Northeast Florida Forecast
September 27, 2024
By Capt. Roger Bump
Fernandina Beach to Flagler Beach Capt. Roger Bump covers inshore and offshore fishing in Northeast Florida from Fernandina Beach to Flagler Beach, including Jacksonville and Saint Augustine.
Action Spotter Podcast
Sept. 27-29 Report I would like to start off by praying for everyone to be safe especially those still stuck somewhere waiting to be rescued. All storms that hit our state are always met with a level of fear but this became a monster so fast it probably surprised even the eldest of Floridian. I pray also for those who will find out they lost a family member or friend because of this storm. Fishing will have to take a backseat this weekend and for some it will take months because of rebuilding their home. If you do run the water take heed because there will be lots of floating debris. God Bless us all to get through this.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
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PREVIOUS REPORTS Sept. 20-22 Report Offshore
A Northeaster will dominate this weekend keeping ocean going anglers in port. This will be almost a month of rough seas keeping offshore reports thin. Water temps hold in the lower 80s keeping us on the edge of seasonal change. If the ocean was calm, looking for late-season bait pods and drifting through those areas with live bait would be the plan. Sharks, tarpon and kingfish continue to be prime targets inside 5 miles until water temps start to make a significant drop. Best bottom fishing would start in 120 feet. Trigger, vermilion and mangrove snapper are your primary reef species. The key is to find a wreck not over run with red snapper. If water temps start to fall, look for cobia to move in on wrecks inside 10 miles and possibly run beaches.
Inshore
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Water temps hold in the low 80s and there is a lot of freshwater in our waterways. These issues have made fishing tough, but there are some positive factors that will come into play this weekend and later this month. For this weekend, we will be coming off a full moon and three days after a full moon usually means there will be heavy feeding. The fresh water on the other hand should bunch up the saltwater species population as they push fish toward the ocean. Flood tides have also added to the puzzle. Look for areas holding lots of bait such as schools of finger mullet. This time of year finger mullet is prime baits so have your cast net handy and fill your bait well with at least a dozen. You want baits lively, so over crowding your bait tank can kill or weaken your bait so keep that in mind. Fish baits on a Carolina rig or a 3/8 ounce jig head and pitched to grass lines, jetties and docks. Lure anglers should use mullet imitators for example big topwaters and swimbaits. Redfish,, trout, flounder and lots of other species will take these offerings. For bottom fishing try fresh dead shrimp with just enough weight to keep it on the bottom where you’re fishing. Do not limit your fishing areas to deep channels and holes. Try grass lines, docks and jetty areas also shallow creek mouths. Small black drum, croakers, whiting and redfish all take shrimp on the bottom and could be holding in a variety of depths. I would move often till fish are found. If flood tides seem overwhelming, time your trips on outgoing tides and fish the lower stage of that tide. I hope this helps you succeed.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
Sept. 13-15 Report Northeast winds and more rain will continue this weekend. Probably not a good idea to plan an offshore trip but there are some great options to consider. Inlets like Mayport, St Mary, Nassau and St. Augustine should have lots of mullet schools of all different sizes moving in and out. This will attract predators. Tarpon, big jacks and sharks will take live mullet free lined or drifted over channel edges. Fishing live or dead mullet on the bottom in the channel edge can also pickup bonus bull redfish. Another fish to target is flounder. Start on docks, rocks, and sandbars closest to the inlet, then fish your way moving inland. Having live finger mullet for bait is key. High tides starting in the morning will make catching finger mullet difficult but it is well worth it. My experience has made me believe I would rather work hard catching a few finger mullet and know I have what flounder want more than go the easy route and buy some mud minnows or live shrimp and not catch near the quality. Standard flounder rig can be a shortened Carolina rig or egg sinker slid down directly on top of the hook. I prefer small kahle hooks choosing either size 1 or 2. Even using a large 6 inch mullet I use those small kahle hooks because for me they give a much better hook up ratio. My strategy is when I get a bite, I take my time and let the fish eat the bait then when I am sure the fish doesn’t want to let the bait go, I come tight and set the hook. Water temps are still hot (mid 80s) but I think with all the rain and overcast skies fish are responding to the cooler weather. All creek systems near inlets should also see a rise in fishing activity. Top water lures used in the areas should produce decent trout and slot redfish. Overall that first cold front will be a game changer but until then, you have got to take the conditions as they are. Thank you for reading.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
Sept. 6-8 Report Offshore
We have a major weather change heading into the weekend. Flooding rains and lower afternoon air temps have triggered a signal for mullet and pogies to gather up and start migrating South. Tarpon and sharks will be among the top predators ambushing these bait runs at all inlets to the ocean in our forecast area, and some stretches of beaches. The best way to find these ambush zones is to run through an inlet or beach area and visually look for feeding activity. Once you spot where baitfish are getting attacked plan your strategy accordingly. Either anchor ahead of the ambush spot and drop baits back or drift through with baits on corks or free swimming. Kingfish will hold slightly further offshore from inlets but along beaches feed right along with tarpon and sharks. Further offshore, starting 10 miles out, try dropping live pogies on various wrecks for kingfish and cobia. Best bottom fishing starting in 120 feet for trigger, mangrove and vermilion.
