How it matches right now
- Tide
- incoming / high
- low ✗
- Wind dir
- W, NW, SW
- — ~
- Wind speed
- ≤10 mph ideal
- — ~
- Wave height
- 0–2 ft
- — ~
- Water temp
- 68–84°F
- — ~
- Light
- Any
- Daytime ✓
✓ ideal ~ close ✗ outside range
Stuart / Martin County — Surf
30
30 — HOLD
Bathtub Beach
Stuart / Martin County
Martin County's most protected beach — the offshore barrier reef absorbs Atlantic swell, creating unusually calm, clear water inside the reef line. Snook cruise the reef edge in summer, pompano work the sandy troughs, and the calm conditions make wading and sight-fishing possible when every other Treasure Coast beach is too rough.
This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.
Location
Tides & Moon
Today's Tide
▲ High▼ Low● Now
🌖
Waning Gibbous58% illuminated
Between phases — focus on tide timing over lunar influence
Major feeding5:06 AM – 7:06 AM5:06 PM – 7:06 PM
Minor feeding11:06 PM – 12:06 AM11:06 AM – 12:06 PM
Live Conditions
Water—
Wave—
Wind—
Tidelow
Air—
Rain—
Conditions Match
Personal logbook
Log this trip with conditions auto-captured from the live feed.
Current Read
Why it scores 30 right now
- This spot targets species that are in their active season right now.
- The current tide stage is not ideal for this setup.
- This spot is outside its normal access window right now.
Tactics
Hooks, baits, and lanes for Bathtub Beach
Snook — reef edge, summer dusk
Live pilchard or finger mullet free-lined on a 3/0 circle hook, 30 lb fluoro. Wade to the reef edge at last light and let the bait drift through the snook holding lane. Snook push bait against the reef structure at dusk — the bite is fast and aggressive. Keep light pressure to avoid break-offs on the reef.
Pompano — reef trough
Two-hook pompano rig with size 2 gold hooks, fresh sand fleas or small shrimp. Cast to the sandy trough just inside the reef line. Pompano work these troughs on incoming tide. Keep the bait moving with occasional lifts and drops. October-April is the primary window.
Cobia — sight casting
Large live shrimp or a 3/4 oz jig tipped with a strip of cut mullet. Walk the beach edge and look for cobia following stingrays across the sandy lagoon bottom — they're visible in the calm, clear water. Cast 5 feet ahead of a following fish and let the bait sink. Spring (March-May) is peak migration.
Target Species
Snook
East coast harvest is seasonal and permit-based; on April 17, 2026 the east coast harvest window is open.Fish edges, current seams, and low-light bait movement instead of blind fan casting.
Florida Pompano
FWC recreational rule set: 11" fork minimum, 6 per harvester, open year-round.Keep casts in the troughs first; only bomb it long if the first cut is dead.
Cobia
FWC: 33" fork minimum, 1 per person, 2 per vessel. Open March 1 - April 30 (Atlantic).Spot them cruising with rays or near channel markers. Pitch ahead of the fish, not on top of it.
Spanish Mackerel
FWC: 12" fork minimum, 15 per harvester. Open year-round.Cast ahead of surface schools parallel to the beach. Speed kills — if you're not moving the lure fast, you're doing it wrong.
Redfish
Indian River Lagoon redfish are catch-and-release only, so this is a confidence signal more than a cooler plan.Treat the channel edges as ambush lanes and fish moving current, not dead water.
Access
- Access from MacArthur Boulevard at the Bathtub Beach parking area, Stuart. Paid parking via ParkMobile.
- The beach is a Martin County park — open sunrise to sunset. No after-hours access.
- Wading inside the reef line is possible at most tide stages due to protected conditions.
- Jupiter Bait & Tackle (141 Center St, Jupiter) is the best bait source. Open Mon-Thu 6 AM – 9 PM, Fri-Sat until 10 PM.
- Florida saltwater fishing license required. Snook stamp required if harvesting.
- Handicapped parking and beach wheelchair access available at the main lot.
Hours: 07:00 – 20:00 local time
Hazards
- The reef crest becomes exposed at low tide — barefoot wading risks cuts from coral and barnacles. Water shoes are essential.
- Current channels through the reef breaks can be surprisingly strong — don't wade the breaks.
- Snook harvest season and slot limits apply. This spot gets checked by FWC officers — know the regulations.
- Stingrays are common inside the reef lagoon. Shuffle-walk when wading.
- Thunderstorm season (June-September) — get off the beach at the first sign of lightning.
- Parking fills by 8 AM on summer weekends. Arrive before sunrise for fishing.
Highlights
- The reef creates a protected lagoon that holds bait year-round — the unusual calm allows techniques not possible on exposed surf beaches.
- Snook stage along the reef edge in June-September and are visible wading the reef line at low tide.
- Pompano work the troughs parallel to the reef on incoming tide from October-April.
- Cobia follow rays and sharks through the lagoon during spring migration — sight-fishing from the beach.
- Spanish mackerel attack the reef edge from the outside — long casts with metal reach them during spring and fall blitzes.
- The protected conditions make this the best Treasure Coast spot in rough weather when the rest of the coast is blown out.