By Lauren Eissey, Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Contributing Writer
Thankfully in Florida, you don’t have to shovel sunshine! January weather bodes well for the avid anglers with temperatures ranging in 59 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. So, cap off the holiday season with saltwater fishing at the Juno Beach Pier.
Hook your line with jigs and lures to draw Spanish mackerel. Be quick to get their bite specifically with minnow spoons or heavy metal lures. Attract pompano with sand fleas, shrimp, squid, clams, mussels, fiddler crabs and lures that imitate their diet. For bluefish, have your rod ready with cut bait like bunker, eel, and ladyfish to name a few. Lures, such as flies, and wooden plugs can also strengthen your chances of reeling in bluefish. Atlantic croakers and blue runners, better known as jacks, have an appetite for squid. Continue to target croakers as well with blood worms and shedder crabs.
A friendly reminder to dispose of used monofilament lines in the designated recycling containers as more holiday visitors gather on the pier.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center offers private Fishing Lessons for adults and children (ages 8 and up). One-hour lessons are offered daily; scheduled based on availability. Cost: $25/angler (with own gear); $35/angler with rental gear. Bait not included. Email reservations@marinelife.org to register. The full-service Pier House features a snack bar as well as a variety of fishing tackle, including rental poles and bait.
Randy Yent, Pier Coordinator
Juno Beach Pier (561) 627-8280 Ext. 140
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