Half Day Fishing Trip in St. Augustine
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Four-hour inshore charter targeting redfish, trout, and flounderAll equipment, licenses, bait, and tackle includedCaptain Ty Sikes guides up to three guests
Captain Ty Sikes knows these St. Augustine waters like the back of his hand, and he's ready to put you on some serious fish. This 4-hour inshore charter gives you prime access to the productive flats and channels around America's oldest city, where redfish, speckled trout, and flounder are just waiting for the right presentation. Whether you're a weekend warrior or someone who's never held a rod, Ty's got the patience and know-how to make sure you leave with bent rods and fish stories worth telling. All your gear, bait, tackle, and licenses are covered – just bring yourself, some drinks, and get ready to see why St. Augustine's inshore fishing scene keeps anglers coming back year after year.
You'll meet Captain Ty at the dock ready to hit some of the most productive inshore waters on Florida's east coast. St. Augustine's maze of creeks, grass flats, and oyster bars creates the perfect habitat for a variety of gamefish, and Ty knows exactly where to find them based on tide, wind, and season. The boat's equipped with everything you need – quality spinning gear, live bait, artificials, and all the terminal tackle to match the conditions. Expect to move around during the trip as Ty reads the water and adjusts tactics. One spot might have us sight-casting to cruising reds on the flats, while the next could have you bouncing jigs along drop-offs for flounder. The beauty of inshore fishing here is the variety – you never know what's going to grab your bait next, and that keeps every cast interesting.
Inshore fishing around St. Augustine requires reading water conditions and adapting your approach throughout the day. Captain Ty specializes in both live bait and artificial presentations, switching between techniques based on what the fish want. You might start the morning working live shrimp under popping corks over grass beds, then transition to casting soft plastics along mangrove shorelines when the tide changes. The key here is understanding how these fish use structure – oyster bars, creek mouths, and grass edges all hold fish for different reasons. Ty will show you how to work different depths, from shallow water sight fishing where you can actually see the fish you're casting to, down to deeper channels where bottom fishing with cut bait produces steady action. The rods are set up with appropriate line weights and leader material for the conditions, and you'll learn why certain rigs work better in different situations.
The target species list for this trip reads like a who's who of Florida inshore favorites, and each one brings something different to the table. Black drum are the heavyweights of the bunch – these bruisers can push 20-30 pounds and will give you a real fight on medium tackle. They love structure like bridge pilings and oyster bars, especially during cooler months when they school up in deeper water. Sheepshead are the pickiest eaters you'll encounter, requiring finesse and patience as they nibble around dock pilings and rocky areas. Their crushing bite and zebra-striped appearance make them a favorite target for anglers who enjoy technical fishing. Redfish are the poster children of inshore fishing here – bronze-backed bulldogs that eat aggressively and fight dirty in shallow water. Spotting a school of reds tailing on a grass flat and making the perfect cast is what inshore fishing dreams are made of. Bonnethead and blacktip sharks add some serious excitement when they show up, especially the blacktips that will jump and run when hooked. These sharks are most active during warmer months and provide non-stop action when you find a school.
Redfish are the crown jewel of St. Augustine inshore fishing, and for good reason. These copper-colored fighters typically run 18-27 inches in these waters and are available year-round, though fall and winter often produce the most consistent action. What makes reds so special is their aggressive feeding behavior and willingness to eat everything from live shrimp to topwater plugs. You'll find them cruising grass flats during high tide, ambushing bait along oyster bars, and even tailing in super shallow water where you can sight-cast to individual fish. The fight is spectacular – they use their broad sides to fight you every inch of the way back to the boat.
Black drum might not be the prettiest fish in these waters, but they're definitely among the strongest. These bottom-dwellers can live over 50 years and grow massive – the bigger ones around here will test your drag system and your patience. They're most active during cooler months when they gather around deep structure, and catching one over 20 pounds is a legitimate trophy. Their crushing power when they take bait is unmistakable, and once hooked, they head straight for the bottom using their weight and strength to try to break you off.
Sheepshead fishing separates the patient anglers from everyone else. These black-and-white striped convicts have small mouths and are notorious bait thieves, but landing a nice one feels like solving a puzzle. They're most active during cooler months around any kind of structure – docks, bridges, oyster bars – where they pick crustaceans and barnacles off the pilings. A 3-4 pound sheepshead is excellent table fare and represents some seriously skilled angling.
