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King mackerelRetention openChannel · Florida
Matanzas Inlet
29.71°N · 81.23°W · Channel · Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL out 20 NM
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- Atlantic croaker79
- Spot74
- Atlantic tarpon69
- Florida pompano64
- Southern flounder63
- Crevalle jack62
- Red drum62
- Summer flounder61
- Gray snapper60
- King mackerel58
- Black drum57
- Spotted seatrout57
- Spanish mackerel56
- Weakfish54
- Black sea bass50
- Cobia49
- Wahoo47
- Little tunny46
- Mahi-mahi46
- Red snapper46
- Sheepshead46
- Gray triggerfish44
- Red grouper43
- Greater amberjack38
- Bluefish35
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 7 AM · King mackerel
- Now
- 586 AM EDT
- Best window
- 6 AM-12 PMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Flooding3.6 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Matanzas Inlet 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 · 6 AM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
40Tide: FloodingCurrent: WeakWind & pressure
ECMWF
97Wind: 3 kt WNWPressure: RisingWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
56Water temp: 83°F, warmLight: NightSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 1.1 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 yesterday
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
Matanzas Inlet
- Depth
- 1-10 ftSlope
- Structure
- Inlet · Outer · ExposedInlet · slope
- 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 Matanzas Inlet
Matanzas Inlet is a channel in Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL out 20 NM, Florida. Depth is 1-10 ft, with a slope. Its profile reads inlet, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 28 species here; the best right now are Atlantic croaker, spot and Atlantic tarpon. It is peak season now for Atlantic croaker, spot, Atlantic tarpon and southern flounder, and shoulder season for Florida pompano, black drum, Spanish mackerel and weakfish. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October. Spot peak from September through October. Atlantic tarpon peak from July through September.
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.
- Spot
- Spot school over mud and sand in bays, tidal creeks and channels and around piers and bridges, generally in less than 25 feet of water. Fish a two-hook bottom rig with small hooks and bits of bloodworm or shrimp, and move until you find a school. In fall the biggest fish run out of the sounds past piers and inlets, and the bite can go all day.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Devils Elbow77
Bend · 2.8 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 77
- Atlantic tarpon 74
- Spot 72
3 kt WNWH 7:31 AM · 4.3 ftL 1:42 PM · 0.9 ft
- Murat Point73
Cape · 5.3 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 73
- Atlantic tarpon 72
- Spot 71
3 kt WNWH 7:31 AM · 4.3 ftL 1:42 PM · 0.9 ft
- French Cape73
Cape · 14 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 73
- Spot 71
- Atlantic tarpon 65
3 kt NNWL 12:35 PM · 0.9 ftH 7:01 PM · 4.9 ft
- Fox Cut66
Channel · 12 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 66
- Atlantic tarpon 63
- Spot 61
3 kt WNWH 11:19 AM · 0.9 ftL 5:42 PM · 0.4 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.
