Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Boatless Fishing Reports for Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton, Delray, Juno.
Martin County, Hobe Sound, Indian town, Port Mayaki
mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

Palm Beach surf report October 2017 -
Mike j here , I have been fishing lately exclusively on Palm Beach so I decided to make a new topic. I have been catching lots of Jack's , ladyfish and blue fish on big topwater plugs. The surf fishing has been tough. lots of weeds and high surf have made for rough conditions. That being said if you had patience in the last week you would be rewarded with some exciting fishing. Today Wednesday October 25 the wind changed direction and the surf was pretty calm. Nothing was interested in my topwater lures today. I switched to a gulp swimming mullet on a jig head. I caught four mangrove snappers and two big croaker and numerous jacks in about two hours.

User avatar
ffishermen1
Seasoned Fisher
Posts: 294
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 3:21 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by ffishermen1 »

Nice report

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

I fished the surf this morning on Palm Beach. The fishing was really good. The first cast I caught a decent blue fish. I have been fishing mostly topwater plugs, but I switched things up and I was using a gulp 4 inch swimming mullet with a small jig head. I caught three large mangrove snapper 2 blue fish a bunch of keeper whiting and lots of small snook. At one point I was in a school of 20-24 inch snook and caught six snook on six casts a first for me. I ended up moving to get away from the snook because I was tired of replacing my leader and I was looking for keeper fish for dinner. I am realizing how any structure in the surf can hold fish. I pulled a 3 pound snapper out of three little rocks.

User avatar
ffishermen1
Seasoned Fisher
Posts: 294
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 3:21 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by ffishermen1 »

How is the seaweed? Was at Jensen beach a couple weeks ago and it was bad. Only catching catfish.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

The seaweed on Monday was not present. In the last two weeks it has been pretty bad at times. I may be imagining it but sometimes walking fifty yards down the beach can make all the difference.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

Took the wife fishing yesterday afternoon. We fished shrimp in the surf or I should say she fished. I was barely able to make a cast before I had to help her land a fish. The bite was fast and furious. We caught a ton of palmetas , atlantic threadfins and a few Spanish mackerel. We were the only people fishing on the entire beach. On a side note I was looking up what type of whiting I have been catching and I realized I was identifying the fish incorrectly. I have been catching recently what is called an atlantic threadfin . I started catching them in the last year and mistakenly thought they were whiting. If you read up on them they are considered very good eating I like them.

k5523915
Old Salt
Posts: 360
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2014 1:33 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by k5523915 »

sounds like the bite is on fire.. i live in west palm now dont have time to go fish yet :(

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

Went fishing this morning swells were huge. Didn't see any activity, no birds or bait . I realized I have been reporting only when the fishing is good. From now on I am going to report every time I fish even if it wasn't fruitful. I caught one Jack today and went home early.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

Fished the surf yesterday evening wasn't productive. A friend of mine suggested fishing the intercoastal because the ocean was to cold. He might be right I didn't get a bite. He also said all the bait was on the inside and the fish were following it. I am going to try some pompano fishing today. I did some scouting and saw lots of fleas in a area I don't normally fish. If you don't read my report I don't use bait. Today I am going to change that up. I am going to break out my rake and see if my theory is right. I also have been seeing a lot of small sharks patrolling the trough. I am talking two foot I believe they are black tips, not sure , not interested in sharks.

bigyellowtuna
Seasoned Fisher
Posts: 218
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2012 5:00 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by bigyellowtuna »

They guy who said the water was too cold is clueless. The cooling water temp and the NE wind is precisely what triggers the bite this time of year.

User avatar
kblue
SHARKER
Posts: 2542
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:58 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by kblue »

you can also use a pink/red fishbite for pompano... water temp change = fish migration...

