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St. Augustine Fishing Report: Reds, Trout, and Mackerel Biting Strong in Inshore and Nearshore Waters
Published 5 months, 3 weeks ago
Description
Artificial Lure checking in with your Monday, November 3rd, fishing report straight from the docks and backwaters of St. Augustine. Here’s what’s biting, where, and how to hook up for a good day on the water.
The weather’s setting up classic fall conditions with a moderate chop in the Intracoastal and north winds picking up to 10–15 knots through the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Seas offshore are holding around 2 to 3 feet, so small craft, keep an eye out and use a little caution heading outside the jetties. Skies are mostly clear this morning, and temps are comfortable in the low 70s at dawn, rising to the mid-70s. Sunrise came at 6:46AM, and sunset will settle in early at 5:31PM, giving us a pretty short window, so make the most of those prime early hours.
Tides are running strong this week as we move through a big king tide cycle, with the first low tide hitting around 5:55AM and a hefty high tide rolling in around 12:22PM at the City Dock. Another shallow low comes at 6:52PM. That noon high tide is a sweet spot—get up in the grass and around creek mouths right as flood hits, and you’ll find redfish and trout chasing up under the mangroves.
Recent action’s been hot, especially inshore and at the edges. Reports from seasoned guides—including reviews just yesterday—say plenty of redfish, speckled trout, sheepshead, flounder, and the occasional black drum. There’s also kingfish and Spanish mackerel pushing bait pods right outside the inlet and along the nearshore reefs. Folks are seeing great numbers, including limits of slot reds and some healthy flatties coming from the flats near Salt Run and the backcountry off Vilano.
Best lures lately have been paddle tail soft plastics in electric chicken and new penny colors, worked on a quarter-ounce jighead. Popping corks with a shrimp imitation are deadly for trout, especially with just a touch of current. Early risers tossing topwater plugs like a Rapala Skitter Walk along dock lines or grassy shorelines at sunrise are getting explosive hits from both trout and redfish.
If you’re live baiting, mullet are still around in decent numbers. Finger mullet under a float or freelined along the dropoffs, and live shrimp near structure, are both classic bets for quality inshore bites. Offshore, slow trolling a blue runner or ribbonfish will draw big hits from king mackerel and maybe a smoker or two.
For your hot spots:
- The Salt Run flats are always a go-to for fall reds, especially as the sun climbs and the tide tops out.
- Around the Vilano Bridge pilings at first light, there’s been a nice run of sheepshead and the occasional drum.
- For families or folks wading, the shorelines just north of Anastasia State Park have been loaded with flounder working the first trough on a falling tide.
Still, as any local will tell you, go with the tide—that’ll put you on the fish. And as those temps fall, keep an eye out for the bull reds staging at the inlet and big numbers of trout as they bunch up for winter.
That’s all from Artificial Lure for today’s St. Augustine report. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss what’s biting. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please 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
The weather’s setting up classic fall conditions with a moderate chop in the Intracoastal and north winds picking up to 10–15 knots through the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Seas offshore are holding around 2 to 3 feet, so small craft, keep an eye out and use a little caution heading outside the jetties. Skies are mostly clear this morning, and temps are comfortable in the low 70s at dawn, rising to the mid-70s. Sunrise came at 6:46AM, and sunset will settle in early at 5:31PM, giving us a pretty short window, so make the most of those prime early hours.
Tides are running strong this week as we move through a big king tide cycle, with the first low tide hitting around 5:55AM and a hefty high tide rolling in around 12:22PM at the City Dock. Another shallow low comes at 6:52PM. That noon high tide is a sweet spot—get up in the grass and around creek mouths right as flood hits, and you’ll find redfish and trout chasing up under the mangroves.
Recent action’s been hot, especially inshore and at the edges. Reports from seasoned guides—including reviews just yesterday—say plenty of redfish, speckled trout, sheepshead, flounder, and the occasional black drum. There’s also kingfish and Spanish mackerel pushing bait pods right outside the inlet and along the nearshore reefs. Folks are seeing great numbers, including limits of slot reds and some healthy flatties coming from the flats near Salt Run and the backcountry off Vilano.
Best lures lately have been paddle tail soft plastics in electric chicken and new penny colors, worked on a quarter-ounce jighead. Popping corks with a shrimp imitation are deadly for trout, especially with just a touch of current. Early risers tossing topwater plugs like a Rapala Skitter Walk along dock lines or grassy shorelines at sunrise are getting explosive hits from both trout and redfish.
If you’re live baiting, mullet are still around in decent numbers. Finger mullet under a float or freelined along the dropoffs, and live shrimp near structure, are both classic bets for quality inshore bites. Offshore, slow trolling a blue runner or ribbonfish will draw big hits from king mackerel and maybe a smoker or two.
For your hot spots:
- The Salt Run flats are always a go-to for fall reds, especially as the sun climbs and the tide tops out.
- Around the Vilano Bridge pilings at first light, there’s been a nice run of sheepshead and the occasional drum.
- For families or folks wading, the shorelines just north of Anastasia State Park have been loaded with flounder working the first trough on a falling tide.
Still, as any local will tell you, go with the tide—that’ll put you on the fish. And as those temps fall, keep an eye out for the bull reds staging at the inlet and big numbers of trout as they bunch up for winter.
That’s all from Artificial Lure for today’s St. Augustine report. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss what’s biting. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please 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