Fort George Inlet Fishing

Fort George Inlet is a wild river mouth between Little Talbot Island and Huguenot Park, where a strong tidal current pours over sandbars into the Atlantic. It is a big-fish spot for anglers willing to walk.

• Bull redfish on the fall mullet run
• Black drum in late winter and spring
• Flounder on the drop-offs and bluefish and jacks in the current
• Quiet, undeveloped shoreline inside a state park

The inlet is on Jacksonville's north shore; this guide covers the Little Talbot Island side, inside Little Talbot Island State Park on Heckscher Drive (A1A).

• Entry: pay the state park's per-vehicle day-use fee and use the southernmost beach parking area
• The walk: along the beach and around the south end of the island to the inlet spit, a long walk on soft sand
• The Huguenot Park side of the inlet is a separate city park with its own entry and beach driving rules
• Hours: the state park is open 8 a.m. to sunset every day

Moving water brings fish through all year.

• Spring (Mar-May): black drum and redfish on the bars, bluefish, whiting on the ocean side
• Summer (Jun-Aug): flounder, jacks and ladyfish in the current, and sharks
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the peak season, with bull redfish, flounder, bluefish and jacks following the mullet out of the river
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum, sheepshead around any structure, and seatrout in the river side

Carry heavy lead and a sand spike.

• Redfish and black drum: a fish-finder rig with 3 to 5 oz of lead, a 6/0 or 7/0 circle hook, cut mullet, blue crab or clams
• Flounder: a finger mullet or mud minnow on a Carolina rig worked slowly along the drop-offs
• Bluefish and jacks: metal spoons and bucktails in the current seam
• Seatrout: a popping cork or soft plastic along the river-side grass
• Circle hooks and a long leader keep big reds hooked in the corner of the mouth

Atlantic tides here run twice a day with a range of several feet, and the inlet current is fierce.

• The first half of the outgoing tide is usually best, as bait washes out of the river
• Slack high and slack low are the easiest times to hold bottom
• The rising tide floods the low sandbars quickly; know your way back
• A northeast wind against the outgoing tide stacks up steep waves at the mouth
• Fall mornings are prime

This is not a spot for everyone.

• Very strong current; never wade out on the bars or swim here
• The rising tide can cut off sand spits; keep an eye behind you
• Long, exposed walk with no shade, water or shelter
• Summer lightning on an open beach; leave early
• Stingrays in the shallows: shuffle your feet
• Not accessible for wheelchairs or anyone who cannot walk a long way on soft sand

There are no facilities at the inlet itself.

• Restrooms in Little Talbot Island State Park's day-use area
• No bait, food or water at the inlet; buy bait before you go
• No lights; the park closes at sunset
• A beach cart makes the walk manageable
• Carry out everything you bring in, including old line and bait bags

• October and November are the months for bull reds; fresh cut mullet is the bait
• Walk in at low tide, when the beach is wide and firm, and fish the turn
• Watch the birds: terns diving over the current mean bluefish and jacks
• Leave early enough to walk back before the park closes at sunset
• Use circle hooks and release big breeding redfish quickly
• The bars move after every storm; look before you fish

The Little Talbot side is part of Little Talbot Island State Park (Florida Park Service); Huguenot Memorial Park on the south side is a City of Jacksonville park.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you qualify for an exemption
• State park rules forbid collecting or harming any animal other than edible or game fish, so bring your bait rather than gathering it
• Stay out of posted shorebird nesting areas, which are common around the inlet
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC shore-based shark fishing permit
• Check current FWC rules (myfwc.com) for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything