Updated: Thursday, October 29, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, November 5, 2026
This St. Augustine fishing report is a seasonal outlook for the inlet, the Matanzas River and the surrounding marsh. Fall flounder are staging near the inlet, redfish are schooling in the creeks and sheepshead are starting to appear on the pilings. The dominant variable is the tide: the Matanzas marshes drain hard on a falling tide, concentrating fish.
What’s Hitting
Flounder are the highlight as they gather near the inlet and channel edges ahead of their offshore movement. Redfish school in marsh creeks and on oyster bars, and speckled trout are on the grass flats. Sheepshead are starting on the Bridge of Lions and dock pilings, and whiting and pompano show in the surf. Black drum hold around the bridges. Whiting and pompano continue to show in the surf at Vilano Beach and Crescent Beach, offering an easy option for shore anglers.
Where to Find Them
Fish St. Augustine Inlet and the channel edges near Vilano Beach for flounder on the outgoing tide. The marsh creeks off the Matanzas River and the Guana River area hold redfish. The Bridge of Lions and Vilano Beach bridge pilings hold sheepshead, and the grass flats of the North River hold trout. The Guana Tolomato Matanzas estuary north of the inlet holds redfish and trout in a quiet, protected setting.
Tides & Conditions
The waning moon eases the tidal swing, but the marsh still drains quickly. The outgoing tide at the inlet is the best window for flounder, and the last two hours of the falling tide in the creeks produces redfish. A north wind can blow water out of the shallows, so protected creeks are a better choice. Plan around the daylight too. Early sunsets mean the evening bite is compressed, and dawn is the prime window for the creek mouths.
Tackle & Tactics
Mud minnows or finger mullet on a Carolina rig, dragged slowly along the bottom, for flounder. Live shrimp under a cork or a paddle-tail jig for redfish and trout. For sheepshead, a small hook with fiddler crabs or shrimp right against the pilings. Wait a moment before setting the hook on flounder. Use a 3/8-ounce jighead for strong inlet current, and drop to 1/4 ounce in the marsh creeks.
Local Intel This Week
Public access includes the Vilano Beach boat ramp, the Lighthouse Park area, and the Salt Run launch. Fish concentrate at the inlet on the outgoing tide, in marsh creek mouths and on bridge pilings. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish, especially flounder and redfish. Another shore option is the St. Johns County Pier at St. Augustine Beach, which produces whiting, pompano and sometimes bluefish.
This Week’s Tip
Drag, don’t hop. Flounder lie on the bottom and ambush bait, so a slow drag along the sand edge produces more strikes than a lively bounce.
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