November is the start of Palm Beach’s golden season. The pompano run hits peak in the surf with the first major cold fronts, sailfish action offshore is excellent on the north winds, snook bite up on the ICW bridges, and cobia start to show up around the offshore wrecks and reefs.
Pompano — Peak Surf Run
November is the month for Palm Beach pompano fishing. The cold fronts push fish south, and the beaches from Jupiter down through Boynton hold concentrated pompano. Sand fleas, fresh shrimp on Fishbites flavors, and Doc’s Goofy jigs all produce.
Best beaches: Juno Beach Park, Carlin Park, Coral Cove, Singer Island, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, Lake Worth Beach. Look for the deeper troughs and color changes within casting range.
The pompano bite is heavily tide-dependent. The first 2 hours of an incoming tide are typically prime. Cold north winds (after a front passes) often trigger the best bite of the year.
Limit catches are common on the right tides. Pompano are excellent table fare.
Offshore — Sailfish at Full Strength
The Palm Beach sailfish run hits its first big peak in November. North winds blowing against the Gulf Stream creates the iconic ‘sailfish weather’ — building seas, fish tailing on the wave faces, and incredible action on the kite spread.
The standard rig is a kite spread with goggle-eyes or threadfin herring as bait, fished in 80 to 250 feet of water. The Palm Beach Sailfish Series and other tournaments run in late November and December — competitive fleets are out, but the fish are plentiful enough for everyone.
Wahoo show up in numbers in November. High-speed trolling with Black Bart and Pakula lures at 12-15 knots is the standard. Most fish are 30 to 60 pounds with shots at bigger trophies.
Kingfish action is strong on the nearshore reefs and wrecks. Slow-trolled blue runners and live menhaden produce.
Inshore — Snook Bite Up
Snook season is open and the bite picks up significantly with cooling water. The ICW bridges (Royal Park, Flagler, Southern, Lake Worth) hold fish in the up-current shadow at night.
Live mullet, threadfin, and large soft plastics pitched into the bridge shadows produce. The Palm Beach Inlet jetty and Boynton Inlet jetty are also strong on the right tides.
The slot is 28 to 32 inches in Atlantic Florida — fish bigger or smaller must be released. One fish per person per day.
Cobia — Early Arrivals
Cobia start showing up around the offshore wrecks and reefs in November. The fish push down from the north and stage on structure in 60 to 150 feet.
Live eels and large bucktails are the standard. The cobia run peaks in March-April but November fish are bigger and less pressured.
Mutton and Mangrove Snapper
Mutton snapper action on the deeper reefs continues to produce around the moon phases. The November full moon and new moon are both productive windows.
Mangrove snapper remain consistent on the inshore patches.
Conditions and Best Windows
Water temps in November cool from 78°F to 72°F as the month progresses. The first major cold fronts (typically mid-month) trigger the pompano peak.
North winds following fronts create the sailfish weather offshore but make the inlets and surf rough. Pick your spots — surf and offshore are usually opposite-condition fisheries.
Where to Be This Month
Palm Beach county beaches for the pompano run (incoming tide, after a front). Offshore on north-wind days for sailfish on kites. ICW bridges at night for snook. Nearshore reefs for kingfish and early cobia. And the deeper reefs around the moons for mutton snapper.
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