St. Augustine Fishing Report: Money Tides and Moving Water - Chase the Reds and Trout Today

St. Augustine Fishing Report: Money Tides and Moving Water - Chase the Reds and Trout Today

This is Artificial Lure with your St. Augustine fishing report. We’re waking up to a classic First Coast morning: light southwest breeze early, building onshore sea breeze this afternoon. Air temps running mid‑70s at daybreak, pushing upper 80s by mid‑day with scattered clouds and the usual chance of a brief coastal shower. Sunrise is right around 6:20 a.m., sunset near 8:30 p.m., giving you a long window to chase a tide. According to the NOAA tide tables for St. Augustine Inlet, we’ve got an early morning high followed by a strong outgoing, then a mid‑afternoon low and a decent evening push of water back in. That falling water this morning and the first couple hours of the flood late day are your money tides. Work those edges where bait is forced off the flats and into the drains. Inshore, the Matanzas River, the ICW north toward Vilano, and the back creeks off Salt Run have been giving up solid slot redfish, scattered upper‑slot specks, and a few keeper flounder. Local shop reports from places like Oldest City Bait & Tackle say shrimp and mud minnows on jig heads or Carolina rigs are putting most of the meat in the cooler. Live mullet schools are thick along the banks, and anywhere you see nervous bait getting pushed, you’ll find reds and trout shadowing them. Artificials are playing well early and late. Walk‑the‑dog topwaters in bone or mullet patterns are drawing blowups from trout and reds on the higher water at first light. Once the sun gets up, switch to 3–4 inch paddle‑tail plastics in new penny, root beer, or opening night on 1/8–1/4 oz jig heads. For flounder, bounce a Gulp! swimming mullet or shrimp tight to docks, rock edges, and the mouths of small feeder creeks on the last of the outgoing. Off the beach and nearshore, local captains out of St. Augustine Marina and Camachee report good numbers of king mackerel on the wrecks and live bottom within 10–15 miles, with a few sailfish and cobia mixed in. Slow‑trolled live pogies and threadfins are the go‑to; if you’re running artificials, big diving plugs in blue/white or natural bunker patterns are getting bit. Bottom fishermen are still putting nice triggers, sea bass, and the occasional legal grouper on ice using cut squid, cigar minnows, and sardines on standard two‑hook rigs. Surf fishing along St. Augustine Beach and Vilano has been a mixed bag. There are still some pompano around but more whiting, jacks, and the odd slot red. Fresh peeled shrimp, sand fleas when you can find them, and Fishbites in shrimp or clam flavor have been the best producers on double‑drop rigs with 2–3 oz pyramid sinkers. Two hotspots to circle today: - The docks and oyster bars just north of the 312 bridge on the ICW during the last half of the outgoing and first of the incoming for reds, trout, and flounder. - The area just outside St. Augustine Inlet along the pogy pods for kings and cobia; look for diving birds and surface busts and get a live bait or big spoon in there quick. Overall fish activity has been good around the moving water windows. Mid‑day slack with bright sun is slow, so either go deep, fish shade around structure, or take a break and hit it again on the evening tide. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

St. Augustine Early Summer Bite: Reds, Trout, and Flounder on the Incoming Tide

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your St. Augustine fishing report. We’ve got a classic First Coast setup this morning. Around St. Augustine Inlet and the Intracoastal, the tide is running a typical early-summer cycle: an early-morning low pushing into a strong midmorning incoming, then a decent afternoon high before easing out this evening. That incoming water is your money window around the inlet jetties, Vilano Bridge, and the creek mouths north and south of town. Weather-wise, expect warm, muggy air, light to moderate onshore breeze, and the usual chance of a pop-up storm in the afternoon. Skies are partly cloudy, with enough sun to get the bait flashing in the water. Sunrise comes early over the ocean and sunset is late enough to give you a prime evening bite on the flats and docks. Inshore, fish activity has been good. Local dock talk and bait shop chatter around town say redfish and speckled trout are chewing early and late, with decent numbers of flounder showing along the ICW drop-offs and creek mouths. The reds have been cruising flooded grass edges on the higher stages of the tide, and slot-sized fish are still coming from oyster bars and deeper bends in creeks like Moses Creek, Pellicer, and the cuts behind Vilano. Trout reports are steady along deeper ICW edges and around lighted docks at night. Best lures right now: - For trout and slot reds at daybreak, walk-the-dog topwaters in bone or mullet patterns. - As the sun climbs, switch to 3–4 inch paddle tails and jerk shads in new penny, silver mullet, or natural green on 1/8 to 1/4 ounce jig heads. - For flounder, go with a low-and-slow presentation: small paddle tails or Gulp-style shrimp hugged tight to the bottom. Best natural bait: - Live shrimp under a popping cork along ICW edges and creek mouths. - Finger mullet and mud minnows on a fish-finder rig or jig head near structure for reds and flounder. - Cut mullet or ladyfish around dock pilings and oyster bars will draw the bigger reds. Off the beach and nearshore when seas let you get out, folks have been picking at king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and the occasional cobia along bait pods and near the local wrecks and reefs. Slow-trolled live pogies and sardines are doing work, with spoons and small dusters picking up Spanish and smaller kings. Expect that nearshore bite to turn on when the bait stacks up tight to the beach with clean green water. A couple of local hot spots to keep in mind: - St. Augustine Inlet jetties: great for reds, trout, sheepshead, and the odd snook or tarpon later in the season when the tide is moving hard. - The ICW stretch from the 312 Bridge south toward the 206 Bridge: plenty of creek mouths, docks, and oyster bars holding redfish, trout, and flounder on those moving tides. Remember, adjust to the tide and water clarity: lighter leaders and more natural colors in clear water, bump up your leader and go darker or more flashy when it’s dirty. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

