Saint Augustine (Fishing Help?)

[gator_pf]

I was wondering if anyone out here can give me any advice in fishing the St. Augustine Area. My family and I will be on vacation from 11/17-11/27 and will be staying on the Atlantic Coast near Crescent Beach (also St. Augustine Pier). I am flying out of Logan and will be bringing some collapsable rods for the kids and a couple of nice surf reels for the adults. I have alot of questions, so bear with me. Would it be wise to check the spools of line and carry on my reels (I do not feel like dealing with security, althou I did call them, but you never know?) What about bringing hooks, lead weights, and lures (I primarily fish for striper/blues/flounder in and around the boston area)? I guess the main fish is red fish at this time, however there are black drum, flounder and some other species around. We are targeting piers and or surfcasting from the beach. Do people generally use shrimp off the bottom, what about surfcasting from the beach? What bait/lures would you use? I appreciate all the help received and look forward to many future posts to the board. I will send along a post after I get back, hopefully its a productive trip.

Thanks!

[Onshore]

I can give you a little general advice. Your probably already here or on your way cause this is the 17th. You will have Redfish, Spanish Mackerel, maybe Snook off the piers. Also Snappers, Bluefish, Flounder and both Pompano and Whiting are beginning to show up.

I don't fish that far north so, can't give specific advice on where and when. Shrimp is probably the most used bait in Florida. Hopefully, someone from that area or who has fished the area will answer you too. If not, you can get an awful lot of good information from www.boatlessfisherman.com (http://www.boatlessfisherman.com). It is a very good website especially for those who are boatless. If you don't see what you're looking for; ask. Good luck.

[kenneyk]

I have been fishing there nearly every other weekend for a couple of years now. This weekend were crappy tides, but a buddy went yesterday and caught 1 trout, 1 redfish, and 1 flounder (Better than I expected!). Last weekend I caught 6 flounder (up to 3.5 lbs), 5 trout (up to 3 lbs), 1 refish (too small), and 1 black drum (also released). From shore you can go inside Anastasia State Park and fish from shore inside the run. However, you can also try from the beach there, but I don't usually catch as much there. Sure live shrimp work, but I use Berkley gulps on 4 lb test. Last weekend there were some other guys there fishing from shore who cast netted some fingerling mullet and used those for bait. As I cleaned all my fish I watched them catch 1 flounder, 2 trout, and a bluefish. Not bad!

Good luck!
~K