Jacksonville Light Tackle & Fly Fishing Charter
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Light tackle and fly fishing on St. Johns RiverExpert guides assist anglers of all skill levelsSmall group experience with maximum 2 guests
Jacksonville's St. Johns River system offers some of Florida's most consistent inshore fishing, and this light tackle adventure puts you right in the thick of it. You'll be targeting four of the area's top game fish using techniques that make every hookup feel like a real battle. With just two anglers max, you get personalized attention from your guide and plenty of room to work the water without crowding. The St. Johns has that perfect mix of structure, current, and forage that keeps redfish, trout, flounder, and drum active year-round. Whether you're throwing flies or light spinning gear, this trip delivers the kind of action that keeps local anglers coming back season after season.
Your day starts with a boat ride through Jacksonville's maze of creeks, oyster bars, and grass flats that make up this world-class fishery. The St. Johns River system is massive, giving your guide tons of options depending on tides, weather, and what's biting. You might find yourself sight fishing shallow flats for tailing redfish, working dock lights for trout, or drifting deeper holes where black drum cruise the bottom. The beauty of light tackle fishing here is the variety – one cast you're throwing topwater for aggressive trout, the next you're dropping a jig to a flounder sitting in ambush. Your guide knows these waters like the back of their hand and will put you on fish while teaching you the nuances of reading water, understanding tides, and presenting baits that get bit.
This charter focuses on finesse fishing that maximizes the fight and fun factor of every fish you hook. Light spinning tackle typically means 6-8 pound test line on medium-light rods that load up beautifully when a redfish makes its first run. For fly fishing, you'll be throwing 7-8 weight rods with floating or intermediate lines, depending on conditions and target species. Lures range from soft plastics on 1/8 to 1/4 ounce jig heads for working grass flats, to topwater plugs that create explosive strikes in shallow water. Fly patterns include Clouser minnows, crab flies, and shrimp imitations tied to match local forage. The key is matching your presentation to the conditions – dead drifting baits in current, twitching them over structure, or burning them through schools of bait. Your guide handles the boat positioning and gives you the inside scoop on techniques that produce consistently in these waters.
Southern Flounder are the masters of disguise in Jacksonville's inshore waters, lying perfectly camouflaged on sandy bottoms and ambushing unsuspecting prey. These flatfish typically run 14-18 inches with larger specimens pushing over 20 inches during fall months. Peak season runs from September through November when cooler water brings them into the shallows to feed heavily before winter. What makes flounder so exciting on light tackle is their initial confusion when hooked – they'll often just sit there for a few seconds before realizing what happened, then take off on a surprising run for a fish that spends most of its time on the bottom. They're also excellent table fare, making them a customer favorite for anglers looking to take dinner home.
Black Drum are the bulldogs of Jacksonville's flats, using their powerful bodies and crushing jaws to root out crabs and shellfish from oyster bars and rocky structure. These fish commonly range from 2-8 pounds inshore, with occasional giants over 20 pounds showing up around bridges and deeper channels. Spring months from March through May offer peak action as drum move shallow to spawn, while fall fishing picks up again as baitfish concentrate them in feeding areas. On light tackle, black drum provide steady, powerful fights that test your drag system and patience. They're not the fastest fish in the water, but they know how to use their weight and the current to their advantage. The real excitement comes from the hunt – drum often travel in schools, so finding one usually means finding several.
Sea Trout are Jacksonville's most consistent year-round target, thriving in the grass flats and deeper holes throughout the St. Johns system. These spotted beauties typically run 12-16 inches with quality fish reaching 18-20 inches, especially during winter months when they school up in deeper water. Trout are active feeders from dawn to dusk, making them perfect for light tackle presentations. They'll hit everything from topwater plugs at first light to soft plastics worked slowly along the bottom during midday heat. What anglers love most about trout fishing here is the variety of techniques that work – you can sight fish for them in shallow grass, work them around dock lights, or drift live shrimp in deeper channels. Their aggressive nature and willingness to bite makes them perfect for anglers looking to build confidence and learn new techniques.
