You’ve planned your vacation for months or even years, saved your money, done some research, and booked what you think is the perfect Destin fishing trip. You’ve already cleared out space in your freezer for fillets, or perhaps a space above the mantel for your trophy replica. Then, when the long-awaited day finally arrives, you get nailed by the old bait and switch.
Look, tough fishing happens. There are days when the conditions are unfavorable, or the fish just aren’t biting. We’re not talking about that. We’re talking about situations where you’re promised one thing and delivered another – or delivered nothing at all.
These charter fishing scams are dream-killers. They’re vacation killers. And they reflect especially poorly on what is otherwise an upstanding charter industry that works exceptionally hard to deliver your bucket list experience.
Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous operators throughout the vacation industry, perpetrating scams on people who don’t know better. The fishing industry is not immune to such chicanery. They particularly prey on beginning or novice saltwater anglers and people seeking luxury experiences for their families, but even experienced traveling anglers can get hooked if they’re not careful.
It’s miserable to save and wait, and then pay for what amounts to an expensive boat ride, but you can minimize or possibly even eliminate the risk of such disappointment if you watch out for certain telltale signs.
So, what is the “bait and switch” when it comes to actual fishing?
Well, in the billfish world, “bait and switch” is a carefully orchestrated dance where teasers, often without hooks, are set out in an array behind the boat and trolled into likely areas. Their action and flash attract fish into the spread of baitfish imitators. Then you quickly reel the teaser forward to get the fish hot and force him to chase. As he comes toward the boat and gets ready to strike, you replace the hookless lure with a hooked bait and drop it right in his face. He bites and the fight is on!
Unfortunately, this same strategy can apply to anglers themselves. When someone gets you moving toward a “lure” that seems too good to be true that often turns out to be the case – and you don’t want to end up hooked, because there’s no catch and release in the real world. You’re going to be someone’s unwitting trophy.
That’s the bottom line. If it looks too good to be true it probably is. Unfortunately, when you’re in “vacation mode,” and you’ve already spent a ton on a rental house or hotel, various other activities, and new gear for the trip, it’s easy to be seduced by the flash of a false bargain. Here are some of the most common vacation fishing scams to watch out for:
Fake Charter Fishing Operators – This is the worst of the worst of the scams: Fortunately, fairly infrequent but possibly the most painful. Scammers create fake websites or social media profiles for charter fishing services, often offering deals that seem too good to be true. After booking and paying a deposit, the tourist finds out there is no actual charter service. There’s another offshoot of this in the form of a guy at the dock or marina who promises to broker a trip for you and when you show up there’s no boat, no captain, and no sign of your new acquaintance.
“Too-Good-To-Be-True” Fishing Packages – If someone offers a trip for substantially less than the general range offered by other charters. Yes, there are some operators who can or do charge less than most others, but typically there’s a reason, some sort of cost-cutting that is likely to negatively impact your trip. Make sure you know what you’re getting before you make your choice. Is there an upcharge for live bait? Is fish cleaning included? What about water, ice and food? Some fisheries do have add-ons, like various taxes or upgrades, but you need to know about these in advance, so you don’t end up on the short end of the stick.
Unlicensed Fishing Guides – A captain or charter operation that doesn’t have the proper permits and licenses can of course operate at a lower rate than those who follow the rules, but if they operate outside the law in that sphere, who knows where else they’re likely to cut corners? Do they follow fish and game regulations? If not, YOU could end up with a costly fine. Even worse, they may not have proper safety equipment onboard, or have gone through required training and maintenance, which can result in great risk to you and your loved ones.
Who Gets the Fish? – If you’re expecting to make a meal – or a series of meals – out of your catch, you may be disappointed when the boat’s crew grabs them for their own kitchen, or to sell illicitly. Or there may be fish cleaning or processing fees. The latter are not necessarily illegitimate, as they require quite a bit of work, but you should know about them in advance.
