Cast a net for the Sailfish Capital of the World
A temperate climate, pristine waterways and easy accessibility make Martin County a fisherman’s paradise. This easily accessible destination encompasses the communities of Port Salerno, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Indiantown, Jupiter Island, Hobe Sound and Hutchinson Island, offering beautiful beaches and 75+ parks – not to mention the most bio-diverse lagoon ecosystem in the Northern Hemisphere, the St. Lucie Inlet, all within two hours or less driving time of four international airports: Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando. Here, building restrictions have limited structures to four stories, preserving breathtaking views throughout the county, yielding Old Florida charm accented with Key West style.
If location is everything, when it comes to fishing, Martin County sits in the perfect spot, cushioned between the Gulf Stream to the east and Lake Okeechobee, the second-largest freshwater lake entirely within U.S. boundaries to the west. An angler’s dream, it is one of very few places in the world where, depending on the season, you can leave in the morning and return home the same day having boated a sailfish, snook and largemouth bass.
Martin County features water for every angling skill level, preference and style, with some potential world records swimming in the mix. The St. Lucie Canal runs through the heart of the county, connecting the ocean with the lake. The north and south forks of the St. Lucie River provide year round opportunities for tarpon, snook and a variety of other species. In Martin County, you can draw a circle on a map with a 10-mile radius and find within it 800 species of fish.
For any angling destination to be considered “World Class,” you need to have some big fish thrown in the mix. Besides being the “Sailfish Capital of the World,” some of the largest snook you can find anywhere in the world, and tarpon above 200 pounds can be found close enough to shore to make a long cast. The Indian River Lagoon is renowned for its large spotted seatrout, as anglers with local knowledge regularly target nine- and 10-pounders throughout the year.
Florida State Record permit have been caught just offshore as anglers have worked to bring 40-pounders to the boat on both fly and spinning tackle. For those anglers who like to sight fish, schools of 35- to 50-pound jack crevalle patrol the shoreline, stacking on top of each other and fighting for their shot at the lure.
The winter months offer prime fishing for whiting, bluefish and pompano. Jacks will always be mixed in, as will the occasional ladyfish. This is also the perfect time of year to spot spinner sharks jumping and twirling out of the water.
With a multitude of wrecks and more than 100 artificial reefs just offshore, snapper and grouper fishing is possible while remaining within sight of land. Just past some of those wrecks, the Continental Shelf drops off creating a ledge which attracts dolphin (mahi-mahi), wahoo, bonito and any number of an assortment of pelagic species cruising the weed lines.
Plan a trip to take part in one of the numerous year-round tournaments, many dedicated to helping local charities, or plan a trip to fish with one of the many seasoned fishing captains. Inshore, off-shore or nearshore, the choice is yours.