Artificial Lure here with your St. Augustine fishing report for November 18th, 2025, and I’ll tell ya—it’s shaping up to be a classic late-fall bite along the First Coast!

First off, let’s get you dialed in on conditions. Sunrise hit at 7:14 this morning, with sunset coming at 7:44 tonight—the days are getting shorter, but there’s still plenty of light to wet a line. The moon’s at a 15% waxing crescent, and according to SolunarForecast, your best fishing windows—the “major times”—fell between 3:01 to 5:01 this morning and will fire off again this afternoon from 3:31 to 5:31 . If you’re squeezing in a trip, consider hitting the water late afternoon for peak activity.

The tide started high early, topping out near 5.05 feet just after 6 a.m. at the St. Augustine Inlet, and it’ll bottom out to its lowest around 12:21 p.m. at just about half a foot, then climb again for an evening high at 6:10 p.m. That falling tide mid-morning and the incoming in the evening should have reds and trout pushing into the creek mouths and on the drop-offs, right where you want ‘em.

Weather’s sitting on the forgiving side—upper 60s at daybreak, warming up with a light westerly breeze, and not much rain in the forecast. Water clarity’s fair, so you’ll want to adjust your presentations accordingly. According to local surf and weather reports, surf is flat as a pancake today, so your backwater options are wide open.

Now, let’s talk fish—recent catches have been solid. Folks reported good numbers of slot Redfish prowling the flats and oyster bars, especially north around Guana River WMA and south near Matanzas Inlet. Speckled Trout are chewing in the deeper holes along Salt Run, with a few doormats in the mix. There’ve been keeper Black Drum mixed in aroun’ the Vilano bridge, and some surprise Flounder caught around the Vilano and Conch Island docks. Offshore, it’s slowing down, but a few sheepshead are starting to move in on the rocks and pilings.

For bait and lures, here’s the ticket:
- **Live Shrimp** is your ace for drum and trout, either freelined or fished under a popping cork.
- **Cut bait** (mullet or ladyfish strips) set on the bottom will tempt reds around the oyster edges, especially on that outgoing tide.
- If you’re working artificials, **soft plastic jerkbaits** on 1/4 oz jigheads in natural or root beer hues have been hot for trout, while gold spoons and paddle tails are getting redfish to commit in the shallows.
- Insiders also report that a 3/8-ounce jig with a beaver-style trailer—think Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver or a gulp shrimp imitating a small mullet—can make a difference, especially skipped up under docks where those shy reds may be lurking.

For gear, keep it light—10 to 15-pound braid with a 20-pound fluoro leader will handle nearly everything short of a stubborn drum.

Now for a couple hot spots:
- **Salt Run** inside Anastasia State Park—solid action for specks and the occasional oversized red, especially along the channel edges.
- **Vilano Bridge**—good mixed bag on the outgoing tide, with black drum, reds, and flatties all in the mix.
- Up north, poke around the grasslines at Guana Lake just after the tide turns; sneaky reds, and sometimes solid trout.

Don’t forget to check the weather and tides before you run out—fishing’s always better when you’re tuned in to the local rhythm.

Thanks for tuning in to the report. If you like these local updates and want to keep your tacklebox full of the latest tips, be sure to subscribe so you never miss a bite.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI