Offshore Fishing Report: The beginning of this week has been all about Kingfish and Sailfish off the Palm Beach area and should be the same this weekend. Today’s cold front has kicked the seas up, but it looks like there’s better conditions on the horizon with NOAA calling for seas of 2-4ft. this weekend. There have been large amounts of smaller kingfish around in the 8-15 pound range. Most of the fish have been in 90-120ft of water from the Juno Pier to the Loran Tower in Jupiter. Drifting dead sardines or live pilchards will be your best bet.
The sailfish bite has picked up once again and should only get better with the front that pushed through last night and into today. Kite fishing live goggle eyes will be your best bet with most of the fish being caught in 100-200ft from the Breakers to Lost Tree.
Bottom fishing has also been good off of Palm Beach. Plenty of Mutton Snapper have been around along the reefs in 70-100ft. Dead sardines should be your go to bait. Try adding a couple more ounces of lead than what you’d normally use to hold bottom. The current has been 2+knots to the North and the strong winds this week will make it tough.
Inshore/Beach Report: Snook fishing continues to be productive at night around the local bridges in Palm Beach and Jupiter. Heavy swim baits and flair jigs will be your best bet to get a strike. If you’re fishing by boat, don’t forget to check the dock lights along the ICW. Plenty of snook have been hanging around these areas as well. Pitching a live shrimp up-current from the lights and letting it drift through should get the job done. If you’re in search of tarpon, we’ve had reports that there have been good numbers of fish hanging around the docks south of the Palm Beach inlet. Fishing large live shrimp at night on an outgoing tide is the best bet.
The pompano bite has been great lately along the surf in Hobe Sound. If fishing bait, sand fleas have been the go-to bait. Fish bites are another great option. They can be fished alone or accompanied by sand fleas, clams, or shrimp. Croakers and whiting have been plentiful at the Juno Pier. Fishing a bottom rig in the surf baited with shrimp has been the best bet for both.