Complete Guide to Fort Pierce Fishing
Fort Pierce is one of the top fishing destinations in the world, located on Florida’s east coast in St. Lucie County, about 25 minutes south of Vero Beach. The Fort Pierce inlet is a well-known spot for swimming, surfing, and incredible fishing. Fort Pierce, Florida, offers ideal weather, a rich history, diverse thriving fish species, and comfortable fishing grounds.
Nicknamed the “Sunrise City,” Fort Pierce is known as one of the best places on Florida’s east coast to fish. This place has a healthy ecosystem and thousands of natural and artificial reefs nearshore for incredible bottom fishing, action-packed inshore fishing, and famous trophy bass fishing nearby. This beachside locale offers up unbeatable weather, a redeveloped historic downtown, and a perfect mix of fishing grounds.
The St Lucie area provides easy access to the Atlantic shorelines and its famous offshore waters.
In Fort Pierce, you find the prolific Indian River Lagoon full of popular fish, including snook, tarpon, and redfish. This waterbody is widely known for its serenity and splendid mangrove-lined shores, and it is home to numerous types of fish. Fort Pierce fishing offers fishermen of all skill levels a chance to experience a real Florida outdoor adventure.
At Fort Pierce, fishing and adventure go hand in hand, and it is one of the prominent Floridian fishery regions in the world. Popular fish species, including sea trout, snook, sailfish, grouper, snapper, dolphin or mahi-mahi, tarpon, redfish, and amberjack, all call Fort Pierce home. The beaches and lakes in Fort Pierce, Florida, are full of fish year-round.
Freshwater Fishing
Anglers can experience memorable Fort Pierce Fishing Trips all year round on various great lakes located nearby. The state of Florida is the perfect place to enjoy a fishing trip of a lifetime, catching famous trophy bass. Two legendary Florida Bass Fishing lakes close to Vero Beach are Stick Marsh and Lake Garcia, which provide visitors with unforgettable outdoor bass fishing adventures. These lakes provide about 10,000 acres of top-notch largemouth fishing.
Lake Istokpoga is one of the largest trophy bass-fishing lakes in the state. It is a beautiful fishery designated as a management and conservation area for fish and wildlife. Lake Kissimmee is also another beautiful, productive lake with endless wildlife and quality largemouth bass fishing. Just a short drive from Fort Pierce, you can experience one of the most legendary bass lakes in Florida, Lake Okeechobee.
On a fishing trip with an experienced local captain, anglers experience the action of endless numbers of trophy largemouth bass. Okeechobee City, the north end of famous Lake Okeechobee, is only 45 minutes from Fort Pierce.
Saltwater Fishing
Inshore Fishing
Fort Pierce offers some of the best inlet fishing in the state. The Atlantic coast of Florida is considered the Gulf Stream side, also known as Fort Pierce Harbor, which connects to the Intracoastal and continues up and down the entire state. The Fort Pierce Inlet is almost always full of fish throughout the year, and the grass flats, tidal creeks, docks, and bridges.
One of the most productive coastal fisheries to experience is the Indian River Lagoon system. Fishing charters here include light-tackle casting and live-bait fishing for popular Florida sport fish.
Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Mangrove Snapper, and Jack Crevalle are among the most popular and abundant species in the Indian River Lagoon and coastal waters. Hungry schools of bluefish and Spanish mackerel show up as the weather cools down. The inlets to the north and the cuts to the south in Fort Pierce provide numerous incredible fishing opportunities for anglers.
Saltwater fishing charters let you to explore scenic coastal waters. Your fishing guide will show you the beautiful islands and aquatic wildlife that inhabit this place.
Deep-sea Fishing
Deep-Sea fishing charters usually involve the open ocean, far from shore. An experienced fishing guide will carefully evaluate nautical charts and weather conditions to ensure a safe trip. The Gulf Stream curves towards the coastline near St. Lucie, meaning that anglers can reach the best deep-sea fishing destination in the state within only 10 miles of the shore.
This stream is one of the best spots in Florida to catch the acrobatic sailfish, where kite fishing for sailfish is a popular method among Fort Pierce offshore anglers.
During an offshore fishing charter, anglers can troll for sailfish and mahi-mahi, or bottom-fish for popular species such as grouper and snapper. A full-day deep-sea fishing trip provides anglers with the best opportunity to catch big sportfish such as mahi-mahi, wahoo, sailfish, kingfish, swordfish, and cobia.
This area has tons of adequate structures and reefs close to the shoreline. Bottom fishing and trolling will produce numerous good catches of reef fish, including snapper, grouper, Kingfish, Barracuda, Amberjacks, and Sharks. While going further offshore on deep-sea fishing, charter anglers can catch more Blackfin Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Yellowfin, Wahoo, Sailfish, and Blue Marlin.
Fishermen can catch giant swordfish in this area, but it usually requires traveling farther into deeper waters.
