Randy, Pier Master of Juno Beach Pier, reports exciting Fall crossover migrations. This includes pulses of bluefish and finger mullet, and also a rare showing but welcome appearance of slot size redfish! We’re also seeing resident 6″ to 10″ pompano appear like ghosts in the lightly silty aqua water, and early and late appearances of jacks and ladyfish as large as 6 lbs. Croakers and small sand perch are also showing up in solid numbers. Here’s what’s working on the Pier for various species:

  • Reds and Snook
    The baits of choice include live finger mullet for redfish and, for snook, live croaker, whiting, or sand perch make for a much desired meal.
  • Blue and Spanish Mackerel
    For bluefish, use a popper rig with a large pink peg float with 4′ of mono threaded through a soft squid, and tie it to a long shank mustad 92611 2/0 hook. If you want to take on Spanish mackerel instead, all you gotta do is eliminate the squid and tie on a Clark Spoon, and BANG, you’re all set.
  • Pompano
    Pomps are smacking pink/wghite jigs in ½ and ¾ ounce size. Tie your jig with 25 lb. fluorocarbon and a 6″ loop knot accented by a quill. Folks, it’s windy and the jig weight must be jerked no more than 8 inches off the bottom to achieve the best results.

    • Surfcasters are also catching keeper pomps at Loggerhead Park and just south of the Jupiter Reef Club. Here, try a fluorocarbon leader with 6 inch droppers and large floats. Use blanched fleas for bait. I always push Fishbites, but they’re currently only attracting catfish and bluefish.

    There’s a good bite on slot snook at the Jupiter and Palm Beach Inlets. Snook expert and manager of Juno Bait and Tackle, Trey Waller, says the Yuzuri Darter in the color purple is the current “go to” lure. Trey said if it doesn’t dive and wiggle, you’re wasting your time.

    The big seller in the local shops are the pompano dropper rigs with a big white float and a pink/white pill float. Fluoro leader is imperative. Strangely enough, after producing these rigs for over ten years, they are now available in 28 tackle shops, and in stores as far away as NW Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Despite all the time I’ve been doing this, I still feel complemented when a fellow angler says my rigs work!

    Next time around I will talk about optics and light diffusion to help all of you read the water. To learn more and find out about my free seminars, go to www.pompanorich.org. Tight Lines!