Inshore
If you’re thinking if the large amounts of rainfall our area has been getting moves saltwater fish around you are correct. Best approach in your hunting would be starting at inlet areas and moving in to look for bait schools. Since Hurricane Debby, there was a small bite that fired up for a few days after the storm passed. Afterwards, we fell back into a slow period where air temps in the high 90s kept water temps hot. Now all of a sudden a Northeaster with lots of rainfall. This will cool water temps and should spark another heavy feeding period. Bull redfish in the St John’s and St Mary’s rivers should heighten their spawning through this period of weather. Bottom fishing with half a blue crab or live mullet or croaker will get bites from big reds. Remember these fish are catch-and-release only, so take extra care in making sure fish swim off strong. Flounder should fire up near rock jetties, creek mouths and sand bars. Live finger mullet are prime baits for flounder, especially if you’re looking for a doormat. Creek fishing on either side of the Intercostal can be deadly this time of year as bait schools run up and down the banks. Topwater lures cast near creek mouths or oyster beds can score slot reds and keeper speckled trout. Start breaking out your hard baits in the shallow-suspend types. These lures start to dominate as water temps drop. Overall, should be a great weekend to fish as we experience a break from the heat. Thanks for reading.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
Aug. 30-Sept. 1 Report Offshore
This weekend will have moderate to good conditions for offshore fishing trips. Look for kingfish attacking schools of pogies and mullet just outside inlets and surf break areas. Slow troll rigged pogies through these areas are staying inside 5 miles from shore. Tarpon will most likely be holding in and outside of inlet areas. Look for rolling activity to be more frequent in the early morning. Look for tarpon along beaches striking bait schools then drift baits through those zones. There will be lots of sharks from spinners, black tips, bonnet heads and many other species along beaches and inlets. Best bottom fishing starting in 140 feet giving up trigger, mutton, mangrove, and vermilion.
Inshore
Mullet are Running ! This time of year most of our inshore predators lock onto the mullet run for prime forage. Being able to find an area that not only has an abundance of finger mullet running up and down its bank but also keying in on the ambush zones where predators feed is vital for success. Lures or using a live mullet in these areas can both be highly effective. Lures to be specific would be in larger sizes in topwaters and swim baits. Watch how a bait school reacts to a certain part of cover. If you witness bait getting attacked in a particular spot ,that’s where you focus your casts. Rigging baits on the bottom is the most effective technique to use but don’t simply leave in a rod holder for bites. Try dragging baits slowly near drop offs and cover to explore waters. Because we have endured quite of bit of rain in the last couple weeks concentrate your fishing near an inlet to the ocean. Nassau , Ft George, and Matanzas inlets are good areas and will have mullet running.You can expect to find a variety of species redfish, trout, flounder, jacks, mangroves , sharks ,and tarpon which will have fishing for the heavy duty tackle angler and the light tackle angler. This should be a great Holiday weekend to fish so don’t forget the cast net.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
Aug. 23-25 Report Offshore
Moderate Northeast winds will dominate our waters this weekend. With it slightly cooler temps that I suspect will trigger a mullet run along the coast. Look for tarpon, sharks and kingfish to be on a heavy feed within 5 miles off the coast. Inlets will be prime feeding areas for tarpon and sharks especially inside inlets as kingfish will set up further offshore and near beaches. The chop will make it challenging to cast-net bait but having live bait, either pogies or mullet, will put the odds in your favor. Slow-troll baits on the outside or anchor just inside an inlet or use the cover of a jetty to drift baits. It’s not supposed to blow 20 mph but steady winds require steady and safe captains. As always, think about your safety plans as a part of your fishing.
