Grouper

For those new to fishing in the near Destin, Florida, then you might be curious as to what species of fish can be caught.  Here is just a small list, to pique your interest:

Fish Common to Deep Sea Fishing in the Waters of Destin

*******Please keep in mind that these fish can only be caught and kept in season and have bag limits. Finest Kind Charters will not allow our anglers to keep fish that are caught off-season! 

1. Mackerel – There are several different species of mackerel found in the Destin salt waters. Some of which include the Spanish mackerel, the king mackerel and the cero mackerel. The mackerel specie can range in size from 2 to 20 pounds, during the warmer season when temperatures are over 70 degrees.
2. Snapper – There are many species of snapper in our Emerald Coast waters! Some of the snapper species include blackfin, cubera, dog snapper, gray snapper, queen snapper, lane snappers, the schoolmaster and the red snapper. Perhaps one of the most recognizable (even by non-anglers) is the red snapper species which is typically a pinkish red color. They can weigh as much as 35 pounds and are most commonly caught by deep sea anglers in water that is 60 to 440 feet deep. The vermillion snapper can be caught year-round and can weigh between 2 and 6 pounds.
   

   Amberjack & Red Snapper

3. Grouper – Black, Goliath, Nassau, gag, red Warsaw, yellowfin and yellowmouth comprise the commonly caught grouper species when angling in the waters of Emerald Coast. The grouper is typically a bottom fish, but should you plan a Finest Kind deep sea fishing trip during the cooler months, groupers can often be caught when trolling using artificial lures. The black grouper can easily exceed 40 pounds, the gag grouper 25 pounds, the red grouper 15 pounds and the Warsaw can exceed 500 pounds! Definitely, a fish you want to catch!
4. Spotted Seatrout – This is one of Florida’s most popular sportfish. It is most often caught between March and November and weigh 4 pounds or more – depending on time of year and whether one is fishing on the east or west coasts of Florida.
5. Sailfish – This is the official saltwater fish of Florida, and is well known for performing high beautiful jumps, its blue-brown coloring and its spear-like snout. These fish are especially common in the panhandle area and can grow up to 5 feet in a single year.
   

   Sailfish caught aboard the Finest Kind.

6. Amberjack -While this particular species of fish is not caught nearly as often as most anglers would like, they can be found when offshore fishing along the Emerald Cast. Depending on the variety (common ones include greater amberjacks, horse-eye jacks, leatherjackets, palometa, and lookdown) of amberjack they can reach anywhere from 10 to 40 pounds.
7. Swordfish – Unlike many fish common to Destin waters, the swordfish can be caught all around the globe- so long as the waters are tropical temps (although it seems that the females of the species prefer cooler waters). These amazing fish will put up quite the fight when hooked adding to the excitement of the catch and they can weigh as little as 50 lbs. to a full-grown female which can weigh significantly more than 200 pounds!
   

   Dolphin

8. Shortfin Mako – Deep blue and black with a white underside, the shortfin mako is often found near the water’s surface and is known for putting up an impressive fight when hooked. They range in length from 6 to 8 feet and can weigh as much as 300 pounds.
9. Dolphin – This is not your average Flipper! The dolphins sometimes found to in Destin waters, are bright green-blue, with yellow, lime green and even purple on its sides They are usually caught in warm water areas and can weigh as much as 80 pounds but is more commonly found to weigh in at the 30-pound mark. Due to its ability to reach as much as 50 knots, it is a fun fish to catch.
10. Cobia – This long, sleek fish can be found inshore and nearshore, especially around pillings, wrecks and buoys. They can be as much as 6 feet long and weigh 10 to 50 pounds – though some have reached as much 80 pounds. It should be noted that the state record is 130 pounds 1 ounce and was caught near Destin!
11. Shark -No list of Destin area fish would be complete without including the various species of sharks residing in our water. In fact, the offshore waters of Florida include nearly 2 dozen varieties of sharks! Some of the more common species include the bonnethead shark, bull sharks, Atlantic sharpnose sharks, tiger sharks, and finetooth sharks. They can range in size from 3.5 to 12.5 feet long (variety depending).
12. Tuna – There are 6 common species of tuna in the Florida waters: Atlantic bonito, blackfin, bluefin, little tunny, skipjack, and yellowfin. The two most common to the Destin region waters are the yellowfin and the little tunny. The yellowfin can weigh as much as 360 pounds, while the little tunny’s average weight is 26 pounds. The tuna is a popular sportfish, as well as a great for eating, and favorite to reel in aboard the Finest Kind.

This is but a brief list of the many different fish you might reel in when fishing aboard the Finest Kind. Whether you are just looking for some time outside of the of the office, chasing the one that got away, or eager to embark on your first ever deep sea fishing adventure, time spent on the waters of Destin’s Emerald Coast is never wasted and always exciting.

Contact the Finest Kind team today to book your fishing adventure this year!

Sources:

• VisitFlorida.com
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• Harbor Walk Fishing Charters