Trophy Fees – Some captains and outfitters have deals with taxidermists. They’ll tell you that your latest catch is a true trophy, one that needs to be memorialized, and that if you “act now” they’ll cut you a tremendous deal on a replica for your home or office. There are, of course, catches. First, the fish may not be a true trophy, although you might not care. Second, they are of course taking a cut, so you might be able to get a better deal by talking to the taxidermist yourself, or shopping around. Finally, make sure that they really are middlemen. Once you’ve given over that deposit, it’s miserable to reach out to the taxidermist months later and realize you were scammed.
Equipment Scams – When you hook into that fish of a lifetime, you want to make sure that the rod, reel and line are up to the task. Ask what kind of gear they use ahead of time. Websites are not always accurate and it’s miserable to show up expecting “tournament grade” tackle only to end up with gear that would’ve been outdated and in poor condition 50 years ago. Sometimes they’ll even try to get you to pay an upgrade fee or a rental fee to use the good stuff – another example of the bait and switch.
Overpriced Fishing License Scams – Some third-party websites sell fishing licenses at exorbitant prices, often double or triple the cost, with hidden fees. Purchase fishing licenses only from official state websites or authorized retailers. The best charters, like Destin Florida’s Finest Kind, have NO additional licensing fees as that’s taken care of by the captain and included in the charter.
Fake Fish Cleaning and Shipping Services – As with the fish replica scams detailed above, what happens if you seemingly contract to get your fish cleaned and shipped but they never arrive, or they’re spoiled upon receipt? Sorry, you’re out of luck. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. You can’t go back in time.
We’ve all been conditioned to look out for “phishing” scams in our everyday life, but unfortunately “fishing” scams are prevalent, too. You may not lose your identity or your passwords, but they’re able to compromise your expected day or days of fun on the water.
Do your internet research and ask around before booking any charters. Only go with established, well-regarded outfitters, ideally with recommendations from unbiased parties. And ask questions! This is your trip, and particularly if you’re a beginner or an infrequent angler, you might not know that terminology or the most common practices. Most importantly, remember that if something sounds too good to be true, or doesn’t jibe with others’ experiences or expectations, be skeptical.
While this may come off as overly negative, it’s purely meant to help ensure that your Emerald Coast fishing trip has a maximum chance of success. Unscrupulous outfitters make the great ones look bad by association, but there are honest anglers and captains out there. Find one who wants to make your dream trip come true.
Book your Destin fishing trip on a fully licensed luxury charter boat with a captain with over 30 years’ experience!
You don’t need to go to distant shores to fulfill your fishing fantasies.
That’s because Destin, Florida, the ultimate fishing destination, is close to many major population hubs, but once you’re on our friendly shores, you can leave all of your cares behind and focus on the water.
Indeed, Florida’s Emerald Coast provides the ultimate deep sea fishing experience. You don’t need to be an expert, although plenty of experts come here to live out their dreams. All you need is the right attitude, a little bit of initial research to find the right boat, the right captain and the right time to visit (Hint: there are no wrong times). Whether you want food for the table, a replica for the wall, something to brag about, or all of the above, there’s a charter experience for you that can set you on your way.
Big, tasty red snapper? Check.
Giant billfish? Check.
Inshore species galore? How many do you want to catch?
Indeed, you can experience several of them in the same trip, or even on the same day.
The great thing about the Destin fishing experience is that you don’t need to have any fishing experience at all. Indeed, with a world-class and varied charter fleet helmed by captains with decades of experience on the water pleasing clients, angling success sometimes comes down to doing your research and showing up. Of course, there are no guarantees in fishing – the weather, the season and a sprinkling of good or bad luck are major contributing factors – but by choosing the right Destin deep sea fishing experience you can stack the odds in your favor.
Reasons People Visit Destin
Destin Skyline
There’s nothing wrong with planning a dedicated fishing trip to Destin. That gives you the maximum chances for success, as whether, tides and other variables can greatly affect the bite. Indeed, if you come for several days on the water, you can chase that trophy or experience varied types of fishing – from bottom fishing to casting to trolling, for everything from snapper to cobia to tuna to marlin.
