Coral Cove Park Fishing

Coral Cove Park is a scenic, free county beach where natural limestone rocks break the surf and hold fish. It gives shore anglers both the Atlantic and the Intracoastal in one small park.

• About half a mile of beach with natural limestone outcrops, most of it unguarded
• Snook on the rocks in summer; pompano, whiting and bluefish in the cooler months
• A short Intracoastal frontage for snapper and snook
• Free parking, restrooms and outdoor showers

The park is at 1600 Beach Road on Jupiter Island, in Tequesta, just north of the Jupiter Inlet. Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation runs it.

• Getting there: cross the Intracoastal from US 1 in Tequesta to Jupiter Island and follow Beach Road south to the park
• Entry and parking: free; the park lot fills on summer weekends
• Hours: sunrise to sunset
• The walk: the 600-foot guarded beach is by the main crossover; the 2,010 feet of unguarded beach to the south, where you may fish, is reached by further dune crossovers
• The Intracoastal side is across the road
• Surface: sand and rock; the rocks are uneven and slippery

The rocks and reef break up the surf, giving this beach more structure than most.

• Spring (Mar-May): the last pompano and bluefish, Spanish mackerel, snook returning to the rocks
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook along the rocky edges at dawn, jacks, whiting in the troughs, mangrove snapper on the Intracoastal side
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run brings snook, tarpon, jacks and bluefish along the beach
• Winter (Dec-Feb): pompano season, plus whiting, bluefish and Spanish mackerel on cold fronts

A 9 to 10 foot surf rod for the beach and a medium spinning rod for the rocks and Intracoastal cover it.

• Pompano and whiting: a double-drop rig with sand fleas, shrimp or clam, and a 2-4 oz pyramid sinker, fished in the first trough
• Snook: live pilchards or mullet, or white bucktail jigs, worked along the rocks at dawn
• Bluefish and mackerel: silver spoons and small plugs when bait shows
• Intracoastal side: small live shrimp for snapper and jacks from the park's shoreline, never from private docks
• Bring sand fleas, shrimp or clams with you; county parks do not allow bait collecting

Jupiter Island has two Atlantic tides a day.

• A rising tide into high water is usually best for pompano and whiting in the troughs
• Snook feed along the rocks at dawn and dusk, especially on a falling tide
• A light to moderate swell stirs sand fleas and gets the pompano feeding; a big swell makes the rocks dangerous
• Clear, green water is best; stirred-up brown water after a blow fishes poorly
• Winter cold fronts start the pompano runs

Coral Cove has a short guarded beach and a longer unguarded one, with some natural hazards.

• The limestone rocks are slippery and sharp; wear shoes and do not climb them in surf
• Rip currents form along the beach, and most of it has no lifeguard; fish from the sand and stay out of the water
• Fishing and surfing are not allowed in the guarded swimming area
• Summer lightning storms move in fast; leave the beach when they build
• Stingrays lie in the shallows; land fish on the sand rather than stepping in after them
• Dune crossovers lead to the sand; the rocks themselves are not accessible for wheelchairs

The park is set up for a day at the beach.

• Restrooms and outdoor showers
• Picnic areas with grills
• A children's playground
• Lifeguards on a 600-foot guarded stretch; the rest of the beach is unguarded
• No bait shop or food concession in the park; bring what you need
• No lights; the park closes at sunset

• Fish the rocks south of the guarded beach at first light for snook, before the swimmers arrive
• In winter, look for the troughs between the outcrops for pompano
• Buy fresh sand fleas or clams on the way in; digging bait in the park is not allowed
• The Intracoastal side is sheltered when the ocean is too rough
• Weekday mornings are quiet; weekends fill the lot early
• Be kind to the reef: do not drag lines or tackle over the living rock

Coral Cove Park is managed by Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation.

• The park is open sunrise to sunset
• No fishing or surfing in the guarded swimming area; follow lifeguard instructions
• County code allows swimming and wading only in designated areas, so fish from the sand rather than wading into the surf
• County code bans shark fishing and chumming on county beaches with guarded swim areas, which includes this one
• Do not collect live rock or disturb the reef
• County code bars collecting any animal other than legally caught fish in county parks, so bring sand fleas and other bait rather than digging them
• 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 any snook
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything