Well, hey there. You wanna know about fishin’ in St. Augustine, huh? Let me tell ya, it ain’t always easy, but it sure can be fun. I ain’t no fancy fisherman, mind you, just an old gal who’s been throwin’ a line in the water for a good long time. So, listen up, and I’ll tell ya what I know about this St. Augustine surf fishin’.
First off, where to go? Now, they got all sorts of places, but some are better than others, that’s for sure. They talk about places like, uh, Miami Beach, Pompano Beach, and all them fancy spots down south. But we’re talkin’ St. Augustine, right? Around here, you got your May Street Bridge, that’s on the way to the Vilano Bridge. Folks say there’s lots of fish there. And then there’s the Matanzas Inlet Bridge, south of town. Fast water there, means lots of fish, or so they say. But if you’re like me, you like the surf, the beach, you know? Any beach will do, but some are better. Just gotta find your spot, that’s all.
What kinda fish you gonna catch? Well, that depends on the time of year, I reckon. They say in the colder months, you get them pompano and whiting. Good eatin’, them. And when it’s warmer, you might get bluefish, maybe some cobia, flounder, redfish, they call ’em red drum too, and speckled trout. Out in the deeper water, they got grouper and snapper, but I ain’t got no boat, so I stick to the shore. And sometimes, you even get them king mackerel, big fellas they are.
- Pompano and Whiting (cooler months)
- Bluefish, Cobia, Flounder, Redfish, Speckled Trout (warmer months)
- Grouper and Snapper (offshore)
- King Mackerel (sometimes)
Now, about your gear. You don’t need nothin’ fancy. I use a regular old fishin’ pole, you know, the kind you can get at any store. And for line, I like that monofilament stuff. It’s strong, and it don’t break easy. Some folks use all sorts of fancy lines, but this works just fine for me. They talk about all kinds of rigs too, float rigs and such, but I keep it simple. A hook, a weight, and some bait, that’s all you need. Speaking of bait, shrimp is always good, and so are them sand fleas. You can dig ’em up right on the beach. Live bait is best, they say, but sometimes I just use cut bait, pieces of fish I caught before.
Fishin’ ain’t always about catchin’, though. Sometimes, it’s just nice to be out there, by the water. It’s peaceful, you know? You can just sit there and watch the waves, listen to the birds, and forget about all your troubles. And when you do catch a fish, well, that’s just a bonus. But remember, you gotta be patient. Fishin’ takes time. You can’t just throw your line in the water and expect to catch a fish right away. You gotta wait, and you gotta be persistent. And sometimes, you gotta move around. If you ain’t catchin’ nothin’ in one spot, try another.
Reports, you say? Well, I hear things. People talkin’ at the bait shop, on the beach. They sayin’ the fishin’ been up and down, like always. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad. But that’s fishin’, ain’t it? They got these fellas, Captain Troy James and Captain Troy INC, they put out reports, but I don’t pay much attention to that. I just go fishin’ when I can, and I catch what I catch. They sayin’ there’s over 4000 surf spots listed on some report, but who needs that? Just find a spot you like and give it a try, that’s my motto. And November and August, they say them months is good for fishin’, but I reckon any month is good if you got the time and the patience. They say the water getting colder brings in certain fish. Makes sense, I guess. Water gets warm, different fish come around. That’s just how it is.
So, there you have it. My St. Augustine surf fishin’ report. It ain’t fancy, but it’s honest. Just get out there, throw a line in the water, and see what happens. You might catch a fish, you might not. But either way, you’ll have a good time. And that’s what really matters, ain’t it?
Tags：St Augustine Surf Fishing, Fishing Spots, Fishing Report, Surf Fishing Tips, Catch Report
