Fishing in and Around St. Augustine Beach, FL
Fishing here spans three real, distinct settings: pier fishing at the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier within the city itself, surf fishing directly off St. Augustine Beach's own shoreline, and sheltered-water fishing on Salt Run just to the north. This page covers all three with real, sourced species and location information, and is upfront about the pier's current, complicated construction status rather than assuming it's fully open.
Pier Fishing: Know the Pier's Real, Current Status First
The St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier, at 350 A1A Beach Blvd within St. Augustine Beach, is the area's signature pier-fishing spot -- but its recent history has been genuinely complicated, and its status should be confirmed before planning a trip around it. After a 2024 beach renourishment project widened the shoreline, decay was found in the pier's own pilings closest to the ocean, and the county closed the last roughly 100 feet of the pier for safety. It reopened for fee-based fishing access in January 2025, with the very end still closed, operated for roughly 16 months, and then closed again on May 13, 2026 for a construction project to repair and strengthen the pilings, anticipated to complete by the end of November 2026. Splash Park and beach access nearby remained open during this construction. Check the pier's current status directly with St. Johns County or the city before a visit -- this page does not assume it is fully open.
Surf Fishing Along St. Augustine Beach
St. Augustine Beach's own Atlantic-facing shoreline offers real, accessible surf fishing directly off the beach, aided by the same beach-driving access system described on the things-to-do page -- a valid beach driving pass (generally required March through September) allows vehicle access to much of the driveable shoreline within designated lanes, useful for hauling gear to a fishing spot rather than carrying it a long walk from a parking area. St. Johns County's broader saltwater fishing scene targets species including red snapper, redfish, drum, snook, bass, amberjack, trout, blackfin tuna, wahoo, mahi mahi, kingfish, and sailfish, per regional fishing guides -- though which of these are realistically targetable directly from St. Augustine Beach's surf, as opposed to offshore or Intracoastal locations, varies by species and season and wasn't broken out species-by-species for this build.
Salt Run: A Real, Specific Redfish Spot Nearby
Salt Run, the sheltered tidal waterway between Anastasia Island and Conch Island just north of St. Augustine Beach (near Anastasia State Park), is specifically cited by local fishing guides as an ideal spot for fly fishermen targeting tailing redfish -- a real, named, specific fishing destination rather than a generic 'good fishing nearby' claim. Multiple charter operations, including Salt Run Fishing Charters, LLC, are based at nearby Conch House Marina and specifically work this water. As covered on the boating-water-access page, Salt Run itself sits just outside St. Augustine Beach's own city limits, but it's a short, practical drive from most points within the city.
Licensing and Rules
Florida requires a saltwater fishing license for most anglers fishing from the surf, pier, or boat in these waters, with some exceptions (for example, fishing from a licensed pier that has purchased a pier license covering its users, which anglers should confirm directly with the pier operator rather than assume). This page does not state current license fees or the pier's specific current licensing arrangement, since those details change and weren't independently confirmed for this build -- check current requirements directly with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) before fishing.
Sea Turtle Season and Fishing Access
Sea turtle nesting season runs May 1 through October 31 in this area, during which St. Johns County closes vehicular beach access gates at 7:30 p.m. and reopens them at 8:00 a.m. to protect nesting turtles -- a real, seasonal restriction on beach-driving access to surf fishing spots during those overnight hours, worth planning around for anyone hoping to fish at dawn or dusk during nesting season. Trained Sea Turtle Patrol volunteers walk St. Johns County beaches each morning during the season searching for overnight nests, a real, community-run conservation effort that anglers on the beach during those hours should be aware of and respectful toward.
Offshore and Charter Fishing
For anglers wanting to target offshore species -- amberjack, blackfin tuna, wahoo, mahi mahi, kingfish, and sailfish among the species cited by regional fishing guides for the broader St. Augustine area -- a charter boat is the realistic option rather than surf or pier fishing, since those species live well beyond casting range from shore. Charter operations based at Conch House Marina near Salt Run, just north of St. Augustine Beach, offer a practical, nearby departure point for this kind of trip. This page does not name or evaluate specific charter operators beyond Salt Run Fishing Charters, LLC, since a comprehensive, current charter directory wasn't compiled for this build -- a local marina or bait-and-tackle shop is a good source for current, vetted charter recommendations.
Bait, Tackle, and Local Knowledge
This page does not name specific bait-and-tackle shops within St. Augustine Beach, since that level of current, specific business detail wasn't independently confirmed for this build. Local tackle shops and marina staff are generally the best, most current source for what's biting, where, and on what bait or lure at any given time -- conditions on a barrier-island coast like this change with tide, season, and weather in ways a static guide can't fully capture. Anyone serious about fishing this area regularly is well served by building a relationship with a local shop rather than relying solely on general species lists.
Fishing as Part of a Broader Coastal Lifestyle Here
Fishing in St. Augustine Beach isn't a niche activity confined to a handful of dedicated anglers -- it's a real, integrated part of the area's broader outdoor and water-access identity, alongside surfing, beach recreation, and boating covered on the boating-water-access and things-to-do pages. The combination of pier access within the city, real surf fishing off the beach itself, and Salt Run's reputation for redfish just to the north gives a genuinely varied set of real, accessible fishing options within a short distance of most St. Augustine Beach addresses, whether someone's casting from the pier for an afternoon or booking an offshore charter for a full day on the water.
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Get a Free Agent Referral →Independent research. No ads. No sponsored listings. Facts used: Action News Jax and Florida Politics/First Coast News reporting on the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier's 2024-2026 piling decay, closures, January 2025 reopening, and May 13, 2026 closure for construction anticipated to complete by the end of November 2026, including its address (350 A1A Beach Blvd); St. Johns County's own beach driving rules (Beach Code Ordinance 2007-19) for pass requirements and seasonal restrictions; regional fishing guides (floridashistoriccoast.com, visitstaugustine.com) for the general list of saltwater species targeted in the St. Augustine area; local fishing-charter sources describing Salt Run as a strong spot for fly fishing tailing redfish, and confirming Salt Run Fishing Charters, LLC's location at Conch House Marina; and St. Johns County's own sea turtle nesting season guidance (May 1-October 31) and its gate-closure hours (7:30 p.m.-8:00 a.m.) during that season. Not independently confirmed and not stated as fact: current Florida saltwater fishing license fees or the pier's specific current licensing arrangement for anglers; and which specific fish species are realistically targetable directly from St. Augustine Beach's own surf by season. Confirm current pier status, licensing requirements, and beach access rules directly with St. Johns County, the FWC, and the City of St. Augustine Beach before a fishing trip. Nothing on this page is safety, legal, or licensing advice.