On November 1, the Juno Beach Pier's posted hours change from sunrise to sunset to 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6 a.m. until midnight on Friday and Saturday. That's the start of the long-evening season. This year it overlaps with a Palm Beach County project to replace the pier's decking and railings. After a pause to build more panels offsite, crews are set to return to the pier on Monday, October 5. They'll start on the stretch between the pier house and the first shade structure.
So the pier is open this winter, but it changes week to week. The months with the longest hours and the steadiest fishing fall during the project, and the best days are the ones that line up with the weekly construction updates.
What Crews Are Replacing
This is a full re-decking. The County's work order calls for removing the existing decking panels, railings, rail posts, supporting runners and fasteners, then installing new decking and railing along all 990 linear feet. The specifications call for Southern Yellow Pine lumber and Type 316 stainless-steel hardware. Type 316 is a stainless grade chosen for hardware that sits in salt air and spray every day.
On March 3, 2026, the County Commission gave the contract to Wynn & Sons Environmental Construction Company for up to $1,278,332.50. The money comes from Parks and Recreation capital funds through a Juno Beach Pier Repairs account. CBS12 covered the approval that day. Loggerhead Marinelife Center has managed the pier since 2014. It says routine inspections found the need for upgrades and that doing the work now keeps the pier safe and open for years to come.
How a 120-Day Job Became a Winter Job
The original schedule called for a shorter project at a quieter time of year. Here's how the dates have moved:
- March 3, 2026: The County approves the contract.
- March 16, 2026: The start date in the County's work order, with 120 days to finish. That would have put the end in mid-July.
- June 1, 2026: Construction actually begins, according to Loggerhead. On June 3, the Palm Beach Post reported that the pier would stay open, with only small sections closed at a time.
- Late summer: Work on the pier pauses while more panels are built offsite.
- October 5, 2026: Work on the pier resumes between the pier house and the first shade structure.
Loggerhead now estimates the project will take about six months. It hasn't given a finish date or said when that six-month count started. Either way, the work now runs into the season it was originally scheduled to miss.
The project is set up to keep most of the pier open. In its construction FAQ, Loggerhead says:
"The project is phased specifically to avoid a full closure whenever possible."
Active work zones are closed to visitors for safety. Each week, the construction team tells Loggerhead what's planned for the following week, including which sections will be closed. Loggerhead posts those updates on its pier page and social channels. That weekly update is the most useful thing to check this winter, because it shows which part of the 990 feet you can actually use.
Where the Night Hours Fit In
Loggerhead's posted schedule has two seasons. From March 1 to October 31, the pier is open sunrise to sunset, seven days a week. From November 1 to February 28, it's open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Two details on that same page affect this winter. First, the page doesn't say whether the extended November hours will apply while construction is underway, and no County or Loggerhead statement found for this post confirms it. It's worth checking with the pier house before a first evening trip in November. Second, the winter hours don't always last through February 28. Because sea turtles began nesting early, Loggerhead moved the pier to sunrise-to-sunset hours on February 19, 2026, more than a week before the posted end of the season. The late-February evenings depend on the turtles too.
What the 2026 Fall Run Has Brought So Far
The night hours matter because of when the fish move. Juno Bait's weekly reports followed this year's mullet run as it came down the coast. On September 10 and September 17, scattered mullet were moving from Hobe Sound toward Jupiter. By September 24, there was a strong run along the beach with many tarpon. In the October 1 report, swell and dirty water had slowed the run near Juno, with more mullet still to the north.
The same reports describe the mullet pulling snook, tarpon, jacks and ladyfish close to shore. The suggestions are to fish the edges of the schools or below them with live mullet, or to work noisy topwater lures and swimming plugs, especially early, late and at night. Those are the hours the pier is closed from March through October and open from November on.
How the Pier Fished Last Winter, Month by Month
Juno Bait's reports from last season show how the catch changed from fall into winter at the pier and along the surf:
- October 2025: Snook, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jacks, pompano and small tarpon. Chunks of mullet or sardine took the bluefish. By the Halloween weekend, pompano, whiting and croaker had become the main catch.
- November 2025: Pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, small jacks, croaker and whiting. Bright Goofy Jigs and sand fleas or FishBites worked for pompano, and small pieces of shrimp worked for croaker and whiting.
- December 2025: Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish, jacks, the occasional pompano, and blacktip sharks around the pier.
- January 2026: Croaker and whiting stayed a steady cold-weather option, and the reports looked ahead to the snook harvest reopening on February 1.
- February 2026: Good pompano catches at the pier on sand fleas, shrimp and FishBites or bright Goofy Jigs. Bluefish and jacks hit casting jigs, and Spanish mackerel took white crappie jigs.
The pattern is clear. The big fish that follow the mullet show up in October, and the steady pompano, croaker and whiting fishing continues into February. All of that falls within the six-month construction estimate.
Two Windows Where Evening Hours and Snook Season Overlap
Snook rules narrow things further. Juno Beach is south of the Martin–Palm Beach county line, so its Atlantic waters are in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Southeast snook region. In that region, snook harvest is open February 1 through May 31 and September 1 through December 14. It's closed December 15 through January 31. The slot is 28 to 32 inches total length, with a limit of one fish per person per day.
Comparing that calendar with the pier's posted hours gives two windows when a keeper snook can be caught under the lights:
- November 1 to December 14: about six weeks at the start of the winter hours, while the fall run is still nearby.
- February 1 to February 28: if nesting season doesn't move the hours back to sunrise-to-sunset early, as it did on February 19 this year.
Between December 15 and January 31, the evenings belong to Spanish mackerel, bluefish, croaker and whiting.
One rule to sort out before keeping a snook: FWC lists both a snook permit and a recreational saltwater fishing license as requirements for harvest, and hook-and-line as the only allowed gear. The pier holds a fishing license that covers anglers, so you don't need your own general license to fish from it. Ask pier house staff whether that license also covers the snook permit before you keep one.
A Practical Routine for This Winter
With the work zone moving and the hours changing, a pier trip this season takes a little more planning:
- Check Loggerhead's weekly look-ahead on its pier page or social channels before you go. It lists the sections scheduled for work the following week.
- Confirm the evening hours for your first November visit, since the posted winter schedule hasn't been confirmed for the construction period.
- Expect the usual fees. Spectators pay $2 a day, and veterans get in free. Fishing costs $5 a day, or $3 for anglers 12 and under and for veterans.
- Use the pier house. It has a snack bar, a gift store, fishing tackle, rental poles and bait. The first post-restart work zone, between the pier house and the first shade structure, is right next to it, so check the weekly update to see how that section is open.
- Plan around the snook calendar. If a keeper snook is the goal, evening trips between November 1 and December 14 make the most sense.
When the work is done, the pier will have new decking, new railings and new stainless hardware along its full 990 feet.
At Kristen Danzig, we follow the changes that shape everyday life along this coast, including pier schedules and County projects like this one. If you live near Juno Beach and want to know how changes on the waterfront affect where you live, send us a note. We're glad to share what we're seeing. Find it. Love it. Own it.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
