Private 4 Hour Afternoon St. Augustine Fishing
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Four-hour inshore fishing adventure in St. Augustine watersTarget redfish, trout, and sheepshead with licensed captainSmall group experience accommodating up to three guests
Picture this: you're casting into the calm waters of St. Augustine's Intracoastal Waterway as the afternoon sun hangs perfectly overhead, creating those golden reflections that make every photo look like a postcard. This 4-hour private fishing trip with Reel Spooled Charters puts you right in the heart of some of Florida's most productive inshore waters, where redfish cruise the grass flats and trout hang around oyster bars just waiting for the right presentation. With a USCG licensed captain who knows these waters like the back of his hand, you're not just booking a fishing trip – you're getting an insider's guide to the backwaters and salt marshes that make St. Augustine a top-rated fishing destination.
Your afternoon starts when you meet your captain at the dock, where he'll brief you on the game plan based on current conditions and what's been biting lately. The beauty of afternoon fishing in St. Augustine is that you're hitting the water when things start to really heat up – literally and figuratively. As the day warms up, baitfish become more active, and that triggers the feeding response in your target species. You'll be fishing the Intracoastal Waterway and surrounding salt marshes, areas that offer protection from ocean swells while serving up some of the most consistent fishing on Florida's east coast. The shallow waters and grass flats create perfect ambush points for redfish, while the deeper channels and structure hold trout, flounder, and drum. Your captain will position the boat based on tide, wind, and recent fish activity, moving spots as needed to keep you on the bite. This isn't a cattle boat situation – with just 3 anglers max, everyone gets personal attention and prime fishing real estate.
Inshore fishing in St. Augustine is all about finesse and reading the water. Your captain will have you rigged with medium-light spinning gear perfect for the species you're targeting. Depending on what's happening that day, you might be throwing live shrimp under popping corks for trout, working soft plastics along grass edges for redfish, or dropping cut bait near structure for black drum and sheepshead. The key is matching your technique to the conditions and fish behavior. When the water's clear and fish are spooky, you'll go with lighter leaders and more natural presentations. If it's choppy or stained, you can get away with heavier tackle and more aggressive retrieves. Your captain will handle all the rigging and re-rigging – you just focus on making good casts and feeling for those subtle bites. The shallow water means you're sight fishing a lot of the time, watching for nervous water, tailing fish, or that telltale swirl that means a redfish just inhaled your bait. It's visual, exciting fishing that keeps you engaged from the first cast to the last.
Redfish are the crown jewel of St. Augustine inshore fishing, and for good reason. These copper-colored bruisers love the shallow grass flats and oyster bars that define this area's fishing landscape. Reds in these waters typically run 18-27 inches, with some oversized fish pushing 30+ inches and providing arm-burning fights. They're year-round residents, but fall and spring offer the best action when they school up in impressive numbers. What makes redfish so special is their willingness to eat and their bulldogging fight style – they'll make multiple runs and use their broad sides to fight you all the way to the boat. Plus, they're excellent table fare within the slot limit.
Spotted seatrout are the bread and butter species that keeps action consistent throughout your trip. These gorgeous fish with their distinctive spots and yellow mouths are structure-oriented, hanging around oyster bars, dock pilings, and grass edges where they ambush shrimp and small baitfish. Trout in St. Augustine waters average 14-20 inches, with gator trout over 24 inches always a possibility. They're most active during moving tides, especially the last two hours of incoming and first hour of outgoing. Trout have soft mouths, so the fight is more about finesse than raw power, but their aggressive strikes and acrobatic jumps make them a customer favorite.
Summer flounder bring a different dimension to your fishing experience, requiring more patience but delivering excellent table fare. These flatfish are masters of camouflage, burying themselves in sandy bottoms near channels and drop-offs. St. Augustine's flounder fishing peaks from late spring through early fall, with fish ranging from keeper-sized 15-inchers to doormat flounder pushing 5+ pounds. They're notorious for their subtle bite – often feeling like you're just dragging through grass until you set the hook and feel that distinctive head shake. Flounder fishing teaches you to really pay attention to your rod tip and trust your instincts.
Black drum are the heavyweight champions of the inshore scene, with mature fish capable of testing your tackle and your patience. These bottom-dwellers love structure like bridge pilings, oyster bars, and channel edges where they root around for crabs and shellfish. St. Augustine's black drum fishing is world-class, with fish ranging from 5-pound "puppy drum" to massive bulls exceeding 40 pounds. The big ones require serious tackle and even more serious technique – they're notorious for wrapping you up in structure or making runs that'll empty your spool if you're not careful.
