Artificial Lure here with your St. Augustine fishing report for Friday, November 21st, 2025. The action this week’s been classic late fall—crisp mornings on the water, redfish tails in the shallows, and plenty of stories to swap at the fillet tables. Let's break it down for folks thinking of hitting the water.

Sunrise came at 6:51 AM and sunset will wrap things up at 5:28 PM, giving us a nice full day on the water. According to Tide-Forecast.com, you’re looking at a low tide around 6:12 AM and a high coming back in just after noon. That incoming water after sunrise has been sparking solid fish activity around the grass lines and creek mouths.

Weather’s cooperating: November fronts have cooled things off just enough to bring more bait into the shallows while the winds this morning are light out of the north-northeast. By afternoon, expect it to pick up a notch—keep that in mind if you’re planning to run the beach or head out the inlet, but the river and creeks should stay friendly.

For the surf, small clean swell and chilly morning air but plenty fishable, reports from the beach cams and the local guides. The water’s got that late fall chill but mullet and finger mullet schools are still pushing through and bringing predators with ‘em.

Now to what’s bending rods right now. This week, folks have been hammering the slot reds at the Vilano flats and the Matanzas River backcountry. Early risers driftin’ live shrimp or mud minnows under popping corks around oyster bars report limit catches, with plenty over-slot bruisers mixed in. Flounder have shown up big time—most hot around the rocky edges of the inlet and along the Bridge of Lions—just bounce a mud minnow or white Gulp! Swimming Mullet along the bottom and hang on.

Trout are moving up on the ledges and creek mouths, especially at first light. Topwater plugs have produced some real gator trout before the sun gets too high; once it does, swap over to soft plastics or live shrimp for steady bites.

Surf and pier anglers at St. Augustine Beach and around the southern rocks have been pulling in whiting, black drum, and a few pompano when the surf’s clean. Sand fleas, fresh shrimp, and Fishbites have all been solid choices here.

If you’re throwing lures, nothing’s out-fishing a 3” paddle tail in new penny or electric chicken worked slow near structure right now. But if you want to target the sharpies, try a gold spoon or MirrOlure Mirrodine—these've accounted for multiple upper-slot reds this week.

Hot spots? Start at the Salt Run flats at sunrise for trout and reds, then slide south to the Matanzas Inlet rocks on the last of incoming for larger flounder and drum. If the wind drops out, the north side of the Bridge of Lions is producing fish all tides right now.

Remember to mind your limits, handle big flounder and overslot reds with care, and dress in layers—the wind’s got a bite even if the fish don’t!

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