Updated: Thursday, September 3, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, September 10, 2026
This Jacksonville fishing report covers early September, bull red month on the First Coast. The first big schools of redfish show up at the mouth of the St. Johns right on schedule, the mullet run pushes down the beach, and early flounder start in the river. Bull redfish at the jetties are the lead target. Plan around the last two hours of the outgoing tide at the jetties and the marine forecast, since a northeast wind makes the rocks sporty. Jacksonville is heading into its best month of the year.
What’s Hitting
Bull redfish from 25 to 40 pounds stack up in the jetty rocks and along the channel edges. Tarpon and big jack crevalle work the mullet schools along the beach from Mayport down to Ponte Vedra.
Flounder start to show in the river around docks and rock piles, and they only get better through October. Slot reds and trout are steady in the creeks of the Intracoastal, and kingfish remain nearshore on the reefs and wrecks.
Where to Find Them
The St. Johns jetties are the obvious spot for bull reds. Fish the ends of both jetties and the channel edges inside on the last of the outgoing. Tarpon cruise the beach in 10 to 20 feet, following the mullet.
In the river, the docks at Mayport and the rock piles near Blount Island hold flounder, which lie flat beside structure and ambush bait carried past on the current. The creeks off the Intracoastal from Palm Valley to Sisters Creek hold slot reds and trout on the higher tides.
Tides & Conditions
River temperatures run in the mid-80s, and the first cooler mornings of the season start to show. The outgoing tide at the jetties is the bull red tide, especially the last two hours.
Northeast wind days push swell onto the beach and make the jetties sporty, so check the marine forecast before running out. Tropical activity can change the whole picture in a day in early September.
Tackle & Tactics
- Bull reds: a big chunk of cut mullet or a blue crab on a fish-finder rig with a 6/0 circle hook and 50-pound leader, with enough weight to hold in the current. The sliding sinker lets a red pick up the bait without feeling resistance.
- Beach tarpon: a live mullet on a 7/0 circle hook.
- Flounder: a mud minnow or finger mullet on a jig head bounced slowly on the bottom.
- Creek reds and trout: lighter tackle with a gold spoon or soft plastic.
Local Intel This Week
The Mayport boat ramp and the Huguenot Park ramp are the closest launches to the jetties and the river mouth. The Sisters Creek ramp on Heckscher Drive puts you near the northern creeks and the river rock piles, and the Joe Carlucci ramp on the Intracoastal in Palm Valley serves the southern creeks. Concentrate on the jetties for bull reds and the beach for the tarpon-and-mullet show.
Bull reds are almost always over the slot, so plan on releasing them. Check current FWC and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
Big redfish in the jetty rocks will break you off if you fish them like slot reds. Lock the drag, use a rod with backbone, and turn the fish away from the rocks immediately. Hesitate for three seconds and the fish is in the boulders.
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