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

Let me clarify that there is very few mullet in the surf where I fish. As we all know (I hope) snook and other predators follow the bait (mullet). What mullet are around are in the lagoon. Why do I know this you ask. I know this because I fish on a regular basis and catch a hell of a lot of fish and I am one of the only fisherman that shares in this section. I stated that I was going to try fishing sand fleas in the surf today that's what I did. I fished a triple hook setup with a pyramid sinker on the bottom. Small circle hooks with live sand fleas (I tie my own). I proceeded to catch palometa after palometa lots of doubles. I was only able to fish one rod because the bite was furious. I didn't catch any other species of fish.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

I haven't been able to get on this site in a few days. I fished the surf on Palm Beach Saturday and Sunday. I usually fish only artificials but I have been fishing bait recently with good results. I couldn't find any fleas so I used frozen shrimp on the bottom. I caught some slab Pompanos , hit my limit both days in the first two hours of fishing in the morning. I had to wade through Pompanetas, Jack's, small Bonnet Heads and Ladyfish. The Pompanos were really nice size. I was fishing two circle hooks with a two ounce sinker on the bottom. I was fishing two rods and I could barely keep them baited. Both days there was no one else fishing on the beach.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

I fished both mornings on the weekend with little to show. Both days the tide was against me (being low). I have been fighting a cold and probably should have stayed home. That being said fishing is situational. I knew the tide wasn't good. I knew my physical and mental state (because of my cold) wasn't good. I kept remembering the times against the odds I have done well fishing the low tide. Like I said I caught very little a few small Jacks both days. I believe in thinking positive, which I think is important for fishing. I am sure that next time I go I am going to catch a ton.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

I went fishing this afternoon I started around two p.m. The tide was low but the water was clear and fleas were abundant. I fished three rods. two with fleas and one I was jigging with. I tried three different spots not a bite. I haven't been able to fish in the early morning lately (which I prefer). What do they say that's why its fishing not catching. I am curious if anyone else has been doing anything ? It seems like the bite has shut down for the last few days at least on Palm Beach.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

Finally got to fish the surf in the morning , started at seven a.m. the tide was high, conditions were perfect. I brought my rake and immediately caught some fleas. I fished for about two+ hours. I caught pompanetas and really big Blue Runners nothing else. Beggars can't be choosers , I have had a slow ten days of fishing so I was happy to get some action.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

I got out to the surf about 9:30 this morning high tide was about a hour away. The surf was 4 to 6 I don't care what my app said. The fleas were thick. One swipe with my rake was all I needed, it collected twenty or so fleas. Conditions seemed perfect. I never got a bite and there was a lot of seaweed. Between the rough surf and the weeds hanging on my line it wasn't much fun. I packed it up about noon. The only thing enjoyable was the view of some ladies tanning on the beach.

User avatar
kblue
SHARKER
Posts: 2542
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:58 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by kblue »

Try Sheepshead with fleas..

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

I went out on the surf at 11a.m. today with the wife. It was beautiful the tide was just starting to go out. The surf was 2-4 and the water was clear no weeds. I caught some big fleas right away and started fishing. I broke my dry spell Pompanetas and giant Blue Runners were slamming my baits. I was fishing near the Breakers there was barely twenty people as far as the eye could see. I read the comment about Sheepshead on sand fleas. I've fished and caught them on the seawall in the intercoastal. In my experience you have to be a patient fisherman to catch them also the yield on the fish isn't great, but they are tasty. One time I tried some Pompanetas there was no meat compared to a Pompano.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

I started fishing the surf at 7a.m. , near the Breakers. I had to drive out of my way because of Trump. I have to be honest the cold doesn't bother me, it was 48 degrees and not one other person on the beach. I caught some fleas, they weren't easy to catch. Pompanetas were biting, nothing else. I caught about ten in two hours. In years past I never caught so many. Waves were pretty big 3-5 on average no weeds.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

I got out on the surf this morning at 7a.m. the seas were about 2-4 and the water was clear. It was near high tide and the fleas were hard to get catching them blindly, 1or 2 at a time. I have been fishing sand fleas lately because lures haven't been producing. I caught the same thing I've been catching Pompanetas and Blue Runners. A few of the Runners were Mamoth size and they weren't giving the usual head jerks that I associate with Jacks. The first two I caught were peeling drag and taking long runs. I honestly thought I had hooked up on a Permit,the joke was on me.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

