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10 Best Fishing Spots in Miami 

10 Best Fishing Spots in Miami 

Great weather, unforgettable beaches, and fantastic fishing spots are among Miami’s highlights, which you shouldn’t miss if you’re planning to visit this magical city.

You won’t even have to leave the city to reel in a trophy catch since some of the best fishing spots in Miami are only a few miles away from the city’s downtown area.

Still, chartering a boat is the best way to make the most of your fishing trip to Miami, as you can explore different spots in Biscayne Bay or try your luck at one of the shipwrecks along Elliott and Sands Keys.

Let’s go through some of the best fishing spots in Miami that should be on your must-visit list and see what they offer.

Top Fishing Spots in Miami at a Glance

Here’s an overview of the top fishing spots in Miami:

  • Best for offshore fishing: Biscayne Bay
  • Best for sharks: Haulover Inlet and Beach Park
  • Best for grunts: Oleta River State Park
  • Best for kayak fishing: Bill Baggs Cape State Park

10 Best Fishing Spots in Miami in Detail

The Airport Lakes

The Airport Lakes fishing spot image

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You can start exploring some of the most popular fishing spots moments after you land at Miami International Airport. The Airport Lakes area comprises several small lakes, including the famous Blue Lagoon, Palmer Lake, and Lake Mahar.

Aside from angling from the shore, you can also charter a boat or rent a kayak to explore fishing spots you can’t reach from the coast.

The statewide bag limits apply to all lakes in the area, but you should still consult locals familiar with angling at these lakes about the fishing regulations before heading out to the water.

Type of fishing: Boat fishing, kayak fishing, freshwater fishing

Expect to find: Largemouth bass, butterfly peacock bass

Rules and safety guidelines: Navigating the lakes and the canals connecting them without a guide is difficult.

 

Biscayne Bay

Biscayne Bay best fishing spot image

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Arguably one of Miami’s most scenic fishing destinations, Biscayne Bay provides a full range of saltwater fishing options. You can charter a boat and visit shipwrecks turned into artificial corals, or rent a canoe and explore the national park on your own.

Still, you cannot fish around Fowey Rocks Lighthouse’s coral reef protection areas or Alina’s Reef. The aggregate bag limit of ten fish per person applies throughout the park, but don’t forget to check which fish species are excluded from the park’s bag limit regulations.

Type of fishing: Canoe fishing, boat fishing, kayak fishing

Expect to find: Flounder, Grouper, Jacks, Snapper

Rules and safety guidelines: The national park’s fish size limits are frequently updated, and you must check the minimum size of a fish you can keep when fishing at Biscayne Bay.

 

Crandon Park Marina

best fishing spot in miami Crandon Park Marina image

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It will take you less than twenty minutes to reach the Crandon Park Marina at Key Biscayne from Miami’s downtown area. Two bridges connect the island to Virginia Key and the mainland, so you’ll catch some stunning views on your way to the Crandon Park marina.

Plenty of fishing charters at the marina are available to anglers who want to explore the nearby fishing reefs, but you can also find a good fishing spot at the shore. Still, the Crandon Park Marina is crowded on weekends, so ideally, you should visit it on a workday.

Type of fishing: Boat fishing, surf fishing

Expect to find: Snook, Mangrove Snapper, Crevalle Jack

Rules and safety guidelines: Anglers arriving at the Crandon Park Maring with a car must pay a daily parking fee.

 

South Pointe Park Pier

South Pointe Park Pier image

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Breathtaking vistas are reason enough to visit the South Pointe Park Pier at the southern end of Miami Beach. The pier is a popular fishing spot that attracts hundreds of locals and newcomers to Miami’s angling scene.

The 450-foot pier has fish cleaning stations, designated spaces to cut bait, recycle bins for fishing lines, and all other amenities anglers might need when fishing. Renting a kayak can be a good way to explore the waters of the Government Cut and catch some impressive fish.

Type of fishing: Pier fishing

Expect to find: Grunts, Snappers, Flounders, Barracuda

Rules and safety guidelines: Fishing is only allowed on designated parts of the pier.

