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Late Summer St. Augustine Fishing Hotspots and Tactics
Published 8 months ago
Description
Good evening anglers, Artificial Lure here with your St. Augustine fishing report for Thursday, August 28th, 2025. Hope you’re ready, because late August is serving up hot temps, feisty fish, and changing tides for the local crew and visitors alike.
Sunrise kicked off at 6:55 am and we’ll have daylight until just after 8 pm. Right now, we’re riding a falling tide, with low expected near 11:49 am and high swinging back around 6:20 pm. That means the afternoon bite will fire up as water pushes in. Tidal coefficients are sitting at 58 and climbing, so we’re seeing good current but nothing too gnarly, ideal for variety fishing around our docks and bridges—less muddy water, more active baitfish according to Tides4Fishing.
Weather-wise, it’s a classic St. Augustine summer—humid, with a southeast breeze coming in. Surf Station reports light offshore wind early, waves ankle to shin high, with maybe knee-high sets rolling near Matanzas Inlet. That seabreeze settles in as the afternoon heats up. It’s hot, so plan your trip early or wait for the sundown window.
Onto fish activity: the reds and trout have been moving with the tides, hiding out in deeper troughs during the midday heat. Early risers saw some keeper speckled trout around the City Dock, plenty of slot-sized reds near Salt Run, and even a couple oversized drum reported down at the Mission Flats. Crescent Beach is also seeing steady whiting and pompano cruising in the surf. This week, kayak anglers hauled in flounder along Vilano—most on muddy bottom near creek mouths. Offshore, Kingfish and tarpon are finally making dramatic finishes around the north jetties, with live bait and cut mullet getting the hits.
For lure recommendations, morning topwater action is still solid in the estuaries. BassForecast is bullish on poppers and walking baits for that early window—try the World Pop 69F FB or any similar noisy plug. As the sun climbs, switch to soft plastics or paddle tails on jigheads. Newbies: the classic Vudu Shrimp or a Savage Gear 3D Mullet gets plenty of love from guides and the old-timers alike. For bigger bites, deeper water calls for crankbaits—chartreuse or gold—and for drop-offs, go slow with quarter-ounce bucktail jigs or Gulp! swimming mullet in new penny or white. Offshore, heavy spoons or a live Menhaden are still the go-to if you’re chasing kings or the occasional cobia.
If you prefer natural bait, shrimp is king for inshore species, followed by finger mullet and mud minnows. Offshore, a butterflied Menhaden or squid sets the hook on pretty much everything that swims.
Hot spots for today’s fishing:
- The St. Augustine City Dock and Salt Run for redfish and trout (especially on the outgoing tide).
- Vilano Creek mouth for flounder—look for structure and move slow.
- Matanzas Inlet and the north jetty for rolling tarpon and bruiser kingfish.
- Crescent Beach early morning for surfbound whiting and pompano.
Fish counts are staying steady, with inshore boats finding good mixed bags: several slot reds, a dozen or more specks, and five to seven flounder per boat if you’re working the drop-offs right. Offshore, the big boats have been bringing in limits of king mackerel and a few gags—no shortage of stories on the dock.
Remember, the fish will go deep on hot afternoons, so target early or dusk for best results. Slow down as that tide fills in, toss your baits into edges and breaks, and keep an eye out for baitfish flickers as the sun dips.
Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe if you want more local intel, lure reviews, and St. Augustine fishing updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence A
Sunrise kicked off at 6:55 am and we’ll have daylight until just after 8 pm. Right now, we’re riding a falling tide, with low expected near 11:49 am and high swinging back around 6:20 pm. That means the afternoon bite will fire up as water pushes in. Tidal coefficients are sitting at 58 and climbing, so we’re seeing good current but nothing too gnarly, ideal for variety fishing around our docks and bridges—less muddy water, more active baitfish according to Tides4Fishing.
Weather-wise, it’s a classic St. Augustine summer—humid, with a southeast breeze coming in. Surf Station reports light offshore wind early, waves ankle to shin high, with maybe knee-high sets rolling near Matanzas Inlet. That seabreeze settles in as the afternoon heats up. It’s hot, so plan your trip early or wait for the sundown window.
Onto fish activity: the reds and trout have been moving with the tides, hiding out in deeper troughs during the midday heat. Early risers saw some keeper speckled trout around the City Dock, plenty of slot-sized reds near Salt Run, and even a couple oversized drum reported down at the Mission Flats. Crescent Beach is also seeing steady whiting and pompano cruising in the surf. This week, kayak anglers hauled in flounder along Vilano—most on muddy bottom near creek mouths. Offshore, Kingfish and tarpon are finally making dramatic finishes around the north jetties, with live bait and cut mullet getting the hits.
For lure recommendations, morning topwater action is still solid in the estuaries. BassForecast is bullish on poppers and walking baits for that early window—try the World Pop 69F FB or any similar noisy plug. As the sun climbs, switch to soft plastics or paddle tails on jigheads. Newbies: the classic Vudu Shrimp or a Savage Gear 3D Mullet gets plenty of love from guides and the old-timers alike. For bigger bites, deeper water calls for crankbaits—chartreuse or gold—and for drop-offs, go slow with quarter-ounce bucktail jigs or Gulp! swimming mullet in new penny or white. Offshore, heavy spoons or a live Menhaden are still the go-to if you’re chasing kings or the occasional cobia.
If you prefer natural bait, shrimp is king for inshore species, followed by finger mullet and mud minnows. Offshore, a butterflied Menhaden or squid sets the hook on pretty much everything that swims.
Hot spots for today’s fishing:
- The St. Augustine City Dock and Salt Run for redfish and trout (especially on the outgoing tide).
- Vilano Creek mouth for flounder—look for structure and move slow.
- Matanzas Inlet and the north jetty for rolling tarpon and bruiser kingfish.
- Crescent Beach early morning for surfbound whiting and pompano.
Fish counts are staying steady, with inshore boats finding good mixed bags: several slot reds, a dozen or more specks, and five to seven flounder per boat if you’re working the drop-offs right. Offshore, the big boats have been bringing in limits of king mackerel and a few gags—no shortage of stories on the dock.
Remember, the fish will go deep on hot afternoons, so target early or dusk for best results. Slow down as that tide fills in, toss your baits into edges and breaks, and keep an eye out for baitfish flickers as the sun dips.
Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe if you want more local intel, lure reviews, and St. Augustine fishing updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence A