Melbourne Beach Fishing Charters

The North End of the Same Water

Melbourne Beach, Indialantic and Satellite Beach sit on the barrier island with the Atlantic on one side and the Indian River Lagoon on the other. Sebastian Inlet, at the south end of that island, is the only way a boat gets between the two. I live in Melbourne Beach and I run my charters out of the inlet because from there the whole coast is in reach: the lagoon behind town, the mangrove shorelines south to Vero, the spoil islands, the inlet itself, and through it the nearshore reefs off the Melbourne Beach coastline and the ocean beyond.

What You Will Catch

In the lagoon: snook, redfish, seatrout, sheepshead, black drum and flounder. In the inlet and along the beach: tarpon, jacks and sharks. On the reefs off Melbourne Beach: mangrove snapper, grouper and kingfish. Further out: mahi and big sharks. What each season brings is its own page.

Where the Trip Leaves From

All trips meet at Sebastian Inlet State Park, about twenty minutes south of Melbourne Beach on A1A and half an hour from Indialantic and Satellite Beach. There is no dock in Melbourne Beach itself to launch a charter from. From Melbourne, Palm Bay or Viera on the mainland, cross the Melbourne Causeway and head south on A1A, or take US-1 south and cross at the Wabasso bridge. I send the exact meeting point when you book and ask that you arrive fifteen minutes early.

Rules in Brevard County

Melbourne Beach sits in the same Indian River Lagoon management region as Vero, so the rules match: redfish are catch and release, snook harvest is open 1 February to 31 May and 1 September to 14 December, seatrout close in November and December. Licences, bait and tackle are covered on the boat, and I will tell you on the day what you can keep. The details are on Can We Keep What We Catch?

Trips

• Half Day Inshore Fishing — 4 hours, $600 for up to 4 guests, $100 each extra to 6. The lagoon and the inlet.
• Full Day Inshore / Nearshore — 8 hours, $975 for up to 4 guests, $100 each extra to 6. Adds the reefs off Melbourne Beach.
• Offshore Fishing — mahi, kingfish and the deep reefs.
• Night Fishing — snook under the lights. Minimum age 16.
• Kids Fishing Adventure — 3 hours, $495, built around steady action.

Not fishing? The same boat runs island hopping, sandbar days, wildlife tours, sunset cruises and rocket launch viewing, and Things to Do in Melbourne Beach with Kids has the rest of the week.

Staying in Melbourne Beach?

If you are at Harbor Island, Tuckaway Shores or a vacation rental anywhere on the barrier island, you are a short drive from the ramp and most of my guests come from exactly where you are staying. Ask your host; many of them already send their guests to me.