What would you recommend to anglers fishing in St. Augustine, Florida for the first time?

Be prepared for inshore or nearshore, depending on the conditions. Having a highly rated guide is important too. It is worth the research to make sure you have a vessel and Captain that suits your style and attitude.

Different times of the year will give you better chances with certain species. We just want to go deep sea fishing and try to catch some big ones. While nothing was massive, we caught some big fish for their species. And caught a lot that we couldn’t keep but that is half the fun. You never know what’s in the end if the line.

Pay attention to the weather and wait to book a trip until you can get one (if possible) on a less windy and cool day than we went out. We had a great time but it was overcast and started out in the 40's

We hit high tide and a strong northern wind with the high only being 54. It was very cold and once the tide came in the fish stopped biting. The cold didn't seem to affect the fish as much as the really high tide did.

Hope for fish to bite but don’t put pressure on it being guaranteed. Fishing charters are expensive but you are paying for the experience which sometimes means not catching a fish but still having a great time on the water. If you are friendly and kind to your guide that is a better experience for everyone

If you’re fishing in St. Augustine for the first time always watch the weather and make sure it’s going to be a good day for fishing before you book. Just be patient and engage with the Captain because they are there to help you, whether it be putting on your bait, untangling lines, or handling fish, etc. And lastly, just have fun!!!

Just listen to the charter captain. He will take care you and instruct on what you should do , like where to throw your line etc.. Be patient and positive. Fish don't like negative vibes. Remember a bad day of fishing is better than most days.

Second time out with Captain Cole & Old Salt Charters and it did not disappoint. His knowledge of the fishing spots turned what could have been a slow day into a great day of fishing. Caught a bunch of redfish and just missed landing a monster at the side of the boat. I would definitely recommend Old Salt Charters.

Check with the fishing charts to see what’s biting. We were hoping for fish we could eat but had to settle for shark. It was still a blast because the shark fought hard. It took 10 minutes to pull one to the boat

This experience wasn’t what I was expecting. It was even better. I am a deep sea fisher. This was definitely different and I enjoyed it so much I will be booking another inshore trip WITH Trever again !!

We actually went out out the 13th of May thanks to the Captains willingness to work with us to get around the inclement weather the afternoon of the 10th. Good communication and flexibility allowed my group to have a better fishing day than we expected by far. Was a little taken back by the Florida Wildlife Agents on the pier upon our return, but turns out they are collecting useful data that may allow us to enjoy some fresh Red Snapper in the near future. Sure does hurt to have to let them go when we know how good they are fresh off the grill. That and having to figure out how NOT to catch them to get to what we can keep.

Remember your sunscreen & water and be ready for a great time! I was happy to book with Old Coast because he is a fellow veteran. The Captain & 1st Mate were great at keeping everyone relaxed/entertained and the lines in the water. They were a font of information and professionalism! We caught enough to feed our big family dinner that night! They also hooked my teen son up with some sets so he can go shore fishing during the remainder of our vacation.

St. Augustine can be cold and windy in February considering it is North Florida. Even a little chop can cause you to get splashed or wet so the larger boats are so much dryer and comfortable to get away from getting splashed and the wind. The larger the boat the less wind rain and splashing you will get. Offshore on smaller crafts one side of the boat will get wet on the way out while the other side will get wet on the way in.

I recommend at least a 6 hour offshore trip to ensure you will catch a fish. Since there’s no way of predicting when the fish will bite, a 6 hour trip will give you enough time to try different spots.

Captain Chris provides everything needed to fish and knows the area well and will travel to multiple locations to find the fish. Captain Chris is very patient with new anglers and helps in every aspect including baiting, casting, fish removal, and explaining what type of fish you catch.

The Wind picked up more than was predicted. By the weather man! Captain communicated with us about our likes and dislikes and went out of the way to keep us as comfortable as possible.we were on fish all day landing a lot but the big ones got away today. Nobody’s fault. We did catch a lot of nice fish

If the weather supported, I guarantee we would have caught more and more keepers. My dad was visiting and rain or completely unsafe conditions were the only things that would have kept us from fishing.

Inshore fishing isn't party boat fishing, so expect a more personalized experience. Captain Cole knew the water and where to find fish, and we moved from location to location till we were on the fish, enjoy the trip and the experience, catching fish is the bonus!

Bring lots of sunscreen, sun glasses, and hats. The sun is brutal and relentless. Do the morning trip if you can and go on a week day or Sunday when there is less boating traffic and less people out fishing.

Know the weather! Florida is HOT and if you aren’t used to it, make sure you drink plenty of electrolytes and stay hydrated while fishing. Sometimes the fun is so good you forget to drink water and you can’t do that in this heat.

Wear sunscreen! Get a good night's sleep and eat well the day/night before. We had no time for snacking with all the fish we were catching. It was a little choppy, but our captain knew how to position the boat for the most comfort and balance for us while fishing.

YES, but I can only reccommend that you Book with Captain Chris because that was our only experience...and it was AWESOME....this was our first visit to St. Augustine...we booked with Captain Chris based on reviews alone....reviews were on the mark....he was great

I'd recommend a shorter trip for first time charter fishing. This way you can see how people react to the motion of the water because its certainly a unique feeling that can get people motion sickness. If you do well, then a longer trip is in your future as ate bigger fish!

Stay up to date on the weather, book as early as possible in the morning, as the days can be very warm there. Also, call the captain if possible and review what you should bring with you, such as food, snacks, etc. Be clear as to what is included for the price of the charter. our captain was very good at this, so there was no misunderstanding on the matter.

I would but you have to keep an eye on the cooler day, and would do a inter coastal , when the nigh temp don't drop too much and make the fishing harder because of the colder water, and check out reports on the web and talk with Capt. Guy Spear he would be the best in this area Capt. Guy would give you a great shot at fishing for the first time in St. Augustine

As this was our first time, I highly reccomend a fishing tour on a small scale like Shark Infested Tours. Our guide took the time to explain everything and took time to give one on one instructions. The boat was new, clean and our Captain was an active firefighter. I usually dont give "excellent" reviews but on this trip I will, because it was so much fun and well worth the money spent.

Bring a good attitude along with sun screen, hat, clothing that dries quickly in case of rain or ocean spray. Bring snacks of your choosing and a camera. Captain Troy will find the fish and the equipment to catch them and get ready for a wonderful day on the ocean.

The go to fishing charter is Captain Guy aboard the Mistress. He's a Veteran, and the level of professionalism, knowledge and emphasis on safety is second to none. He knows where and how to catch fish, even if nobody else is catching them.

We fished in late April and it was wonderful. The sun was bright, but not too hot, with a light breeze. We saw lots of seaside and caught many different fish.

Sunscreen we forgot to put it on and a zip up sweatshirt until it warms up, I forgot mine when we hurried out the door to fish at 7am