Updated: Thursday, August 27, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, September 3, 2026
This St. Augustine fishing report covers late August, when Northeast Florida runs on tide and timing. The St. Augustine Inlet moves a tremendous amount of water, the marsh creeks behind the barrier islands heat up fast on a low tide, and the nearshore reefs hold bait. Tarpon lead the list as the first mullet start to trickle south, which wakes up the whole system. Plan around the tide.
What’s Hitting
Tarpon are the highlight, working the inlet and the beachfront on the moving tide and keying on the early mullet.
Redfish use the marsh creeks and the inlet jetties, with bull reds beginning to show at the inlet mouth as the month closes. King mackerel and Spanish mackerel feed on the nearshore bait pods and reefs. Speckled trout sit in the creeks and along the ICW grass edges early. Flounder stage around the jetty rocks and creek mouths, and mangrove snapper hold on the nearshore ledges and bridge structure.
Where to Find Them
The St. Augustine Inlet, its jetties, channel and adjoining beachfront, is the center of everything. Fish the moving tide, and watch for rolling tarpon and pushing bait at first light.
Behind the barrier islands, the Tolomato and Matanzas river systems and their feeder creeks hold redfish, trout and flounder; work the oyster bars, creek mouths and drains on a falling tide. Nearshore, the reefs and live bottom in 40 to 80 feet carry the kings and snapper. The Vilano and Bridge of Lions areas hold snapper and reds around the structure.
Tides & Conditions
Tidal range here is significant, four to five feet as a rule, so the tide dominates planning. Fish the last of the flood and the first of the ebb in the marsh, and the moving water at the jetties.
Expect water in the mid 80s inshore and around 80 nearshore. Afternoon thunderstorms roll off the mainland most days. Nearshore water is cleaner on the incoming and off-color on a hard outgoing when the river system dumps.
Tackle & Tactics
- Inlet tarpon: an 8000-class spinner, 50- to 65-pound braid and an 80-pound fluorocarbon leader with a live mullet or menhaden on a 7/0 circle, drifted with the tide rather than cast at fish.
- Jetty and marsh reds: a live mud minnow, a cut mullet chunk, or a half-ounce jighead with a paddletail bounced along the rocks. Use a 40-pound leader against the barnacles.
- Creek trout: a popping cork with a shrimp under it.
- Kings: slow-troll live pogies on a light wire stinger rig around the bait pods.
Local Intel This Week
The Vilano Boat Ramp just north of the inlet is the fastest route to the jetties and nearshore reefs. The Lighthouse Park ramp on Salt Run covers the inlet’s south side, the Butler Beach ramp on the Matanzas reaches the southern marsh, and the Guana River ramps open the Tolomato creeks to the north. Shore anglers have excellent access at the St. Augustine Inlet jetties and along the Vilano Beach pier area on moving water.
Tarpon are effectively a catch-and-release fishery in Florida and need careful handling, and redfish, trout and flounder carry state season and size rules. Check current FWC and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
At the inlet, fish the last of the outgoing rather than the incoming if tarpon are your goal. The falling tide flushes bait out of the entire marsh system through one narrow opening, and the tarpon set up in the seams to intercept it. The same water on the flood is spread out and far less productive.
Planning a trip to St. Augustine / Northeast FL?
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