A Merritt Island fishing adventure on Florida’s Space Coast offers plenty of action for families and experienced anglers alike. Not only is it surrounded by the Atlantic, it’s also home to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, a hotspot for a ton of inshore species.
If it’s backcountry saltwater fishing you’re after, this is where you want to be. The Indian River, Mosquito, and Banana River Lagoon make up the Refuge and are home to a diverse ecosystem of mangrove shorelines, shallow grass flats, and creeks. As a result, it’s one of Florida’s best Redfish, Snook, Seatrout, and Tarpon fisheries! If offshore fishing is more your game, there’s plenty of Cobia, Mahi Mahi, and Sailfish to hook in the productive Atlantic.
The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge spans over 140,000 acres. There are tons of accessible areas to cover, so if you’ve got the time for a full day trip, go for it. If there’s a specific fish or area you’d like to explore, a half day trip is just as productive. Big game fishing in the Atlantic really gets going between 10 and 30 miles out, so make sure to account for travel time when choosing your trip.
There are several boat ramps in the Refuge, which provide easy access to productive inshore fishing grounds. For offshore trips, you’ll likely head out of Cape Canaveral, located about a 20-minute drive away.
Rules & Regulations
If you’re fishing in the Refuge make sure to book with a captain who has an annual Commercial Permit. You’ll also need to sign a self-issuing permit that you can print out online. There are quite a few regulations to be aware of when fishing here, so it’s worth reading the government issued guidelines before heading out.