When the sharks show up, everything changes. Bonnetheads are the smaller, more manageable cousins in the hammerhead family, typically running 2-4 feet and providing steady action without the chaos of bigger sharks. Blacktip sharks are a different story entirely – these acrobatic fighters will jump repeatedly when hooked and make blistering runs that will have your reel screaming. Summer months bring the best shark action, and there's nothing quite like the adrenaline rush when one of these predators crushes your bait.
Hit the productive waters around historic St. Augustine aboard this nimble 17-foot Ranger flats boat. Built for serious inshore fishing, this 2010 rig runs on a reliable Mercury 115HP that'll push you to prime fishing spots at up to 50 knots. Perfect for getting into those skinny waters where the big Reds and Specs like to hang out. The boat's equipped with GPS to mark your hot spots, radar for those foggy mornings, and a quality fish finder to locate structure and baitfish. With room for up to 3 anglers, there's plenty of space to work lures without bumping elbows. The shallow draft design lets you slide right up to oyster bars and grass flats where Flounder and Trout feed. Captain Ty knows these waters inside and out, so you'll spend more time with lines wet instead of running around looking for fish.
Pogonias CromisBlack Drum are the heavyweights of our local waters, running anywhere from 5-30 pounds with some monsters pushing 90. These dark, powerful fish love hanging around oyster beds and muddy flats where they crush crabs and shellfish with jaws built like vises. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning - that's when we really dial them in. They're found in shallow brackish areas but can handle everything from creek mouths to deeper channels. Guests love the bulldogging fight these fish put up, plus the smaller ones make great table fare. My go-to tip: use fresh blue crab on the bottom and be patient - they'll mouth the bait before committing, so wait for that solid pull before setting the hook hard.
Carcharhinus LimbatusBlacktip sharks are the acrobats of our waters, famous for those spectacular jumps when hooked. These streamlined sharks average 4-5 feet and get their name from the black tips on their fins. They patrol our nearshore waters from spring through fall, following baitfish schools in 30-100 feet of water. What guests love is the explosive fight - they'll jump, run, and give you everything they've got. They're also one of the better eating sharks if you're into that. Best fishing is during warmer months when bait is thick. My secret weapon is oily fish like mackerel or sardines on a circle hook with heavy tackle. Once you hook up, keep steady pressure but let them run - trying to horse them in just makes them jump more and throw the hook.
Sphyrna TiburoBonnethead sharks are the fun-sized hammerheads we run into regularly, averaging 3-4 feet with that distinctive spade-shaped head. These shy sharks cruise our shallow bays and grass flats in small schools, especially during warmer months when they move up from deeper Gulf waters. What makes them special is they're completely harmless and put up a scrappy fight that surprises most anglers. They feed mainly on crabs and small fish, making them pretty predictable. You'll find them year-round in our area, but summer and fall are best. Fresh blue crab cut in half works like magic - thread your circle hook through one of the crab's legs and fish it on the bottom. Keep your drag loose when they take off on that first run.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the bread and butter of our shallow water fishing, running 20-35 inches on average with that classic copper color and black spot near the tail. These fish own the 1-4 foot flats around oyster bars, grass beds, and creek mouths - sometimes so shallow their backs stick out of the water. Fall and spring are peak seasons when they're most active and hungry. What guests love is the explosive topwater strikes and strong runs that'll test your drag. They're also great eating with mild, sweet meat. The key is staying quiet when you spot them tailing in skinny water. Cast beyond the fish and work your bait back to them - spook one and you'll usually spook the whole school. Live shrimp under a popping cork is hard to beat.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are the convict fish of St. Augustine with those distinctive black stripes and human-like teeth that'll give you a double-take. Most run 1-8 pounds, but we see some bruiser 15+ pounders around the right structure. These guys live tight to cover - docks, bridge pilings, jetties, anywhere barnacles grow thick. Spring months from February through April are money time when they're spawning and more aggressive. What makes them special is they're excellent eating with sweet, flaky white meat, plus they're notorious bait thieves that'll test your reflexes. Here's the trick: get your bait right against the structure and watch your rod tip like a hawk - when they start that telltale nibbling, set that hook fast and firm.
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