Inshore
Northeasters in August should always sound the alarm—there is going to be a bite—including major storms. Hurricane Debby brushed by our area and triggered movements of mullet and pogies. This weekend’s Northeaster will further push bait schools to build and run along banks of the intercostal and nearby inlets. Look for all kinds of species to be feeding on noticeable bait schools on major points, rock backs and grass lines. Flounder should be a key species to target as we count down the days ( October 15th ) when the season closes. “Thinking Flounder“ means take your time on a bite that is detected without the fish pushing the envelope and running your line out. If I feel a bite and it suddenly just lays there or I lift my bait up and it feels like it might be snagged but is slightly moving, those are telltale clues to a flounder. When I conclude this I immediately go into flounder mode letting the fish eat the bait by giving it slack line then taunt till I make the decision this fish has it, and time to set the hook.
I use the same mindset when using lures for flounder. Of course there will be redfish of all sizes , speckled trout and mangrove snapper among other less desirable species all feeding on the mullet run. The most important factor is finding lots of bait and you will find the predators. It’s an exciting time of year don’t miss out. As always thanks for reading from your forecast.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS Aug. 16-18 Report Offshore
Water temps have dropped slightly and there appears to be large mullet schools running the beaches. Kingfish, tarpon and shark anglers should be running the beaches also looking for bait activity and predator activity. We are closing in on the last of summer just touching the fall of the year where a heavy feed is upon us.
There will also be schools of pogies running the beaches building in numbers as they wait to get the call to migrate South. Anglers should have cast nets ready and rods rigged at a moment’s notice. If you happen to find an area full of bait and even better, notice the bait getting hammered by predators, you need to plan on getting baits in the water fast. Inlets are always top areas to look first but sometimes just searching further down the beaches can score. Some anglers have done well getting bait off the beach then heading out on offshore wrecks starting 10 miles out to as far as 30 miles out. This style of fishing may have you run into a bonus school of cobia. Better get your fix in now before the strong winds come in the fall and rule the ocean.
Inshore
Hurricane Debby dropped a lot of rain, which did two things to our forecast area. It lowered water temps and the abundance of freshwater pushed saltwater species down rivers. Those who fish inlet jetties have noticed an immediate improvement in fishing. Mullet schools are running up and down the shore lines and this in turn has attracted a wide variety of predators. If I could give one tip it would be find the bait which is finger mullet schools.
The mullet could not be a better size averaging 3 inches in length. This is perfect bait for flounder , reds , trout , mangrove and others. Target docks , rock drop offs , sand bars , points , just about any ambush area is probably going to hold fish. Creek systems near ocean inlets will also be hotspots to target. Best lure selections would be any mullet imitator. The best time of the year to fish starts this weekend till mid October. No time to waste !
Good luck and be safe from your Captain
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
Aug. 9-11 Report Offshore
Going to start off with: be careful before just running full throttle on the water whether inland or offshore. We just had days of high winds and lots of rain. There will be lots of floating debris on the water, some of them small and some of them large. Keep your eyes on where you’re heading. Kingfish and tarpon anglers will also have to keep their eyes on looking for bait. Before the storm there were some large pogie schools holding near major inlets, Nassau and St Mary’s river mouths. These schools were attracting tarpon and large kingfish which one particular kingfish won a major tournament last week. It’s the old saying “find the bait, you will find the fish.“ Searching for bait is always a gamble from the moment you exit the inlet into the ocean— “do I head North or do I head South?“ If you can team up with another boat you can cut your odds in two. Things we can learn from the past is this time of year is just a step away from the mullet run and pogie migration. Bait schools will build up inside 2 miles along the coast. Best bottom fishing will start in 100 feet and deeper. Possible schooling cobia on shallower wrecks with deeper wrecks better for trigger, vermilion and mangrove snapper.
Inshore
Just called B&M tackle at Mayport to find out if there were any bait stock issues and they told me they have everything any kind of angler would need from live shrimp, mud minnows, blue crab, to name a few. Mid-August after a storm should have lots of species of fish feeding. Look for Flounder to build in numbers from now until Oct. 15, when the season closes. This is a tricky time of year for bait selection because finger mullet are the bait of choice for larger flounder as we get closer to fall. Mud minnows are still a great choice right now for numbers rather than doormats. Redfish have been the most consistent fish to target and should continue their cooperative feeding ways through this weekend. Lure anglers will have great success using small swim baits and topwaters for redfish. Bait anglers flipping live shrimp should also do equally well if not better in catching redfish. Other species you may run into are jacks, lady fish, mangrove snapper, speckled and yellow trout . Bottom fishing dead shrimp is also picking up catching black drum, croakers and whiting. Overall the winds will be light and temps not as hot. Great excuse to go fishing. As always thanks for reading and take care from your Captain Roger Bump.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
Aug. 2-4 Report Offshore
This weekend will have light to moderate onshore winds from the South, water temps in the high 80s. Pogie schools have been making appearances in surf areas near inlets. These baitfish schools have been attracting tarpon, kingfish and sharks early in the day.
