Boynton Inlet Fishing

Boynton Inlet is a narrow, hard-running inlet with a paved fishing walkway on its south side, loved by local snook anglers for generations.

• Crystal-clear ocean water on the incoming tide
• Year-round snook and snapper, with tarpon in summer and fall
• Winter bluefish, mackerel and pompano at the mouth
• A jetty open to fishing around the clock, with parking and restrooms at Ocean Inlet Park
• No fishing in the park's guarded swimming area on the beach

The inlet is on A1A between Ocean Ridge and Manalapan, east of Boynton Beach; Ocean Inlet Park is at 6990 North Ocean Boulevard, Ocean Ridge.

• Getting there: cross the Intracoastal on Ocean Avenue in Boynton Beach, then go north on A1A to Ocean Inlet Park on the south side of the inlet.
• Parking: at Ocean Inlet Park, where the county allows 24-hour parking for recreational fishing.
• Walk: short and paved from the park to the south jetty walkway.
• Hours: the park is open sunrise to sunset, but the county keeps inlet fishing and the jetty open 24 hours.

The inlet fishes all year.

• Spring (Mar–May): snook moving to the inlet, jacks, runners, snapper
• Summer (Jun–Aug): snook spawning season around the inlet, tarpon at night, mangrove snapper
• Fall (Sep–Nov): mullet run with snook, tarpon, jacks and bluefish
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, pompano at the mouth
• Year-round: mangrove snapper and blue runners are present in the inlet most days
• Occasional permit and yellowtail on the clearest incoming tides

Heavy current rewards heavy tackle and precise timing.

• Snook: 7–8 ft rod, 30 lb braid, 40–50 lb fluorocarbon, bucktails or live pilchards and mullet bounced along the bottom with the tide
• Snapper and sheepshead: knocker rig with 2–4 oz egg sinker; shrimp, fiddler crabs or cut bait
• Pompano and mackerel: jigs and spoons at the mouth
• Tarpon: live mullet on 60 lb leader at night
• A long-handled net helps on the walkway; the drop to the water is high.

Tides are two a day (semidiurnal), about two to three feet, and the narrow inlet runs extremely hard.

• Best: the hour either side of slack water
• Incoming brings clean, clear ocean water; outgoing carries lagoon bait and dirtier water
• Night and dawn are best for snook and tarpon
• Northeast swell makes the mouth dangerous and turns the water brown
• Summer snook often stack at the mouth on the outgoing at night

The south side walkway is paved and railed in places, but conditions are demanding.

• The current is among the strongest on the coast; never wade or swim
• Boats run the inlet at speed and struggle in swell; keep lines clear
• Wet surfaces and rocks are slippery, especially at night
• Lightning in summer; heat and sun all year
• Wheelchair users can reach parts of the park, and there is a beach mat on the sand

Ocean Inlet Park has good basics for a long session at the inlet.

• Restrooms and outdoor showers
• Picnic areas with grills, family picnic shelters, a seating pavilion and a playground
• An ocean overlook and a guarded beach, with a beach mat for wheelchair access
• The park's small marina is temporarily closed until further notice
• Self-service paddleboard rentals from a kiosk
• No bait shop in the park; buy bait in Boynton Beach before you arrive

• Fish slack water: the current can pull a 4 oz sinker off the bottom in minutes at peak flow.
• Watch where the regulars stand and do not crowd them.
• Keep snook in the water for release; the drop to the water is high.
• Bring plenty of jigs; snags are constant.
• The incoming tide often brings visibility so clear you can see fish moving.
• Keep casts clear of any divers' flags and paddleboarders near the mouth.

Ocean Inlet Park is a Palm Beach County park, run by the county Parks and Recreation Department.

• Inlet fishing and the jetty are open 24 hours; the rest of the park is open sunrise to sunset
• No saltwater fishing in the guarded swimming area; balloons are banned in the park
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Snook and tarpon have their own seasons, permits and handling rules; check FWC before targeting them
• County code bans shark fishing and chumming on county beaches with guarded swim areas, and Ocean Inlet Park's beach is guarded
• County code also bars collecting any animal in the park except fish caught where fishing is allowed, so bring fiddler crabs, sand fleas and other bait with you
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything