Half Day Advanced Fishing Trip In St. Augustine
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Fourhour inshore charter targeting redfish, flounder, and sheepshead.Advanced techniques with light tackle and expert local guidance.Small group experience for two guests maximum.
Captain Rob Nevins knows these St. Augustine waters like the back of his hand, and when you step aboard for this 4-hour inshore charter, you're getting access to decades of local fishing knowledge. This isn't your typical tourist trip – it's designed for experienced anglers who want to push their skills further and learn the subtle techniques that separate good fishing days from great ones. Launching at 8 a.m. when the fish are most active, you'll target some of Florida's most prized inshore species using light tackle that puts you directly in touch with every headshake and run. With only 2 guests maximum, Captain Rob can focus on teaching advanced presentations and reading water structure that most anglers never learn.
The morning starts early because that's when these fish feed most aggressively. You'll launch from one of St. Augustine's prime marinas and head straight to productive waters where Captain Rob has been consistently finding fish. This charter focuses heavily on technique refinement – you'll learn how to read subtle tide changes, identify productive structure on the electronics, and adjust your lure presentation based on water clarity and current flow. The 4-hour window is perfectly timed to hit prime feeding periods while still getting you back to shore before the afternoon heat builds up. Captain Rob shares insider knowledge about seasonal fish movements, preferred baits for different conditions, and how to work specific pieces of structure that hold fish year-round. Every cast becomes a learning opportunity as you fine-tune your approach to match what the fish want on any given day.
This charter is all about precision fishing with light tackle that maximizes the fight and requires skill to land bigger fish. You'll be working with spinning gear that allows for accurate casts to specific targets like dock pilings, oyster bars, and grass bed edges where these species like to ambush prey. Captain Rob demonstrates advanced techniques like working soft plastics through different water columns, adjusting retrieve speeds based on fish behavior, and setting up proper drag settings that prevent break-offs while still allowing fish to run. The boat positioning is critical – you'll learn how to use wind and current to your advantage, making natural presentations that trigger strikes from pressured fish. Understanding bottom composition becomes key as you target different species that prefer sand, shell, or grass bottom structures. Each technique builds on the others, creating a comprehensive skill set that translates to better fishing wherever you go.
Grey Snapper are one of the most challenging and rewarding species you'll target on this trip. These fish are incredibly structure-oriented, hanging tight to docks, bridges, and rocky bottom areas where they can quickly dart back to cover. They're notorious for their sharp eyesight and wariness around fishing lines, making light leader and precise presentations essential. Most grey snapper in these waters run 12-18 inches, but the bigger ones over 20 inches provide serious fights on light tackle. They feed most actively during moving tides, especially around dawn and dusk, making this morning charter timing perfect. What makes them so exciting is their aggressive strike followed by an immediate dash back to structure – you need to turn their head quickly or they'll cut you off.
Black Drum are the heavyweights of this fishery, with mature fish reaching 20-40 pounds or more. These bottom feeders cruise shallow flats and deeper channels, using their sensitive barbels to locate crabs, shrimp, and mollusks in the sand and mud. They're most active during cooler months and around structure changes where current brings food. The fight is all about power and endurance rather than speed – they use their broad sides and heavy bodies to bull-dog toward bottom structure. Finding black drum requires understanding their feeding patterns and preferred bottom types, skills Captain Rob has mastered through years of targeting these fish specifically.
Summer Flounder are masters of camouflage that lie buried in sand waiting to ambush passing baitfish. These flatfish can reach impressive sizes, with keepers starting at 14 inches but fish over 20 inches providing the most sport. They prefer sandy areas near drop-offs, channel edges, and areas where current creates feeding opportunities. The key to consistent flounder fishing is keeping your bait near bottom while covering water methodically. Their bite can be subtle – often just extra weight on the line – so developing sensitivity is crucial. What makes flounder fishing addictive is the challenge of locating them and the excellent table fare they provide.
Sea Trout are year-round residents that school up in grass beds and around structure where they feed on shrimp and small baitfish. These spotted beauties are excellent light tackle fish, known for their acrobatic jumps and strong initial runs. They're particularly active during dawn and dusk periods when they move into shallower water to feed. Trout fishing requires understanding seasonal movements – they prefer deeper channels during cold fronts but move shallow during stable weather. Their soft mouths mean proper drag settings and fighting techniques are essential to prevent pulled hooks. The 14-inch minimum size ensures you're catching mature fish that provide both sport and excellent eating.
