January

The middle of winter can go a lot of ways in Palm Beach. Some days are cold & some are hot but the fishing can be an absolute blast. The main targets would be inshore fish like snook, black drum, sheepshead, croakers, snappers, and the occasional redfish. It is possible to catch Peacocks but the best bet for freshwater would be to let me take you into the 'glades for the day to fish for largemouths. Some years the warm weather continues through Feb. and the peacock fishing remains awesome.


February

This month is a lot like Jan. except that the bass fishing can really fire up and the alligator
alley fishing gets going full swing with too many species to name.Here
in Palm Beach the largemouth bass and clown knife fish bite will be good with some peacocks mixed in. Plenty of action in the saltwater inshore and it can be a great time to collect some fillets for the dinner table.


March

This is a big fish month, the spring mullet run is headed north and the monsters are swimming with them. Giant Tarpon, Snook and Jacks that will make you second guess your life decisions will all be with the school. Normally the spinner shark migration will be happening around this time also and the action can be amazing. The Peacock bass fishing is good along with clowns and sunshine bass. The 'Glades fishing will be amazing the next few months with 200+ fish days on fly and artificial is not unusual.


April

No major changes from March still an awesome month to fish just about everywhere - except the ocean due to normally high winds, however, the inshore saltwater and lakes are sheltered and unaffected. The spinner shark migration will be in full effect and can make for some very exciting sight fishing on bait or fly. 


May

Great peacock fishing in the fresh and good snook and jacks on the inshore saltwater. This month has some better days with less wind that allows me to slip out the inlet sometimes to jig the wrecks for everything from african pompano to blackfin tuna. I don't run dedicated offshore charters so the days spent out there are a bonus.


June

Best bet for the next two month is to book for saltwater whether it,s nighttime snook and tarpon, daytime giant snook at the inlet, or offshore for blackfin tuna, bonitos and tons of other species you will not be disappointed. Amazing fly fishing opportunities: This is the time to hook fish on the 12wt that you sometimes just can't stop.


July

The summer pattern continues with flat seas and tons of action. It gets very hot so I offer morning trips as well as overnight inshore trips this month for snook. As with almost every month of the year, we can still cross off the peacock bass and clown knife fish from your list.


August

This is getting close to the end of spawn for giant snook, but you still have great chances to target them and that would be the best bet for this month. On the north end of the county, the glass minnows will be in and tarpon will be feeding heavily on them. When the morning wind is decent it can be amazing. The largemouth bite will be tough but peacocks and clowns are still available.


September

One of the most incredible things you can experience in fishing is the fall mullet run, Millions of silver mullet migrating south along the beaches with every major predator you could imagine following right behind them. Giant tarpon doing backflips, Spinner sharks launching through with their mouths open, along with jacks and snook getting their fill also. Truly something straight out of national geographic. 


October 

(Very busy month be sure to book as early as possible)

The mullet run continues and the bait starts pushing back in the estuary waters. Big Snook and jacks are the targets around docks and seawalls. In my opinion, this is the absolute best time of the year for peacock bass and probably the best month for fishing in general.


November

(Very busy month be sure to book as early as possible)

Very similar to Oct. with great peacock fishing and good inshore light tackle fishing. snook, black drum, sheepshead, croakers, etc.


December

The best fish to target this month will really depend on cold fronts, we have had years with incredible peacock bass fishing in Dec. and terrible years also due to cold water temps. It's a great time to jig the inlets and see what we can pull up. In the winter I've seen grouper, snapper, sheepshead, pompanoafrican pompano, redfish, permit and lots more.



South Florida Fishing Calander 

There is so much fishing to do in South Florida and each month is different so this will break down every part of the year and will give you the best options to choose from. Planning is the key to success with fishing and knowing your target is a great start to organizing your trip. The forecast area is Palm Beach and Broward counties including the Everglades, the Lake Ida Chain, the Lake Worth Lagoon, Loxahatchee River, Stuart, and Indian River - along with all surrounding bodies of water.

palm beach county fisherman on a charter with peacock bass

Capt. Patrick Smith

​​Ph: 561-503-0848

Email: captpatrick@swamptosea.com