Updated: Thursday, September 3, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, September 10, 2026
This St. Augustine / Northeast FL fishing report covers early September, the stretch St. Augustine anglers wait for all year. Bull redfish stack at the inlet and are the lead target, while mullet pour down the beach with tarpon and jacks on them and flounder begin their fall run around the docks and inlet rocks. I fish the mullet run on the Florida Atlantic coast every year, and the first week of September is the one I never miss. Plan around the last of the outgoing tide.
What’s Hitting
Bull redfish from 20 to 40 pounds gather at the St. Augustine Inlet and along the channel edges inside on the outgoing tides. Tarpon and big jacks ride the mullet schools along the beach from Vilano down to Crescent Beach, and snook are in the inlet and on the beach with the season open.
Flounder show around the docks, the inlet rocks and the Vilano Bridge, and they build through October. Slot reds and trout stay steady in the creeks of the Intracoastal and the Matanzas River on the higher tides. Nearshore, kings work the bait and the reefs, and cobia sit on the nearshore structure.
Where to Find Them
Target bull reds on the inlet jetties and the channel edges near Porpoise Point on the outgoing. Look for tarpon along the beach in 10 to 20 feet from Vilano south and at Matanzas Inlet.
Flounder hold around the Vilano Bridge pilings, the docks near the Bridge of Lions and the inlet rocks. Slot reds and trout use the creeks off the Tolomato River and the Matanzas River and the oyster bars near Butler Beach.
Tides & Conditions
Water temperatures run in the mid-80s, and the first slightly cooler mornings start to show. The outgoing tide at the inlet is the bull red tide, and the last two hours are best as falling water flushes bait out of the rivers and across the channel edges.
A northeast wind builds swell on the beach and makes the inlet rough, so check the marine forecast before heading out, and keep an eye on the tropical outlook.
Tackle & Tactics
Go heavy at the inlet and light in the creeks:
- 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.
- Beach tarpon: a live mullet on a 7/0 circle hook and 80-pound leader.
- 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 a soft plastic.
Local Intel This Week
The Vilano Beach ramp and the Lighthouse Park ramp on Salt Run are the closest launches to the inlet and Porpoise Point. Use the Devil’s Elbow area ramp on the Matanzas River for the southern creeks, Butler Beach oyster bars and Matanzas Inlet, and the Palm Valley ramp on the Intracoastal for the Tolomato creeks.
Fish concentrate at the inlet for bull reds and along the beach on the mullet. Bull reds run over the slot and go back, and Atlantic coast snook carry their own season and permit requirement. Check current FWC and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
Early September flounder stage on the down-current side of the inlet rocks and the bridge pilings. Cast up-current, let the jig hit bottom and drag it slowly past the structure edge with the current. The take is often just a heavy weight, so set the hook on anything that feels different.
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