Jacksonville has a huge abundance of great place for fishing. With both freshwater and saltwater options, there really isn't a bad time of year to fish in Jacksonville. Whether you're looking to enjoy offshore game fishing, inshore or nearshore fishing, you'll find it all throughout the waterways of Jacksonville.
When it's time to hit some of the best inshore fishing areas in Jacksonville, you need to know where to go. Redfish and trout are common targets for those looking to fishing inshore. Here are some of the hot spots.
Matanzas and Pellicer Creek Flats
This spot offers a great place for mullet with a huge mullet run. If there's a high tide, it may push the mullet and reds onto any flat along the Intracoastal Waterway. The fishing will be excellent in the right conditions at the Matanzas and Pellicer Creek. Most of the fish found on the flats are reds, but those on the Pellicer Creek section could include gator trout as they move to shallow waters. It's also possible to find some flounders and trout at the falling tide creek mouths.
Mosquito Lagoon
The fall is a great time to hit Mosquito Lagoon. It comes alive, especially at the tail end of the hurricane season when the water levels are a bit higher. The creeks found at the northern end of Mosquito Lagoon near Three Sisters and Shotgun Pass can be some of the best.
Fishing the deep bends can turn up plenty of good catches. The cool mornings will produce reds in the deeper bends, but the sun will cause them to fan out to the shallower waters.
Pine Island
Found north of the St. Augustine Inlets, Pine Island is a popular spot for mullet along the ICW. Trout can also be found here with normal tides as quite a bit of water will move through the dump out of the St. Augustine Inlet. This water is followed by baitfish, which makes for good fishing.
When it's an early rising tide, you can head to the main areas of the ICW to deeper waters for larger trout. October can be a great month in this area for trout.
Mayport Inlet
When you go further north, you have a good chance of finding great spotted sea trout in October. The Mayport Inlet is a popular spot as it will product large trout as the mullet and shrimp move through the area. In fact, 8 to 10 pound trout are not that uncommon in the area, especially during the fall mullet migration.
Along with these spots, the back end of Mill Cove, the coast along Fort Caroline, Browns Creek, Oak Harbor, Clapboard Creek, Sister Creek and many other areas can be great for inshore fishing in Jacksonville. Some of these areas will require the right boat to access the best fishing, while others may be best accessed by taking a kayak out.
Regardless of how you get out on the water, there are plenty of great inshore fishing options throughout the Jacksonville area. If you want to catch trout, reds, flounder and other fish, these spot should be high on your list.
Follow our Weekly Jacksonville Fishing Report for more information on what is biting today!