But let’s say that you’ll be on the Emerald Coast for a family get-together, a wedding or a corporate event: that’s a prime opportunity to get out on the water and release whatever stress you have in your life. Indeed, the Destin charter fleet hosts many bachelor and bachelorette parties, guys’ or girls’ weekends, and reunions of all sorts where fishing can serve as a centerpiece for bonding. Indeed, chartering a quality boat or boats take away a lot of the hassles of planning, and end up being a ton of fun without anyone getting into trouble.
Things to Consider Before Taking a Deep Sea Fishing Trip
Safety and comfort are essential parts of a good deep sea fishing trip. After all, the goal is to have a good time, right? Fortunately, the waters around the Emerald Coast are remarkably calm most of the time, but some people even get seasick in a bathtub. There are over the counter and prescription remedies that will prevent this. If you’re not sure, be prepared.
You’ll also need to consider the weather. Remember, the elements can be more extreme at sea. Does the boat have cover? Does it have a restroom? What clothing will you need to be comfortable and effective? Ask your captain ahead of time and be sure to go with someone with a good reputation and quality equipment.
The price also matters. Sometimes a half day trip will be enough, but other times a full day is necessary to get the full fishing experience. The cheapest option is not always your best choice, nor is the most expensive choice. Find the one that fits your needs.
Different Types of Fishing
Catches from the Finest Kind
While some fisheries are superior for one type of angling, or particular species of fish, one of the great things about a deep sea fishing trip out of Destin is the variety. Something is always biting!
One very popular year-round option is bottom fishing. As you’d guess, this is for a variety of species like snapper and grouper that hug the bottom. While anyone can do it with the proper gear in the “secret spots,” it takes a steady hand sometimes to feel the bites. One of the side benefits of this type of fishing is that many of the species are really great table fare. Just make sure that they are in season.
There are also shipwrecks galore in the Gulf of Mexico that make natural habitats for everything from sharks to jacks to mackerel. Indeed, the Gulf is a dynamic ecosystem all its own, with reefs and canyons and pelagic fish that chase schools of baitfish their whole lives. There are giant fish, too – tuna over 800 pounds, sharks over 900. Red snapper, which don’t weigh nearly that much, are perhaps the most popular in-season target because they fight like a boxer and taste tremendous. For those same reasons, summertime King Mackerel fishing is extremely popular.
There are even overnight charters of 24, 48- or 72- hours that allow you to make long runs for particular species, maximizing your fishing time and chances of effectiveness. While many first-timers have a blast on these trips, it probably pays to take a shorter charter first to ensure that you’ll love it.
The Gulf is remarkably popular for big game year-round – wahoo, mahi, tuna and various billfish – because it is so fertile. There are both resident and transient fish. Be sure to eat your Wheaties ahead of time and have a taxidermist on speed dial to order your replica for your home or office.
Different Types of Experiences
Most casual fishing trips have fairly amorphous goals. Indeed, the primary function of the fishing trip is to spend time together outside and perhaps take home something for the table. Depending on how seriously you take it however, consider embracing one of the following goals:
Catch a trophy fish
Catch multiple species of fish
Catch enough for a group dinner
Corporate team-building
Giving children a taste of the outdoors
Rewards for a job well done or a major milestone
Learning a new fishing technique
Preparing for future fishing trips by learning how to run the boat or rig your gear.
Any or all of these can be combined into the trip of a lifetime. Just be sure to ask your captain, or the experts at the on-the-water bait shop or marina, which ones are feasible and attainable – and get after it!
Whether you want to go inshore or offshore, prefer luxury or a budget option, Destin may be the best choice for a fishing trip in the United States. It might be a one-off, or a bucket list destination, but we’re betting that you’ll come back and hit the water again and again and again.
The call of Destin, Florida means different things to different people, but if some sort of fishing is on your Florida adventure to-do list, Destin provides the ultimate backdrop for your vacation – whether you’re coming by yourself, with a group of friends, or with your family.
