Destin FL Fishing Charters
Whether you plan on going on a Destin, Florida fishing trip for a couple of hours (trips typically last 2-10 hours), a half-day fishing charter, or prolonging the fishing expedition to several days’ worth of an offshore fishing outing, you can never go wrong with Destin Florida Fishing Charters.
It’s really up to you to place a booking call and make reservations for a fishing charter in Destin, Florida. The best part is that although fishing in Destin is seasonal, there are certain types of fish biting regardless of the time of year you pick, so you can never lack fish to hunt in Destin.
And if you happen to time your fishing vacation around October, you’ll have the honor of participating in the month-long Destin Fishing Rodeo. It’s an annual fishing extravaganza, and you can showcase your catch for weigh-ins and various awards at several participating Destin seafood joints after every fishing charter you take.
Early settlers of Destin, Florida, including Captain Leonard Destin himself, paved the way for Destin to be the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village that it is today. Since 1835, many of Destin Florida Fishing Charters’ captains have been fishing the Destin inshores, nearshore bays, and offshore waters for generations. They have, over the years, immersed a wealth of knowledge of the Destin area fishing scene and the Florida fishing industry as a whole.
You’d be ill-advised and terribly mistaken not to take a Destin Florida Fishing Charter adventure with your family or friends.
Sure, you can hire a party charter boat and head out inshore and nearshore fishing or rent a gulf boat and check out the offshore terrain for demersal fish species if you’ve got a bit of fishing experience under your belt.
But going it alone can’t match up to the escorting of a Destin native captain. You won’t be getting the full-on fishing experience or exploiting all the fishing opportunities that Destin, Florida, offers.
Are you still on the fence on why you should settle on Destin, Florida, for your fishing charter? Here us out. We’ve got the low down on all the good fishing stuff in Destin, including its geographical endowment, great variety of fishing spots, the concentration of niche fishing opportunities, and a variety of fishing charters for different types of budgets.
Why Choose Destin for Your Next Fishing Charter
All the rich fishing grounds that dot the Destin, Florida coastline, nearshore bays, and pelagic waters further offshore wouldn’t exist were it not for the unique geographical features that line Destin, Florida.
The Emerald coast’s green waters, white sandy beaches, piers, jetties, shallows, and flats are part of the beautiful Destin, Florida scenery that readily meets the eye of any vacationing angler. Still, the underwater topography is just as amazing.
Apart from the coastal fishing spots such as Okaloosa Island Pier, Navarre Beach Pier, and East Pass Jetties, Destin has one distinctive feature that sets it apart from even the neighboring fishing cities and harbors.
Destin is probably the only place in Florida where the shallows of the Northern Gulf of Mexico sharply drop off at just 12 miles offshore to usher in the 100-Fathom Curve deep sea terrain and demersal fishing opportunities. It’s a big deal considering that the trip to offshore fishing charters can be as far out as 30 miles before the waters are deep enough to hunt offshore fish species for most coastlines.
Destin also serves up more offshore fishing action at “The Edge” of the continental shelf close to the Florida Panhandle, at a mere 20 miles of the coast. The waters here run 400 feet and over, making these the perfect pelagic and demersal grounds to wrestle Blackfin Tunas, Mahi Mahi, and Sailfish.
Due to this geographical uniqueness, anglers in Destin, Florida, can reach all depths of fishable water columns in all inshore, nearshore, and offshore fishing grounds a lot quicker than in any other fishing spot along the Northern Gulf of Mexico.
What’s more, the fishing spots have characteristic seafloor features that ensure an abundance of fish species. We’re talking rocks, wrecks, and both natural and artificial reefs that make for great fish-hunting grounds.
The nearshore and offshore waters also have a couple of kelp forests and beds, canyons and the continental shelf, and hills and seamounts where you can troll live or artificial baits and deep-drop fishing lure to catch some Destin, Florida fish species.
And don’t forget about the coastal inshore waters. These are great fishing spots to kick off your Destin, Florida fishing adventures, especially if you’re a novice angler. They have even grounds full of rock, coral, and debris, making them the perfect hunting spots for predatory Destin fish species that like to ambush the smaller fish sheltering in the inshore crevices.
Most saltwater angling happens in the inshores owing to the presence of dozens of Destin coastal fish species, seasonal migrations of the fish up and down the coastline, moderate winds, currents, tides, and the ease of access to the flats, shallow, piers, jetties, and the backcountry.
Destin has been the title-holder of the fishing capital of the south of the US for the longest time, and that isn’t about to change any time soon. There are fishing charters for just about every type of fishing that you can think of from the top of your head.
Take a trip down to Destin, Florida, at any time of the year or fishing calendar, and we guarantee you that you’ll come across anglers doing different types of fishing, including inshore, nearshore, deep sea, kayak, surf, bow, and spearfishing, among other types of niche fishing popular in Destin. It also means that you have plenty of options to work with as far as fishing charter budgets go but rest assured that there is something for every angler out in Destin.
Types of Fish to Catch In Destin, Florida
Ever wondered why Destin goes by the moniker “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village“? Back in 1956, Gov. Leroy Collins happened to stop by Destin on his way to open a fair in Pensacola, Florida. He was only there for a quick photo Op but wound up catching a King Mackerel in just 15-minutes of positioning a tackle set up.
The lucky turn of events turned out to be the talk of the town, and the breakout story from all the major news publications, some of which coined the governor say that Destin is the “luckiest” fishing village in the world in reference to his reeling in of a Mackerel in record time.
Destin’s been known for its fishing expeditions ever since, with most vacationers having angling as their primary fun activity to do while on a getaway in Destin.
Destin Florida Inshore Fishing Charters
There’s a boatload of inshore fish types to hook and bring aboard your chartered vessel while fishing in Destin, including:
Redfish
Visit the inshores in the shallows of the Choctawhatchee Bay of Destin’s Gulf Coast to trap and catch Redfish or Redrum, as it’s also commonly known.
It’s a tough inshore fish species to catch but well worth the trouble when you sit down to have a tasty bite of Redfish meat after a long day of fishing. The Redrum bites more in summer and fall times of the year, during which your angling efforts can be rewarded with a sizable Redfish catch.
You can also call it the Spotted Trout. It’s by far one of Destin’s foremost sport fish. Plan your Destin fishing charter around March or November when the Speckled Trout is expected to bite more, and you just might catch some of that Destin, Florida fishing luck and land a 4-pounder Spotted Trout.
They’re the “Silver Kings of sport fish and game fish” in Destin because of the spirited fight they put on when they bite. If you’re looking for an angling challenge, we suggest you hit the Destin inshores, flats, and backcountry and set out your tackle to trap one of these catch and release bad boys.
The race to bag the Silver King game fish starts in the summer when you’re almost always guaranteed to land Tarpon in the shallows.
If you’re going to Destin to fish sharks, it’s smart to do it with avid Destin Florida Shark Fishing Charters who know their way around the shark Destin-infested waters. Expect to catch Blacktip Bull, Dusky, Hammerhead, Tiger, Nurse, and Bonnethead species of Sharks.
Anglers hit the Emerald Coast in summer for a chance at land and bask in the coveted Snapper angling glory. The shallow inshore waters and nearshore reefs are your best bet at securing a Snapper on the other end of your fishing line. Snappers are subject to strict harvesting laws and recreational regulations, so be sure to check in with Destin Florida Fishing Charters to ensure compliance.
You’ll most likely catch the Red Snapper since it’s the most common of the Snapper family of fishes in the Destin, Florida, area. Other Snappers include Lane, Mangrove, Gray, White, Vermillion, and Mutton Snapper.
The Barracuda that you’ll fish along the coastline are the young ones that reside and feed in seagrass beds of the Destin inshores. Also, check the inshore reefs and wrecks and use light saltwater gear, casting tackle with natural baits to sport fish Barracudas.
Groupers are among the large fish found along the coastline of Destin. They like to hide in reefs in the flats and shallows. Most anglers catch the Gag, Red, Black, and Goliath groupers, though Goliath groupers are endangered and have a catch and release designation.
Destin Florida Offshore Fishing Charters
Ready yourself to employ some offshore fishing techniques such as deep sea trolling, bottom-fishing, and chunking as you venture into the deeper waters off the coast of Destin, Florida. The types of fish that you’ll find in the Destin pelagic and demersal depths include:
Mahi Mahi
The Mahi Mahi is also known as the Dolphinfish because of their rounded heads, bright blue and green body colors, and love for swimming near the water’s surface. Here is something to look forward to on your Destin Florida Mahi Mahi Fishing Charter: the Mahi Mahi skin reflects light to give the impression of changing colors once the fish comes out of the water.
