LOCAL FISHING REPORT

OFFSHORE

Off Jupiter, the water is slowly returning to normal. One shop owner joked that it’s gone from “greenishbrown to greenish-blue.”

In 85 to 105 feet of water, there has been a good snapper bite.

Anglers are reporting catching lane, vermilion, mango and mutton snapper.

Though widely scattered, there have also been some dolphin around.

Anywhere from 200 to 800 feet, anglers are finding them along weed lines, tide lines and temperature changes.

There have been a few smoker kingfish caught recently. Exciting to catch, these 30-pound-plus fish have been taken in 50 to 75 feet of water along the inshore reefs using live goggle eye.

Several sailfish tournaments will be starting up in the coming weeks and, depending how those competitors fare, will be a good indicator of the coming sailfish season in South Florida.

Off Boynton Beach, the water has continued to get closer to its usual beautiful blue and the fishing has been red hot, then cold, then warm.

Anglers on Saturday caught everything. Fishing around some of the deep ledges in 180 to 300 feet of water, red grouper up to 15 pounds, almaco jacks up to 20 pounds, greater amberjack up to 30 pounds, dolphin up to 30 pounds, kingfish up to 15 pounds and mutton snapper up to 14 pounds were caught.

Also in that area, vermilion snapper, pink porgies, rainbow runners and small black tip sharks were being caught.

The next day, the fishing really shut down. Guides working the same spots were reporting little to no luck. On Monday, the action picked back up.

Starting out in 260 feet of water the dolphin bite was decent with a few fish up to 20 pounds being taken on dead baits, including cut squid, whole squid and cut threadfin herring.

Moving much closer in than on the previous two days, there was a decent bite on some keeper-size red grouper and some vermilion snapper in around 80 feet of water.

There were some short mutton snapper and keeper yellowtail snapper caught in the same area.

Even closer, in 30 to 50 feet of water, anglers hitting some of the rock piles and holes were having good luck on lane snapper, taking several up to 20 inches.

There were also some mutton snapper and banded rudderfish caught in the same area.

INSHORE

There has been an excellent pompano run along the beaches from the Juno Pier to the Jupiter Inlet recently.

Most of the action is in the 20- to 25-foot range and just out of the reach of beach anglers, but boats cruising along the shore are having a blast catching them. They are mostly being taken using Doc’s Goofy Jigs.

In that same area, the ladyfish bite has been good as well. Though not tablefare like pompano, they put up a great fight, provide an excellent show and are incredibly fun to catch.

Along the Jupiter Inlet and into the Intracoastal Water and the Loxahatchee River there have been some bluefish, blue runners and jack crevalle. Spoons and top-water plugs have worked well.

At the Boynton Inlet anglers are reporting decent action on red snapper and sheepshead. In the Intracoastal

Waterway, on the flats just inside the Boynton Inlet, pompano are being caught on small white jigs tipped with shrimp.

There have also been a few tarpon rolling at the mouth of the inlet.

At the Lantana

Bridge, slot-size redfish, sheepshead and black drum are being caught. The redfish are being taken on cut mullet fished on the bottom.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

The speckled perch bite has been good recently along the Government Cut and into the Kissimmee River. They are hitting on minnows.

The bass bite is good and they are still preferring live shiners over anything artificial. If using artificial, however, Yamamoto Senkos have been working.

LAKE OSBORNE

Fishing some of the canals near Lake Osborne, several anglers have had success catching clown knifefish.

This exotic species is native to Indochina and Thailand and puts up a good fight. They are being caught using live shad. Remember, if you catch one, they are a nonnative, invasive fish and it is illegal to release it.

In the same area, sunshine bass up to 7 pounds, along with largemouth and peacock bass are being caught.

All three are being caught on live shad, but the peacocks are also hitting top-water plugs.