Oftentimes if you want to experience an adventure vacation with world-class fishing, particularly with variety in mind, you need to visit some remote, off-the-grid location. That can be fun and occasionally exhilarating, but for most of us the associated hassles aren’t worth it. They’re often not kid- or family-friendly, they’re excessively costly and it takes extra time to get there and back – and frequently they don’t have the creature comforts that we’ve come to appreciate and expect.
A trip to the Emerald Coast, and to Destin in particular, is likely the best fishing adventure you can imagine. You can dive deep into one type of angling or sample from a buffet of options, but it’s the one place that has activities for everyone and no one will feel anything but fulfilled.
Why Destin?
Florida – from one end of the state to the other – has long been a dream destination for vacationers from around the country and around the world. We’ve made tourism and adventure our business for good reason: because the weather, natural resources and ease of travel are unmatched by any other vacation spot. But Destin is different from most other Florida adventures in all the best ways.
That starts with our location. Up here on the Panhandle, with water all around, you have quick access to points north, south, east and west. There’s the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport not far away, and major highways close by – all of the infrastructure needed to enter and exit efficiently, without being overgrown or overdeveloped like some other popular venues.
Then there’s our temperature, year-round climate – never too hot, never too cold, always just about right. You’ll get four seasons without the overbearing extremes. That’ll keep you comfortable as you pursue both water-based and land-based activities, or just sitting in a chair enjoying a libation. We have great restaurants, bars and attractions, but the lure of Destin is the ability to be comfortably outside well over 300 days a year.
Destin Activities for Everyone
If you’re a hard-core angler, you might come to the Emerald Coast specifically for the fishing, but what if you just want a world-class angling add-on to your trip? Or if the family wants to do other things? There are literally endless numbers of activities to pursue for people of all ages, interests and physical abilities. Here are some of our favorites:
Gator Beach
Where else can you feed a live alligator? Gator Beach is fun for the whole family with over 100 alligators on-site that you can feed yourself. It’s become one of the most well-known gator farms in the country.
Henderson Beach State Park
The park offers fine white sand beaches and spectacular emerald-colored waters. There is a small fee required to enjoy this state park, but activities include nature trails, picnicking, camping and grilling. Henderson Beach State Park receives a lot of positive feedback from visitors for being one of the most family friendly, off-the-beaten path things to do in Destin.
Big Kahuna’s Water Adventure Park
Big Kahuna’s Water Adventure Park is the perfect day activity if your family’s sick of the beach. Here you’ll find water rides, feature slides, and even a wave simulator – and, of course, a Lazy River so the parents can relax, too. There’s even a miniature golf course to cap off the day.
Kelly Plantation Golf Club
Adults and avid golfers love the Kelly Plantation Golf Club. The club itself was designed around a lush stretch of coastline along Choctawhatchee Bay, and the course is as beautiful as the landscape. Go enjoy a round of golf while in town and tell your friends you experienced one of the state’s top-ranked courses.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. You couldn’t exhaust all of the options in ten lifetimes, but if you want to try, we’ll do our best to make it happen.
Have a Great Charter Boat Fishing Experience in Destin
For you adventurous types, especially those with a streak of Jack London or Ernest Hemingway running through your veins, the fishing will be the draw on your epic Florida adventure. Bring the family or leave them to their own devices but assess our seasons and our offerings and we’ll put them up against any “destination fishery” worldwide. When you push off from the dock, you never know exactly how the day will go or what you’ll catch, but you know that you’re in the proper zone for success.
Fortunately, Destin has a well-developed charter fleet and fishing infrastructure, including bait shops. There are tons of options to find the right charter for your group and your goals. The best charters include top-notch equipment, considerations of safety, an understanding of the likely species you’ll encounter, and a desire to please the customers. The worst ones are unsafe or may just end up turning into an expensive boat ride. There are all sorts of gradations in between, and there’s not necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution, but if you ask the right questions, and take certain factors into consideration, you’re more likely to skew towards the side of excellence.
What’s to Catch Around Destin?
