The resource desk for this stretch of the Indian River.
Fishing licenses, what you may keep, where to launch, which beaches take dogs, when the manatees arrive, and who to call when the weather turns. Official sources first, our own local knowledge underneath.
Start where your question is
Licenses, regulations and where to actually fish
Sebastian Inlet is why people know this stretch of coast. Almost everyone fishing here needs a Florida saltwater license, and the rules on what you may keep change by species and season — so start with the two official links, then use our local pages for spots and tackle.
- Buy a Florida saltwater fishing licenseOfficial · FWC licensing portal
Resident and non-resident licenses, including 3-day and 7-day non-resident options. Buy online in about five minutes; keep it on your phone.
- Current saltwater regulations by speciesOfficial · FWC
Size slots, bag limits and open/closed seasons for snook, redfish, trout, sheepshead, flounder and the rest. This changes — check it the week you fish.
- Who needs a license, who is exemptOfficial · FWC
Exemptions exist for certain residents, ages and situations, and fishing from a licensed pier or charter can be covered. Read the exemption list rather than assuming.
- Report a violation or a fish killOfficial · FWC hotline
FWC Wildlife Alert, 24 hours: 888-404-3922. Use it for netting violations, undersized harvest and dead-fish events in the lagoon.
- Species, spots and tackle shops around usOur guide
What is biting by season, which bridge and jetty produces, and the two tackle shops we send guests to for live bait and honest advice.
- Fish from our dock, no boat neededOur property
About 50 feet of private dock on the Indian River Lagoon, deep enough that our own 26-foot boat ties up. Snook, snapper, sheepshead and jacks off the pilings.
Do I need a license to fish from your dock?
Yes. Fishing from a private residential dock into the Indian River Lagoon is saltwater fishing, so a Florida saltwater recreational license is required unless you fall under one of FWC's exemptions. It takes five minutes online.
Can I keep a snook I catch at the inlet?
Only inside the open harvest season and the legal size slot, with a snook permit on top of the saltwater license. Seasons and slots are adjusted periodically, so confirm on FWC's page before you keep anything.
Launches, trails and lagoon paddling safety
The Indian River Lagoon is one of the calmest big-water paddles in Florida when you read the wind right. Kayaks and paddleboards are on site, so most guests never load a car — but here is the wider network if you want to explore beyond our shoreline.
- Launch from our shorelineZero miles
Kayaks and paddleboards included with the stay, straight off the property into protected lagoon water. Best window is sunrise, before the sea breeze fills in.
- Spoil islands and VIP IslandOur guide
The chain of dredge-spoil islands north and south of us — history, which ones you may land on, and the rules that apply to state-managed islands.
- Public boat ramps within 2 milesOur guide
Two free ramps inside a five-minute drive — lanes, trailer parking, depth and which one to use on a busy weekend.
- Indian River Lagoon Paddling TrailOfficial · Florida DEP Office of Greenways & Trails
The state-designated paddling trail system that runs through our stretch of lagoon, with segment maps and campsite information.
- Wind and marine forecast before you launchOfficial · NOAA/NWS Melbourne
Lagoon paddling is a wind problem, not a wave problem. Anything over 15 knots out of the north or east makes the open crossing unpleasant.
- Paddlecraft rules and required gearOfficial · FWC boating
Florida requires a wearable life jacket per person and a sound-producing device; a light is required after dark. Children under six must wear a PFD on vessels under 26 feet.
When does the lagoon light up with bioluminescence?
Roughly June through September, best on warm, dark, moonless nights after a stretch of hot weather. Check the moon phase first — a new moon makes the difference between spectacular and invisible.
Is the lagoon safe for a beginner paddler?
On a calm morning, yes — it is shallow, protected and there is no surf. The risk here is wind pushing you away from shore in the afternoon, so paddle upwind first and turn back before you are tired.
Dog-friendly rules, beaches and patios
We take two dogs, no size limit, for a $75 pet fee. Brevard and Indian River counties are strict about which beaches allow dogs, so this is the list that keeps you out of a ticket.
- Our pet policy and the fenced-yard realityOur policy
What is included, where dogs can roam on the property, and the waterfront spots we point owners to first.
- Dog-friendly beaches, parks and patios nearbyOur guide
The short honest list: most Brevard ocean beaches do not allow dogs, so the wins here are riverfront parks, causeway shorelines and restaurant patios.
- Brevard County animal servicesOfficial · Brevard County
Leash rules, licensing for longer stays, and the number to call if you find a lost dog while you are here.
