Generally speaking, you want to look for a tide of 5.3 or higher at the mayport bar pilot tide station. If its higher than 5.5 or 5.6 it will most likely flood regardless of wind direction. North or East wind = higher than predicted; south or west wind = lower than predicted. The NOAA tides and currents website has information on current tide level relative to prediction. Any ramp between sisters and sawpit is a close ride to fishable flats. If its flooding, youll see plenty of skiffs in the grass. While people have preferred flats and locations, theres not many "secret" spots , due to the narrow geography and google maps. (though I recommend finding your own areas and what to look for, rather than fishing a flat on the next tide because someone was on it on the tide before)
Follow normal etiquette rules on flats - if you have trouble seeing the color of the boat or clothing, you are in good shape. Its ok to sometimes get closer, provided there is some sort of natural break between flats - Like a stand of trees, or a deep creek or navigable waterway. Flood tide fishing has gained a lot of popularity here in the last couple years, but if you scout around, you should always be able to find someplace to fish. Most fishing during the tide happens within an area the size of a football field.
Youll want to look for the shorter spartina grass, once you are on a flat and see fish, you should be able to correlate the type of grass to other areas.
Oak Harbor and the JTB beach blvd area dont really flood with any regularity (too far from the inlets) except with storms. Palm Valley down to St. Augustine has regular floods, but is less scientific to predict from to the PV tide station, unless the tide is really high. Most people develop their own "systems" to predict tides in PV, and can figure it out in a few trips.
Follow normal etiquette rules on flats - if you have trouble seeing the color of the boat or clothing, you are in good shape. Its ok to sometimes get closer, provided there is some sort of natural break between flats - Like a stand of trees, or a deep creek or navigable waterway. Flood tide fishing has gained a lot of popularity here in the last couple years, but if you scout around, you should always be able to find someplace to fish. Most fishing during the tide happens within an area the size of a football field.
Youll want to look for the shorter spartina grass, once you are on a flat and see fish, you should be able to correlate the type of grass to other areas.
Oak Harbor and the JTB beach blvd area dont really flood with any regularity (too far from the inlets) except with storms. Palm Valley down to St. Augustine has regular floods, but is less scientific to predict from to the PV tide station, unless the tide is really high. Most people develop their own "systems" to predict tides in PV, and can figure it out in a few trips.
