St. Augustine Fishing Report: Redfish, Trout, and Offshore Action Heating Up

Hey there, anglers! Artificial Lure here with your St. Augustine fishing update for this beautiful Wednesday morning, May 21, 2025. The fishing scene around St. Augustine has been red hot lately! Inshore waters are producing steady action, with redfish, speckled trout, and black drum giving folks plenty to smile about. The backwater bite has been particularly strong these past couple weeks, with many locals reporting excellent catches. Water temps are sitting around 77 degrees, which has those fish moving and feeding actively. Early morning high tides have been producing some spectacular topwater action - if you haven't tried throwing a 3 1/8 inch Skitterwalk plug yet, you're missing out on some heart-stopping strikes! For those targeting redfish, they've been holding in the slot size range, especially along oyster edges and grassy flats during early morning high tides. Soft plastics and live shrimp under popping corks have been the ticket. The creeks have been particularly productive. Flounder are showing up nicely around sandy points and dock pilings. Try mud minnows or a jig-and-minnow combo if you're looking to put some flatties in the cooler. Black drum continue to hang around bridges and deeper structure. Fresh crab and shrimp have been producing consistent bites. Don't forget about the sheepshead around dock pilings and jetties - fiddler crabs are your best bet for these bait-stealers. For those heading offshore, reports show activity in the 80-120 foot range with ballyhoos and sardines working well as bait. Hot spots to check out: Vilano Point has been firing lately with plenty of action on the flats and around pilings. The jetties have been hit or miss, but worth a try. The Intracoastal Waterway and its many creeks are also solid bets right now. Best time to fish has been early morning or late afternoon, as the bite tends to slow during mid-day. With water clarity improving as winds settle down, sight casting is becoming a viable option during lower tides. Whether you're fishing solo or jumping on a charter, now's a great time to be wetting a line in our local waters. Just remember to bring plenty of sun protection and hydration - it's heating up out there! Tight lines, friends! This is Artificial Lure signing off until next time. See y'all on the water!