Burt Reynolds Park Fishing

Burt Reynolds Park gives shore anglers a long stretch of Intracoastal waterfront close to the Jupiter Inlet, with parking, restrooms and shade on hand. The water here moves hard with the tide, and snook are the main target.

• About 2,000 feet of Intracoastal Waterway frontage
• Snook, mangrove snapper and jacks most of the year; sheepshead and black drum in winter
• Restrooms, picnic shelters and a fish cleaning station
• Six boat ramps, so expect launch traffic

The park is on U.S. Highway 1 in Jupiter, with an east entrance at 805 and a west entrance at 800 U.S. 1, beside the U.S. 1 bridge. Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation runs it.

• Hours: the park is open sunrise to sunset; the boat ramps and their parking are open 24 hours for launching
• Parking: regular spaces, spaces for vehicles carrying kayaks and paddleboards, and boat trailer parking with the county's daily permit ($15, available on site)
• The walk: short from the lots to the waterfront
• The River Center and a paddleboard rental kiosk are on site but run separately from the park

Inlet and river water mix here, so the fishing follows both the tide and the season.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook move into the waterway and around the bridge, with jacks and ladyfish chasing bait
• Summer (Jun-Aug): mangrove snapper at their best along the waterfront, snook at dawn and dusk, and tarpon rolling in the channel
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, jacks and tarpon in from the inlet
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead and black drum around hard structure, with snapper still biting on warm days

A medium spinning rod with 15 to 20 lb braid and a 25 to 30 lb fluorocarbon leader copes with the current and the snook.

• Snook: live pilchards, mullet or shrimp drifted in the current, or a paddle-tail swimbait or bucktail worked along shadow lines
• Mangrove snapper: small live shrimp or cut bait on a knocker rig close to structure
• Sheepshead and black drum: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader dropped tight to hard structure in winter
• Jacks and ladyfish: small jigs, spoons and topwater plugs when bait moves
• Carry a long-handled net for landing fish over the edge

Two Atlantic tides a day push through the Jupiter Inlet, and the current along this stretch can be strong.

• The incoming tide brings cleaner, clearer water from the inlet and often the best bite
• The first hours of the outgoing tide flush bait past the bridge
• Slack water is slow; use it to catch bait or rig up
• Early morning is best in summer, before the heat and the boat traffic
• After heavy rain, darker river water can color the water on the outgoing tide

The park is roomy and easy to get around, but the water is busy.

• Keep lines well clear of the boat ramps, docks and the paddlecraft launch
• Boat wakes and a strong current run along the waterfront; keep children back from the edge
• Leave the waterfront at the first thunder of a summer storm
• Carry water and sun protection
• Access: short walks from the parking areas to the water, with picnic shelters for shade

The park is well equipped for a day on the water.

• Restrooms
• A fish cleaning station
• Picnic areas with grills, nine family shelters and a reservable group pavilion
• A playground, horseshoe pits and a sand volleyball court
• Six boat ramps, day-use boat slips and a paddlecraft launch
• The River Center, a separately run education center, and a paddleboard rental kiosk
• No bait shop in the park that we could confirm; bring bait

• Fish the start of the incoming tide at first light for snook
• Catch pilchards with a small sabiki rig or cast net where allowed for live bait
• Winter sheepshead bite best on a slow, moving tide with fiddler crabs
• Weekday mornings are much quieter at the ramps than weekends
• The Jupiter Inlet at Dubois Park is a short drive east when you want to fish the inlet itself

Burt Reynolds Park is managed by Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation.

• The park is open sunrise to sunset; only the boat ramps stay open 24 hours, for launching
• Saltwater fishing from the shore is allowed; keep clear of the ramps and boat traffic
• Boat trailer parking needs the county's daily permit, for a maximum of 24 hours
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Snook and tarpon have their own seasons and release rules; check FWC before keeping a snook
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything