Winter Fishing Charters: What Can You Catch in Destin?

When winter rolls in, many outdoor activities slow down. However, for passionate anglers, the season is just heating up! While casual fishers may pack up their rods until spring, winter fishing charters continue to deliver outstanding opportunities. In fact, colder months can bring some of the best fishing of the year, with fewer crowds, unique species, and exciting techniques.

Booking winter fishing charters isn’t just for the hardcore angler. Whether you’re heading offshore, inshore, or venturing onto a frozen lake, there’s a whole world of winter fishing just waiting to be explored. So what can you catch when the temperatures drop? Read on to find out!

Why Choose Winter Fishing Charters?

Less Pressure, More Opportunity

Unlike peak summer fishing, winter fishing charters like ours at Destin Florida Fishing Charters operate in a much calmer environment. With fewer boats on the water, fish aren’t as pressured, meaning they’re often more likely to strike. This offers better success rates for those looking for an action-packed day.

Prime Time for Seasonal Species

Many species are highly active or reach peak migration during the winter. From saltwater monsters like wahoo and tuna to freshwater favorites like lake trout and perch, winter opens the door to a different selection of fish you won’t find in warmer months.

Scenic and Serene Experiences

Winter waters, whether ice-covered or oceanic, offer a peaceful and scenic backdrop. You’ll avoid the crowds, enjoy crisp air, and often witness stunning landscapes or wildlife, making winter fishing charters about more than just the catch.

Saltwater Winter Fishing: What You Can Catch

1. Striped Bass

A favorite among East Coast anglers, striped bass move closer to shore in winter, especially in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S. waters. These powerful fish offer an exciting fight and are known for their consistent winter activity.

Why They’re Great in Winter: Cooler water brings striped bass into shallower, more accessible areas. They’re often found in estuaries and river mouths, and winter feeding makes them highly catchable.

Techniques: Use trolling rigs or live bait such as bunker or eels. Anglers often locate them using sonar, then cast lures like jigs and swimbaits to trigger bites.

2. Redfish (Red Drum)

Redfish are known for their year-round activity, but winter brings some of the best opportunities, especially in southern states like Florida, Texas, and Louisiana.

Winter Behavior: Cooler temperatures push redfish into shallow flats where the water is slightly warmer. Their congregating behavior makes them easy to target.

Tactics: Sight casting on sunny days can be especially productive. Use soft plastics or live shrimp under popping corks for exciting topwater action.

3. Sheepshead

Sheepshead are structure-loving fish that thrive in cooler water. They’re highly sought after in winter fishing charters for both their challenge and taste.

Winter Habits: Found around bridge pilings, docks, and rocky areas, sheepshead feed on barnacles, oysters, and crustaceans during the winter.

Fishing Methods: Use fiddler crabs or shrimp on small hooks. Light tackle with sensitive rods helps detect their subtle bites.

4. Tautog (Blackfish)

In the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, tautog are a prized winter target. They’re known for their powerful fights and tricky, nibbling bites.

Why They’re Targeted in Winter: These fish hang tight to rocky structures and wrecks, especially as water temperatures drop. Cold weather actually activates their feeding.

Technique Tips: Use bottom rigs with green crabs or clams. Drop bait directly into rocky crevices where tautog hide. Be prepared for quick, strong pulls.

Offshore Winter Fishing: Deep Water, Big Catches

5. Yellowfin and Blackfin Tuna

Tuna are one of the top prizes on winter fishing charters, especially in offshore locations like the Gulf of Mexico, the Outer Banks, or the Florida Keys.

Seasonal Pattern: Tuna move in closer to shore or along temperature breaks during the winter, often traveling in schools that feed aggressively.

How to Catch Them: Techniques include chunking with cut bait, kite fishing, and high-speed trolling. Watch for birds and surface activity to locate tuna schools.

6. Wahoo

Wahoo, known for speed and ferocity, are a top winter target in the southern Atlantic, Pacific, and tropical waters. Their aggressive strikes make them a thrilling challenge.

Winter Peak: The cooler water temperatures in regions like the Bahamas or South Florida are ideal for wahoo migration. They’re often caught near deep-water ledges and current lines.

Recommended Techniques: High-speed trolling with flashy lures or rigged ballyhoo is the go-to method. Wire leaders are essential due to their razor-sharp teeth.

Freshwater Winter Fishing: Cold Weather, Hot Bites

7. Lake Trout

Lake trout are a cold-water species that become more accessible in deep lakes during the winter. These fish are prized for their size and are common in areas like the Great Lakes, Canadian lakes, and high-altitude reservoirs.

Why Fish Them in Winter: Lake trout come closer to the surface and into shallower waters in the cold, making them ideal for winter jigging or trolling.

How to Catch: Use jigging spoons, tube jigs, or live bait. Downriggers or vertical jigging techniques are particularly effective from charter boats.

8. Crappie

Crappie are popular across the U.S. and are especially active in the winter. They’re a favorite for winter fishing charters on lakes and reservoirs due to their schooling nature.

Winter Behavior: As water temps drop, crappie tend to gather around submerged brush, ledges, or bridge pilings. Once located, you can catch several from a single spot.

Best Techniques: Light jigs tipped with minnows or grubs are ideal. Vertical jigging and slow retrieves work well in colder waters.

9. Northern Pike

Known as the “wolves of the water,” northern pike stay aggressive year-round, even under the ice. They’re commonly targeted on guided ice fishing trips or winter charters in northern states and Canada.

Winter Characteristics: Pike are opportunistic feeders and lurk around weed lines, drop-offs, and underwater structure during winter.

Effective Strategies: Use large live bait on tip-ups or actively jig flashy lures. Be ready for a hard strike and a long, intense fight.

10. Perch

Yellow perch are another winter mainstay, especially for ice fishing. They’re often found in large schools and provide steady action for anglers of all levels.

Winter Behavior: Perch hold in mid-depth areas and are usually suspended near bottom structure.

How to Catch: Drop small tungsten jigs tipped with waxworms or maggots. Light line and small hooks improve bite detection.

Winter fishing is far from slow. In fact, with the right guide and gear, winter fishing charters can deliver some of the best catches of the year. Whether you’re casting for redfish in coastal flats, jigging for lake trout in a frozen reservoir, or trolling for tuna offshore, there’s a seasonal opportunity for every angler.

The key to success is preparation—dress appropriately, book an experienced charter, and be open to learning winter-specific tactics. Embracing the cold may just reward you with the fish of a lifetime. Are you looking for a reputable fishing charter to achieve your dream catch? Contact us today at Destin Florida FIshing Charters and book the ultimate fishing day!