Sebastian Inlet This Fall: How the Bridge Work Is Changing the Mullet Run Routine at the North End of the Island

In his early-October report for the Sebastian Inlet District, fishing guide Wayne "Snookman" Landry wrote that the south-side surf was "completely blown out and very muddy, and nobody is fishing that area because of the continued lack of access from the parking lot." The muddy water clears whenever the wind turns. The parking problem won't clear for years. On the District's Oct. 5 report, most of the fishing that week happened across the bridge, on the Brevard County side.

If you live at the north end of the barrier island near Bermuda Club, the Indian River County side of the inlet is the first one you reach on A1A. This fall it's also the side with the least access, and that will stay true for a long time. The Florida Department of Transportation's District 4 project page lists a $101.9 million replacement of the 1.1-mile Sebastian Inlet bridge corridor, built by Webber, LLC. Work started in June 2026 and is expected to finish in spring 2032. That means this year's mullet run is the first of six that will happen around an active construction site.

The South Side Is Mostly Closed Until 2032

According to FDOT's closure notice, sections of the park's South Parking Lot under the bridge and just east and west of it have been closed around the clock since June 4. They stay closed until spring 2032. Limited parking west of the bridge is still open, and boat ramp access is being maintained. The same notice closes the observation deck under the south end of the bridge and cuts off access to the south jetty from the South Parking Lot. The Sebastian Inlet State Park page puts it plainly: "Access to the beach from the south side is unavailable due to the construction."

Sources disagree about the south jetty itself. FDOT's notice says access from the lot is closed. Before construction began, Sebastian Daily quoted District Commissioner John Campbell: "We understand from FDOT that SISP access to the south parking lot east of the bridge, within the FDOT ROW, will be closed during construction. However, the south jetty will remain open to the public." The District's October report still covered fishing at the south jetty tip, so anglers are reaching it. It just isn't easy from the old parking area.

Here's the current status, side by side, based on the official notices.

Where the Fishing Is Now

On the north side, the closures took a piece of the parking lot and left the jetty open. FDOT's north-side notice closed the south section of the North Parking Lot starting June 1. A row of spaces east of the bridge and the northeast parking area are still available. Shortly after the closures began, Landry told Spacefish that north-side parking was "at a minimum." He said park capacity had "been reduced by two thirds due to the bridge project," and that the fish-cleaning table had moved closer to the bait shop.

The shortage is worst on weekends. The state park says the north side may temporarily close to incoming visitors when it hits capacity on weekends and during peak periods. The North Ranger Station is open 24 hours. Since Nov. 12, 2025, the South Ranger Station has kept standard hours, 8 a.m. to sunset, with after-hours access only for registered campers and annual pass holders who have an after-hours permit.

This has happened at the start of a good run. In late September, the District's report described schools of finger mullet and larger mullet throughout the inlet, with anglers catching Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, bluefish, snook and tarpon. A week later, rough seas pushed most of the mullet out, and the fish came back once conditions settled. As of Oct. 5, the North Jetty was still turning up Spanish mackerel on both tides, caught on live greenies, small jigs and spoons. That week's Angler of the Week photo showed a 33-inch snook caught on live mullet.

The Traffic Shift Starting Tuesday

Getting to the north side is about to change. In a notice updated Sept. 29, FDOT says both lanes of A1A, also called Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway, will shift starting around 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13, weather permitting. If weather or other problems delay it, the shift will happen by Thursday, Oct. 22. This layout stays in place through late 2028. According to the notice, the northbound drive works like this:

1. About 1,400 feet south of the state park entrance in Indian River County, both directions move onto temporary pavement west of the existing road.
2. Traffic moves back onto the existing road to cross the Sebastian Inlet Bridge.
3. North of the bridge, traffic moves west onto temporary pavement, then east onto temporary pavement for about 900 feet, then back west onto the existing road.

