorocarbon leader with live shrimp, pilchards or a soft plastic along the edges
• Jacks, ladyfish and winter bluefish: a spoon or bucktail thrown into breaking bait
• Pompano: small pompano jigs or sand fleas bounced along sandy patches
• Sheepshead and black drum: shrimp or fiddler crabs on the bottom near the pilings
• A long-handled net for landing fish from the pier

The Atlantic has two tides a day, and this part of the lagoon is close enough to the Fort Pierce Inlet to feel them well.

• The incoming tide brings the clearest, saltiest water from the inlet
• The first hours of the outgoing pull bait off the flats and are good for snook and redfish
• The first and last hours of daylight are prime in the warm months
• Strong winds cloud the shallow lagoon; calm, clear days are best for sight fishing
• Winter cold fronts slow the bite; fish the calm afternoons after them

This is an open, exposed preserve, so plan ahead.

• The pier is about half a mile from the car along an open dike; carry water, sun protection and a charged phone
• There is little shade on the dike or the pier, and summer heat is serious
• Lightning builds fast over the lagoon on summer afternoons; start back at the first thunder
• Bring insect repellent; mangroves mean mosquitoes and biting flies
• Watch your footing on the unpaved dike after rain
• Accessibility: an unpaved dike trail of about half a mile to the pier, so it is hard going for wheelchairs and strollers

The facilities are simple and spread along the trail.

• A 450-foot fishing pier and a raised viewing tower
• A covered picnic table at the pavilion at the end of the trail
• A kayak launch at the front entrance
• Bike racks and educational signs
• No restrooms, bait shop, food or lights are listed; bring water, bait and everything you need

• A bike makes the dike trail far quicker with a rod and a bucket
• Go early; there is little shade on the pier by midday
• Fish the first two hours of the incoming for clean inlet water over the flats
• Watch for mullet schools and diving birds; snook and redfish follow the bait
• The county also invites anglers to fish along the impoundment, a change of scene from the pier
• Take all line and hooks home; this is a birding trail stop, and pelicans and herons feed here

Bear Point Sanctuary is managed by the St. Lucie County Mosquito Control District as part of its impoundment program, and the county lists fishing piers among its amenities.

• The county invites visitors to fish from the pier and along the impoundment
• County code closes county parks and preserves from sunset to sunrise unless other hours are posted
• Check the county's preserve closures page before you go
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Snook and tarpon have their own seasons and handling rules; check FWC
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything