ST AUGUSTINE

This winter and fall, the fishing has been great, but summertime is coming.  Yeah, it’ll be hot out there, but the fishing will be hot as well! We have some big changes in our fishing patterns coming up over the next couple of months, as the water starts to get murky inshore, and the beach fishing action really starts to fire off. Redfish and trout will be blasting top-water plugs at first and last light, and the cobia, tarpon, and sharks will invade the beaches. You have to love summertime fishing in Northeast Florida!

Some of the best inshore/backcountry fishing for redfish and trout will occur right at sunrise, and again at dusk this time of year. Top-water plugs are one of my go-to lures during those times of day. The fish will be heavily feeding, and they’ll be more than willing to crash your lure on the surface. Mullet should be invading all the creeks and flats in our area by now, and the old adage “match the hatch” couldn’t be truer. I like to use a Rapala Skitterwalk in a baitfish pattern to perfectly mimic an injured mullet. If you do opt for the walk-the-dog type lure mentioned above, be sure to practice making the bait walk side to side. I’ve seen many fish ignore a top-water if it’s just dragged past them, only to have them smash it the next time the lure is properly “walked” by. Once the sun is higher in the sky you may want to switch to a sub-surface lure or bait. I’ve been having great success using the Slayer Inc. SST paddle tails. It looks just like a small mullet or minnow and can fished in a bunch of different ways. The tail on the Slayer Inc. SST is bigger than most, and produces quite a thump when worked through the water. With murkier water being the norm heading into summer, this can be a huge advantage as the fish will be able to hone in on the lure much easier.

Just as the mullet will be invading the inshore areas, look for the pogy (menhaden) pods to be all over the beach. The pogies bring in all kind of fishing opportunities this time year. The cobia should be hanging around, depending on what the water temps do, and the tarpon should start to show as well. Sharks, huge jacks, kingfish, and more will all be pulling up a chair to feed on the bait pods. A great way to fish the pods is to slowly idle around looking for the ones who have some pogies getting thrown around. The biggest mistake I see while fishing the beach, is when anglers get too close or charge right up to the bait while the outboard motor is still on. Try using the trolling motor, or just drift within casting range. You’ll see a lot more fish, and more importantly, catch more too. While you’re out there along the beaches, don’t forget to check out the shrimp boats and their by-catch. There’s almost always something BIG lurking around those slicks to play with! Tight Lines!