This stretch of road starts at Cape Canaveral and snakes south to Jupiter. It’s a 120-mile story that stars rocket scientists and astronauts, as well as modern-day pirates searching for gold doubloons scattered by sunken ships in 1715. A1A connects all the dots on this coastal road trip, and not even the locals can explain where the space ends and the treasure begins. Fret not: a wide range of fishing opportunities abound here, from tarpon and redfish in the Indian River Lagoon to bluewater exploits in the low-key port towns of Martin and St. Lucie counties.
1. Port Canaveral
Yes, it can get crowded with sunburnt cruise shippers, and yes, the waterfront restaurants Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill, Gator’s Portside and Grills Seafood Deck and Tiki Barare where many of the disembarked end up, but amidst the tourism tsunami is the launchpoint to great yellowfin tuna fishing, specifically the 130-mile run to the weather buoy on the other side of the Gulf Stream. In spring, if you can find the right weather window, and the right seas at the right intervals, you too can head waaaaay offshore to take advantage of prime yellowfin season, as well as mahi and kingfish.
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2. Indian River Lagoon
Long and slender, 156 miles from tip to tail, the Indian River Lagoon stretches from Ponce Inlet south to Vero Beach, snaking along the many barrier islands in between. The IRL contains thousands of species of plants and animals, including inshore A-listers like snook, redfish and tarpon.
Tarpon spawn in the Atlantic as far as 100 miles offshore, and their eggs are then carried into the Indian River Lagoon by ocean currents, transforming it into a nursery. And where there are juvies, there are giants. Capt. Peter Deeks of Peter Deeks Outdoors is among our favorite charter guides in the area. A native of Brevard County, he knows the spots…