Mid-October is one of my favorite times to be on the water in Jacksonville. The heat breaks, the mullet run along the beaches, and the fish start feeding hard ahead of winter. Here's what fall fishing on the First Coast looks like and the rules worth knowing before you go.
Bull reds at the Mayport jetties
October is prime time for big spawning redfish. Mature reds gather at inlets and passes in late summer and early fall, and in Northeast Florida the deep shipping channel where the St. Johns River meets the Atlantic at Mayport gives them the depth and current they want. Salt Water Sportsman describes anglers working the drop-offs along the 40-foot channel and the lower St. Johns. Expect heavy current and heavy sinkers. Most of these fish are well over the slot, so plan on a quick photo and a careful release.
Redfish rules in Northeast Florida
According to the FWC, the Northeast region runs from the Georgia line to New Smyrna Beach. The season is open year-round with an 18 to 27 inch slot, a limit of 1 fish per person per day, and a 4 fish vessel limit. Fish over the slot have to go back.
Trout in the creeks, ICW, and marsh
As the water cools, speckled trout push into the creeks, the Intracoastal, and along the grass edges of the marsh. FWC's spotted seatrout regulations for the Northeast region, which includes the St. Johns River and its tributaries, are open year-round with a 15 to 19 inch slot, 3 fish per person per day, and no fish over 19 inches kept.
Heads up: flounder close October 15
Fall is when flounder head toward the inlets, but harvest is closed. The FWC closes flounder every year from October 15 through November 30, and the rest of the year the minimum is 14 inches with 5 per person. If one hits your bait at the jetty rocks this fall, release it.
Why I keep coming back
Fall on the water is a big part of why The Calm Seas Project exists. A few quiet hours on the marsh or at the jetties does a lot for people. Our veterans fishing weekend in Jacksonville is coming up November 6 to 8. Always check current FWC regulations before you keep a fish, since they change.
