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Stuart sits on Florida's Treasure Coast where the St. Lucie River meets the Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean rushes through St. Lucie Inlet. The town has called itself the Sailfish Capital of the World since the 1950s, and the winter sailfish bite offshore backs that up, some of the highest catch rates for Atlantic sailfish anywhere.
But the fishing that makes Stuart special for locals isn't the sailfish. It's the mullet run, the annual fall migration of millions of finger mullet down the coast that triggers a feeding frenzy involving every predator in the system. Snook, tarpon, jack crevalle, sharks, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel all converge on the mullet schools, and the fishing during the run is as intense as anything in Florida.
The Mullet Run, September Through November
The mullet run is the event that defines Stuart's fishing calendar. Starting in September, massive schools of finger mullet migrate south along the coast, pushed by the first cool fronts. When the schools reach the St. Lucie Inlet and the Indian River Lagoon, every predator in the ecosystem responds.
Snook ambush the mullet schools at the inlet jetties, under the bridges, and along the seawalls. The fish are aggressive and feeding with an urgency that makes them easier to hook than at any other time of year. Big snook, 10 to 20 pounds, crash into mullet schools on the surface, and the blowups are visible from the beach.
Tarpon follow the mullet into the inlet and the river, feeding in packs that look like submarine warfare, dorsal fins, rolling backs, and the sound of 100-pound fish crashing bait against the surface.
Jack crevalle run the mullet in schools of 50 to 100 fish, busting the surface in explosions of spray. Sharks, blacktip, spinner, bull, patrol the edges of the mullet schools. Bluefish and Spanish mackerel attack from below and behind.
The mullet run doesn't happen on a fixed schedule, it's triggered by water temperature drops and wind direction, so it starts and stops in waves. When a big push of mullet hits the inlet, every guide in Stuart drops what they're doing and heads for the action.
The Indian River Lagoon, Year-Round Inshore
The Indian River Lagoon stretches 156 miles along Florida's east coast, the most biologically diverse estuary in North America. The Stuart section of the IRL holds excellent inshore fishing year-round.
Snook hold under the mangrove shorelines, docks, and bridges throughout the lagoon. They're the primary inshore target outside the mullet run, and the IRL's structure-rich environment provides habitat in every season.
Redfish cruise the lagoon's grass flats and mangrove edges. Spotted seatrout sit over the deeper grass and sand areas, with the best trout fishing in the cooler months. Tarpon are present in the lagoon from spring through fall.
The IRL around Stuart is relatively narrow, you're fishing mangrove shorelines, bridge pilings, and dock lights in water that's usually two to six feet deep. It's intimate fishing with light tackle, and the species diversity is outstanding.
Offshore, Sailfish and the Reef
The Atlantic offshore waters are what earned Stuart its Sailfish Capital title.
Sailfish concentrate along the reef edge in 100 to 250 feet of water from November through March, when cold fronts push bait south along the coast. Kite fishing, flying live baits on kites that suspend them on the surface, is the dominant technique. On a good winter day, boats release double-digit sails.
Beyond sailfish, the offshore reef and ledge system holds mahi-mahi from spring through fall, blackfin tuna, king mackerel, cobia, and wahoo along the temperature breaks. Bottom fishing on the reef produces snapper, grouper, and amberjack.
The Gulf Stream runs relatively close to shore here, 15 to 20 miles, putting blue-water species within easy range.
St. Lucie Inlet, The Choke Point
St. Lucie Inlet is the narrow pass connecting the Indian River Lagoon to the Atlantic. The current ripping through the inlet concentrates bait and predators, making it one of the most productive spots on the Treasure Coast.
Snook hold along the inlet rocks and seawalls year-round. Tarpon stage in the inlet from April through August. Snapper and grouper hold on the rocky bottom in the deeper sections. The inlet is the focal point during the mullet run, every predator in the system converges on the pass.
When to Go
- September–November: The mullet run, the most intense fishing of the year, all species feeding
- December–March: Peak sailfish offshore, snook in the lagoon, the best winter fishing in Florida
- April–June: Tarpon in the inlet and lagoon, mahi-mahi offshore, snook spawning
- July–August: Summer snook, mahi offshore, pre-mullet-run warmth
