If you’re looking for a summer vacation spot that offers excellent vacation rentals, activities for the whole family, and fishing opportunities, St. Augustine, Florida, should be at the top of your list! This historic city on the northeastern coast of Florida is renowned for its beautiful beaches, excellent fishing, and historical locations like Fort Matanzas National Monument. There’s even an alligator farm for the kids!
To help you get the most out of your St. Augustine vacation rental, we’ve compiled a guide to all the different types of fishing you can enjoy during your stay in St. Augustine.
Saltwater Fishing
St. Augustine is home to legendary saltwater fishing. There are many options to fit everyone’s experience level and personal taste, including inshore, offshore, surf, piers, and bridges. Many local charter companies offer half-day or full-day trips offshore where you can catch fish like snapper, grouper, mahi-mahi, redfish, and tuna.
Inshore fishing
St. Augustine has Intracoastal waterways that provide some of the best year-round fishing, including the Salt Run on Anastasia Island, Matanzas Bay, and the Tolomato River. You’ll find black drum, snook, tarpon, flounder, redfish, tripletail, and so many more in these saltwater marshes, shallows, and flats.
Inshore Fishing Charters
To have the best inshore fishing experience possible, you should check out the many reputable charter companies in the area, including St. Augustine Fishing Charters and Inshore Adventures. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or have never held a rod in your life, these local experts will have you on the big fish in no time. Your drag will be screaming, your rod will be bent, and you won’t have a worry in the world other than landing that finned monster and creating the perfect Big Fish story to tell your friends back home.
Offshore Fishing
If catching gamefish such as king mackerel or tarpon is more your style, offshore fishing might be the direction you want to go. Usually taking place between ten and thirty miles offshore in the Atlantic, offshore fishing gives you excellent trolling and a great opportunity to hook into blackfish, sailfish, and tuna as they migrate through for the season. Even better, it is a great way to really enjoy the weather in St. Augustine. Being located near the Gulf Stream gives the fish the nutrients and climate they need to grow big and healthy to put up a great fight.
Popular offshore fishing techniques include trolling, flyfishing, bottom fishing, and spearfishing!
Offshore Fishing Charters
Unless you’re an experienced local, you should hire a charter company to take you offshore fishing. The North Atlantic is expansive, and a professional guide will be able to provide you with the equipment and knowledge to get you on the fish safely and a lot faster than on your own. Dropdown Sport Fish Charters, Jodie Lynn Charters, and Rodbender Fishing Charters are a few well-known charter companies with the knowledge to give you the best offshore fishing experience possible. They offer half-day and full-day trips to fit your budget and timetable and provide everything you could need to enjoy a memory-making fishing trip in St. Augustine.
Surf Fishing
Surf fishing is just what it sounds like, standing on the beach or wading into the surf to fish. The best surf fishing is usually around high tide. Surfcasters have great luck hooking into whiting, pompano, drum, and more. St. Augustine has many beaches that offer prime surf fishing, one of the more popular being Vilano Beach. Many of our St. Augustine vacation rentals are located on the coast, giving you perfect access to surf fishing without even having to walk out of sight of your rental. Surf fishing often requires slightly different equipment than boat fishing, but luckily there are plenty of local shops like Genung’s Fish Camp that offer tackle rentals. If you’ve flown in and didn’t bring your gear or simply don’t own any, St. Augustine’s shops have you covered.
Piers and Bridges
Many St. Augustine rentals and condos are located near the bridges and piers spread through the area that provides the perfect fishing experience. St. Johns County Ocean Pier is one of the more popular options for fishing and even has gear rentals on site. You also don’t have to have a Florida fishing license if you pay to fish at the pier as they have their fishing license, making it a perfect place to take your friends and anyone on the fence about buying a license.
Your St. Augustine Vacation Rental
Summerhouse Beach and Racquet Club offer many different vacation rentals to fulfill your needs and preferred location. We have St. Augustine condo rentals and beachside townhouses in some of the most desirable areas around town.
Freshwater Fishing
Rivers and Lakes
While the Florida coast is known for saltwater fishing, the many freshwater lakes and rivers have many great opportunities to reel in a monster. Some of the more famous bass fishing tournaments happen near St. Augustine, including The AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River.
When fishing these lakes and rivers, you’ll catch black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, and three different species of catfish. It’s also common to hook a few saltwater fish in the St. Johns River due to the low freshwater flow rate to the saltwater tides. You can catch sea trout, flounder, and redfish.
You can access the freshwater systems by kayak and canoe, as well as various sizes of skiffs. Bring your own or rent them around town.
Freshwater Fishing Charters
Want to get the most out of your fishing trip? Hire a charter to do all the hard work for you and provide all the necessary equipment. Many of the charter companies listed above also offer freshwater services.
Boat and Kayak Rentals
Kayaks and Canoes
Fishing kayaks and canoes are some of the best ways to access fishing around freshwater and inshore saltwater. They’re also handy for nearshore but shouldn’t be used by most people offshore due to their small size. They’re light enough to carry, easy to maneuver in the water, and have a low learning curve to learn the basics of handling. They provide a shallow draw that allows you to get into some tight but good fishing spots. Kayaks can be a lot of fun for the whole family, fishing or not.
Skiffs and Powerboats
When your fishing plans involve carrying more than just yourself or you simply like being in a larger craft, many shops, and marinas in town rent powerboats and skiffs to get you out on the water. If you have a family member or friend that doesn’t feel like fishing, they can still have a great time relaxing on the boat while you hook into some of the best fishing in your life. They might even help backup your Big Fish stories when you get home.
Book Your St. Augustine Condo Rental with Summerhouse Beach & Racquet Club
Ready to cast a line and reel in unforgettable memories? Let Summerhouse Beach & Racquet Club be your home away from home for the ultimate fishing getaway. Located just minutes from some of the best fishing spots in Northeast Florida, our rental condos in St. Augustine, FL, offer the perfect mix of comfort, convenience, and coastal charm. After a day on the water, come back to relax by the pool, enjoy ocean views, and unwind in your fully equipped condo. Whether you’re an experienced angler or just testing the waters, Summerhouse is the ideal place to start your next adventure. Book your stay today!
