Offshore Fishing Report: This should be the weekend that kicks off sailfish season in Palm Beach. With winds shifting out of the North and temps dipping into the 50’s, sailfish will be the main target of many anglers. The seas are expected to be rough (5-7ft) but if you can get offshore, it’s perfect sailfish weather. Kite fishing with Goggle Eyes, Blue Runners, or Silver Mullet with be the method of choice but slow trolling with live bait or rigged ballyhoo will also produce. For those live baiting or drifting dead baits, there have also been good numbers of Cobia being caught along the Edge in 80-120ft from Lost Tree to Jupiter. Even though we’re around a new moon, quite a few Wahoo have been reported the last well as well. Most are caught high speed trolling on deeper baits (Splittail Mullet or Horse Ballyhoo for those using natural bait/Tormenter Wahoo Wrecker or heavy weighted lure like a Mastermind Custom). Dolphin and Blackfin Tuna have still been steadily caught from Palm Beach to Jupiter between 200-600 ft.
Inshore Fishing Report: If you can’t get offshore because of the rough seas, the Juno pier and the surrounding beaches have been producing good numbers of pompano. You have to sift through a lot of smaller fish, but there are plenty of legal fish mixed in. Using a pompano rig baited with shrimp, clams, sand fleas, or Fish Bites will produce the best results. This weekend’s cold weather should push some more Trout and Redfish into the area as well. Working the flats behind Munyon Island should produce the best results. For those wanting to use artificials, use a Mirrolure Top Dog or Sara Spook and cast along the mangroves early in the morning. Wading and using live shrimp will also work well. Look for pot holes and sand holes in the sea grass. There have also been morning where good numbers of Blue Fish and Mackerel have been caught on the beach in Juno. The chilly temps should only help this bite pick up through the weekend.