Fishing Piers in Miami, FL

Miami is a great place to experience tons of fun in the sun. While some visitors and locals frequent the sandy beaches for tans or sandcastles, there’s another group hitting the shores for another reason entirely: fishing. And while the city of Miami may not have sandy beaches, North Miami and Miami Beach certainly do. For our purposes we’ll look at the entire Miami region for the best places to cast a line from the shore or pier.

Newport Fishing Pier

In North Miami Beach is the very popular Newport Fishing Pier. Located off A1A (or Collins Avenue if you want to map it out), this half-mile long pier has been a favorite fishing spot since it was originally built in the early 1980s. In 2013 the new pier opened and has hosted many anglers and visitors since. There is a small fee to fish the pier, and a bait and tackle shop is right there to sell or rent you the gear you may need. From Newport Pier you’ll be able to fish for spotted seatrout, bonita, tarpon, or pompano. Season dependent, pompano and spotted seatrout will make for great table fare. If you plan on bringing home your fresh catches, be sure to bring a cooler loaded down with ice. Tarpon and bonita will put up a much more aggressive fight when hooked up, as opposed to the aforementioned species. Though not edible, these are great sportfish to test your angling skills against.

Oleta River State Park Fishing Pier

Head west from Newport Pier and you’ll find the Intercoastal Waterway and Oleta River State Park. Even though this state park is right off the highway, when you explore the 1,043 acres you feel a world away. Bike trails and kayaking are favorite activities for those who visit. Anglers that cast a line in the surrounding waters can catch redfish, snook, spotted seatrout, pompano, and snapper from either the 90ft. pier, miles of shoreline, or even a kayak! Your best chances of hooking up on the notoriously hard fighting inshore species, tarpon and permit, will come from the shoreline. The park is open 365 days of the year and there is a small entry fee per vehicle.

Haulover Inlet

Travelling South on A1A will bring you to the Haulover area. Like the rest of Miami Beach, this barrier island is nestled between the Intercoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. On the Atlantic side is Haulover Park, where a mile and a half is designated as clothing optional, or nude beach. It’s the largest public nudist beach in the U.S. and attracts over a million visitors each year. You’ll find the anglers at the south side of the park near the inlet. The jetties will be the most productive fishing grounds. The swift current and underwater shelter provided by the jetties make for the perfect habitat for baitfish to congregate. And where you find baitfish, you can be sure there are gamefish nearby. Some of the popular species that anglers fishing these jetties target are jack crevalle, spanish mackerel, barracuda, and black drum.

South Pointe Park Pier, Government Cut

On Miami Beach a prime fishing location is at the tip of South Beach at Government Cut. Government Cut is a manmade waterway between Fisher Island and South Beach for cargo and cruise ships to access Port Miami. Anglers can fish this waterway to target snapper, grouper, and Spanish mackerel. The pier is a wooden structure designed to get you up close and personal with the fishing action. is a beautiful park that features walking paths, a playground, dog park, and artwork displayed throughout the 17-acres. This entire area is a great place for families to hang out, fish, and enjoy the beautiful scenery that Miami has to offer.

Rickenbacker Causeway Fishing Pier

The Old Rickenbacker Causeway highway is now a popular fishing spot. It’s the closest to the city of Miami, and only accessible from South bound lanes of 913. The causeway connects the city to Virginia Key and Key Biscayne across the Intercoastal waterways. The pier runs parallel with the causeway and is a great place to target jacks and pompano with shrimp. Or kayak close to the pier for more of the same. The nearby Hobie Beach is also known as Windsurfer Beach and is the only dog-friendly beach in the area, so there’s usually lots of visitors. Parking is free for both the beach and the pier.

Miami Shore Fishing

No matter where you find yourself casting a line in Miami, anglers between the ages of 16 and 65 must have a shoreline fishing license. Be sure to keep up to date with regulations before setting out. If you plan on bringing home the day’s catch, keep in mind any size or bag limits for the species caught. The fines for keeping undersized or out of season species can get expensive, on top of the harm that removing these species from the local population causes. To avoid maneuvering the ever changing rules and regulations, hire a professional Miami guide or charter. They’re always up to date on the current fishing regulations and will only have you harvesting legal fish. You can today on FishAnywhere. You’ll still be able to target those inshore species near the shore, or head out for an offshore adventure!