Juno Bait's "Weekend FIshing Outlook"

For Weekend of 9/8-9/10/23

OFFSHORE- Not a lot of reports offshore this week (the usual suspects...weather, time of year, etc), but those making it out did find a nice mixed bag of action.  Pretty solid dolphin reports in 700-1000' of water from Palm Beach up to Jupiter Inlet.  Most of the dolphin have been on the smaller side, with 3-5lbs being about the average, but overall good numbers.  Trolling small ballyhoo, bonita strips, and squid has been producing the best action on the dolphin.  Most of the dolphin have been on current rips, so keep the baits out and cover some water.  A few early season sailfish being caught in 150-250' of water on live goggle eyes and small blue runners.  A fair kingfish bite along the 120' ledge.  Bottom fishing remains a bit hit or miss.  A handful of good mangrove snapper reports coming in, along with a few nice muttons as well.  

INSHORE-  Snook fishing has been very good inshore the past week.  The finger mullet have started to show up inshore and the snook, along with some smaller tarpon and jacks, are taking full advantage.  The finger mullet tend to be the most active (in other words...up on top where they are easy targets) early and late in the day, so get after them if you can.  When fishing around schools of mullet try and present baits on the outside edges or underneath the school for best results.  Fishing ambush points (boat docks, bridge pilings, seawalls, mangrove points, etc) with current is also a good tactic.  A lot if times the predators line up at these spots and wait for schools to be swept pass them.  A single bait or lure is a lot of times too easy of a target to pass up.  Mangrove snapper action has started to slow down inshore, but still a fair number around.  And in other news that a select few will appreciate: Fall is just around the corner...you can always tell when the toadies start biting. 

SURF/PIER-  Big news this week along the beach is the arrival of the mullet.  Monster tarpon, jacks, and snook are all around to get in on the first big pods showing up.  Best action is going to be early and late in the day; but depending on conditions those fish will sometimes bite throughout the day.  Fishing in the middle of a large mullet school can be an exercise in patience.  With a million options to choose from, getting something to grab your bait can be tough.  Fishing the outside edges of the school can be the ticket, as can getting a bait below them as well.  Another good trick can be throwing a way off colored plug.  Sometimes that weird hot pink or bright green plug is just different enough to get their attention.  Good lure options for the early part of the run (When the bluefish haven't shown up too thick) are 8" NLBN straight tails, Yo-Zuri Mag Darters, and Rapala X-Raps.  The mullet run is (or at least can be) one of those National Geographic type moments that sometimes just watching is good enough...catchiong a fish or two out of the madness is just a bonus.  In other news along the beach we have seen a few early season pompano starting to show up.  

NOAA MARINE WEATHER:
FRI...SE winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 ft or less. Period 10 seconds. Intracoastal waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers and tstms.

SAT...Along the coast, E SE winds around 5 kt becoming 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. In the Gulf Stream, E SE winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 ft or less. Intracoastal waters a light chop. A chance of showers and tstms.

SUN...SE winds 5 to 10 kt becoming E SE in the evening. Seas 1 to 2 ft. Intracoastal waters a light chop. A chance of showers and tstms.

Thanks For Reading,
Todd