Landbased Fishing in Boynton/Delray/Boca

[jerseybrian]

Looking for anything from fresh to brackish to salt.  I have fished Lake Ida with little success although I did land a nice 3ld Peacock on my 2nd cast there ever lol.  Pic below!  I hooked up to a 2lb largemouth but it got away.  I can see Tilapia and other cichlids in the shallows of the lake and the E-4 canal.  I've also seen some nice 3ft Gar hanging out int the thick weeds in one section of the Lake as well.  

After reading several old threads on this forum, I found a small pond in a park near Lake Charleston off Hypoluxo and caught a few mayan cichlids and juvenile largemouth on topwater lures.  

Looking for some other spots as I've been having no luck with the several I've tried and parking does seem to be the most difficult aspect of fishing spots from shore.  Even a good parking spot to access the Weaver Canal would be great!

Thanks in advance fellas!!!!  And I'm always up for meeting fellow fisherman to wet a line!!

 

[jaysen]

nice catch! what did he bite?

I will be in the area this weekend and may just stick to the ocean. I don't know how accessible the freshwater is.

[jerseybrian]

It went for a 5" Fishbelly Hawgshad with a 5/0 offset hook.  I saw it before on my first cast and it was close to a shallow bank.  I cast and let it sink all the way to the bottom which was probably only 3.5-4ft.  Then ripped it back in, jerking the rod erratically; almost like a whippy stick and it got hammered.  Didn't even need to set the hook lol.  

[geo g]

I have bank fished, and fished from the boat, at both Ida and Osbourne.  Either lake has adequate open bank area, and hours of fishing possibilities including peacock.  Hundreds of miles of canals with open areas surround the lake  system, you just have to explore and find some spots.  Look for areas with water control structures and culvert pipes.  There are several along the turnpike with neighborhood roads running parallel.  Both bass and peacock will hang in these areas, especially if you can find some moving water.  Peacock will often school in these areas if there is some current.  They are often called a wolf pack!  Catch one and several others follow it in.  Good luck!

[soflabasser]

The Peacock bass are thriving in West Palm Beach since we haven't had a strong cold front in years. I have caught Peacock Bass as far north as a canal system north of Lake Osborne, won't be surprised if people report catches of peacock bass in the next county north of West Palm Beach.

[Terzy]

On September 15, 2016 at 8:25 PM, soflabasser said:

The Peacock bass are thriving in West Palm Beach since we haven't had a strong cold front in years. I have caught Peacock Bass as far north as a canal system north of Lake Osborne, won't be surprised if people report catches of peacock bass in the next county north of West Palm Beach.

The snakeheads are also thriving up there, when a bad cold comes they will all be gone though. 

I reccomend the Hillsoboro canal, there's a lot of quality bass in there and I feel like it isn't pressured that much. You can also catch snakeheads and I've been seeing a few peacocks coming into the canal lately. It has really good bank access but some stretches have really high banks. 

[soflabasser]

5 hours ago, Terzy said:

The snakeheads are also thriving up there, when a bad cold comes they will all be gone though. 

I reccomend the Hillsoboro canal, there's a lot of quality bass in there and I feel like it isn't pressured that much. You can also catch snakeheads and I've been seeing a few peacocks coming into the canal lately. It has really good bank access but some stretches have really high banks. 

We had major cold fronts kill a large percentage of the exotics in 2010,but it was not enough to kill all of them.The exotics are here to stay and I am glad we have such variety of fish to choose from in South Florida.Have not fished the Hillsboro canal is some time,but there is a canal that I fish in the snakehead area of the state where I have caught largemouth bass,peacock bass, and bullseye snakehead all in the same day,so peacock bass are definitely spreading to the west and to the north.