How it matches right now
- Tide
- incoming / high
- incoming ✓
- Wind dir
- W, SW, S
- SE ~
- Wind speed
- ≤10 mph ideal
- 5 mph ✓
- Wave height
- 1–3 ft
- — ~
- Water temp
- 60–78°F
- 81.5°F ✗
- Light
- Daytime
- Daytime ✓
✓ ideal ~ close ✗ outside range
Mayport — Wild beach
58
58 — HOLD
Huguenot Memorial Park Beach
Mayport
The only drivable beach in Northeast Florida — 4WD vehicles can reach the surf right at the Mayport inlet current edge. Pompano run the troughs, redfish patrol the inlet current seam, and the lack of pedestrian pressure means undisturbed feeding lanes that Jacksonville Beach Pier can't match.
This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. incoming tide lines up with this spot.
Location
Tides & Moon
Today's Tide
▲ High▼ Low● Now
🌖
Waning Gibbous58% illuminated
Between phases — focus on tide timing over lunar influence
Major feeding5:06 AM – 7:06 AM5:06 PM – 7:06 PM
Minor feeding11:06 PM – 12:06 AM11:06 AM – 12:06 PM
Live Conditions
Water81.5°F
Wave—
WindSE 5 mph
Tideincoming
Air75°F
Rain0%
Conditions Match
Personal logbook
Log this trip with conditions auto-captured from the live feed.
Current Read
Why it scores 58 right now
- This spot targets species that are in their active season right now.
- incoming tide lines up with this spot.
- Light breeze keeps the presentation manageable.
- Water temperature is workable, but not ideal for this program.
- This is a cleaner daylight read than a pure low-light play.
- This spot is outside its normal access window right now.
Tactics
Hooks, baits, and lanes for Huguenot Memorial Park Beach
Pompano — hi-lo pompano rig
Two-hook pompano rig with #2 or #4 gold Aberdeen hooks baited with fresh sand fleas or small pieces of fresh shrimp. 1–2 oz pyramid sinker to hold in the trough. Cast to the second trough. Let the rig bounce in the wave action — pompano hit on the pause. Rotate rigs every 10 minutes to keep fresh scent in the water.
Redfish — inlet current seam
Live shrimp or cut mullet on a 2/0 circle hook with a 3/4 oz egg sinker, 30 lb fluoro leader. Cast into the current seam where the inlet current meets the longshore drift. Let the bait drag naturally. Redfish move along this seam on incoming tide at dawn. The bite is a slow, heavy pull — don't set, just reel tight.
Spanish mackerel — metal spoons
1/2 oz Clark spoon or Gotcha plug on 20 lb mono leader. Cast parallel to the beach and retrieve fast. Mackerel attack the lure on the first 10 feet of retrieve. March-May and October-November are peak months.
Target Species
Florida Pompano
FWC recreational rule set: 11" fork minimum, 6 per harvester, open year-round.Keep casts in the troughs first; only bomb it long if the first cut is dead.
Redfish
Indian River Lagoon redfish are catch-and-release only, so this is a confidence signal more than a cooler plan.Treat the channel edges as ambush lanes and fish moving current, not dead water.
Whiting
Check current local limits before harvest; use this card as a trip cue, not your final legal source.Move with the clean-water pocket and stay close to the first or second trough.
Flounder
FWC: 14" total length minimum, 5 per harvester. Sept. closed season on Atlantic coast.Drag baits across sand-mud transitions and channel drop-offs. Flounder ambush — they don't chase. Slow down.
Spanish Mackerel
FWC: 12" fork minimum, 15 per harvester. Open year-round.Cast ahead of surface schools parallel to the beach. Speed kills — if you're not moving the lure fast, you're doing it wrong.
Access
- Enter through Huguenot Memorial Park on Heckscher Drive. $5 vehicle fee applies.
- 4WD required to access the beach driving area — deflate tires to 15–18 psi for beach driving and reinflate before leaving.
- The ramp near the inlet mouth is the most productive section. Drive north toward the jetty for the tightest pompano troughs.
- Park hours 8 AM – 8 PM (seasonal). Gate is locked at closing — do not miss the exit time.
- B&M Bait and Tackle (10950 Heckscher Dr, 5 min away) carries sand fleas, live shrimp, and surf tackle. Open daily 5 AM – 7 PM.
- Bring your own ice and water — no facilities on the beach driving area.
- Florida saltwater fishing license required.
Hours: 08:00 – 20:00 local time
Hazards
- 4WD with low tire pressure is mandatory. 2WD vehicles get stuck in soft sand near the inlet — tow fees are expensive.
- The inlet current runs hard along the northern end of the beach. Do not wade near the jetty rocks.
- Stingrays rest in the sand — shuffle your feet when wading the shallows.
- High surf (above 4 ft) closes beach access — call the park before making the drive.
- Bull sharks patrol the inlet mouth, especially at dawn and dusk. Stay alert when landing fish.
- Tides move fast near the inlet — watch your footing on the wet sand berm.
Highlights
- Pompano in the wave troughs from October-April are the primary target — this beach consistently produces fish when the surf is 2–4 ft.
- Redfish cruise the inlet current seam along the northern end. Early morning low light is the top window.
- Whiting are a reliable all-season catch along the entire beach — great for beginners.
- Flounder hold in the trough between the first and second sandbar in fall.
- Spanish mackerel attack lures near the jetty rocks during spring and fall blitzes.
- Zero crowds on weekdays — you'll have the entire beach to yourself outside of summer weekends.