The bridge itself is meant to stay open. FDOT's project page says the work will be phased to avoid a detour or a bridge closure, and that temporary lane closures will be needed during non-peak hours. Vero News reported in July that the project means years of lane closures with flaggers and orange barrels, and possibly some brief complete closures. The Town of Melbourne Beach posted the Oct. 13 update on Oct. 6. Its page also still shows an older late-September schedule, so the Oct. 13 notice is the one that counts. Florida Today reported that single-lane closures with flaggers are allowed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays. Since the work week ends at Friday midday, weekend mornings are when the road is clear and also when the north lot fills up.

Why the Bite Slowed in October

The slow first week of October had nothing to do with the bridge. Landry's Oct. 5 report says heavy rain across central and south Florida led to the C-54 Canal spillway being opened. Fresh water draining into the Intracoastal sent tannin-dark water out of the inlet late in the outgoing tide. Brisk SSE winds and 2-to-3-foot surf muddied the rest. He wrote that saltwater fish leave when salinity and oxygen drop, and that conditions should recover once ENE winds push cleaner water back in. The water was still in the low 80s, and mullet and greenies were still around the inlet.

Under the same report, the T-dock produced small snapper, spot-tail pinfish, small sheepshead and undersized snook. On the north side, a few anglers working the surf just north of the jetty caught whiting and small pompano, and a couple of decent snook came in on live mullet in the evening.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission puts Sebastian Inlet in its Indian River Lagoon snook region. Harvest is open in October, with a 28-to-32-inch slot and a limit of one fish per person per day. The season closes Dec. 15 through Jan. 31, and again June 1 through Aug. 31. Keeping a snook requires a snook permit along with a recreational saltwater license. The FWC red drum page lists the lagoon region as catch-and-release only. Landry made the same point about the redfish caught by the bait shop wall in early October.

Coconut Point and the Rest of the Park

Construction has the bridge corridor torn up, but the park has added something new at Coconut Point. Records from the Sebastian Inlet District show a pilot living shoreline built with Sebastian Inlet State Park, Reef Arches LLC and MANG. The July plan called for an initial 15 reef arch structures and 45 red mangroves along about 90 feet of shoreline, with at least three years of monitoring after installation. Baseline monitoring started June 17. By late September, Vero News reported 22 concrete reef arches installed along 200 feet of shoreline, with about 90 mangroves to be planted over the next three to six months. The larger figures line up with the expansion the District had planned. With planting expected over the following three to six months, the mangroves should go in during the winter.

The park's museums are worth a look on a slow fishing day. The amenities page lists the Sebastian Fishing Museum as open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except major holidays. The McLarty Treasure Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is $2 per person. The same page lists Salt Water Cowboys bait and tackle as open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed Wednesdays. Jojo's Saltwater Café is listed as coming soon.

Closer to home, Beach Bites at 1840 Wabasso Beach Road combines a deli, convenience store and beach-sport rental shop, with subs, smoothies, beer and wine. If you'd rather eat on the mainland after a morning at the jetty, TCPalm's Oct. 3 Sebastian guide names Hen House Eatery, JT's Corner Diner, Country Egg and Ham, Capt. Hiram's and its SandBar, Earl's Hideaway Lounge and Sebastian Saltwater Marina Restaurant across its dining picks, and separately points to the restaurant strip along Indian River Drive.

What the New Bridge Adds

The new span is going up east of the old one, and it's 12 feet higher. FDOT's design has two 12-foot travel lanes, two 8-foot shoulders and two 12-foot shared-use paths. It also has two observation and fishing decks under the bridge, one for each of the decks closed now. Vero News explained in July that the work happens in two phases. The park stays open on both sides throughout, and traffic stays on the existing bridge until the first segment of the new one is ready. Under the current schedule, the south-side parking sections and the beach access closed this June won't reopen until spring 2032.

Whether you're thinking about which barrier island neighborhood suits your weekends or just want to know how a project like this affects day-to-day life on the north end, I'm glad to share what I'm seeing around the inlet. Livia Sorger works with clients across Bermuda Club and the Treasure Coast. Let's Connect.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.