June brings summer heat and full-on summer fishing patterns to Palm Beach. Tarpon are stacked in Lake Worth Lagoon and at the inlet, snook are spawning on the jetties and bridges, mahi-mahi action continues offshore on the weed lines, and the nighttime swordfish bite is starting to set up offshore.
Inshore — Tarpon and Snook
Tarpon are the inshore headline in June. Schools are stacked in Lake Worth Lagoon, around the Palm Beach Inlet, and along the ICW between Lantana and Singer Island. Live mullet and crabs drifted on the outgoing tide is the proven approach. Fish are running 60 to 130 pounds, with occasional bigger fish over 150.
Snook spawn season runs through June. The fish stack at the inlet mouths, on the jetties, and around the major bridges. Florida snook regulations include a closed harvest season June 1 through August 31 — all fish must be released. Practice good handling: support the fish horizontally, use rubberized nets, and revive thoroughly before release.
Best snook action is at night under the bridge lights of Royal Park, Flagler, and Southern Boulevard. Live mullet, threadfin, and large white soft plastics pitched into the up-current shadow are producing.
Goliath grouper around the inlet bridges and offshore wrecks remain catch-and-release only in Florida — heavy tackle is required to even budge the bigger ones.
Offshore — Mahi, Sailfish Tail End, Swordfish Begin
Mahi-mahi action continues strong in June, though the peak run is in May. The weed line is set up 5 to 15 miles offshore, and trolling ballyhoo behind sea witches is producing limits of schoolies with shots at gaffers.
Sailfish action has slowed significantly compared to winter and early spring, but a few late fish are still being caught on the kite spread.
Daytime swordfish fishing offshore in 1,500 to 2,000 feet of water is starting to fire up. The standard technique involves dropping squid baits on heavy braided line with a 5- to 10-pound weight to take them down. Specialized rigs and electric reels make it doable. Big fish over 300 pounds are caught every June out of Palm Beach.
Wahoo are still a possibility on the deeper weed lines and color changes.
Reef and Wreck
Mangrove snapper season is open and the bite is excellent on the inshore patches in 30 to 60 feet. Live shrimp on a knocker rig is the standard.
Mutton snapper on the deeper reefs in 80 to 120 feet around the new and full moons are spawning and biting on live pinfish. Some of the biggest muttons of the year are caught in June.
Goliath grouper as noted above are catch-and-release. Federal red snapper season in the South Atlantic is severely limited — check NMFS for any approved mini-seasons.
Pier and Beach
Juno Beach Pier remains the most productive Palm Beach county pier. June pier fishing produces a mix of Spanish mackerel, jacks, blue runners, and occasional kingfish on the end. Pier snook are catch-and-release only during the closed season.
Beach snook fishing at dawn from Lake Worth Beach south through the Boynton area is producing on white bucktails and DOA jerkbaits worked through the first trough.
Conditions and Best Windows
Water temps in June reach 82–84°F. SE winds are typical, with afternoon thunderstorms common. Best fishing windows are first light (5:30-9:00 AM) and the evening incoming tide (6:30-8:30 PM).
Storm patterns set up by mid-month. Watch weather radar carefully — Florida summer storms can build fast.
Where to Be This Month
Lake Worth Lagoon and Palm Beach Inlet for tarpon. ICW bridges at night for spawning snook (release only). Weed line 5-15 miles offshore for mahi. The 1,500 ft depth for daytime swordfish. And the deeper reefs around the moon phases for mutton snapper.
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