Offshore Fishing Seasons & Species

The Historic Coast provides bountiful offshore fishing opportunities for pelagic species like MahiMahi, Wahoo, Tuna, and billfish as well as reef fish like Snapper, Grouper, and Amberjack. Majority of the offshore fishery starts about nine miles from shore and reaches out past fifty miles. During the summer months, the most popular gamefish outside the inlet is the Kingfish which ventures into the nearshore reefs and bait pods just off the beach. Spring and Fall give anglers the opportunity for the pelagic species forty or more miles offshore. 

Here is an outline of the common practices and times of year for some of our popular species:

MahiMahi: Caught throughout the year, the best time to target the famous Mahi is from March until June. Trolling for these fish using baits like Ballyhoo is very popular in this area. Many anglers search for patches of Sargassum grass which is the foundation of the pelagic food chain. These grass patches float in depths of 100’ to more than a thousand feet, often with Mahis hiding below. 

Wahoo: Targeted obsessively by anglers in our area, the ocean off of St. Augustine is one of the most productive wahoo fisheries in the world. An advanced style of fishing called “high-speed trolling” is used to specifically target Wahoo. We can catch them all year, but they are most common in cooler waters below 75 degrees in depths between 120’ and 300’. 

Grouper: Prized for their table fare and brutal fights, grouper are an exciting species that live off our coast. Primarily caught in the 130’ - 200’ depth range, they are a challenge to get off the bottom. Anglers typically use large live baits fishing around artificial and natural bottom structure to target these fish. The season for grouper runs May - December with a good bite almost year-round. 

Snapper: Our offshore reefs provide a variety of snapper. Mangrove, Red, Vermillion, and Lane snapper are the most common. Mangrove snapper here can be caught larger than 10lbs during the summer. Vermillion snapper do not get as large but cover up the reefs out past 20 miles. Red Snapper can be caught at almost every reef around but are out of season except for just a few days in the summer.

The bottom structure off the Historic Coast consists of artificial and natural structure. Tackle shops, the internet, and GPS software is the best way to find the public spots. There are countless fishing areas beyond 10 miles offshore and a handful in closer that allow anglers to target many different species at different times of year. Nearly every species is subject to regulation through our natural resources commissions. Be aware of the laws and licensing requirements for each species before going fishing!