US Southeast · United States
Fishing in Jacksonville, Florida
Where the St. Johns River meets the Atlantic, Jacksonville anchors one of the Southeast's great king mackerel fisheries and hosts the long-running Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament each summer. The river mouth and jetties also hold some of Florida's biggest bull redfish, with schools of oversized drum staging there in late summer and fall.
See live conditions & Bite Score for Jacksonville →Best time to fish
April–November (kingfish June–August, bull redfish August–October)
Where fish hold
The St. Johns River jetties and channel edges, nearshore party grounds and artificial reefs in 50–90 feet, and the marsh creeks of the Intracoastal.
What you can catch in Jacksonville
Tactics & tides
Kingfish boats slow-troll live pogies along the beaches and reefs, while inshore guides soak cut bait and live croakers at the jetties for bull reds and work the creeks for trout and flounder.
The jetties fish best on the last of the outgoing tide, when bait flushes out of the river and predators stack along the rocks.
Baitful scores all of this for you. It reads the live tide stage, barometric pressure trend, solunar feeding windows, wind and storm-aware weather at Jacksonville and turns them into a 0 to 100 Bite Score with a 72-hour best-window view.
Fishing in Jacksonville: FAQ
What fish can you catch in Jacksonville?
Popular targets in Jacksonville include King Mackerel, Redfish (Red Drum), Tarpon, Flounder, and 4 more. The mix shifts with the season and conditions.
When is the best time to fish in Jacksonville?
The prime season is April–November (kingfish June–August, bull redfish August–October). Day to day, the bite is usually best on moving water around dawn and dusk. The jetties fish best on the last of the outgoing tide, when bait flushes out of the river and predators stack along the rocks.
Where should you fish in Jacksonville?
Focus on The St. Johns River jetties and channel edges, nearshore party grounds and artificial reefs in 50–90 feet, and the marsh creeks of the Intracoastal.. Kingfish boats slow-troll live pogies along the beaches and reefs, while inshore guides soak cut bait and live croakers at the jetties for bull reds and work the creeks for trout and flounder.
How do I know if it's a good day to fish in Jacksonville?
Open Jacksonville, Florida in Baitful to see the live Bite Score, tides, solunar windows, and storm-aware weather, all scored for the day and the next 72 hours.
Fish Jacksonville with a local captain
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