Top Saltwater Species In Fort Pierce, Florida
Snook
The snook fish is quite popular in Fort Pierce, Florida. It is the aggressive, hard-fighting fish you find along the Treasure Coast. Its firm nature allows it to adapt and survive in a variety of waterways. You can also see the snook fish in the Indian River Lagoon. They are fond of cruising around the mangroves, and you will always find them lurking around grass flats and mangrove trees.
These species are voracious eaters, and they are especially fond of dead baits. Some of their favorites include herring, sardines, and minnows. Be sure to bring a very sturdy fishing line. Your bait will also be dropped around 15-20 feet deep, and you might have to battle the current.
Sea Trout
The spotted seatrout, also known as spectacled trout, is considered a light-tackle game fish in Fort Pierce, Florida. Sea trout are not trout and are in the same family as redfish, black drum, and croaker. Fishing for sea trout is common in the flats of the Indian River Lagoon during the summer months. The spectacled trout eats various baitfish, but its favorites are soft lures and live shrimps for the best results.
Sailfish
Sailfish are popular around Gulf Stream curves near St. Lucie. They are long and have a beak-like mouth. Kite fishing for these species in the offshore waters of Fort Pierce is an exciting way to catch them. Kites make it easier for you to spread your bait across a broader range, and are likely to get a good catch.
Snapper and Grouper
These species are easily found in the nearshore waters of Fort Pierce. The Red snappers are the most popular species you will find near St Lucie. They not only grow to impressive sizes, but they are also delicious. Wherever you see Snappers, you’ll usually find Groupers nearby. You will also find many Scamps, Red, and Gag groupers close to an area holding tons of snapper.
A practical method to catching snapper and grouper is using live bait such as octopuses, squid, and sardines.
Fishing Charters
Fort Pierce, Florida, offers some of the best fishing opportunities on the Treasure Coast. Between the incredible bass fishing, inshore fishing on the Indian River, and offshore fishing in the Atlantic, Fort Pierce would be considered a paradise to fishermen. Fishing charters are the best way for avid anglers and fishermen to experience this incredible area with productive fishing and scenic views.
Fishing charters are essentially outside classrooms for anglers of every level to improve their fishing skills with a local captain. Guided fishing with a local charter captain will direct you to the best fishing spots, provide you with top-notch fishing gear, and offer you pieces of fishing advice. Going charter fishing in Fort Pierce will also allow you to explore coastal waters.
One of the lovely places to visit is the Indian River Lagoon system. Your captain always knows which fish are biting where.
Local Fort Pierce Captains & Guides
Meet the team of local Fort Pierce fishing guides, we know the best spots, baits, and techniques to give you the most outstanding fishing experience in Fort Pierce.
Best Fishing Spots In Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce Inlet Jetties
The inlet jetties at Fort Pierce are the places you need to go if you are looking to catch a big fish without a boat. Fishes like snooks, tarpons, mackerels, and even some shark species can be found there. If you get hungry, there are also various places around you that you could go to grab a meal.
Bear Point Sanctuary Fishing Pier
It’s an excellent spot to visit if you want to encounter fish like the snappers and mackerels. It is pretty significant and extends to about 100 feet into the Atlantic. You can also find departure points for kayakers there, so it also offers a fantastic fishing adventure.
Fort Pierce Inlet State Park
This spot is located precisely at the Fort Pierce Inlet. It is a prominent place where you can catch giant trouts, red fishes, flounders, and other exciting species. You can fish in a canoe or a kayak because it features a launch also. Fishing from land is also very possible at this location.
Fort Pierce City Marina
If you are looking to go for a nearshore adventure, this is the exact place to be. It offers many fishing charters, and it’s a straight shot to the hotspots. You wouldn’t need to navigate.
D.J. Wilcox Riverside Preserve Fishing Pier
If you are looking for a location that quickly gives direct access to the Indian waters, the D.J Wilcox riverside is where you should go. You can fish with a kayak in this location, and it also has wildlife and fantastic scenery.
Other Fishing Methods
Kayak fishing: As much as you can explore the Fort Pierce water bodies from a boat, you can try another alternative if you are an angler with some experience. There’s nothing more fun-filled than paddling your way through a fish-filled water body and enjoying some fantastic scenery.
The area is littered with fishing piers and parks. Visitors can easily rent fishing gear and fish from specified locations. This Florida destination is full of fishing piers near its beaches for a top-notch angling experience.
Area Things To Do
St. Lucie County is full of beautiful tropical beaches and a historic downtown perfect for water sports, world-class fishing, golf, and shopping. Visitors can enjoy snorkeling and diving the reefs just offshore of Peper Beach Park or the Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, or rent a jet ski or motorboat to cruise the Atlantic beaches.
This city is home to 10 craft breweries, a winery, and a cidery. St. Lucie is one of the few places in Florida where visitors can ride horses on the beach. The area of St. Lucie has botanical gardens, many trails and hiking spots, and various boat tours available to explore.