Many conversations start with snapper, including species such as gray snapper, mutton snapper, lane snapper, and the highly desirable red snapper. The latter, which fight like banshees and taste divine, grow to record proportions here. Some of the red snapper can live a few hundred feet deep, so if you want to learn about structure fishing and marine electronics (while catching one of the best-tasting fish on earth) they’re the ones you want to target.
Some other tasty fish include mahi mahi (AKA, dorado or dolphinfish), which are brightly colored, taste incredible, and reproduce multiple times a year, so there’s no harm in harvesting them. They’re lightning fast and can grow up to 80 pounds.
Grouper are another popular fish, with various types residing here. They include Black, Goliath, Nassau, gag, red, Warsaw, yellowfin and yellowmouth. The Goliath lives in gnarly wrecks and will test your physical fitness. Several others live on the bottom, but we often catch them trolling artificial lures in the winter, too.
You want to catch a billfish? We have tasty swordfish, which are best caught at night, and majestic sailfish that jump and swim like underwater cheetahs. There are also tuna and spotted seatrout and cobia, all renowned for their plate worthiness. If you time it right, you can often catch several of these in the same day.
Adventure and Entertainment in the Same Place
Besides the superior fishing itself, what’s the best thing about an adventure fishing trip to Destin? It’s the opportunity to do something every minute, do nothing at all, or find some happy medium in between those extremes. After catching the delectable table fare of your dreams, take it home or to a local restaurant and get it prepared to your liking. Or just sit back, toes in the sand and a cold drink in your hands – it’ll give you an opportunity to reflect back on that glorious experience and to look forward to the next one.
That’s the best thing about a Destin fishing vacation: realizing that it met your spiritual and physical needs and then planning the next one. Finding an experienced charter captain is the first step in tying that all up together. Get going on your Florida adventure today and prepare to be drawn back to the Emerald Coast again and again and again.
The great news about fishing in Destin, Florida is that there’s always something biting but understanding what you’re able to target at a particular time isn’t always simple. Your charter captain should and will likely know, but even if a particular species is technically allowable to pursue and/or keep, they may not be present or biting.
If you’ll be on the Emerald Coast at a particular time, or there’s a specific type of fish you want to chase, it makes sense to be realistic about your options. It’s also critical to check the latest regulations (most bait and tackle shops will be able tell you, or you can check out the regs online), especially if you’re undertaking the trip on your own.
One of the best places to understand the regulations in Federal waters is the Gulf of Mexico’s Fishery Management Council website. They know that fishing is big business and a way of life for those who live in Destin and those who travel there, so they endeavor to lay things out as clearly as possible.
The great news is that there are lots of fish – both great table fare and great sporting opposition – for which the seasons are open year-round. Even then, however, it pays to understand the minimum size to keep them, the maximum size to keep them, and the total bag limit. Sometimes such limits will be aggregated with fish of similar types.
Destin was founded by Billy Marler and Captain Leonard Destin in the mid 1800’s. The area was named after Captain Destin, a master angler who originally came to the area to take advantage of the large array of fish in the nearby waters. By the early 1900s, the first private charter business in Destin began to take thrill seeking anglers out to harvest the gulf waters. At the time, the area was known as “The Bill Fish Capital of the Gulf” and has since grown into the deep-sea fishing destination phenomenon it is today.
These days there remain ample fishing spots both near to the shore and far from it. Weather may determine what you can chase at a given time, but it also comes down to how you want to fish. There’s bottom fishing, and then trolling and sight fishing. Check out the breakdowns below. They aren’t the only fish you can target at those times, but they’re our best bets for what’s biting:
Winter (December – February): Load the Boat While the Rest of the Country is Iced Over
Bottom Fish: Amberjack, Vermillion Snapper, Triggerfish, White Snapper, Black Snapper
Troll/Sight Fish: Wahoo, Tuna
Spring (March – May): Moving Toward Warmer Waters
Bottom Fish: Amberjack, Vermillion Snapper, Triggerfish, White Snapper, Black Snapper, Shark
If you hire a reputable charter captain, he or she should know the best fishing spots at particular seasonal junctures, but if you want to do it on your own, from land or from a boat, consider the various habitats that draw fish like moths to a flame.
