St. Augustine is known as the America’s oldest city, yet the best news for Bass Pro readers is that it is a boating and fishing paradise that features fish-filled and “eye candy” cruising waters all the way back from the creeks out through the inlet and into the Atlantic Ocean. This city has it all and is close to Florida’s northeast border, making it closer to car travel from the north.
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| The inside waters of St. Augustine Florida yield excellent numbers of redfish that strike the usual lures and baits. |
Attractions
Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest Spanish masonry fort in the U.S.A. and is a must-see destination. The quantity of restaurants, art galleries, museums, and retail stores is astonishing for such a compact town. But in my estimation, the Historic District of St. Augustine stands out with a beautiful array of guest houses and bed and breakfasts.
Fishing: Guided First, Please
For boaters and boating anglers new to this city, the best way to get started on the inside waters of St. Augustine is with a fishing guide. Specifically, the unique ecosystem of numerous oyster bars and narrow creeks makes it a wise practice for do it yourself boating anglers to have a local captain take them around for a couple days first.
One of the best guides in St. Augustine is Captain Tommy Derringer (http://inshoreadventures.net/). His vessel is an Egret 18.9 flats and bay boat which is capable of fishing the inshore creeks out into the shallow ocean.
The inside waters yield excellent numbers of redfish that strike the usual lures and baits. In addition, there are plenty of flounder for the taking for those that like a delicious meal. There are also good numbers of seatrout and black drumfish to round out the inside waters roster.
On days when the weather is fair or calm with an overcast, the inlet and the shallow ocean are quite fishable for such excellent gamesters as high flying tarpon, razor-toothed sharks, hard-fighting giant jack crevalles, and the delicious cobia. For the best chances at these four species, I would visit the area from late spring to the middle of fall.
This is the official website for those travelers contemplating travel to St. Augustine: http://www.floridashistoriccoast.com
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