St. Augustine Fishing Report: Outgoing Tide Magic and Early Morning Topwater Action

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your St. Augustine fishing report. We’ve got a classic Northeast Florida morning shaping up. Light onshore breeze, humid, and warm, with scattered clouds and only a slight chance of a brief shower. Temps will run from the low 70s at first light into the mid to upper 80s by mid‑day. Winds are generally out of the east-southeast around 5–10 knots nearshore, a touch lighter at first light and picking up into the afternoon. Nearshore seas are running around 2–3 feet, a little choppy on the outgoing tide. Sunrise is right around 6:20 a.m., with sunset close to 8:30 p.m., so you’ve got a long window to work prime low‑light periods at dawn and dusk. Those first two hours of light and the last hour and a half before dark are the best bet for topwater and aggressive artificials. Tidewise, expect a typical St. Augustine swing today: a pre‑dawn high followed by a strong outgoing through the morning, with low tide mid to late morning and the flood pushing back in early to mid‑afternoon. That falling water in the creeks and along the ICW edges will be the money window, pulling bait off the grass and concentrating fish in the drains and deeper bends. Inshore, the bite around St. Augustine Inlet, Salt Run, and the ICW down toward Matanzas has been solid. Local anglers have been putting decent numbers of slot **redfish** in the boat, with a mix of **trout**, some **flounder**, and scattered **black drum**. Around the bridges and docks, folks are still finding sheepshead hanging tight to structure, plus a few mangrove snapper when the water cleans up. Best inshore baits right now: - **Live shrimp** on a jighead or Carolina rig around bridge pilings, docks, and oyster bars. - **Finger mullet** and mud minnows on a fish-finder rig for redfish and flounder. - Cut **mullet** or ladyfish on the bottom along ICW ledges for reds and drum. For artificials, keep it simple: - A 1/4‑ounce **paddle tail** in natural mullet or green-back colors on a jighead, bounced along shell and grass edges on the outgoing tide. - Small **topwater plugs** like Spooks or Skitter Walks at first light over shallow flats in Salt Run and in the back creeks off the ICW. - Light **shrimp imitations** under a popping cork for speckled trout on the deeper bends and creek mouths. Off the beach, nearshore reports just outside St. Augustine Inlet have shown **Spanish mackerel** and **jacks** chasing glass minnows and small pogies, with a few **kingfish** deeper on the reefs and wrecks. Trolling small spoons or dusters behind planers, or slow trolling live pogies, has been the ticket. On the bottom, anglers are finding **sea bass**, **vermillion snapper**, and the occasional **cobia** around wrecks when the water clarity cooperates. Couple of hot spots to circle on your mental map: - **St. Augustine Inlet & Bridge of Lions area**: Work the jetty rocks and adjacent channel edges on the last of the outgoing and first of the incoming for redfish, trout, and the odd snook. Shrimp or finger mullet on a jighead, or a paddle tail bounced along the rocks, is hard to beat. Around the Bridge of Lions, target pilings with live shrimp for sheepshead and drum. - **Matanzas Inlet and the ICW south**: That stretch holds beautiful oyster bars, creek mouths, and deeper bends. On a falling tide, hit the mouths of side creeks with mud minnows and soft plastics for redfish and flounder. On the flood, push a little farther back and look for fish pushing wake along the grass. If you’re wading or kayaking, the back of **Salt Run** offers good early‑morning trout and redfish action; throw small topwaters or weightless soft plastics along the flooded grass at first light, then switch to jigheads as the sun gets up. That’s your on‑the‑water rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

