JunoBait

Spring Drift Fishing…

todd — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:08:45 +0000

…time is upon us. That great area of reef, roocky bottom, and ledges from 60-150″ of water running from Palm Beach to Jupiter Inlet is coming alive with a wide variety of fish right now. No better way to cash in on a nice mixed bag of action by putting out the old driftboat special (triple hooked sardines) at various depths and see what pops up. Cobia, dolphin, kingfish, and snapper are all biting offshore right now, time to go fishing!!!!

Pompano Time…

todd — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 10:50:09 +0000

The spring Pompano run looks like it has started. The past few days have seen a nice number of pompano caught from the pier, and when the weather allows from the surf as well. On the calmer clearer water days bait fishing has been the top producer. While everyone has an opinion about the best bait; shrimp, clams, and sandfleas will all produce some bites from pompano. When the water is a little murky the pompano are very fun to catch on artificial lures. Bounce a Doc’s Goofy Jig up and down in the sand and eventually a Pompano will swim by and slam it.

More coming on the Pompano soon….

March Fishing Outlook

todd — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:59:08 +0000

OFFSHORE- Dolphin fishing should be very good this month. Strong southernly winds mixed with a very mild winter should have the mahi-mahi pushing north at a good clip this month. Catching the dolphin isn’t the hard part in March, it’s finding them. They will be on the move and the depth they pick to travel can vary from day to day. 150-300′ of water will be a good starting point, but they may be anywhere from 60′ to the Bahamas. Don;’t get stuck in any one depth. Look for fishy clues like; weedlines, birds, rips, debris, and baitfish. The bait is key, no fish hangs around where they don’t have anything to eat. Flying fish are one of the best indicators of fish, find the flyers and you will have something close by. In addition to the dolphin, March should also bring a few wahoo into the picture. Unlike later in the summer when they lock onto the ledge, springtime wahoo will typically be in more of the same areas as the dolphin. Keep a deep bait, like a split-tail mullet, in the spread and a striped beauty is always a possibility. Kingfish are not schooled up tight and thick yet, but they are around. The kings will vary in size from snakes to true smokers. Drifting triple hook sardines will produce kings of all sizes, but a live speedo or tinker mackerel will be the best for a big smoker. Bottom fishing will pick up this month as mutton and yellowtail snapper become much more likely catches. Go with spanish sardines or squid for bait, and something on the bottom won’t be long to take a liking to it!

INSHORE- Snook fishing is very good right now. Fish lighted bridges and docks at night and the snook will most likely be around. Live shrimp are a good bet this time of year, as are DOA shrimp and the new Yo-Zuri Shrimp lure. The bigger snook will be hanging below the little ones on top. Fish a jig slowly along the bottom in the same areas and a big girl will eventually give you that “thump” you have been waiting all winter for! The Intracoastal and Munyon Island are still holding good numbers of fish.

SURF/PIER- Not much happening in the surf these days.The croaker and whiting are biting pretty good on the pier. Spanish mackerel are still at Peck’s Lake. Spinner sharks and Blacktips have been on the beach.

Sailfish Challenge Report (2/25/12)

todd — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:55:33 +0000

Check out a few cool pics from last weekend’s Sailfish Challenge put on by Bluewater Movements.

(Check them out, they run AWESOME Tournaments http://www.bluewatermovements.com/tournaments/)

We managed to find four sailfish (good for 16th place out of 70+ boats), a handful of dolphin, and a 47 pound kingfish that turned out to be the largest funfish caught in the tournament!

Weekend Fishing Outlook (2/17-2/19)

todd — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:30:25 +0000

OFFSHORE- Dolphin fishing has been fantastic all week, with good numbers and good size fish around. The nice thing is most, if not just about ALL, of the fish have been caught inside 200′ of water; making for a quick ride for those fishing from Jupiter Inlet south. Trolling ballhyoo, bonita strips, squid, mullet, small trolling feathers, and jetheads should all produce a few mahi-mahi bites. Those fishing livebaits for sailfish between 100-160′ are finding a good number of dolphin as well. The sailfish bite slowed down this week, but a little north-northeast wind should get them snapping again. Jupiter Inlet to Palm Beach Inlet was the place to be for the most action most of the week. In with the dolphin and sails were a good number of small kingfish, scattered cobia, and even a stray wahoo or two. Bottom fishing was very good most of the week, with a above average bite on the mutton snapper this week. Sardines or squid still are the best producing baits for the bottom fish.

INSHORE- Snook season is back open, and with the mild winter we’ve been having the fish are around in good numbers and feeding well. As usual with the snook, nighttime and good current will produce the most bites. Keep in mind this time of year the main diet for snook is shrimp when picking out baits and lures. Other inshore action has been spotty. The Intracoastal north of Jupiter is holding some ladyfish, jacks, trout, and a few pompano.

