A Florida fishing license for either salt, or fresh water, or both, is required for persons 16 years of age and older (free for Florida residents 65 or older). To purchase a license or to obtain more information. Call 1-888-347-4356.
In the brackish inshore waters the most popular fish are redfish, spotted sea trout, flounder, sheepshead, black drum, stripers, and even the occasional snook. Typically creeks through Jacksonville’s marshlands have lots of flooded grass, mud flats, and oyster beds, which are ideal for sight-fishing tailing and backing redfish.
Inshore kayak anglers use everything from live bait techniques on spinning tackle, to plugs, bucktail jigs, and plastic jerkbaits on bait casting equipment, to fly-fishing gear. Common live baits inshore are shrimp, mud minnows, finger mullet, and blue crab. The most popular weapon of choice for live bait fisherman is definitely live shrimp on a jig (a weighted hook), although dead shrimp can be effective too.
Paying attention to the tides is a must. In Jacksonville the bite usually seems best on the outgoing tide and the first of the incoming, when baitfishes are more heavily concentrated. The tides in north Florida swing anywhere from 4’-6’ twice a day and these tidal swings produce a lot of water flow. Use the tides to your advantage on longer trips – for example you may let an outgoing tide take you from your launch to a favorite creek to fish the low tide and first of the incoming tide, then let the incoming tide help you return to the launch location.
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