- Nearest 24-hour emergency vetMap search
Melbourne has the closest after-hours emergency animal hospitals, roughly 25–30 minutes north on US-1. Save one in your phone before you need it.
- BringFido listing for the houseThird party
If you plan trips through BringFido, our pet policy and photos are there too.
Can my dog go on the dock?
Yes, and most do. Keep an eye on the water's edge at dawn and dusk — this is a live estuary and wildlife moves through the shallows.
Are dogs allowed at Sebastian Inlet State Park?
Florida state parks generally allow leashed pets in the park and on trails but not on designated swimming beaches or in buildings. Check the park page for current conditions before you go.
Tides, inlet conditions and storm season
Three numbers decide a day on this water: tide, wind and the inlet. All three are live below or one click away.
- Live tides and the inletOur live page
Current tide predictions for our stretch of lagoon, the inlet webcam, and the 5.4-mile boat route from our dock to the sandbar.
- Sebastian Inlet webcamLive
See the inlet mouth before you commit to the run. Outgoing tide against an east wind is the combination to avoid.
- NOAA tide predictionsOfficial · NOAA
Official tide tables for the Sebastian Inlet area, printable a week ahead.
- Marine forecast, Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter InletOfficial · NWS Melbourne
The zone forecast that matters for the lagoon and nearshore Atlantic.
- National Hurricane CenterOfficial · NOAA
June through November. Peak risk is mid-August to early October; we contact guests directly if anything forms near us.
- Brevard County emergency managementOfficial · Brevard County
Evacuation zones, shelter status and local alerts. Worth bookmarking for a late-summer stay.
Sebastian Inlet tides
NOAA stationLoading tide predictions…
Predictions for NOAA station 8722004 (Sebastian Inlet bridge), MLLW datum, local time. Outgoing tide against an east swell makes the inlet mouth roughest — the calmest run out is near slack water at the tide change.
Manatees, sea turtles and birds — rules and seasons
You are staying inside one of North America's most biodiverse estuaries, next to the densest sea-turtle nesting beach in the hemisphere. Both come with rules that are actually enforced.
- Manatee season and idle-speed zonesOur guide
November through March, manatees move into warm lagoon water. Where they gather near us and how to watch without harassing them.
- Report an injured or harassed manateeOfficial · FWC hotline
FWC Wildlife Alert, 888-404-3922. Do not attempt to move or feed an animal.
- Sea turtle nesting: what visitors must doOfficial · FWC
March through October. Lights off toward the beach at night, no flash photography, fill in holes and knock down sandcastles before you leave.
- Pelican Island National Wildlife RefugeOur guide
America's first national wildlife refuge, 25 minutes south. Boardwalk, observation tower and the best birding within easy reach.
- Archie Carr National Wildlife RefugeOur guide
The nesting beach immediately north of Sebastian Inlet, and the permitted turtle walks that run in June and July.
Rocket launches from the dock
We are far enough south to have an unobstructed north-facing view over open water and far enough from the causeways to skip the traffic entirely.
Groceries, medical, marine and getting here
The boring information that decides whether the first two hours of a trip are smooth. Grant-Valkaria is small and quiet, and everything you need sits 10 to 25 minutes away on US-1.
- Airports and drive timesOur guide
Melbourne (MLB) is the easy one at about 30 minutes; Orlando (MCO) is roughly 75 minutes with more flights.
- Groceries and provisioningOur guide
Full supermarkets in Palm Bay, Sebastian and Barefoot Bay, all 10–20 minutes out. Provision on arrival; there is no store within walking distance.
- Nearest hospitals and urgent careOur guide
Palm Bay and Sebastian both have hospitals within about 20 minutes, with urgent care closer. Travel nurses: commute times are on our nurse page.
- Marine services, fuel and baitOur guide
Where to fuel a boat, who to call for a tow on the lagoon, and the tackle shops that carry live bait early.
- Restaurants, by how far you want to driveOur guide
Waterfront, casual and worth-reserving, sorted by distance from the house.
- Nearby communitiesOur guide
Barefoot Bay, Micco, Sebastian, Melbourne Beach and Vero — what each one is for.
Rules change; this page points at the source
Fishing seasons, size limits, park pet policies and evacuation zones are all set by agencies, not by us, and they are revised periodically. Every regulatory item above links to the official page so you are reading the current version rather than our summary of last year's. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will fix it — contact us.