It is recommended to have a pair of binoculars onboard to scout for diving birds from a distance as this most likely means large schools of pogies are in that area. The King of the Beach kingfish tournament will be held this weekend so plan ahead on boat ramps to use as boat traffic will be heavy. Offshore wrecks have been key for large kingfish the past couple of weekends but with the sudden appearance of bait off beaches that may change. Best bottom fishing starting in 100 feet with catches of cobia and as you head deeper better chances of trigger and mutton snapper.
Inshore
Redfish hold the top spot by taking top waters or wake baits early near grass lines. Some speckled trout also are taking surface lures but more likely on main waterway grass lines.
Flounder continue to take mud minnows or finger mullet on moving tides near creek mouths, rocks and docks. Flounder are scattered but should thicken in the next month or two depending on any low pressure weather systems that might move in. Mangrove snapper have been a consistent catch using small pieces of shrimp near heavy cover areas for example rocks, oysters, or docks. Up rivers St John’s and St Mary’s has seen black drum and croakers taking fresh dead shrimp anywhere between 5 and 12 feet of water. Look for channel edges with moving water for drum and croaker most likely a bridge for starters. Speaking of croakers, if you happen to be catching this fish in the 3- to 5-inch size keep a couple alive in a bait well so you can use them for bait. Have a larger rod handy (30-pound braid minimum) with a Carolina rig weighted at the minimum 1/2-ounce weight for live croaker. Using the croaker alive is a bonus because it will croak loudly underwater attracting predators of all sorts, and most likely redfish. Don’t forget your bug spray, sunscreen and drinking water.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
July 25-28 Report Offshore
Where are the pogies? Some big kingfish have been caught this year but not without its challenges. Fishbites rep Scott Jones, who lives for the warm months of kingfish and tarpon, explains one important thing missing, pogy schools. They showed up early May then disappeared. Seasoned pros like Thomas Rady of Neptune Beach are leaving no stones unturned when it comes to alternative baits. Frozen ribbon fish, goggle eyes or “sabiki rig” jigging green backs are just a few examples. When bait gets scarce, I have heard of success using a blue runner or Jack crevalle. For the weekend angler, once you have bait, focus your search on wrecks starting 20 miles out and further. Be prepared to have a few run-ins with sharks, but there are also possible catches of cobia.
Definitely have a surface presentation mixed with baits dropped down using down riggers. Mixing in some bottom fishing on those deeper wrecks should add trigger, mutton, mangrove, and vermilion to the fish box.
Inshore
I want to take a moment and address the future of inshore fishing via new products that we all look forward to purchasing and using to improve our fishing experience. There are new lures, tackle and sonar options becoming available everyday and are somewhat overwhelming to choose from. My opinion for everyone is to try a little bit of everything and learn about trends on YouTube as much as possible. Glide, swim, wake, chatter, suspend presentations can be highly productive in our forecast area. There is not a better time than right now in experimenting with a wake bait over a standard walk-the-dog topwater for redfish or trout, especially early and late in the day. As the sun comes up, mix in some deeper techniques, using jigs or lip divers and focusing on depths between 5 and 12 feet. I prefer main waterways with current, not so much backwater and ditch areas. Flounder this time of year require a lot of moving and casting. Experiment with a small spinner bait, either arm style or underspin, adding a trailer (Fishbites, Gulp, soft plastic) in white or chartreuse. This is a great lure to cover water and get reaction strikes that may draw fish in from a couple feet. A small crankbait bounced on shallow rocks in a natural black/white color can often score on flounder and give a angler another option in getting a few more bites. The free rig using a tungsten weight gives an angler the advantage of getting more sensitivity using any style hook and getting presentations not achieved by other rigs. I personally use the free rig on any given day or fishing charter and with natural bait or artificial. In other words, don’t be afraid to try new things. The only negative right now in fishing our forecast area is the heat. Otherwise fish are biting and there may not be a better time to catch five or more different species. Have a great fishing weekend trying something new to catch a fish. I will try to add some specific new lures in future forecast reports.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
July 19-21 Report Offshore
We might get some needed rain this weekend which will have little effect on fishing but may make temperatures more comfortable for anglers. This weekend the Sisters Creek boat ramp will host the Greater Jacksonville kingfish tournament which means no public use of the ramp and Mayport boat ramp will be packed, so plan accordingly. Water temps are in the high 80’s. This should hold larger Kings nearshore especially if you can find areas with bait. Bait on the other hand has been tough to find. Some reports have anglers catching pogies inside the mouth of the St. Mary’s river; otherwise pogies have been scarce to scattered. Bait options could be buying frozen ribbon fish or using sabiki rigs on nearshore wrecks to catch greenies. A lot of anglers like to slow troll inside five miles within sight of the beaches for kings but anglers using down riggers on wrecks outside 20 miles also scoring on big kingfish. Best bottom fishing starting on wrecks outside 30 miles or 120 feet.