SURF/PIER- Pompano fishing has been a little better over the past week, but still not great. The spinner and blacktip sharks are showing up in decent numbers. Spanish Mackerel and bluefish action is scattered at best. Wish I had more to write about the surf fishing, just not a great winter for it…

Snook Season…

todd — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:01:33 +0000

…is almost here!!! Time to start checking the tackle and getting ready to start chasing some of those tricky linesiders around! Should be good fishing for them as the mild winter has not really slowed them down much. They are around and hungry!!! More coming soon on this…

Weekend Offshore Fishing Outlook (1/19-1/22)

todd — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:04:46 +0000

OFFSHORE- The mild cool front pushing through this morning should help to get another pack of sailfish moving down our way. With mild temperatures, fair seas, and only light/moderate winds expected this weekend; I would expect to see a lot of kites flying goggle eyes and blue runners between Palm Beach and Jupiter Inlet. This is the kind of weekend that even the small boat crowd gets a chance to take on the sailfish. While fishing livebait may be the main game in town south of Jupiter Inlet, plenty (in fact the majority) of sailfish are caught trolling from the Loran tower up to the north. Small swimming ballyhoo rigged on 5olb flurocarbon leaders are deadly on the sailfish, and allow you to cover more water than you can while fishing with live goggle eyes or runners. Mixed in with the sailfish have been a few very nice dolphin and a stray wahoo or two. A few winter time smoker size kingfish are hanging out between Jupiter and Lake Worth Inlets as well. 90-120′ of water has seen some nice kingfish in the 30-40lb class with fairly good regularity. Live blue runners fished ten to fifteen feet below the surface should get the big kings attention. Bottom fishing remains fairly strong. Some nice snapper catches, a few good porgies, and a few cobia all grabbing sardines and squid fished on the bottom.

Good Luck Everyone!

Sailfish Time

todd — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:24:26 +0000

The last few weeks have seen a very nice sailfish bite. The Silver Sailfish Derby had a record setting number of fish caught, with over 1100 sails released over three days of fishing. The Jupiter Billfish Tournament didn’t set any records, but still produced over 400 releases for two days of fishing. The winter sailfish season is here, its time to get after them!

Weekend Fishing Outlook (1/12-1/15)

todd — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:39:27 +0000

OFFSHORE- Sailfish season is in full swing right now, and they will continue to be the main game in town. South of Jupiter Inlet most fish will be caught using live baits like goggle eyes, blue runners, or greenies(threadfin herring). While fishing the baits under a kite will improve your chances of catching sailfish, it is not totally necessary. Plenty of sails are caught drifting baits from flatlines or slow trolling them from the outriggers. Once you get north of Jupiter Inlet the livebaiters become out numbered by guys pulling ballyhoo for the sailfish. This is due largely to the flatter slower sloping bottom north of Jupiter Inlet, which tends to spread the fish out more. Trolling allows them to cover more ground and better find the fish. It is pretty neat to watch the best crews work the trolling game; with two large dredges, two teasers, and four to six lines the mates never stop working. Most sailfish will be caught between 100-200′ of water, but where the bait is you will find the fish. Don’t be afraid to fish shallow or deeper if you find bait around. Mixed in with the sailfish should be a few dolphin, cobia, and even some wahoo.

Bottom fishing has remained pretty good over the last few weeks. Still some good catches of yellowtail, mutton, and mangrove snappers coming in. The grouper are biting, but remember they are out of season and have to go back now. Mixed in with the good stuff will be assorted grunts, triggerfish, and porgies as well. Plenty of stuff around to chew on some sardines or squid fished on the bottom right now.

INSHORE- The fishing is getting better in the Intracoastal(ICW) these days as the water cools off a little bit. Fishing the ICW north of Jupiter Inlet will provide a nice mixed bag of species with some pompano, jacks, ladyfish, trout, bluefish, snook, and mangrove snapper all possible catches. Live shrimp will be the most productive natural bait, while Doc’s Goofy Jigs and soft plastic jerkbaits get the nod in the artificial department . The Loxahatchee River remains hit or miss action wise. Munyon Island has a good number of trout hanging around, with some nice size females mixed in. Snook season is closed, but if your into catch and release most bridges have some fish(including some big females) hanging around.

SURF/PIER- The pompano are starting to show up in some decent numbers along the beach. Most of the fish have been north of Jupiter Inlet, but they are headed south. Every cold front will get them coming south in a hurry. Other action remains spotty. A few bluefish, blue runners, jacks, croaker, and whiting are around…but the mild winter has not pushd any big numbers of fish down the coast…YET!!!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

Weekend Fishing Outlook (10/28-10/30)

todd — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:16:13 +0000

Sorry for missing a few weeks, we were just ironing out a few website issues.

OFFSHORE- It isn’t going to be a weekend for the faint of heart or most small boaters, but those who brave the rough seas should find some good fishing offshore. With a good north breeze to downright hard wind in the forecast, expect the sailfish to be surfing the swells looking for easy meals in the churned up ocean. Live goggle eyes, blue runners, or mullet fished under a kite will produce big numbers most likely this weekend. Where the biggest school of sailfish will be is anybody’s guess, but the Loran Tower in Hobe Sound will be a very good starting point. Some nice dolphin should be in the mix as well. Bottom fishing has been very good, but it won’t be the nicest weekend weather wise to try and set up a decent drift.

INSHORE- Still plenty of finger mullet hanging around inshore, and plenty of fish mixed in with them. Snook, Tarpon, and jacks will be the main fish hanging around the mullet schools. Fish a live finger mullet on the outside edges of the schools or underneath for best results. The slightly cooler water temperatures have the Loxahatchee River coming alive with fish. Ladyfish, Jacks, Bluefish, and even some Pompano are starting to filter into their fall/winter homes.

SURF/PIER- Bluefish continue to dominate the action along the beach and at the pier right now. They are here in numbers, and they are hungry! Spoons, swimming plugs, topwaters, and cut bait will all provide plenty of bluefish bites. Pompano have also shown up along the beach. Lots of small fish, but some good size keepers mixed in with them. Some big jacks, sharks, and still a few tarpon around for those looking for a little something bigger to pull on the liner!

Good luck this weekend!