 

Baker’s Haulover Inlet and Beach Park

Baker's Haulover Inlet and Beach Park image

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Located south of Sunny Isles Beach, the Baker’s Haulover Inlet connects Biscayne Bay with the Atlantic Ocean. The inlet is the pathway between the bay and the ocean for numerous fish species, and it is a popular spot to catch barracuda, blackfin tuna, or sharks.

Chartering the boat is the best option for inshore anglers because the waters in the inlet are challenging to navigate due to an outgoing tide and strong wind.

Surf anglers can try their luck at the jetties or Haulover Beach Park, but only at designated spots.

Type of fishing: Boat fishing, surf fishing

Expect to find: Bluefin tuna, Sailfish, Sharks

Rules and safety guidelines: Large waves can make angling at the Haulover Inlet dangerous.

 

Shipwrecks Along Eliot and Sands Keys

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Blue Fire, Almirante, and Hugo’s April Fool are only a handful among countless shipwrecks along Elliott, Sands Keys and Miami-Dade County.

Aside from being popular diving destinations, these shipwrecks are among Miami’s best fishing spots because they attract Mahi-Mahi, Sailfish, and other game fish.

The shipwrecks are also a magnet for smaller fish species like Amberjack, Snapper, or Grouper. However, visiting the shipwrecks along the Elliot and Sands Keys takes some planning because you’ll need an experienced captain to guide you to the shipwreck you want to visit.

Type of fishing: Boat fishing

Expect to find: Mahi-Mahi, Sharks, Amberjack, Grouper

Rules and safety guidelines: The fishing license fee is usually included in the cost of the fishing charter.

 

Oleta River State Park

Oleta River State Park image

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Florida’s largest urban park is only a few miles from North Miami Beach and Haulover Park. The Oleta River State Park is home to various fish species, ranging from tarpon to grunts, and is a popular destination for anglers.

Besides the fishing pier, you can rent a kayak and angle along the Oleta River or surf fish from the beach. The park opens at 8:00 AM, and it’s usually crowded, so finding a peaceful fishing spot can be challenging.

The daily admission fee is $6 per vehicle (up to eight people) or $2 for cyclists and pedestrians.

Type of fishing: Kayak fishing, surf fishing, boat fishing

Expect to find: Grunts, Snook, Sheepshead, Mullet

Rules and safety guidelines: Entering the park on weekends can be difficult because it often reaches full capacity.

 

Newport Fishing Pier

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Like Oleta State Park and Haulover Park, the Newport Fishing Pier is one of Sunny Isle Beach’s highlights and attracts hundreds of daily visitors. The 776-foot pier has rod-holding stations, fish-cleaning tables, and other amenities.

Non-resident anglers must pay a $10 fee to cast a line from the pier and adhere to a long list of rules, so you can only use up to three rods and adequately discard all bait excess, mono lines, and waste.

The Newport Fishing Pier is open to the public throughout the week from sunrise until 9 p.m., but on Tuesdays and Fridays, you cannot visit it before 10:30 a.m.

Type of fishing: Pier fishing

Expect to find: Spotted Seatrout, Pompano, Bonitos, and Grunts

Rules and safety guidelines: Fishing within a hundred feet of marine turtles is prohibited.

 

Bill Baggs Cape State Park

Bill Baggs Cape State Park fishing spot image

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Stopping at the Bill Baggs Cape State Park might be a good idea if you’re planning to visit Crandon Park because it’s located on the southern end of Key Biscayne, less than four miles from the Crandon Marina.

Bill Baggs Cape State Park is crowded on weekends, and you may be unable to enter if it’s at full capacity. Moreover, the fishing piers in the park are currently closed for repair, so you must check when they’ll reopen while planning your visit.

Type of fishing: Pier fishing, kayak fishing, surf fishing

Expect to find: Sharks, Bonefish, Snook, Grouper

Rules and safety guidelines: The park is open from 8 a.m. until sundown every day of the year, and the admission fee ranges from $2 to $8.

 

Essential Things to Consider When Picking a Fishing Spot in Miami

Miami is a treasure trove of amazing fishing spots spread along its 35-mile shoreline and numerous islands.

