Middle Cove Beach Fishing

Middle Cove Beach is what the county calls a quaint, tranquil one-acre access on South Hutchinson Island: a paved strip of parking, a sand path and open beach on either side. It suits a surf angler who wants to park close and keep things simple.

• A one-acre county access with 12 paved spaces right off A1A
• Unguarded surf with room to spread two rods apart
• Pompano and whiting in the cooler months, snook and jacks in the fall run
• No facilities beyond the lot and the path

The access is at 4600 South Ocean Drive (A1A), with a Fort Pierce mailing address, and St. Lucie County manages it.

• From Fort Pierce, cross the South Causeway to the island and drive south on A1A
• The paved lot beside the road has only 12 spaces, so arrive early
• A short sand path runs east from the lot through low dune scrub to the upper beach
• Hours are dawn until dusk; county code closes county land, this access included, from sunset to sunrise (only the Waveland and Pepper Park beach accesses are exempt)
• The county lists no entry or parking fee
• The next county accesses are a short drive away if the lot is full

The surf here follows the Treasure Coast calendar, with the cooler months the busiest for bottom fish.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano and whiting hang on in the trough while Spanish mackerel and bluefish chase bait along the beach
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook patrol the first trough early in the morning, with jacks, ladyfish and whiting on calm mornings
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run pushes snook, crevalle jacks, bluefish and the occasional tarpon tight to the sand
• Winter (Dec-Feb): prime pompano months, with whiting, bluefish and blacktip sharks moving after cold fronts

A 10- to 12-foot surf rod with 15 to 20 lb line reaches the trough and the bar behind it.

• Pompano and whiting: a two-hook pompano rig with small circle hooks and a 3 to 5 oz pyramid or sputnik sinker, baited with sand fleas, clam or shrimp bought before you cross to the island
• Bluefish and Spanish mackerel: a silver spoon or diamond jig on a short wire or 40 lb fluorocarbon leader, thrown at working birds
• Snook and jacks: a white bucktail, a paddle-tail swimbait or a live mullet worked along the trough edge early in the morning
• Sharks: heavy tackle with a wire leader, and the free FWC shore-based shark permit
• A sand spike for each rod keeps lines out of the wash

This is open Atlantic surf with two highs and two lows a day; NOAA's nearest ocean-side station, at the Fort Pierce Inlet south jetty, predicts ranges of roughly 2 to 3.5 feet.

• The last two hours of the rising tide and the first hour of the fall usually fish the trough best
• Clean green water with a light swell suits pompano and whiting
• A stiff northeast wind throws a heavy shore break that makes it hard to hold bottom
• In winter, pompano and bluefish often show a day or two after a cold front passes
• Summer afternoons bring thunderstorms, so the early morning is the reliable window

The beach is unguarded, so fish with a partner when the surf is up.

• Rip currents form along the bars off Hutchinson Island; never wade past your knees to cast
• The county's lifeguards are posted at Pepper Park and Waveland Beach, not here
• Lightning: leave the sand at the first rumble of thunder
• Shuffle your feet in the wash for stingrays, and watch for Portuguese man-of-war after onshore winds
• Access: a paved lot, then a short path of soft sand with no boardwalk over the dune

Plan to be self-sufficient: the lot, the path and the beach are all there is.

• A paved lot with 12 spaces
• No restrooms, showers, drinking water or shade listed by the county
• No bait or tackle on site; the bait shops are back near the causeways, so stock up on the way
• Waveland Beach, farther south on A1A, has a restroom and lifeguards
• Bring a cart, a cooler and a bucket for bait

• Get there early: the lot is tiny, and the access is open only from dawn to dusk
• Walk a little north or south of the path to find darker water over a trough or a gap in the outer bar
• Keep a spoon rod rigged; bluefish and mackerel blitzes pass along this beach quickly
• Load a cart in one trip; the path is soft and there is no shade on the sand
• On a big swell, try the calmer hour around low tide for whiting in the near trough

Middle Cove Beach is a St. Lucie County beach access, and the county lists fishing among its amenities.

• Open dawn until dusk; county code closes county land, beach accesses included, from sunset to sunrise
• Dogs are not allowed on this beach; the county allows them only at Walton Rocks and Wild Cat Cove
• Digging or removing beach sand on county land is not allowed without a permit
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt, and shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit
• Snook and tarpon have their own FWC rules; read them before you keep or handle one
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything