July Fishing Report – Northeast Florida

July has kicked off with cooler-than-usual conditions along the coast due to persistent upwelling, which dropped water temperatures around the Mayport Inlet to the low 70s—well below the typical 85°F for this time of year. The bite in these colder coastal waters has been slow, pushing us to shift focus inland. After bouncing between several unproductive spots near the inlet, we eventually found active fish where finger mullet were present. That hotspot produced a pair of keeper flounder (18.5" and 15") and a solid 25" slot redfish, caught on a mix of live and cut bait.

With cooler water holding back the bite nearshore, we've been guiding more trips into the Intracoastal Waterway, where temperatures are reaching closer to 80°F. The slightly warmer water has made a noticeable difference, with more aggressive feeding behavior from inshore species. Targeting areas from 2 to 20 feet deep using shrimp, mud minnows, and fiddler crabs, we landed a few more flounder and a sheepshead for the cooler, along with steady action from black drum, trout, catfish, and jack crevalle.

On a recent four-hour trip, we explored a shallow river stretch lined with oyster bars. Despite ideal structure, the bite started off slow with mostly undersized redfish and trout. On the way back, we hit a creek system that holds water well at low tide and found far more cooperative fish. Using the same bait and rigs, we steadily caught smaller trout and redfish, along with a keeper trout at 19.5" and a few surprise whiting. We lost one quality red right at the boat, but the action showed promising signs that fish are settling back into their summer patterns. As water temps continue to rise, we’re hopeful that the beach and inlet bite will fire back up—especially with tarpon season just around the corner.

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