I got out on the surf this morning at 7 a.m. the surf was one foot or less and the water was clear. The tide was starting to come up and I managed to get some fleas. It wasn't easy I had to catch one or two at a time. The fleas were soft, I guess they were molting like blue crabs. Don't quote me, this the first year I have owned a sand flea rake. I haven't been producing with lures lately. I had two hits in three hours, both times I had the fish on for a bit and it some how got off. I am not positive what type of fish I lost but they were big fish not Pompano. I was fishing with small circle hooks maybe that was the problem, maybe not. I read the Juno fishing report it said there are a ton of Bluefish there, hopefully they will come south.

mil7950
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 7:45 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mil7950 »

im a little south of you but ive been having a lot of success with cut bait at night from the beach. i found an old 9' surf rod i stored at my moms house and gave it a try from the beach. picked up a couple snapper and ending up keeping a decent mangrove. think im just going to keep using my regular 7' rod from the surf if i can get a 2oz pyramid to hold ground. idk what it is about me and circle hooks, i guess i just suck with them. tried using a 1/0 circle for about an hour and missed 2-3 fish. switched over to a j and started landing them. ive only been able to go out once this last week but i expect to be hitting some spots over the holiday weekend and ill be posting reports. im close enough to boca (deerfield) and due to the lack of traffic on this forum id prefer to post in this thread as long as you and the admin dont mind.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

Happy to hear from you, by all means post away. I don't fish as far south as you, but I'm sure I could use the information you give to help me and other members. About what you wrote I always use to use J hooks and since I've started fishing multiple rods I think I got lazy and liked that circle hooks a lot of the time set themselves. I've recently been missing fish using 1/0 circle hooks with fleas. I was also interested that you use cut bait. I'm assuming you use mullet, my personal experience is when I use cut bait in the surf I'm feeding the crabs. I definitely need to change my strategy up. I think ever since I bought my sand flea rake (about four months ago) I've been relying on fleas to much.

mil7950
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 7:45 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mil7950 »

i havent been using mullet for awhile, tore my cast net early in the year and havent gotten around to replacing it. for the most part i just buy frozen ballyhoo or fresh jack that ive caught. i dont like using sand fleas, shrimp, and squid as i fish for snapper most of the time and it seems as though i only get undersized fish or grunts/lizardfish/etc. tonight im going to use a single 7ft rod with ballyhoo chunks to see how it goes.

User avatar
fishnfool73
AMBASSADOR to the... BF FORUM
Posts: 8703
Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:18 am

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by fishnfool73 »

Fresh bait vs frozen for snapper is a world of difference as far as size goes. try jack, mullet, mackerel, ladyfish, runner, bluefish strips or chunks vs frozen ballyhoo. Frozen just doesn't stay on the hook long enough for anything of size to find it.
Dreaming the dream that one day I can be as good as some of the boatless pros and catch some 12 inch mangrove snapper.

mil7950
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 7:45 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mil7950 »

i usually use and prefer jacks as theyre free but frozen ballyhoo seems to get the job done sometimes. will try and get some tomorrow and use them at night.

mil7950
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 74
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 7:45 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mil7950 »

went out tonight for an hour and a half and caught 3 snapper and a pretty big grunt. got lucky in that the snapper i gut hooked was the only one that was a keeper (12in mangrove) so i ended up taking it home. something big hit my line at the beginning of the night and cut it instantly, not sure what it was.

mike j
Weekend Warrior
Posts: 86
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 12:40 pm

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by mike j »

Thanks for contributing, I haven't caught a keeper mangrove for some time. I went out this morning fishing with fleas. I caught six Pompanetas and a few Blue Runners. The weather was perfect and I enjoyed myself. I was curious when you caught those Mangroves were you fishing near a reef or some structure ?

User avatar
fishnfool73
AMBASSADOR to the... BF FORUM
Posts: 8703
Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:18 am

Re: Palm Beach surf report from October 2017 -

Post by fishnfool73 »

Shocked you aren't catching pompano but with the water just now cooling that will show soon.
Dreaming the dream that one day I can be as good as some of the boatless pros and catch some 12 inch mangrove snapper.

Post Reply

Return to “Palm Beach and Martin Countys”