Crevalle jack round out your target species list as the speedsters of the group. These silver bullets are pure aggression, hitting baits with reckless abandon and making screaming runs that'll test your drag system. Jacks in these waters typically run 2-8 pounds, but don't let their size fool you – pound for pound, they're some of the strongest fish you'll encounter. They often travel in schools, so when you find one, you've usually found many
Get ready to explore St. Augustine's prime fishing waters aboard the Xpress H20 Bay Redfish SS Edition. This 20-foot flats boat cuts through shallow inshore waters like butter, getting you to those hard-to-reach honey holes where the big fish hide. The 115HP Yamaha pushes you along at a smooth clip, while the wireless trolling motor keeps things whisper-quiet when you're stalking redfish in skinny water. Built specifically for serious anglers, this boat comes loaded with a fish finder to pinpoint schools and structure, plus GPS to mark your best spots. The onboard icebox keeps your catch fresh and drinks cold during those hot Florida afternoons. With room for up to 3 anglers, you'll have plenty of space to work the flats and grass beds where trout, redfish, and sheepshead love to feed. Whether you're sight-casting to cruising reds or working the oyster bars for sheepshead, this shallow-draft boat gets you into the heart of St. Augustine's most productive fishing grounds. The Intracoastal and surrounding salt marshes become your playground for an afternoon of serious angling action.
Pogonias CromisBlack Drum are the heavyweights of our inshore waters, commonly running 10-30 pounds but capable of hitting 50+ pounds. These bottom-dwellers love oyster beds, muddy flats, and shallow grass areas throughout the Intracoastal. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning, making them much easier to target. They're famous for that distinctive drumming sound they make underwater - you can actually hear schools of them. Guests love the strong, steady fight they put up, though the smaller fish under 15 pounds taste much better than the big bruisers. Fresh cut crab is hands-down the best bait since it stays on the hook and doesn't get picked apart by bait stealers. Fish right on the bottom with enough weight to hold, and be patient - drum fishing is about persistence, not speed.
Pomatomus SaltatrixBluefish are aggressive predators that show up in our waters during warmer months, typically running 3-15 pounds with sharp teeth that'll cut through light leaders. These blue-green fighters love to school up and go on feeding frenzies, attacking everything from sardines to shrimp. You'll find them in deeper channels and around structure where baitfish gather. They put up a solid fight with strong runs, making them great for anglers who want action. The smaller ones under 10 pounds are excellent table fare - firm, flaky meat that's perfect grilled. Pro tip: use a wire leader or heavy fluorocarbon because those razor-sharp teeth will slice through mono in a heartbeat. When you see birds working, get there fast - bluefish push bait to the surface and create some of the best topwater action you'll see around here.
Caranx HipposCrevalle Jack are the bulldogs of our inshore waters, averaging 12-24 inches but capable of reaching 40+ pounds. These brassy-colored fighters school up around structure, grass beds, and wherever baitfish concentrate. They're year-round residents but summer brings the best action when they're most active. Look for diving birds - jacks push bait to the surface creating feeding frenzies that bring pelicans and gulls from miles away. Guests love the raw power and stamina these fish show, though they're better as sport fish than table fare due to their strong flavor. Fast-moving lures work best - silver spoons, swimbaits, and topwater plugs all produce. Here's the secret: when you find a school, cast past them and retrieve fast. Jacks are bullies that love the chase, and that aggressive retrieve triggers their predatory instincts. Don't be surprised if you smell something like watermelon when schools are feeding heavily.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the crown jewel of our shallow water fishing, easily spotted by their copper-bronze color and signature black spot near the tail. Most fish run 20-30 inches and 5-15 pounds, providing powerful runs in skinny water. They love oyster bars, grass flats, and creek mouths throughout our marsh system - sometimes in water so shallow their backs show. Year-round fishing is good, but fall and spring offer the most consistent action when they're feeding heavily. Guests love sight fishing for them and the strong fights they put up in shallow water. They're also excellent table fare with mild, sweet meat. Live shrimp under a popping cork is deadly, but my go-to trick is working a gold spoon slowly over grass beds. When you see that telltale swirl or "nervous water," make your cast past the fish and work it back through their zone. Patience pays off with these smart fish.
Paralichthys DentatusSummer flounder are the chameleons of our sandy bottoms, changing color to match their surroundings perfectly. Most run 15-20 inches, but doormat-sized fish over 5 pounds make for memorable catches. They're ambush predators that bury in sand near drop-offs, channels, and around structure where current brings food. Fall months from September through November are prime time when they're most active and easier to locate. Guests enjoy the sneaky bite and solid fight, plus they're some of the best eating fish in these waters - sweet, flaky white meat. Live bait like finger mullet or minnows work great, but the key is presentation. Hook your bait through the lips and let it swim just off the bottom. When you feel that subtle tap-tap, don't set the hook right away - let them turn the bait and swim with it before lifting the rod.
St. Augustine