5.0(4 Reviews)St Marks Inshore Fishing Charter for Beginners
5.0(4 reviews)
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Beginnerfriendly inshore fishing targeting redfish and sea troutAll equipment and fishing licenses provided by professional captainSmall group experience with maximum capacity of two guests
Picture this: you're drifting through the calm waters around St. Marks, just outside Tallahassee, with your line in the water and trophy Redfish cruising the grass flats nearby. This beginner-friendly inshore charter with Angry Fish Inshore Charters puts you right in the heart of some of Florida's best fishing grounds. Captain Asa and his team know these waters like the back of their hand, and they'll have you hooked up with Sea Trout, Redfish, Southern Flounder, and Sheepshead before you know it. Whether you're a complete newbie or just getting back into fishing after years away, this trip is designed to get you catching fish and having a blast doing it.
Your morning starts early, meeting at the dock where you'll board a professionally rigged boat that's built for inshore action. The captain provides everything – rods, reels, tackle, bait, and even your fishing license – so you can show up empty-handed and still walk away with a cooler full of fish. The trip accommodates up to 2 anglers, making it perfect for a father-son adventure, a couples getaway, or solo fishing time. The St. Marks area offers incredible diversity with its mix of grass flats, oyster bars, and creek mouths where gamefish love to ambush baitfish. Your captain reads the conditions daily – tide, wind, water temperature, even moon phase – to put you on the most active fish. The relaxed pace means you'll learn proper techniques while actually catching fish, not just practicing casts.
Inshore fishing around St. Marks relies heavily on sight fishing and structure fishing techniques. You'll work the grass flats with live bait and artificial lures, targeting fish that cruise these shallow areas looking for an easy meal. The boat comes equipped with modern tackle setups perfectly matched to the species you're after – medium-action spinning rods for Sea Trout, heavier setups for bull Redfish, and finesse gear for finicky Sheepshead around structure. Your captain will teach you how to read the water, spot fish movement, and present your bait naturally. Live shrimp, finger mullet, and cut bait are staples, but you'll also throw soft plastics and topwater plugs when conditions are right. The key is staying quiet and making accurate casts to specific targets like oyster bars, dock pilings, and grass edges where fish feed.
"Asa has great knowledge of the area and the dynamics of wind, tide, water temp, moon phase etc., that influences target species and where to find them. great equipment, rods boat etc., and he makes it fun, great sense of humor, and a hard worker." - Clay Olson
"My guys had an amazing time! Thanks Asa! Memories were made that my son will never forget!" - Lona Kelly
"Our trip was nothing short of amazing! It was mine and my oldest son's first time and Captain Asa made it a trip to remember! He was so helpful and wonderful with the boys! He made sure we left with a cooler full of fish! My youngest has already requested to go out again for his birthday! We will definitely be back" - Malinda Slappey
"This was my first fishing trip in Florida in over 15 years and Captain Martin made it special. We caught lots of different species of fish had a great outing, including my very first red fish." - Clay Brock
Redfish are the crown jewel of inshore fishing around St. Marks, and for good reason. These copper-colored fighters average 18-27 inches but can stretch well into the 30+ inch range during certain times of year. Spring through fall offers the most consistent action, with fish feeding aggressively in the shallows during moving tides. What makes Redfish special is their fight – they'll peel drag and make powerful runs that test your skills. Plus, they're excellent table fare when kept within slot limits. You'll typically find them tailing in skinny water or cruising grass flats where they're hunting crabs and shrimp.
Sea Trout, or Speckled Trout as locals call them, are abundant in these waters and perfect for beginners to target. They range from 14-20 inches on average, with occasional "gator trout" pushing 5+ pounds. These fish are most active during cooler months but can be caught year-round in deeper grass flats and around structure. They hit live shrimp eagerly and respond well to soft plastic jigs worked slowly along the bottom. Sea Trout have a delicate mouth, so you'll learn proper hook-setting techniques and steady pressure to land them successfully.
Southern Flounder are the masters of camouflage, lying flat on sandy bottoms waiting for prey to swim overhead. These flatfish typically run 14-18 inches and are fantastic eating. Fall months produce the best Flounder action as they stage for their offshore spawning migration. You'll target them around creek mouths and channel edges using live finger mullet or mud minnows. The bite feels like a gentle tap, teaching you to distinguish subtle strikes from more aggressive fish.
