St. Augustine Summer Fishing: Reds, Trout, and Inlet Action

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your St. Augustine fishing report. We’ve got a light pre‑frontal pattern hanging over the Ancient City this morning. Winds are generally out of the southwest around 5–10 knots nearshore, picking up sea breeze style to 10–15 by afternoon. Skies are partly cloudy, temps pushing into the upper 80s, and the humidity is classic North Florida—sticky but fishy. The National Weather Service notes only isolated coastal showers, so most of the day looks fishable. Tides around St. Augustine Inlet are running a typical summer two‑tide cycle. Low tide lines up early morning with a solid incoming through mid‑day, then a high mid‑afternoon followed by an evening fall. The best bite window has been that first half of the incoming and the start of the outgoing when the water’s moving but not ripping. Sunrise slid in just after 6 a.m., with sunset a little after 8:30 p.m., giving us a long day to work edges, docks, and creek mouths. Inshore, Matanzas River and the back creeks like Moses Creek and Pellicer have been giving up good numbers of **slot reds** and **trout**. Local anglers report pods of redfish tailing early on the flats, especially where there’s mixed shell and grass. The trout bite has been steady on the first drop off the flats and around current seams. Best baits inshore: live shrimp, mud minnows, and finger mullet under a popping cork or on a light jighead. If you’re throwing artificials, think local: - 3–4 inch paddle tails in new penny, silver mullet, or glow - Gold spoons bumped across the flats for reds - Topwater walkers at first light for trout and the occasional snook Speaking of snook, more linesiders are showing near the inlet rocks and ICW docks. Free‑lined finger mullet and live pilchards have been the ticket, with a few fish in the mid‑20s and some bigger ones lost in the structure. Nearshore off St. Augustine Beach, charter captains have been putting clients on **king mackerel**, **Spanish macks**, and the odd **cobia** around nearshore wrecks and bait pods. Slow‑trolled live pogies and menhaden on stinger rigs are producing kings, while small spoons and dusters are catching plenty of Spanish. Keep a pitch rod ready with a big jig or live bait for cobia cruising the rays or hanging near buoys. In the surf, folks walking the beach at Vilano and down toward Crescent are still seeing decent **whiting** and the occasional **pompano**, plus small sharks. Fresh dead shrimp, Fishbites strips, and sand fleas are your go‑tos here. Cast into the deeper troughs just outside the first bar. Couple of local hot spots to circle on the map: - The **St. Augustine Inlet jetties**: work live shrimp or mullet on the edges for reds, sheepshead, and snook, but mind the current and boat traffic. - The **Matanzas Bridge area**: fish the pilings and nearby drop‑offs on the last of the incoming and first of the outgoing for trout, reds, and mangrove snapper. Overall fish activity is classic early summer—nothing crazy, but consistent action if you move with the tide, keep an eye on the bait, and adjust when the sun gets high. Early and late are your best bets; mid‑day, slide deeper or tuck into the shade of docks and bridges. 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