Veterans Park at Rivergate Fishing

Veterans Park at Rivergate puts a lighted boardwalk along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River, in Port St. Lucie.

• A riverwalk boardwalk through natural habitat, with fishing permitted
• Snook along the lights and shadows, plus jacks, ladyfish and juvenile tarpon
• Sheepshead and black drum around structure in winter
• ADA restrooms, pavilions, grills and three boat ramps

The park is at 2200 SE Veterans Memorial Parkway in Port St. Lucie, on the North Fork of the St. Lucie River. The City of Port St. Lucie Parks and Recreation Department runs it.

• Getting there: the entrance is on SE Veterans Memorial Parkway in Port St. Lucie
• Parking: lit car and trailer parking beside the boat ramps
• The walk: a path through the mangroves leads from the lot to the riverwalk boardwalk, which runs about 4,300 feet along the river to Tom Hooper Park
• Size: 21.5 acres
• Hours: the city lists the park, the boardwalk and the three ramps as open 24/7; follow any posted signs

The North Fork is a brackish river, and what bites depends on the season and on how salty the water runs.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook moving up the river, jacks and ladyfish
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook at dawn, dusk and under the lights, juvenile tarpon rolling, mangrove snapper around structure
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, jacks and tarpon after the bait
• Winter (Dec-Feb): snook shelter in the river on cold snaps; sheepshead and black drum around pilings
• Year-round: catfish on cut bait; redfish and seatrout turn up when the water is salty

A medium spinning rod with 15-20 lb braid and a 30-40 lb fluorocarbon leader handles snook around structure; go lighter for the rest.

• Snook: live shrimp, pilchards or finger mullet, or soft-plastic swimbaits and jerkbaits worked along the light and shadow lines
• Jacks and ladyfish: small spoons, jigs and topwater plugs
• Juvenile tarpon: small swimbaits or live shrimp at dawn and dusk in summer
• Mangrove snapper: small live baits or cut shrimp near structure
• Sheepshead and black drum: shrimp or fiddler crabs on a small knocker rig by the pilings
• Bring a long-handled net; the boardwalk sits above the water

The North Fork is tidal, with two tides a day from the Atlantic, but this far from the St. Lucie Inlet the range is small and rain often matters more than the tide.

• Moving water on either tide is best; slack water is slow
• Fishing the boardwalk lights in the evening is a classic snook approach in the warm months
• Dry spells bring saltier, clearer water and better fishing
• Heavy rain freshens and darkens the river, pushing saltwater fish downstream
• Cold fronts slow the bite; snook tuck into the river on the coldest days

Lit parking beside the ramps, a 10-foot-wide boardwalk with lighting and handrails, and ADA restrooms make the park suitable for most anglers.

• Keep lines and casts clear of boats using the three ramps
• A handicapped boat entry lift is available through park staff
• Lightning builds on summer afternoons; leave the boardwalk at the first thunder
• Alligators can turn up in the river; keep children and pets back from the edge
• Bring insect repellent for evenings by the river
• Manatees use the river in winter; watch for them and never feed wildlife

Veterans Park at Rivergate is well equipped.

• A lighted riverwalk boardwalk through natural habitat, with fishing
• ADA unisex restrooms
• A large pavilion and three smaller family pavilions, with grills
• Three boat ramps with lit car and trailer parking
• The Pearl Harbor Memorial Monument and free Wi-Fi
• No bait shop is listed in the park; buy bait before you arrive

• The boardwalk is lit and open around the clock; after dark in the warm months, snook feed along the lights
• Work the shadow line, where lit water meets dark water, rather than the bright middle
• Check recent rainfall; clear, salty water after a dry spell fishes best
• Fish the first of the outgoing tide, when bait drains past the boardwalk
• Bring live shrimp; it catches nearly everything in the river
• Handle snook gently and release them quickly at the water

Veterans Park at Rivergate is a City of Port St. Lucie park.

• The city lists the park and boardwalk as open 24/7 and fishing as permitted; follow any posted rules
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt; freshwater fish also turn up, which need a freshwater license
• Snook and tarpon have their own seasons, permits 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