However, Magic City is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States, so avoiding large crowds at the fishing spots you want to visit can be difficult.

Angling from the city’s beaches and piers is only allowed in designated areas, so you must check the fishing rules and regulations before heading out to a location.

Although the Florida Fish Wildlife Conservation Commission doesn’t restrict the maximum number of rods a single angler can use, fishing with more than three rods is prohibited on some of Miami’s most popular fishing piers.

Deciding whether you want to fish from a boat, kayak, or shore is also important because it will help you narrow your choices and pick a fishing spot you’ll enjoy.

Booking a fishing charter is the best way to target gamefish if you cannot bring your fishing gear with you because the boat’s captain can recommend spots you can visit, provide the equipment you need to reel in a Mahi-Mahi or a Shark and take care of your fishing license.

Rules For Fishing in Miami

The rules you must adhere to when fishing in Miami largely depend on your chosen spot. Florida’s recreational saltwater fishing regulations constantly change and differ from one species to another.

Hence, you’ll face no size limits if you’re targeting barracuda or sharks, but you won’t be able to keep any sheepshead you reel in if it’s shorter than 12 inches.

Let’s go through the essential rules for fishing in Miami:

  • The daily bag limit is twenty fish, but you cannot keep more than five fish of the same species you caught on the same day.
  • Besides fishing rods, anglers can also use barrier nets, hand-held nets, and drop nets to harvest fish from the ocean.
  • An angler must have a valid Florida fishing permit, regardless of where they want to fish in Miami.

It’s also worth noting that, in addition to the statewide fishing regulations, some fishing locations in Miami have their own restrictions.

Fishing Licenses in Florida

Miami and Florida residents can obtain a saltwater shoreline-only fishing license free of charge.

However, all anglers must have a resident fishing permit when fishing off a boat and additional licenses for shore-based Shark fishing, catching fish at a state reef, and targeting Snook and Tarpon.

All types of Florida fishing licenses can be purchased at the Go Outdoors Florida website, at a local tax collector’s office, from a licensed agent, or through the Fish|Hunt app available for iOS and Android devices.

Saltwater Fishing Licenses for Residents

  • Resident Saltwater Shoreline Annual License: Free of charge
  • Resident Annual License: $17.00
  • Resident Five-Year License: $79.00
  • Gold Sportsman’s License: $100 for one year or $494.00 for five years

Saltwater Fishing Licenses for Non-Residents

  • Non-resident 3-day License: $17.00
  • Non-resident 7-day License: $30.00
  • Non-resident Annual License: $47.00

Additional Saltwater Fishing Permits

  • Annual State Reef Fish Angler Designation: Free of charge
  • Annual ShoreBased Shark Fishing Permit: Free of charge
  • Snook Fishing Permit: $10.00 for one year or $50.00 for five years
  • Annual Tarpon Tags: $51.50

How Salted Angler Chose the Best Fishing Spots in Miami

Our editorial standards are high because we want our readers to have the best and most relevant information about anything and everything related to angling.

That’s why Salt Angler’s team carefully chose all the fishing spots featured in this article. We considered dozens of popular places in Miami and utilized strict criteria to shortlist the best ones. Here’s a quick overview of the key criteria we used to pick the best fishing spots in Miami.

  • Spot’s proximity to urban areas: All fishing spots we included in this article are easy to reach by car or fishing charter.
  • Type of fishing: Our goal was to pinpoint spots suitable for anglers who like fishing from shore or a pier and those who enjoy offshore fishing.
  • Fish species: You’ll find gamefish and a variety of smaller fish species at nearly all locations we featured in this article.

General FAQs

Do I Need a License to Fish from a Pier in Florida?

Florida residents and non-residents need a fishing license from a pier or the shore.

What is the Best Part of the Year for Fishing in Miami?

Although the fishing season is open throughout the year, the best time for a fishing trip to Miami is early Spring or late Fall.

Is Miami a Good Destination for Freshwater Fishing?

The city’s canal system, the Everglades National Park, or one of the nearby lakes are excellent destinations for freshwater anglers targeting Largemouth Bass, Yellow Bullhead, or Warmouth.