Redfish are the crown jewel of Jacksonville inshore fishing, combining spectacular fights with stunning copper-bronze coloration that photographs beautifully. These fish range from slot-size 18-27 inchers to oversized bulls over 30 inches that provide tackle-testing battles. Prime redfish season runs from late summer through fall, but Jacksonville's year-round population means consistent action regardless of when you visit. Reds are ambush predators that love structure – oyster bars, dock pilings, creek mouths, and grass edges all hold fish throughout the tidal cycle. On light tackle, a hooked redfish immediately heads for the heaviest cover available, testing your ability to turn the fish and your guide's boat handling skills. The sight fishing opportunities here are phenomenal, with clear water offering shots at tailing fish, cruising singles, and schools of reds working bait in shallow water.
Jacksonville's inshore fishing scene continues gaining recognition as one of Florida's top light tackle destinations, and trips like this showcase exactly why. With only two anglers per boat, you're getting a premium experience that larger
This 2015 Beavertail Skiff is built specifically for Jacksonville's shallow inshore waters and backwater fishing spots. At 18 feet with a powerful 115HP Yamaha SHO engine, she'll get you to the fish fast with a top speed of 35 knots, then cruise quietly through skinny water where the redfish and trout hang out. The wireless trolling motor lets you sneak up on feeding fish without spooking them, while GPS navigation keeps you on the productive spots along the St. Johns River system. Perfect for light tackle and fly fishing, this flats boat handles like a dream in just inches of water and comfortably fishes two anglers. Whether you're sight-casting to tailing reds in the grass or working structure for spotted trout, this shallow-draft boat opens up fishing areas that bigger vessels simply can't reach.
Pogonias CromisBlack drum are the heavyweights of our inshore waters, commonly running 10-30 pounds with giants pushing 50-plus. These powerful fish love oyster beds, shallow mudflats, and creek mouths where they use their strong jaws to crush crabs and oysters. Spring is magic time when they school up for spawning - you can actually hear them drumming underwater. They're incredible fighters that will test your drag system, making long, powerful runs. The smaller ones under 15 pounds are excellent table fare with firm, white meat. What guests love most is the pure strength these fish show - they're bulldogs that just don't quit. Around Jacksonville, I always tell clients to look for them in 2-6 feet of water near structure. Fresh blue crab or cut mullet on the bottom is deadly, but here's the local secret: use peeler crab when you can find it. These drum go crazy for soft-shell crabs.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the crown jewel of our inshore fishery, easily recognized by their copper-bronze color and distinctive black spot near the tail. Most slot fish run 18-27 inches and 3-8 pounds, but we also target the big bulls that can push 30-40 pounds. These fish thrive in shallow water from 1-4 feet deep around oyster bars, grass flats, and creek mouths. Year-round fishing is solid, but fall brings the best action when they school up in big numbers. What guests love most is watching redfish cruise the shallows with their backs out of the water - it's pure sight fishing at its finest. They're strong fighters with serious stamina and make excellent table fare when kept in the slot. The meat is firm with a mild, slightly sweet flavor. For consistent success, I always tell clients to look for moving water and structure. A gold spoon or topwater plug worked slowly over shallow grass will trigger explosive strikes. The trick is being quiet and making long casts.
Salmo TruttaSpotted sea trout, or "specks" as we call them locally, are beautiful fish covered in distinctive black spots. They typically run 14-18 inches and 1-3 pounds, though we catch some nice 4-5 pounders during peak season. These fish love grass flats, shallow bays, and areas with good current flow around 2-6 feet deep. Spring through fall offers the best action, especially during moving tides. What makes trout fishing so enjoyable is their willingness to hit artificial lures and their excellent table quality - mild, flaky white meat that's hard to beat. They're also great for light tackle and fly fishing since they're aggressive feeders. During summer months, focus on early morning and late evening when they move shallow to feed. My go-to local tip is to work topwater plugs over grass beds right at daybreak. When you see that telltale swirl, wait just a second before setting the hook - trout often miss on the first strike.
Paralichthys LethostigmaThese flatfish are masters of disguise, burying themselves in sandy or muddy bottoms where they ambush prey like shrimp and small baitfish. Most run 15-18 inches and weigh around 5 pounds, though we occasionally hook keepers up to 25 inches. You'll find them in shallow bays, creek mouths, and along oyster bars throughout our local waters. Fall and winter months are prime time when they're fattening up before heading offshore. What makes flounder special is their unique appearance - both eyes on one side of their head - and they're fantastic eating with sweet, white meat. The key trick here is fishing right on the bottom with a slow drift. Use live finger mullet or shrimp on a 1/4 oz jig head, and when you feel that subtle tap, count to three before setting the hook. They like to grab bait sideways first.
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