Sheepshead are the technical challenge of inshore fishing, known for their excellent eyesight and bait-stealing abilities. These black-and-white striped fish hang around structure like dock pilings, bridges, and oyster bars. They average 12-16 inches but can grow much larger. Winter months offer peak Sheepshead fishing when they school up for spawning. You'll use small hooks, light line, and live shrimp or fiddler crabs to fool these finicky feeders. Landing a nice Sheepshead requires patience and skill, making them a rewarding
Your fishing adventure starts aboard a completely rebuilt 2001 22' Kenner tunnel hull that's been designed specifically for inshore fishing success. This spacious motorboat gives you and one other angler plenty of room to move around while chasing redfish and sea trout in the shallow waters around St. Marks. The tunnel hull design lets us get into skinny water where the big fish hide, while the wireless trolling motor keeps things quiet so we don't spook our targets. We've got a fish finder to locate the action, GPS to hit the best spots, and VHF radio for safety. The icebox keeps your drinks cold during those hot Florida mornings, and there's storage for all your gear. The flybridge gives us a great vantage point to spot tailing reds, and the boat is wheelchair accessible so everyone can enjoy a day on the water. Perfect for beginners who want to experience real inshore fishing without the crowds.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the crown jewel of our inshore waters, known for that distinctive black spot near their copper-colored tail. Most run 20-30 inches around St. Marks, but we see plenty of slot fish and some real bruisers pushing 40+ inches. They love super shallow water - sometimes so shallow their backs stick out - around oyster bars, grass flats, and mangrove shorelines. Fall and spring offer prime fishing, but they bite year-round here. Guests go crazy for the visual aspect of sight fishing and those powerful runs when hooked. They're also fantastic eating when kept within slot limits. The key to success: look for nervous water or "tailing" fish in 1-3 feet. A gold spoon or live shrimp works magic, but here's my secret - cast past them and work your bait slowly into their path. Spook them and it's game over.
Salmo TruttaSpeckled trout are the bread and butter of St. Marks fishing, running 14-24 inches and 1-5 pounds with beautiful silver sides covered in black spots. These grass flat specialists love shallow water around 2-6 feet deep, especially areas with good current flow and baitfish. They're year-round residents but really turn on during spring and fall when water temps are perfect. Dawn and dusk produce the best action, though night fishing under lights can be phenomenal. Guests appreciate their willingness to bite and excellent eating quality - tender white meat that's hard to overcook. They put up a decent scrap with some nice jumps too. Here's a local trick: work a soft plastic shrimp under a popping cork over grass beds. That rhythmic popping sound drives them crazy, especially in 3-4 feet of water during moving tides.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are the "convict fish" of St. Marks with their black and white stripes and human-like teeth. Most run 1-8 pounds and 14-20 inches, though 20-pounders do show up around heavy structure. You'll find them hugging dock pilings, bridge supports, and oyster bars where they crunch barnacles and crabs. Spring brings the best action from February through April when they're spawning and feeding aggressively. Guests love the challenge - they're notorious bait thieves with incredible table fare that rivals snapper. The white, flaky meat is worth the effort of cleaning around those tough scales. Pro tip: get your bait tight to structure using fiddler crabs or shrimp on a small hook. Feel that subtle nibble? Set the hook hard immediately or they'll steal your bait every time.
Paralichthys LethostigmaSouthern flounder are masters of disguise that bury themselves in sandy and muddy bottoms around St. Marks. These flat fish typically run 15-18 inches and weigh around 5 pounds, though bigger ones push 20+ pounds. They're ambush predators with both eyes on their left side, perfectly designed for bottom living. You'll find them in shallow bays, grass flats, and around structure during warmer months. Fall and spring offer the best action when they're actively feeding on shrimp, mullet, and crabs. Guests love the challenge of sight fishing for "tailing" flounder and their excellent table fare - sweet, white meat that's hard to beat. My tip: use a light jighead with live shrimp and work it slow along the bottom. When you feel that subtle tap, wait a beat before setting the hook - they're notorious bait stealers.
5.0 out of 5.0Asa has great knowledge of the area and the dynamics of wind, tide, water temp, moon phase etc., that influences target species an...
My guys had an amazing time! Thanks Asa! Memories were made that my son will never forget!
Our trip was nothing short of amazing! It was mine and my oldest son’s first time and Captain Asa made it a trip to remember! He w...
This was my first fishing trip in Florida in over 15 years and Captain Martin made it special. We caught lots of different species...
St Marks, FL