Inshore
It’s been hot to say the least but if you can get past the sweat, there are plenty of species of fish biting. Redfish pushing wakes on the incoming tides will start both days. Sight fishing will be prime using small top waters or weedless soft plastics as fish try to move into the grass. Flounder hasn’t slowed a bit especially on main waterway banks just inside inlets. Best bait for flounder is a mud minnow on a jig head or slide weight with hook 1/8 to 1/4 ounce. Lure choices Gulp or Fishbites curly tails in white. Speckled trout also keeping up with the heavy feed trend taking topwaters or lip divers early and late in the day. Night fishing for trout also productive if you can find the right lights on a dock. I like any shrimp imitating lure for trout at night. Tarpon are also giving chances to anglers presenting the right retrieve with either a swim bait , grub , or fluke style bait. Mornings are best for tarpon but be advised these fish can be very challenging to catch or even get to bite. I always say, try everything especially if you can see them rolling over and over in the same spot. Small finger mullet can get the attention of any tarpon even fish pushing 150 plus. Study some tarpon knots , leaders and hooks. I myself constantly change my rigging for tarpon as I find every situation different. My best advice is try 40 lb leader to get bites and 80l lb leader to possibly catch one. Don’t get frustrated , determination is everything when it comes to tarpon. Best spots to look for tarpon are inlets and surf areas holding pogie schools.
Have a great weekend and stay cool.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
Updated July 11 Offshore
July 12th—this Friday—will be open for red snapper. That is one snapper per angler. Most wrecks from 5 miles out to 30 hold plenty of red snapper with the deeper wrecks starting in 80 ft holding the larger fish. Frozen squid or Boston Macks are standard bait for red snapper. Deeper wrecks starting in 120 feet are the best chances for trigger, mutton, mangrove and vermilion. Live bait has been a challenge the past month as pogy schools are scarce. Best bet for live-bait kingfish is to jig nearshore wrecks inside 10 miles with sabiki rigs. Kingfish live bait alternatives can be just about anything with a flash; jack crevelle, blue runners, lady fish, Spanish mackerel, mullet and Bonita. Frozen option is ribbon fish, which can be very effective but hard to find. Fishing for kings has been a mix of slow trolling beaches to down-rigging baits on wrecks as far out as 30 miles. I have been hearing success on both options.
Inshore
If you fish one of the main rivers in our Northeast Florida area, St John’s, St Mary’s, Nassau, then you might have noticed your fishing area has grown. Due to lack of rainfall, saltwater has crept up all those rivers where normally one would just catch freshwater largemouth bass. We are now experiencing a small amount of afternoon showers but it would take a lot of rainfall to washout the saltwater and move saltwater species. So, if you happen to be bass fishing in Palatka, St. John’s River or Thomas Creek, Nassau River or past the 95 bridge, St Mary’s River, don’t be surprised to catch a redfish or two.
Fishing overall has something for everyone.
Flounder are available to target with mud minnows or artificial fish bites and Gulp tails in white. Speckled trout are taking any soft plastic shrimp imitator, D.O.A., Vudu, or Tsunami great brands to try. If you’re trying to target trout or flounder you’re probably going to catch a redfish. Focus on main grass lines, docks, bridges, rocks in major waterways. In other words, avoid small creeks as water temps are hot and water movements mostly slack. In July, livebait preferences will change to live shrimp, which is not the easiest to keep alive in the hot weather. A frozen water bottle sealed can help cool your bait bucket water down and add life to your shrimp. If you’re not getting bites move to the next spot. Have a safe trip and don’t forget the bug spray and enjoy.
Capt. Roger Bump Email Roger Bump www.jacksonvillefishingtrips.com
