The Ultimate Guide to Fall Inshore Fishing in Nassau & St. Johns Counties
Image courtesy of Ryan Arnst / Unsplash
Ask any seasoned local angler in Northeast Florida about their favorite time of year to wet a line, and the answer is always autumn. As the oppressive summer heat finally breaks and water temperatures begin to drop across the First Coast, the inshore fishing action shifts into high gear. The annual fall mullet run pushes massive schools of baitfish into our estuaries, triggering aggressive feeding frenzies as local gamefish stock up on calories before winter.
Whether you are casting off a flats skiff, poling a kayak://www.timotis.com/news-1/6-beautiful-places-to-kayak-in-northeast-florida through the salt marsh, or pitching jigs from a local pier, fall is the time to target trophy catches. Here is your guide to maximizing the autumn inshore bite across Nassau and St. Johns Counties.
Hotspots & Target Species in Nassau County (Fernandina Beach)
Nassau County’s intricate network of tidal creeks and deep-water inlets makes it a premier destination for fall angling.
The Target Species: The star of the autumn show is the "bull" redfish. These massive, oversized reds push into the St. Marys River inlet and Nassau Sound during their fall spawn. Speckled sea trout also become highly active along marsh grass edges, while flounder stack up near structure.
Where to Look: Focus your efforts along the St. Marys River jetties, the oyster beds lining the Amelia River, and the mouth of Egan’s Creek on a falling tide. Pitching live finger mullet or fresh local shrimp on a jig head near these creek mouths is a proven tactic for drawing explosive strikes.
Inshore Action in St. Johns County (Nocatee & Ponte Vedra)
Further south, the tidal marshes and backwaters surrounding Ponte Vedra and Nocatee offer prime, sheltered fishing grounds when coastal autumn winds pick up.
The Target Species: Expect excellent numbers of slot-sized redfish (perfect for a hard fight in shallow water) and aggressive speckled trout pushing the flats.
Where to Look: The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) near Palm Valley is loaded with productive docks and oyster bars. For kayak anglers, the shallow, winding creeks of the Guana Tolomato Matanzas Reserve offer incredible sight-casting opportunities. Early mornings in these quiet backwaters are ideal for tossing "walk-the-dog" style topwater plugs. Few things beat the thrill of a topwater trout explosion just as the sun comes up.
Image courtesy of Brad Killen / Unsplash
Essential Autumn Tactics
Success in the fall boils down to finding the bait. If you locate the schools of fleeing mullet, the predator fish are rarely far behind. Fish the moving tides, especially the last two hours of the outgoing tide and the first two hours of the incoming tide—when baitfish are forced out of the safety of the marsh grass and into deeper channels.
Post-Charter Fuel: Dock the Boat and Grab a Bite
After a long morning fighting the wind and wrestling bull reds, cleaning gear and cooking lunch is the last thing any angler wants to do. When you step off the boat, let someone else handle the seafood.
Whether you are packing up the tackle box in Fernandina Beach or washing down the kayak in Nocatee, Timoti’s Seafood Shak is the ultimate post-charter pit stop. Swap fishing stories over a basket of wild-caught shrimp, fuel up with fresh mahi tacos, and celebrate a successful day on the water with an ice-cold local craft beer on our breezy outdoor patio.