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King mackerelRetention openGut · Florida
Fort George River
30.44°N · 81.42°W · Gut · Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Atlantic croaker57
- Crevalle jack57
- Summer flounder56
- Florida pompano55
- King mackerel55
- Gray snapper53
- Red drum53
- Spot53
- Atlantic tarpon51
- Black sea bass51
- Southern flounder48
- Spanish mackerel47
- Black drum46
- Gray triggerfish44
- Red grouper43
- Red snapper43
- Sheepshead43
- Mahi-mahi42
- Weakfish41
- Spotted seatrout40
- Greater amberjack39
- Little tunny39
- Cobia38
- Wahoo36
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Bluefish33
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 9 AM · King mackerel
- Now
- 552 PM EDT
- Best window
- 5 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Flooding1.1 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Fort George River scores 75+
Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.
14-day forecast
Best days to fish
24-hour conditions · rolling from now
Conditions · 2 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS
46Tide: FloodingCurrent: SlackWind & pressure
ECMWF
92Wind: 10 kt NEPressure: RisingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
45Water temp: 84°F, warmLight: Partly cloudySolunar: Between periodsSeas: 2.6 ftSeason & habitat · King mackerel
Species seasonality
89Season: PeakHabitat: Usable structureDepth: Out of rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)
King mackerel
Retention open- Daily limit
- 2 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Minimum 24 in, fork length
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Other
- Hook and line and spearing only. Open year-round.
From FWC Recreational Regulations: King Mackerel, read Sep 13
Other species here
- Atlantic croaker Retention open (50 per day)
- Black drum Retention open (5 per day)
- Bluefish Retention open (3 per day)
- Bonefish Catch & release (No retention)
- Cobia Retention open (1 per day)
- Crevalle jack Retention open
- Florida pompano Retention open (6 per day)
- Gag grouper Closed (No retention)
- Gray snapper Retention open (5 per day (10 snapper combined))
- Gray triggerfish Retention open (10 per day)
- Greater amberjack Retention open (1 per day)
- Mahi-mahi Retention open (5 per day)
- Permit Retention open (2 per day)
- Red drum Retention open (1 per day)
- Red grouper Retention open (3 per day (3 Atlantic grouper and tilefish combined))
- Red snapper Check regulations
- Sailfish Retention open (1 per day (1 billfish combined))
- Sheepshead Retention open (8 per day)
- Snook Retention open (1 per day)
- Southern flounder Retention open (5 per day)
- Spanish mackerel Retention open (15 per day)
- Spot Retention open (50 per day)
- Spotted seatrout Retention open (3 per day)
- Summer flounder Retention open (5 per day)
- Tarpon Catch & release (No retention)
- Wahoo Retention open (2 per day)
Source: FWC · synced today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When King mackerel is best here
Peak season for King mackerel · 5 more weeks at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Fort George River
- Depth
- 1-7 ftNearest water
- Structure
- Channel · Inner · ProtectedChannel · flat bottom
- Season
- Peak seasonKing mackerel
NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 13 on a 3.4 m grid. Depths are feet below NAVD 88, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.
About this spot
Fishing Fort George River
Fort George River is a gut in Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM, Florida. Depth in the nearest water is 1-7 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads channel, inner water and protected.
Waterlands scores 28 species here; the best right now are Atlantic croaker, crevalle jack and summer flounder. It is peak season now for Atlantic croaker, crevalle jack, summer flounder and king mackerel, and shoulder season for Florida pompano, black sea bass, Spanish mackerel and black drum. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. Crevalle jack peak from July through October. Summer flounder peak from September through October.
Tackle & technique
- King mackerel
- Kings roam from beaches and pier ends out to reefs, wrecks and ledges in 40 to 200 feet, usually feeding in the upper half of the water column. Slow-troll live menhaden, blue runners or cigar minnows on a light wire stinger rig, or pull spoons and ribbonfish past bait schools. Look for clean green water above 68 F with bait and birds on it.
- Atlantic croaker
- Croaker feed on mud and sand bottom along channel edges, oyster bars, piers and deeper holes in bays and sounds, mostly in 5 to 30 feet of water. A two-hook bottom rig with small hooks and shrimp, bloodworm or squid catches them from piers, the surf and small boats. Fish the hours around high tide and into the evening.
- Crevalle jack
- Jacks roam in schools through inlets, passes, bays, river mouths and along beaches, pushing bait to the surface, and big fish also hold on nearshore reefs and wrecks. Watch for birds and surface blowups, then cast a popper, a spoon or a bucktail into the school and retrieve fast. Bring heavy spinning tackle, because a jack over 15 pounds runs hard and fights for a long time.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Fort George Inlet73
Bay · 1.7 mi
Top: Crevalle jackPeak season- Crevalle jack 73
- Summer flounder 68
- King mackerel 66
10 kt NEH 6:41 PM · 6.1 ftL 1:08 AM · 1.1 ft
- Broward Creek60
Bay · 2.4 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 60
- Crevalle jack 60
- Red drum 58
10 kt NEH 7:21 PM · 5.6 ftL 1:38 AM · 0.7 ft
- Deep Creek59
Gut · 2.1 mi
Top: Crevalle jackPeak season- Crevalle jack 59
- Atlantic croaker 58
- Summer flounder 58
10 kt NEH 7:45 PM · 4.9 ftL 1:58 AM · 1.0 ft
- Horseshoe Creek58
Bay · 2.0 mi
Top: Crevalle jackPeak season- Crevalle jack 58
- Atlantic croaker 57
- Red drum 57
10 kt NEH 7:27 PM · 5.3 ftL 1:54 AM · 0.8 ft
Scores and forecasts are for planning only and can be wrong. Conditions on the water change fast; check the marine forecast before you go. Regulations change during the season, so confirm limits and closures with FWC before you keep a fish.