Weekend Fishing Outlook
For 1/28-1/30/2022
OFFSHORE- Slight improvement in the sailfish action this week. Still waiting to get a big push of fish (which could likely happen this week with strong passing cold front), but a lot of boats finally started to get multiple chances on the sails this week. Live goggle eyes and small blue runners will be good bait choices under the kite. Smaller pilchards and thread fins remain solid choices for the flatlines. Depth has bounced around a bit on the sailfish, but 150-250' remains a solid starting point to look for them. A few scattered dolphin around in the same area. Kingfish action improved along the 120' ledge this week. Drifting a sardine on a knocker rig is a safe bet for the kings. Bottom fishing remained fair this week. A mixed bag of snapper on the bottom, with sardines being the bait of choice. Squid is also a good choice for numbers. About time for the cobia to start showing up! Out deeper the tilefish are biting pretty good. Squid is a great bait choice for them.
INSHORE- Winter time black drum and sheepshead action really improved inshore this week. That should only improve as cold fronts continue to push through. The sheepshead are in Palm Beach Inlet in fair numbers, and also inshore in the ICW and Loxahatchee River in fair numbers as well. Live shrimp remains a solid bait choice for them. Depending on water depth and current you can fish them on a sliding sinker rig or a small jighead. Catch and release snook fishing slowed a bit this week. Cold fronts always make the snook fishing a little tougher. The snook are definitely keyed into shrimp at night. Around bridge shadow lines and lighted boat docks the snook are quick to bite shrimp and/or shrimp lures presented naturally with the tide. Hobe Sound flats are still producing a mixed bag of ladyfish, small jacks, occasional trout, and small snook. Live shrimp, Gulp Shrimp, or a small gold spoon are all good bait options for the flats. Palm Beach Inlet has also been holding a decent number of big jacks...always fun for a good fight!
SURF/PIER- Another slower week on the beach overall. Conditions improved towards the end of the week, and a few more fish did seem to show up. Pompano action remains slow for this time of year. Better action on the pompano seems to be up north. Jensen Beach seems to be producing some better number of pompano. Its not huge numbers, but those putting in the time are picking away at them. Sandfleas (If you can find them!!! They maybe worth more than gold these days), clams, FishBites, and FishGum will all be good bait choices for the pompano. Bluefish action did improve on local beaches this week. Hopefully the strong cold front coming this weekend will help get more blues down. While it's more fun to catch them on the topwater; a silver spoon or cut bait seemed to be the better choice for the bluefish this week. Spanish Mackerel action was a bit slower this week at the Juno Beach Pier; but they continue to bite well up towards Peck's Lake. Croaker and whiting bit better this week. Fresh cut shrimp is the bait of choice for them. It's about time for the spinner shark migration to start...always a lot of fun on the beach when they show up in big numbers!
NOAA MARINE WEATHER:
Synopsis... Favorable marine conditions are forecast today, with the exception of scattered showers and storms. NNE swell will begin to spread down the western Atlantic coast along the back of a developing low, increasing seas to Cautionary levels abeam the Palm Beach coast. Rapidly deteriorating marine conditions are expected in the wake of a frontal system Friday night. Advisory level winds and seas are forecast from Friday night through Saturday for Gulf waters, and through Sunday for the Atlantic. Marine conditions will gradually improve through the start of next week.
FRIDAY...West northwest winds 5 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet with occasional seas to 5 feet along the coast and 4 to 6 feet with occasional to 8 feet in the Gulf Stream. Period 8 seconds. Intracoastal waters a light chop. Slight chance of showers in the morning, then chance of showers in the afternoon.
SATURDAY...Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots with gusts to around 30 knots along the coast to northwest 20 to 25 knots with gusts to around 35 knots in the Gulf Stream. Seas 3 to 5 feet with occasional seas to 6 feet along the coast and 8 to 10 feet with occasional to 13 feet in the Gulf Stream. North swell around 3 feet in the afternoon. Intracoastal waters a moderate chop.
SUNDAY...North northwest winds 10 to 15 knots with gusts to around 20 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet with occasional seas to 5 feet along the coast and 6 to 8 feet with occasional to 10 feet in the Gulf Stream. Intracoastal waters a light chop.
Thanks For Reading,
Todd