How it matches right now
- Tide
- outgoing / incoming
- incoming ✓
- Wind dir
- W, SW, NW
- SE ~
- Wind speed
- ≤10 mph ideal
- 5 mph ✓
- Wave height
- 1–5 ft
- — ~
- Water temp
- 60–82°F
- 81.5°F ✓
- Light
- Any
- Daytime ✓
✓ ideal ~ close ✗ outside range
Mayport / Fort George — Inlet
90
90 — GO
Mayport Jetties
Mayport / Fort George
The St. Johns River mouth meets the Atlantic Ocean — one of the largest and most powerful inlets on Florida's East Coast. The river outflow creates massive current that holds bull redfish in the 30–50 inch class, staging tarpon over 100 lbs, and one of the state's best flounder migrations.
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 90 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 in this spot's active band.
Tactics
Hooks, baits, and lanes for Mayport Jetties
Bull reds — heavy bottom rig
Large cut mullet chunk (4-inch piece) or live menhaden/finger mullet on a 7/0 circle hook with 50 lb fluoro leader, 4–6 oz bank sinker to hold bottom in the current. Cast into the channel current and let it soak. The bite feels like a slow, heavy pull — don't jerk. Just reel tight and lift. These fish run hard and long — let the drag do the work. 20+ minute fights are normal.
Tarpon — summer river mouth
Large live menhaden (pogies), mullet, or blue crab on a 8/0 circle hook with 80 lb fluoro leader on 50 lb braid or heavy conventional tackle. Free-line or use a large float in the channel current during dawn and dusk windows in June-September. Expect fish over 100 lbs. Clear the area when hooked — tarpon runs and jumps will cross every line around you.
Flounder — fall bucktail drag
1/2 oz white bucktail tipped with a strip of fresh mullet belly or a live finger mullet on a stinger hook. Drag across the sandy transitions at the base of the jetty rocks during October-November on falling tide. Flounder lie flat in the sand waiting for bait to come over them. The bite feels like you picked up a weight — wait 3 full seconds, then sweep the rod to set.
Sheepshead — jetty rock vertical
Live fiddler crab or large shrimp on a 1/0 hook with 20 lb fluoro and enough weight to hold bottom against the current. Drop right against the barnacle-covered jetty rocks. Short-stroke the hookset — sheepshead have hard, crushing mouths. The most reliable bite on the jetty year-round.
Target Species
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.
Tarpon
Tarpon over 75" require a $50 harvest tag (one per person per year). Most are catch-and-release only.Fish passes, bridges, and beach migration lanes at dawn. Match the bait, not the lure catalog.
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.
Black Drum
Use live FWC regulations for current harvest limits before keeping fish.Work slower water right off structure or on the calmer side of the surf cut.
Jack Crevalle
No minimum size, no bag limit in Florida recreational waters.Watch for bait blowups on the surface. Cast into the mayhem, strip fast. Jacks are reaction feeders, not ambush fish.
Sheepshead
FWC rule set: 12" minimum, 8 per person, open year-round; vessel limit 50 during March and April.Fish vertical and tight to pilings; this is a precision bite, not a long-cast bite.
Access
- South jetty accessible from Huguenot Memorial Park ($5 vehicle fee). Drive onto the beach and walk to the jetty.
- North jetty accessible from Fort Clinch State Park (Amelia Island side, $6/vehicle). Longer walk but less crowded.
- Both jetties fishable 24/7. Night fishing is productive — bring headlamps and glow sticks.
- Florida saltwater fishing license required.
- B&M Bait and Tackle (10950 Heckscher Dr) — open daily 5 AM – 7 PM. The closest full-service shop.
- 4WD recommended for Huguenot beach driving, especially after rain. Soft sand sections can trap 2WD vehicles.
- Naval Station Mayport is across the river — no access to the north bank channel edge.
Hazards
- St. Johns River outflow creates some of the strongest current of any inlet in Florida. This is HEAVY tackle territory — 40+ lb braid, 50+ lb fluoro leaders, heavy sinkers.
- Deep water immediately off the jetty rocks — the channel drops to 40+ feet. Don't wade.
- Sharks (bull, blacktip, hammerhead) are common in the inlet mouth. Land fish fast, don't use stringers.
- Navy vessel traffic creates massive wakes. Watch for ships entering/leaving the naval station.
- Rocks are large, uneven, and slippery with algae. Studded boots or Korkers mandatory. Falls here end trips.
- This is not a beginner spot. The current, depth, and sharks demand experienced tackle and awareness.
Highlights
- Bull redfish in the 30–50 inch class (catch-and-release for oversized reds) from the jetty rocks — the signature catch.
- Tarpon stage in the St. Johns River mouth from June-September. Fish over 100 lbs are hooked from shore.
- Flounder migration through the jetty rocks in October-November is one of the best in Florida.
- Black drum in the 20–40 lb class hold near the jetty base during winter months.
- Jack crevalle blitz the inlet mouth when bait gets pushed out on the river outflow — explosive topwater action.
- Sheepshead on the jetty rocks year-round. The most reliable backup bite when the big fish aren't eating.