Memorial Day Weekend Fishing Outlook

For Weekend of 6/26-6/29/2023

OFFSHORE-  Looks like a fairly large swell builds in as we head into Memorial Day Weekend.  At the time of writing the weather forecast doesn’t show a lot of wind on it; so hopefully it is just a rolling swell and remains fishable.  Fishing overall this week remained pretty good.  A few scattered dolphin around, with most of them coming from out a little deeper (600-800’ seemed to be fairly productive).  Sailfish action was strong this week, with quite a few boats seeing a good number of fish.  Summertime sailfish action is typically best in 200-300’, with a lot of the bites coming on a bait down a little deeper (This is due to cooler oxygen rich water lower in the water column, especially on flat calm days).  Live goggle eyes will work for the sailfish; but don’t overlook pilchards and sardines as very good bait options as well.  Blackfin Tuna action also remains very good in 200-300’ of water.  Live sardines and pilchards fished mid water column remain the best bet for the blackfin.  Vertical jigs continue to catch a few blackfin as well, but the live baits did produce a little better this week.  Kingfish action remains very strong along the 120’ ledge.  The kings have been on both a pretty good sunrise and sunset bite.  Mid day is going to be a little tougher to get the kings biting good; as they tend to school up and slide out a little deeper.  Lowlight periods is when they will fire up the best.  Snapper fishing was good again this week.  Mostly a pretty good mixture of mutton and yellowtail snapper.  No surprise here…but sardines and squid will be the best bait choices on the bottom.  


INSHORE-  This is the last weekend of snook season; so if you need one for dinner you better go! Snook fishing has been good again this week as the snook are only a few weeks away from full spawn mode now.  The snook are starting to fill into the inlets, and they are hungry and willing to eat right now.  If your looking for snook during the day around the inlets; live baits fished on the bottom will be the best bet.  At night Flair Hawks and Swimbaits are a great way to go for the snook.  Bridges that are somewhat close to inlets are a great starting spot.  Moving water is critical (with outgoing tide typically being the preferred choice) to get the snook biting.  It’s a small window in the tide that snook feed in, so make sure to keep track of when you are getting bites…That pattern will almost always repeat itself!  Mangrove snapper reports remain good inshore.  Live shrimp fished on a jighead is a good bet for the mangrove snapper; as is small live pilchard on a knocker rig.  


SURF/PIER- I know I keep writing that pompano season is over…but they continue to pick away at a few fish each week.  The weather forecast actually looks good for a few more pomps to be around this weekend.  Depending on how the swell builds in over the weekend, jigging for them from the pier maybe the best bet.  Spanish Mackerel action slowed at the pier this week, with only a small scattering around.  Free-lining small pilchards or a white crappie jig are the best bet for the Macs.  The snook bite remains good at the Juno Beach Pier.  A building swell this week may change things up a bit on that; though sometimes the swell and dirty water will get the snook extra fired up.    Kingfish have still been making a showing at the end of the pier a lot of afternoons.  A Rapala X-Rap or similar swimming plug is the best bet to entice a bite out of the kings.  


NOAA MARINE WEATHER:
FRI...W SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Period 7 seconds.
Intracoastal waters a light chop. A chance of tstms in the morning.
Showers. Tstms likely in the afternoon.

SAT...W NW winds around 10 kt becoming N in the evening. Seas
6 to 9 ft, occasionally to 11 ft. N NE swell 3 to 7 ft.
Intracoastal waters a light chop. A chance of tstms in the morning.
A chance of showers. A slight chance of tstms in
the afternoon.

SUN…N NE winds 5 to 10 kt becoming E NE in the evening. Seas
2 to 4 ft, occasionally to 5 ft. Intracoastal waters a light chop.
A chance of showers. A slight chance of tstms in
the afternoon.

MON...N NW winds 5 to 10 kt becoming E NE in the afternoon. Seas
around 2 ft. Intracoastal waters a light chop. A slight chance of
showers. A slight chance of tstms in the
afternoon.

Thanks For Reading,
Todd

Snook approves of the new Juno Bait Towels...perfect for the Beach or Boat she says!