# St. Augustine advice



## mojogator (Apr 18, 2005)

I stay the first week of July at Crescent Beach, just south of St. Augustine. Here's the routine I usually follow. Will get up early every morning and surf fish for a few hours in front of the condo, Summerhouse. Then at night after the kiddies go to bed, around 8 or so, will go fish some spots south of the condo. Like the beach under Mantanzas bridge or many of the spots between the bridge and Marineland on the channels and under the bridges.

Does anybody have any advice for this area? Any honey holes, etc? What kind of fish bite at night, so far I only get catfish at night and the occasional shark.


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## BentHook (Dec 22, 2002)

The night seems to bring out the cats and sharks.LOL You seem to have a good plan and the beach in front of Summerhouse is pretty flat.As your trip gets closer I'll post again on what's biting and where from. Those channels and under the bridges around Mantanzas schould have small(under 80lbs)Tarpon by then.The next part of the post is for someone coming for Memorial Day.
The holidays always bring large crowds but ya gotta go when you get a chance.Right now, there are pompano,whiting,trout,Jacks and sharks to 25lbs and lots of bluefish.The flounder are overdue and we're still getting some Black Drum.
For bait, use fresh shrimp, everything will eat it except sheepshead.Sandfleas,mullet and clams would be my next choice if if it wasn't to much trouble keeping it.
I assume your going to be in the StAugustine Beach area so I'll go from there.The pier is OK if it's not low tide.I think it cost $2 and you can have two rods.StAugustine Beach is a flat beach from the beach renourishment two years ago.The sand is moving south to Mantanzas Inlet and filling the inlet in.You will just have to look for runouts.The first gut will produce fish so you don't have to make a 100yd+ cast.I've had good luck just south of Mantanzas Inlet at the low tides but once you get into MarineLand you will have to deal with the rocks and lose some rigs.
To the north of St Augustine is Vilano Beach which is the begining of the shell beaches.They go north for at least 6 miles and the water is deeper.


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## mojogator (Apr 18, 2005)

Thanks! I am actually going Memorial Day as well, but will probably only fish a little bit. Do plan on brining the surf rod for Memorial day. 

You said the beach is flat in front of summerhouse, is that a good thing?

Also, fresh shrimp are near impossible to get 4th of July week. Everybody and his brother fishes that week. 

Anybody tried the Gulp shrimp on a surf rod? If it does what it claims, I would think that would be ideal.


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## Big Bill (Dec 31, 2004)

*Fresh shrimp and fishing*

The flat beachs can be a pain, but if you find a good runout, it will tend to concentrate the fish. Spend a little extra time scouting and finding the holes and runouts, and it will greatly increase your chance at catching fish. 
You should be able to buy bait shrimp aorund the 4th, as the river will be open again for shrimping (I THINK). You can take a run up to jax and hecksher drive if they dont have them in St. Aug. Again, as your trip gets closer, let us know and we will get you set up. 
I took some advice this year, and it has paid unmentionable returns.....USE FRESH BAIT.....
the Freshest bait possible has yielded me catches all year long. I dont buy frozen shrimp, or even grocery store shrimp (unless I have to), and fresh dug fleas. If I have to use clams, I will salt them overnight to toughen them up. For cut bait I will use a whiting belly, or a bluefish belly from a fresh caught fish. I also chunk any ladyfish that I catch and immediately get them frozen. Makes GREAT chunks for sharks. 
See you in July, have a safe trip.
BIG BILL


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## mojogator (Apr 18, 2005)

Big Bill said:


> The flat beachs can be a pain, but if you find a good runout, it will tend to concentrate the fish. Spend a little extra time scouting and finding the holes and runouts, and it will greatly increase your chance at catching fish.
> You should be able to buy bait shrimp aorund the 4th, as the river will be open again for shrimping (I THINK). You can take a run up to jax and hecksher drive if they dont have them in St. Aug. Again, as your trip gets closer, let us know and we will get you set up.
> I took some advice this year, and it has paid unmentionable returns.....USE FRESH BAIT.....
> the Freshest bait possible has yielded me catches all year long. I dont buy frozen shrimp, or even grocery store shrimp (unless I have to), and fresh dug fleas. If I have to use clams, I will salt them overnight to toughen them up. For cut bait I will use a whiting belly, or a bluefish belly from a fresh caught fish. I also chunk any ladyfish that I catch and immediately get them frozen. Makes GREAT chunks for sharks.
> ...



Thanks. Good idea for the clams. I used em last year and couldn't keep em on the hook.

I guess I should try a little more this year to catch my own bait.


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## Big Bill (Dec 31, 2004)

*Salting Clams*

Buy a pound of kosher salt from the grocery store. 
Use a medium sized tupperware container with a lid. 
I always put some paper towels in the bottom just in case some juices start flowing. Cover the towels with about 1" of salt, then a layer of clam, then a layer of salt, and so on and so forth till all your clams are in. cover the whole thing with one more layer of salt, and put the lid on. 
I throw them in the fridge overnight and they are good to go. refrigerated they will last several days. 
Also....another good idea
Take a black sharpie and write "BAIT" on the lid, and on the container. This will keep inquiring minds out of your bait, as well as next weeks leftovers....... :--|


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## mojogator (Apr 18, 2005)

I'm going this weekend, keep me up to date on the bite. How's the pompano?


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## Jay_C (May 22, 2005)

I love going to the beach at Matanazas. Only thing that's a pain is that the drop off seems far out, but I have caught a few whiting in the surf (which has been pretty rough lately). I was specifically fishing for whiting last week with some light tackle when I hooked a nice sized pompano (about 2 lbs). What a fight that thing put up! Great eating.

Can anybody tell me if it's better fishing closer to the inlet or does it matter? Also, what's the deal with blues at this time of the year? Are they out there? I'm still sort of new at this (even though I've been in Florida for 7 years!!) and love it.

Also, anybody have any luck with Fishbites Fish'n Strips?


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Blues are in the process of making their migration northward as the water temp approaches the 75 degree mark. They are not really coming into channels/inlets and looking for food much anymore. They are eating mullet as they migrate north though. Best bet is off a pier as they are running out a few hundred yards from shore as they migrate. People are still catching them down here on the Sunglow Pier in S. Daytona, so you should be able to get some up there.

In regards to Fish Bites, yes, I have had some pretty good luck with them since trying them 1 month ago. Get the shrimp flavor, and I cut each strip into thirds since they cost so darn much. Throw them on a hook along with some live/dead shrimp and throw 'em out. They catch more than without, and they stay on your hook for a good long time. I used them offshore bottom fishing and outfished five of my buddies 3 to 1.


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## mojogator (Apr 18, 2005)

I hear good reports of pompano being caught!!!!


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## Orange (Mar 12, 2003)

BentHook said:


> The flounder are overdue...


Where around there do they catch flounder?


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