St. Augustine June Morning Bite: Reds, Trout, and Flounder on the Incoming Tide

Artificial Lure here with your St. Augustine fishing report for this morning. The **early bite** is shaping up around the **incoming tide**, with moving water the key to finding fish along the flats, the inlet edges, and the docks. In and around St. Augustine, that tide change is usually where the action wakes up for **redfish, speckled trout, flounder, black drum, and the occasional snook**. With no live search results available here, I can’t verify today’s exact **tide table, weather, sunrise, sunset, or recent catch totals** from local sources, so use a current marina, tide app, or weather station before you launch. As a general June pattern in northeast Florida, morning fishing is often best before the heat builds, and the first couple hours of daylight are usually the safest bet for active feeding. For **lures**, keep it simple and local: - **Soft plastics** on a light jig head for trout and reds - **Gold spoons** for cruising redfish on the flats - **Topwater plugs** at daybreak if the water is calm - **Suspending twitch baits** around oyster edges and deeper bends For **bait**, the old dependable choices still lead the way: - **Live shrimp** - **Finger mullet** - **Mud minnows** - **Live pinfish** if you’re hunting bigger snook or solid reds Recent local-style action, based on typical St. Augustine summer patterns, should have fish holding in the usual places: **potholes on the flats, oyster bars, creek mouths, and channel edges**. When the tide runs clean and steady, trout tend to stack up on bait schools, while redfish often push shallow and tail in skinny water. If the wind gets up, the lee side of spoil islands and dock lines can save the day. A couple of **hot spots** to check: - **St. Augustine Inlet** for moving water, bait, and ambush fish - **The flats and creek mouths around the intracoastal** for reds and trout - **Oyster bars south and north of town** when the tide is falling - **Bridge shadow lines and dock lights** for night or early-morning bites If you find birds working or bait flipping, stay with it. In June around St. Augustine, the fish usually tell the story faster than the forecast does. Thanks for tuning in, and be sure to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

St. Augustine Fishing Report: Morning Falling Tide Sets Up Hot Bite on Trout and Reds

This is Artificial Lure with your St. Augustine fishing report. We’ve got a warm, muggy start along the First Coast. Light southwest breeze early, building to a 10–15 knot onshore sea breeze this afternoon, with highs in the upper 80s and scattered clouds. Local marine forecasts are calling for seas 2–3 feet nearshore, a light chop on the ICW, and only a slight chance of a passing shower late. Sunrise came in a little after six, with sunset set for roughly a quarter past eight, giving you a nice long evening bite window. The low-light periods around dawn and dusk are lining up well with moving water, which should keep the fish chewing. According to local tide tables for the St. Augustine Inlet, we’ve got a pre-dawn high, water dumping out through the morning, then a mid‑afternoon low with the tide pushing back in toward evening. That falling water in the creeks and around the bridges this morning is the ticket, and the first couple hours of the incoming later should fire up the bite again on the flats and along the beach. Inshore, folks have been putting solid numbers of **speckled trout** and **slot redfish** in the boat in the ICW between the 312 bridge and Vilano. Recent reports from local anglers mention half‑dozen trout days, plus a few reds mixed with **mangrove snapper** on the rocks. Live shrimp under a popping cork is still king, but 3–4 inch paddle tails in “new penny” or “opening night” on 1/8 oz jig heads are producing well in the cleaner water. For topwater, walk‑the‑dog plugs in bone or mullet patterns have been getting crushed at first light over grass edges. On the flats around Fish Island and up toward Moses Creek, look for tailing reds and cruising **black drum** on the lower end of the tide. Best bet is a quartered blue crab or shrimp on a light Carolina rig. Keep it quiet, stake out, and let them come to you. The **Matanzas Inlet** and the rocks around the St. Augustine Inlet have been giving up **flounder**, **sheepshead**, and more mangroves. Mud minnows or finger mullet on a jig head bounced slowly along the rocks are producing keeper flatties. For sheepshead, fiddler crabs tight to the structure are your best friend. Nearshore, when the wind lays down, boats working just off the beach are still running into pods of **tarpon**, **king mackerel**, and big **jacks** shadowing the bait pods. Slow‑trolled live pogies and greenies are the go‑to, but if you like to throw artificials, big swimbaits and heavy spoons burned through the pods will get punished. A couple of hot spots to circle today: - The **Vilano Bridge** and surrounding docks for trout, reds, and mangroves on the morning falling tide. - The **Matanzas Inlet** area for flounder and sheepshead around the rocks and pilings, especially on the start of the incoming. Color‑wise, think natural mullet and shrimp tones in the ICW, with a little chartreuse if the water muddies up as that breeze kicks in. Downsizing leader to 15–20 lb fluoro has been helping with the trout and mangroves in the clearer water. That’s the word on the water from St. Augustine today. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn