Fishing spots in Duval County

Duval County is Jacksonville's coast: Jacksonville, Neptune and Atlantic beaches, the mouth of the St. Johns River at Mayport, and the salt marshes and sounds of the Timucuan Preserve to the north. Anglers fish the long Jacksonville Beach Pier for whiting, mackerel and kingfish, the river's north jetty at Huguenot Memorial Park for bull redfish, black drum and sheepshead, and the surf at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park beside the south jetty. Tides of around five feet make current the key to everything here.

Jacksonville Beaches

• Character: Surf beaches with the 1,300-foot Jacksonville Beach Pier.
• What it suits: Whiting, croaker, pompano, bluefish, Spanish and king mackerel.
• Access: Pier fee (which the pier says covers the license); city beach accesses.

St. Johns River mouth

• Character: Deep shipping channel with rock jetties on both sides and powerful tides.
• What it suits: Bull redfish, black drum, sheepshead, flounder, tarpon.
• Access: Huguenot Memorial Park (north side) and Hanna Park beach (south side), both city parks with entry fees.

Nassau Sound and the Talbot Islands

• Character: Marsh-lined sounds and inlets on the Nassau County line.
• What it suits: Whiting, trout, redfish, drum.
• Access: State parks on Big Talbot and Little Talbot islands; the George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier (open from the Nassau County end).

Season	Likely species (shore)	Notes
Spring (Mar-May)	Black drum, sheepshead, whiting, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, cobia	Big black drum run at the river mouth.
Summer (Jun-Aug)	King mackerel, tarpon, Spanish mackerel, whiting, croaker, sharks	Kingfish off the pier end.
Fall (Sep-Nov)	Bull redfish, flounder, bluefish, jacks, whiting	The best redfish season at the jetties.
Winter (Dec-Feb)	Sheepshead, black drum, whiting, trout	Fiddler crabs on the rocks at slack tide.

• Jetties: 10-12 ft rods, 50 lb braid, fish-finder rigs with 5-8 oz of lead, cut mullet or crab.
• Sheepshead: Fiddler crabs on short leaders at slack tide.
• Pier: Two-hook bottom rigs for whiting; wire stinger rigs with live bait for kingfish.
• Surf: Pompano rigs with sand fleas or Fishbites.
• Mackerel: Small spoons and Gotcha plugs.

• Tides are semidiurnal (two highs and two lows a day) with a range of around five feet at the beaches and river mouth.
• The St. Johns River runs very hard; fish the turns of the tide at the jetties.
• The outgoing tide is the bull-red and flounder tide.
• Incoming tides bring clean water for whiting, pompano and mackerel.
• Northeast winds against an outgoing tide make the river mouth rough.

• The St. Johns River current and ship wakes are dangerous; never swim near the jetties.
• Do not climb the jetty rocks; the south jetty is on naval station property and off-limits.
• Summer lightning is frequent.
• Rip currents are common on the beaches.
• Beach driving at Huguenot needs four-wheel drive; watch the tide.
• Seasonal bird-nesting closures apply at Huguenot.

• Fish the turn of the tide at Huguenot; peak flow is too strong to hold bottom.
• Carry sinkers from 3 to 8 oz for the river mouth.
• Kingfish off the Jacksonville Beach Pier are best in summer and early fall.
• Head to the north end of Hanna Park near the Poles for redfish on the outgoing tide.
• Black drum run at the jetties in late winter and spring.
• Park fees are halved for active military and veterans at the city's oceanfront parks.

• Nassau County – Fort Clinch, Amelia Island and the George Crady Bridge to the north.
• St. Johns County – Vilano Beach, St. Augustine and Matanzas Inlet to the south.

• Do I need a fishing license on the Jacksonville Beach Pier?
  • The pier states that its fishing admission covers the license while you fish from it; elsewhere a Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt (see myfwc.com).
• Where is the best spot for bull redfish?
  • The St. Johns River jetty at Huguenot Memorial Park on the fall outgoing tide.
• Can I fish the Mayport south jetty?
  • No, it is on Naval Station Mayport property; fish from the Hanna Park beach instead.
• How big are the tides?
  • Around five feet at the beaches and river mouth, which makes current the main factor.
• Are there shark fishing rules?
  • Shore-based shark fishing requires a free FWC permit; check FWC for the current rules.

Area	Coast character & access	Best species	Prime season	Go-to methods	Key safety notes	Facilities
Jacksonville Beach Pier	1,300 ft pier; daily fee covers license (per pier)	Whiting, mackerel, kingfish	Spring to fall	Bottom rigs, spoons, live bait	Rip currents, surfers	Bait shop, rentals, cleaning stations
Huguenot Park Jetty	River-mouth jetty and beach; city park fee	Bull reds, drum, sheepshead	Fall and spring	Heavy fish-finder rigs, fiddler crabs	Ship wakes, fierce current	Restrooms, camping
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park	1.5-mile surf beach; city park fee	Whiting, redfish, pompano	Fall to spring	Pompano rigs, cut bait	Rip currents, restricted jetty	Restrooms, showers, camping