WPB area - looking for resources

West Palm to Jacksonville
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jbdba01
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WPB area - looking for resources

Post by jbdba01 »

I may be spending some additional time on this side of FL and am starting my research on fishing the Palm Beach side of things. Technically I'm in Wellington - about 15 miles from the ocean.

So far the resources I've found are mainly fish the docks at night and beach fishing. Something as an East Coast newbie I'm hesitant to do (I do 90% of my fishing solo). I hear fishing the inlets is good, but you better know what you're getting into.

I'm quasi open to hiring a guide to minimize the learning curve.

Any resources (websites, clubs...) would be appreciated.

Targeting snook/poon - could see doing offshore (sailfish/dolphin) in a stinkpot, but that's a whole nother ballgame.
JB
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krash
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by krash »

You got a few choices.. all require driving. (Since this is paddling site assume you have paddle craft)
WPB are around Peanut Island, but there are not a lot of fishing reports that come from there. If you hire a guide, contact (search for) PalmBeachPete hes the local fishing hero of that area.

1) Head North, starting around Stuart/Jensen Beach causeway you'll find the Indian River very fishable by kayak with many free side of the road launch areas, all the way up to Round Island right near Ft. Pierce & Vero line on A1A

2) Head SW to Choko.. great fishery, couple good private owned/operated $$ launch sites OR/CIP or Ranger station free, with fish within a few hundred yards, and more miles of oyster bedds and mangrove shorelines to paddle that you can imagine

3) Head South to Biscayne Bay, N. Biscayne bay hold Trout, some Snook, and Tarpon, launch at 79th street causeway or Morninside park. South Biscayne Bay has 4 basic launch site/entry points with miles of fishless flats unless you want cudas, sharks... there is an occasional Bonefish to catch if you are paitent.

4) Head S. to Flamingo.. 2 or 3 launch points there, very long boring drive, but plenty of fish to target.
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jbdba01
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by jbdba01 »

Thanks for the advice. I'll look at Stuart as it might be the closest (I think).
JB
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by TRKpoker »

The only thing I would say is really keep your head on a swivel. Powerboats really don't watch out on this coast. I have fished in small powerboats from WPB and south and these guys don't even try to look out. Speeding in manatee zones and inlets is just standard.

There is a nice launch on the South side of the 79th Street causeway down south. Weekdays (used to be) there is no charge and no guard. Weekend it was a nominal fee and a guard. In a yak/canoe you have a nice launch that is close to some really good fishing.
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krash
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by krash »

TRKpoker wrote:The only thing I would say is really keep your head on a swivel. Powerboats really don't watch out on this coast. I have fished in small powerboats from WPB and south and these guys don't even try to look out. Speeding in manatee zones and inlets is just standard.

There is a nice launch on the South side of the 79th Street causeway down south. Weekdays (used to be) there is no charge and no guard. Weekend it was a nominal fee and a guard. In a KAYAK/canoe you have a nice launch that is close to some really good fishing.
Correct.. on both accounts.. seems liek anything goes in Dade County.. and I fish there all the time. We launch trhe boat at 79th at night for shrimping expeditions and its amazing what goes on in the bay at night with very little enforcement.
The good news is just off the boat channel on the South Side to the East of the islands are flats that boaters can;t get up on.. but if you go to this area of town do not slow down between I-95 and the launch site, and certainly don;t stop for supplies and leave anything open for grabbing, and don;t forget your translator if you want to speak to anyone.
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by Pirogue »

JB,

Palm Beach County is my old stomping ground. I grew up there.

Check out Munyon Island area over on Singer Island. It has flats and mangrove shorelines just like here. Just take Blue Heron Blvd (Riviera Beach) east and cross the intracoastal. Follow around for a few miles and you will get to a small bridge (the locals call it Burnt Bridge, ask any bait shop and they will tell you where it is) where the road (A1A) bears left. If you get to JD Macarthur State Park you went too far. Fish the flats on the west side of the road. The east side is a mud pit. So be careful or you will be stuck to the knees. Don't ask me how I know.

Please do not try to paddle to Peanut Island. The current can get swift, there are lots of boaters, and you can get swept out pretty quick. Now, you can launch at Phil Foster Park and head north. Lots of docks.

If you are a little more adventurous, you can head up to Burt Reynolds Park in Jupiter on US-1. It will give you access to the Loxahatchee River. But, beware, if you start to get to the water between the A1A Bridge and the US 1 bridge, the current rips. The area between US1 and Indiantown road bridges is no wake so you should be safe from boats. There are lots of docks away from the current that hold some fish.

Jonathan Dickenson State park in Hobe Sound has a launch on the backwaters of the Loxahatchee River. It is brackish so you will get a combo of snook and bass. If you head downstream, you will get a lot of dock action. The current is not too bad at all and it is an easy paddle.

Fresh water is great.

If you are in Wellington, head out SR 80 to 20 mile bend. There is a ramp at the northern end of the Loxahatchee Refuge. Good bass and blugill on fly. You may also pick up some oscars or chichlids. But the gators are numerous and HUGE.

I also like the C-18 canal in Jupiter on Indiantown Road and the C-17 canal off ov Southern Blvd.

And my favorite guilty pleasure is just walking the canal banks with a fly rod. Lots of canals and lots of fish.

Let me know if you need anymore info.

Oh, if the kids are with you, take some time and go to Sailfish Marina on Singer Island. You can buy some sardines and feed the jacks. It is almost as fun as feeding the tarpon at Robbies. And the best hoagies in the world are at Russo's Subs in WPB. Get one, you won't regret it.
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by jbdba01 »

Excellent advice...especially the tides.

Any thoughts on fishing Flagler Bridge? Seems there's some big ol' snook around there, but I didn't see a place to put in.
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by Pirogue »

jbdba01 wrote:Excellent advice...especially the tides.

Any thoughts on fishing Flagler Bridge? Seems there's some big ol' snook around there, but I didn't see a place to put in.
There is a boat ramp on Flagler, but you may have a paddle ahead of you. Google Currie Park. But there is better fishing at other spots. The water in the Jupiter area is cleaner. The snook are bigger too.

Also, the Currie Park area can be a bit seedy at times.

Don't be too scared of Jupiter and the Loxahatchee. There are HUGE snook under the railroad trestle and the A1A bridge. Just watch what you are doing. Free lining a live shrimp is the ticket.

You can paddle the edges and keep pretty safe. When you get out towards the center it really starts to rip though.
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by UltimateBobWPB »

Hoping to fish Ft.Pierce, Indian River Lagoon on March 1 your welcome to join us driving from WPB at about 9.
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by jbdba01 »

UltimateBobWPB wrote:Hoping to fish Ft.Pierce, Indian River Lagoon on March 1 your welcome to join us driving from WPB at about 9.
Back in Lithia now...I'll PM ya next time I head over there. Should be 3-5 weeks.
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by UltimateBobWPB »

The Snook Island Natural Area at the western end of the Lake Worth bridge. Has a kayak launch area and fishing pier. The county created a series of islands along the west side of the ICW as a breeding and habitat area. Still fairly new but people have posted YouTube videos of snook being caught. Like most areas in PBC a lot of boat traffic during the day but early and late should be quiet. I'd launch from the beach on the east end of the bridge since parking not an issue and closer for kayak from car to water. Good luck.
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Re: WPB area - looking for resources

Post by jbdba01 »

Thanks for the advice.
JB
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