Redfish are the ultimate inshore game fish, combining power, beauty, and intelligence in one bronze-sided package. These fish can reach 30+ inches and provide bulldogging fights that test both angler skill and equipment. They're ambush predators that cruise shallow flats, oyster bars, and dock lines looking for crabs and baitfish. Redfish are extremely structure-conscious and spook easily in shallow water, making stealthy approaches and accurate casts essential. What makes them so popular is their year-round availability and willingness to take both live bait and artificial lures. The slot limit (18-27 inches) ensures sustainable fishing while still providing plenty of action from fish in their prime fighting condition.
This advanced inshore charter delivers exactly what serious anglers are looking for – focused instruction, productive fishing, and the chance to elevate your skills under expert guidance. Captain Rob's local knowledge combined with the intimate 2-person
Captain Rob's 2023 Stott Craft center console is built for serious anglers who know their way around inshore waters. This 21-footer cuts through St. Augustine's coastal waters at up to 30 knots with its reliable Tahatsu engine, getting you to the best fishing spots quickly. The wireless trolling motor lets you slip quietly into shallow flats where redfish and flounder hide, while the GPS and fish finder help pinpoint structure and schools. With room for just 2 anglers, you'll have plenty of casting space and personalized attention from Captain Rob as he shares local techniques for targeting sheepshead around docks and bridges. The center console design gives you 360-degree fishing access and keeps gear organized for those light tackle presentations that make the difference between a good day and a great one on Florida's waters.
Pogonias CromisThe heavyweights of the drum family, Black Drum are bottom-dwelling powerhouses that can range from 5-pound schoolies to 50-pound bruisers. Around St. Augustine, we find them on oyster bars, muddy flats, and near creek mouths in 2-15 feet of water. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning - you can actually hear their drumming sounds underwater. These fish are pure muscle and will test your drag with long, bulldogging runs. The smaller ones under 15 pounds make excellent table fare with firm white meat. For the big ones, fresh blue crab or cut mullet on the bottom works best. The key is keeping your bait right on the structure where they're crushing shellfish.
Lutjanus GriseusAlso known as Mangrove Snapper, these copper-red fish are some of the smartest we target around St. Augustine. You'll find them hanging around docks, bridges, and mangrove structure in 5-20 feet of water. They typically run 1-3 pounds inshore, though bigger ones lurk in deeper water. These nocturnal hunters are notorious bait thieves with excellent eyesight, making them a real challenge on light tackle. The meat is fantastic - white, flaky, and mild. Best fishing is early morning or late evening when they're more aggressive. My go-to trick is using a 4J circle hook with live shrimp hooked through the tail, letting it sink naturally to the bottom without too much movement. Patience pays off with these wary fish.
Sciaenops OcellatusThe crown jewel of our inshore fishing, Redfish are bronze beauties with distinctive black spots near their tails. These powerful fish cruise our shallow flats, oyster bars, and creek mouths in 1-4 feet of water - sometimes so shallow their backs stick out. They average 20-30 inches around St. Augustine and are available year-round, with fall being particularly hot. What makes them special is their explosive topwater strikes and bulldogging fights that'll have you questioning your drag setting. The firm, mild meat is excellent table fare too. Look for nervous water, tailing fish, or birds working bait. Gold spoons, topwater plugs, and live shrimp under popping corks all produce. Pro tip: approach them quietly and cast well ahead of cruising fish.
Salmo TruttaSpotted Sea Trout, or "specks," are one of our most popular light-tackle targets around St. Augustine's grass flats. These silvery, spotted fish typically run 14-24 inches and love shallow water over turtle grass beds. Dawn, dusk, and nighttime produce the best action, especially during cooler months when they school up. They're aggressive strikers that hit topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live shrimp with authority. The delicate, white meat is excellent eating but cook it carefully - it flakes apart easily. During winter, look for them in deeper creek mouths and channels. My favorite setup is a popping cork with live shrimp about 18 inches below, worked slowly over the grass. Listen for their feeding activity - they make quite a commotion when schooled up.
Paralichthys DentatusThese flatfish are the chameleons of our sandy bottoms, perfectly camouflaged and waiting to ambush baitfish. Summer Flounder here average 15-20 inches and are found on sand flats, channel edges, and around structure in 8-25 feet. Fall through early winter is when they're most active, moving through our area during their seasonal migration. What makes them special is their explosive strike and the challenge of feeling their subtle bite - they're not head-shakers like other species. The white, flaky meat is some of the best eating you'll find. Use a bucktail jig tipped with live shrimp or mud minnow, and work it slow along the bottom. When you feel that tap-tap-tap, resist the urge to set immediately - let them run with it first.
St. Augustine