Episode Details
Back to Episodes
St. Augustine Fishing Report: Tides, Topwater, and Targeting the Inlet
Published 7 months, 1 week ago
Description
Good morning from St. Augustine, this is Artificial Lure with your September 19th fishing report. Sunrise hit at 7:11, sunset will be at 7:26 this evening, giving us just over 12 hours of daylight—plenty of time to get on the water and wet a line, whether you’re sliding through the backwaters or working the surf.
Today’s tides are serving up a nice window: we started with a low around 1:17 a.m., then caught high tide at 7:23 a.m. If you’re heading out midday, look for the next low at 1:25 p.m. and then another high close to 7:46 tonight. According to Tides4Fishing, the tidal coefficient is rocking an 81, which puts us in that solid high range—expect plenty of movement and the flows that get fish feeding. When the incoming tide pushes, you’ll want to focus around creek mouths and deeper drop-offs where bait gets stacked up.
The weather’s delivering typical late summer in Northeast Florida—warm and humid, with a light prevailing east breeze that’ll help keep the midges and heat at bay. Conditions are prime for topwater action early, with things transitioning to soft plastics and live baits as the sun climbs.
Recent catches have been impressive: local anglers are landing slot redfish and chunky black drum along the ICW, especially near the Vilano Bridge and Salt Run. The flats and oyster bars are also giving up solid numbers of speckled trout at daybreak and dusk. As reported this week by the St. Augustine Fishing Facebook groups, folks are getting into the bull reds at the inlet and along Matanzas River on the stronger tides—some pushing 35 inches and up. Flounder are popping up around structure, though the bite is hit or miss as we come out of the summer lull.
For best results, throw a topwater plug—like a Spook Jr. or Skitterwalk—right at first light across the grass flats of Salt Run and Robinson Creek. As the sun comes up, switch to paddletail soft plastics on 1/8 oz jigheads, bouncing them along the edges. If artificials aren’t your jam, live shrimp is a safe bet for drum, reds, and even the occasional snook, especially around the Bridge of Lions and the jetties. Mullet schools are still thick, and a lively finger mullet on a Carolina rig will tempt just about anything patrolling the dropoffs.
For surf anglers, North Beach and the Porpoise Point area are both hot spots for whiting, pompano, and slot black drum. Fresh cut shrimp or sandfleas on a double-dropper rig do the trick—especially on the corners of the higher tide. Reports from tackle shops and local guides confirm the flounder bite has picked up around the rocks at the inlet, with Gulp! swimming mullets pulling in the larger fish.
If you’re looking for a couple hot spots to fish today, you can’t beat the area around the Vilano Bridge and the Salt Run flats. For bigger action, target the outgoing tide at the St. Augustine Inlet or work the docks and pilings at the Bridge of Lions for a mixed bag.
That’s your St. Augustine fishing scoop for September 19th. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report! 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 AI
Today’s tides are serving up a nice window: we started with a low around 1:17 a.m., then caught high tide at 7:23 a.m. If you’re heading out midday, look for the next low at 1:25 p.m. and then another high close to 7:46 tonight. According to Tides4Fishing, the tidal coefficient is rocking an 81, which puts us in that solid high range—expect plenty of movement and the flows that get fish feeding. When the incoming tide pushes, you’ll want to focus around creek mouths and deeper drop-offs where bait gets stacked up.
The weather’s delivering typical late summer in Northeast Florida—warm and humid, with a light prevailing east breeze that’ll help keep the midges and heat at bay. Conditions are prime for topwater action early, with things transitioning to soft plastics and live baits as the sun climbs.
Recent catches have been impressive: local anglers are landing slot redfish and chunky black drum along the ICW, especially near the Vilano Bridge and Salt Run. The flats and oyster bars are also giving up solid numbers of speckled trout at daybreak and dusk. As reported this week by the St. Augustine Fishing Facebook groups, folks are getting into the bull reds at the inlet and along Matanzas River on the stronger tides—some pushing 35 inches and up. Flounder are popping up around structure, though the bite is hit or miss as we come out of the summer lull.
For best results, throw a topwater plug—like a Spook Jr. or Skitterwalk—right at first light across the grass flats of Salt Run and Robinson Creek. As the sun comes up, switch to paddletail soft plastics on 1/8 oz jigheads, bouncing them along the edges. If artificials aren’t your jam, live shrimp is a safe bet for drum, reds, and even the occasional snook, especially around the Bridge of Lions and the jetties. Mullet schools are still thick, and a lively finger mullet on a Carolina rig will tempt just about anything patrolling the dropoffs.
For surf anglers, North Beach and the Porpoise Point area are both hot spots for whiting, pompano, and slot black drum. Fresh cut shrimp or sandfleas on a double-dropper rig do the trick—especially on the corners of the higher tide. Reports from tackle shops and local guides confirm the flounder bite has picked up around the rocks at the inlet, with Gulp! swimming mullets pulling in the larger fish.
If you’re looking for a couple hot spots to fish today, you can’t beat the area around the Vilano Bridge and the Salt Run flats. For bigger action, target the outgoing tide at the St. Augustine Inlet or work the docks and pilings at the Bridge of Lions for a mixed bag.
That’s your St. Augustine fishing scoop for September 19th. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report! 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 AI