FISHING GUIDE · STUART, FLORIDA

Stuart & the Treasure Coast Fishing Guide

Stuart is known for winter sailfish, caught by trolling or kite fishing a few miles off the St. Lucie Inlet. Inside, the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon hold snook, trout and tarpon, and the inlet itself is a well-known snook spot. Martin County is in FWC's Indian River Lagoon region, where redfish are catch-and-release only.

📍 Stuart, the county seat of Martin County, on Florida's southeast Atlantic coast. Boats reach the ocean through the St. Lucie Inlet; the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon meet behind the inlet. St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park sits on the south side of the inlet and is reached only by boat.

📅 Florida Fishing Calendar — best months, closed seasons, bait & rigs →

Map: spots, ramps and marinas

★ Fishing hot spot · ● Boat ramp · ● Marina · ▭ Protected area (solid red = no fishing, dashed = fishing with rules)

Open the full Florida Atlantic Coast map →

Quick facts

Stuart calls itself the 'Sailfish Capital of the World.' A Miami Herald writer first used the phrase in a 1938 column after a week when an estimated 1,000 sailfish were caught off the St. Lucie Inlet; the city adopted the slogan in 1957.
The Stuart Sailfish Club was chartered in 1941.
Martin County's tourism office puts the Gulf Stream about 5 to 8 miles offshore, due east of the St. Lucie Inlet.
Florida's natural reef tract reaches its northern end in Martin County.
The St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park boundary runs about a mile offshore and is marked by buoys; spearfishing is not allowed inside it.

What you can catch

Sailfish
Main offshore draw; best in winter, often after cold fronts. Minimum 63 inches if kept.
Snook
St. Lucie Inlet, river forks, docks and bridges; spring, summer and fall.
Spotted seatrout
Indian River Lagoon grass beds; closed Nov 1 - Dec 31 in this region.
Tarpon
Summer fish in the inlet and river; catch-and-release only.
Kingfish and mahi (dolphin)
Offshore in winter and spring.
Pompano and bluefish
Beaches and inlet in the cooler months.
Snapper and grouper
Nearshore reefs such as Six Mile and Eight Mile Reef.
Redfish
Present in the lagoon, but catch-and-release only in the Indian River Lagoon region.

Month by month

January	Peak sailfish time; kingfish, pompano and bluefish. Snook closed until Jan 31.
February	Sailfish after cold fronts; snook reopens Feb 1.
March	Sailfish tapering; snook and pompano.
April	Snook, mahi and kingfish; sailfish still around.
May	Snook open through May 31; mahi offshore.
June	Snook closed (Atlantic) June 1 - Aug 31, catch-and-release only; tarpon and mahi.
July	Tarpon, mahi, snapper; snook closed.
August	Summer reef fishing; snook closed through Aug 31.
September	Snook reopens Sept 1.
October	Fall snook, flounder and redfish (release reds). Atlantic red snapper state season Oct 9-22, 2026.
November	Trout closed in the Indian River Lagoon Nov 1 - Dec 31; sailfish start to show.
December	Sailfish season builds; snook closes Dec 15.

Tips

Sailfish are often caught by trolling dead baits in about 80 to 160 feet of water a few miles out, or by kite fishing live baits.
St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park is boat-access only; anchor with care near the reef and do not spearfish inside the buoys.
Remember that Martin County is in the Indian River Lagoon region: no redfish may be kept, and trout limits are tighter than farther south.
Check FWC's Martin County manatee protection zone maps before running the river and lagoon.
If you keep a sailfish, it must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours; in federal waters you also need a federal HMS Angling Permit.

Rules and license

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC); NOAA Fisheries (federal waters, billfish); Florida State Parks · Official rules page ↗

Florida saltwater fishing license required unless exempt (under 16, Florida residents 65+, or fishing from a licensed charter/guide boat, among others). Florida residents fishing only from shore can get a free shoreline license. A snook permit is also needed to keep snook.
Redfish (Indian River Lagoon region, New Smyrna Beach to the Martin-Palm Beach line): catch-and-release only.
Spotted seatrout (Indian River Lagoon region): 15-19 inch slot, 2 per person, none over 19 inches; closed Nov 1 - Dec 31.
Snook (Atlantic): 28-32 inch slot, 1 per person; closed Dec 15 - Jan 31 and June 1 - Aug 31.
Sailfish: 63-inch lower jaw fork length minimum, 1 billfish per person per day; federal HMS Angling Permit needed in federal waters; landed billfish reported to NOAA within 24 hours.
Atlantic red snapper 2026: state season Oct 9-22, 1 per person; State Reef Fish Angler designation and FWC app trip declaration required.
Tarpon: catch-and-release only; fish over 40 inches stay in the water unless you hold a tarpon tag.
Manatee protection zones: FWC rule 68C-22.024 (Martin County).

Rules change. Always check the official page before you fish.

Boat ramps and marinas

The map above shows 10 boat ramps and 8 marinas from OpenStreetMap. Tap any dot for directions.

Boat ramp near Rocky Point Cove
Castaways Marina
Jensen Beach Boat Rentals
Manatee Marina
Manatee Pocket Mooring Field
Mariner Cay Marina
Outrigger Harbour
Pirate's Cove Resort & Marina
Sailfish Marina

Sources

Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every number on this page comes from the sources listed above.