Being offshore fish means that you could spend up to 8-10 hours hunting for Dolphinfish. You can bring your catch back to shore and have one of the Destin, Florida seafood joints fillet and grill it for you at a fee.
Destin offshore waters are home to several species of Tuna. Think Blackfin, Skipjack, Yellowfin, Atlantic Bonito, Bluefin, and the Little Tunny types of Tuna fish. Destin anglers are most conversant with the Blackfin, Yellowfin, and the Little Tunny, which are the most common in Destin of all Tuna types in Florida. The Tuna stands out as a popular sport fish and makes for a tasty fish meat meal.
You’ll find different kinds of Amberjack in the open sea waters of the world, but Destin is where you’ll specifically catch and reel in a Greater Amberjack. They go by Greater Amberjack because they can grow insanely huge and weigh up to 200 pounds.
Anglers can catch them in reefs and wrecks off the coast of Destin and either marvel at their amber-colored bodies, with dark stripes that run from their heads to their dorsal fins before unhooking and releasing them back into the water or toss them into the cooler for dinner later on.
It’s said that the Greater Amberjack changes the color of its dark body stripes from amber to yellow when the fish is feeding or in the face of danger. You better watch out for this awesome spectacle when you go on a spearfishing charter in the Destin offshores.
Mackerel
Most Mackerel species of fish you’ll catch in the Destin offshore waters will average 2 to 20 pounds in live weight.
But don’t settle for that catch. If you’ve got time on your Destin Florida Offshore Fishing Charter, hunt for an even bigger Mackerel like the King Mackerel because they’re lurking out there in the rocky seafloor.
Other types of Mackerel you should look forward to while fishing in Destin include Cero Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel.
Snapper
Spend 4 to 12 hours on a Destin offshore fishing expedition or take a couple of days’ worth of a Destin Florida Offshore Snapper Fishing Charter to bottom-fish the seafloor of the 100-Fathom Curve, “The Edge,” among other deep sea fishing spots in search of offshore Snapper fish types such as Red Snapper Gray Snapper, Lane Snapper, and Mutton Snapper.
Why Choose Destin Florida Fishing Charters for Your Next Fishing Adventure
Amazing Captains
Not only are Destin Florida Fishing Charter’s captains well-vast in the Destin, Florida fishing scene, but some are also Destin natives, tournament fishermen, and boast of unprecedented inshore, nearshore, and offshore angling expertise.
Our captains have star-studded fishing reports and a track record of guiding some of the best Destin fishing charters year on year based on online customer reviews and firsthand accounts of anglers who’ve been on any of our charters before.
Great equipment
Having the appropriate equipment is at the heart of every successful Destin Florida Fishing Charters fishing trip. We’ve got charter boats for the coastal shallows and flats, nearshore bays, and sophisticated offshore Gulf boats for the toughest of terrains and conditions that offshore waters can ever throw our way.
Our boats can handle over ten anglers and charter staff crews and still leave room for sleeping quarters, large coolers, gear, and tackle.
We provide nautical maps, sonar technology, fishing tools, licenses, and permits for freshwater and saltwater fishing expeditions all over the state and federal waters of Destin, Florida.
Our other specialty lies in tackle prowess. The Destin Florida Fishing Charters package you get comes fully loaded with an assortment of all types of fishing tackle. You needn’t worry about bringing your fishing lines (monofilament, braided, fluorocarbon, or other types), hooks (J-hooks, circular hooks, etc.), bait (both live and artificial), lures, bobbers, sinkers, swivels, and any other necessary tackle.
Fantastic experiences
You’ll have the time of your life, and money can’t buy, once in a lifetime experiences, should you choose to book one of Destin Florida Fishing Charters.
We can commission charters for all types of fish in Destin and guide you through tournament angling, such as the annual fishing festival: The Destin Fishing Rodeo.
We cover all the popular fishing spots and guide sport and game fishing inshore, nearshore, and offshore trips for families, corporates, and vacationing anglers. Place your booking call today and schedule a Destin Florida Fishing Charter of your choice.
Book Your Fishing Charter
LET'S GET STARTED
