Fishing spots in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County has the Gulf Stream closer to shore than anywhere else on Florida's mainland, and its shore fishing shows it. From Boca Raton to Jupiter, a string of long ocean piers and clear, fast inlets gives anglers kingfish, cobia and little tunny off the pier ends, some of the best inlet snook fishing in the state, and winter runs of Spanish mackerel, bluefish and pompano. Juno Beach Pier and Lake Worth Beach Pier are the ocean piers; Boynton Inlet and Jupiter Inlet are the classic snook spots; and the Lake Worth Lagoon inside the Palm Beach Inlet offers easy bridge fishing at Phil Foster Park.

Jupiter and Juno Beach

• Character: the Jupiter Inlet and a famous ocean pier on turtle-nesting beaches
• What it suits: inlet snook and pompano at Dubois Park; pelagics and surf fish at Juno Beach Pier
• Access: free county park parking; small pier fees and seasonal pier hours

Riviera Beach and the Lake Worth Lagoon

• Character: sheltered lagoon water flushed by the Palm Beach Inlet
• What it suits: snapper, sheepshead and snook from the Blue Heron Bridge fishing areas
• Access: free parking at Phil Foster Park

Lake Worth Beach to Boynton

• Character: a Gulf Stream pier and a narrow, hard-running inlet
• What it suits: kingfish at Lake Worth Beach Pier; snook and snapper at Boynton Inlet
• Access: paid city parking at the pier; free parking at Ocean Inlet Park

Season	Likely species (shore)	Notes
Spring (Mar–May)	Kingfish, cobia, pompano, blue runners	Pier ends and inlet mouths
Summer (Jun–Aug)	Snook, mangrove snapper, tarpon, barracuda	Snook peak in the inlets; turtle-season pier hours
Fall (Sep–Nov)	Snook, tarpon, jacks, bluefish, kingfish	The mullet run is the year's highlight
Winter (Dec–Feb)	Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, whiting, sheepshead	Blacktip and spinner shark migration Jan–Mar

• Medium-heavy spinning gear with 40–50 lb leader and bucktails for inlet snook
• Wire stinger rigs and live blue runners for kingfish from the piers
• Spoons and plugs on wire for mackerel and bluefish
• Pompano jigs and sand fleas for the winter surf
• Knocker rigs and fiddler crabs for snapper and sheepshead
• A long-handled net or pier net everywhere

• Tides are semidiurnal, about two to three feet on the beaches and inlets, less inside the lagoon
• Inlets run extremely hard; fish around slack water
• The incoming brings gin-clear ocean water to the inlets
• The Gulf Stream can push strong current past the pier ends
• Northeast swell dirties the water and makes inlet mouths dangerous

• Inlet currents at Boynton and Jupiter are among the strongest on the coast; never wade or swim
• Slippery jetty rocks and heavy boat traffic in the inlets
• Lightning on summer afternoons
• Sea turtles nest on these beaches; follow pier rules on hooked turtles and beach lighting
• Divers and snorkelers share Phil Foster Park and the inlets at slack water

• Juno Beach Pier is being re-decked in phases in 2026; small sections close at times.
• Lake Worth Beach Pier is the best bet for a shore kingfish.
• Fish Boynton Inlet at slack water; peak current is ferocious.
• Jupiter Inlet snook fish best at night on the outgoing in summer.
• Phil Foster Park allows fishing only from designated bridge sections.
• If you hook a sea turtle, do not cut the line; get help.
• Bring a sabiki for live bait everywhere.

• Martin County – the St. Lucie Inlet and Indian River Lagoon causeways to the north
• Broward County – the Deerfield, Pompano and Dania Beach piers to the south

• Do I need a fishing license?
  • A Florida saltwater fishing license is needed unless you are exempt, or you fish from a pier whose own license covers visitors (ask at the pier). Check the FWC website for current rules.
• Where can I catch a snook from shore?
  • Boynton Inlet and Jupiter Inlet are two of the best spots in Florida; check FWC seasons first.
• Are the inlets open at night?
  • The parks close at sunset, but inlet fishing is generally allowed 24 hours; follow posted signs.
• Why does Juno Beach Pier close at sunset in summer?
  • Seasonal hours protect nesting sea turtles.
• Can I fish Blue Heron Bridge?
  • Yes, from the old bridge section and the short span at Phil Foster Park, away from the snorkel trail.

Area	Coast character & access	Best species	Prime season	Go-to methods	Key safety notes	Facilities
Jupiter & Juno	Inlet and turtle-beach pier; free park parking	Snook, pompano, kingfish	Summer and winter	Bucktails, jigs, stinger rigs	Inlet current, turtle rules	Pier House, park restrooms
Riviera Beach lagoon	Bridge fishing in a county park	Snapper, sheepshead, snook	Year-round	Shrimp, fiddler crabs	Divers, boat traffic	Restrooms, ramps
Lake Worth to Boynton	Gulf Stream pier and narrow inlet	Kingfish, mackerel, snook	Spring, fall	Live runners, bucktails	Extreme inlet current	Bait shop, restaurant, restrooms