Throughout the bay, there are tons of great spots where you can set up your own fishing adventure. They include:
The Destin Bridge
East and West Jetty
Coast Guard Station
Norriego Point
Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier:
Several of these places – and many more – are accessible by foot or by car, some for a small fee, others for free. Always make sure that you are not trespassing, and the popular spots became that way for a reason but try to get away from the crowds if you can. Sometimes that’s not possible, which is ok because the popular piers and bridges have fish enough for everyone.
Ask around but keep your eyes and all of your other senses open to the changing conditions and to clues that you might be at or near a great spot…and don’t be afraid to change locations.
Pay attention to safety, too, not just with your hooks but with your footwork. Due to tidal changes, jetties may be a prime feeding ground for a large variety of fish, but the currents and waves and slippery conditions may crate footing hazards
Remember, fish need several things to keep them going: a ready supply of food, some protection from predators, and usually some current. If you can find those things together, whether under a dock or around a seawall or in a grass bed, something probably lives there. That’s when the fun begins – figuring out what that “something” might be and how to get it to bite.
The Okaloosa Fishing Pier is an especially great option for beginners and experts alike. It juts out 1,262 feet into the Gulf of Mexico, has bait for sale, and you don’t need a license to fish here. Stay near the shore for easier catches or go to the end and test your skill with more challenging fish. You’ll be surprised at the amazing variety that’s available.
Bay fishing in Destin is a great experience for anglers of all ages and skill levels. We formally invite you to come to Destin and experience the very best inshore bay fishing around! Well, as formally as a casual beach town can, anyway…Just be sure to check those regulations to properly understand and abide by Destin’s fishing seasons, to keep the fishing great for generations to come.
Notes on Seasons and Some Popular Species
Remember, some fish can be found in multiple habitats. For example, Cobia can be found both inshore and offshore, depending on the time of year and what they’re feeding upon. A cobia that is located inshore is likely hunting shrimp or smaller fish. In the deep water, they may not recognize the same types of bait you would use inshore. This is where it may pay to consult with a tackle shop or to employ a charter captain.
If you are fishing for Cobia around Destin, Florida it is important to understand the behaviors of cobia and how to target them. Cobia is a migratory fish, and the local populations tend to migrate from the northern Gulf to the Southern Gulf and then back again. Generally, from March into October you find the most cobia in the Northern Gulf waters. From October or November until March or early April, you find the most cobia in the Southern waters of the Gulf.
The best Cobia Season in Florida is when the fish are in the Northern Gulf of Mexico – March through October and sometimes into November. If you are planning on fishing for longer or overnight, then you can fish Cobia year-round. It takes longer to hit the Southern waters, but it is doable.
While there are billfish around in multiple seasons, the big game fish like marlin may be most accessible during the fall, when changing temperatures push bait fish into regions accessible for Destin charter boats.
Tuna are one of our visitors’ favorite species because they pull hard and taste great. Yellowfins up to 240 pounds have been caught here. Hey can be caught trolling, chumming or even fly fishing.
Red Snapper may be the pride of the Gulf, another coveted species that fights like the dickens and tastes great, but due to complicated state and federal regulations, and increasingly short seasons, it pays to know when they are in season, and how to target them.
There’s no bad time for the angler, or the vacationer, to come to Destin. Our fishing is always on fire in some respect – just make sure you know what to target on your preferred dates.
While many anglers see fishing as a contemplative and peaceful effort, and we think that’s OK, sometimes it takes some old-fashioned mano-a-mano combat to really get the blood flowing. Competing in fishing tournaments is a great way to test your skills, feed your competitive juices, and perhaps pay for your hobby.
Fortunately for residents of Destin and travelers to the Emerald Coast, our fertile waters and multiple world-class fisheries provide the playing field for everything from weekend small scale derbies to competitions that bring the best of the best from all over the globe.
The Destin Fishing Rodeo
Perhaps the best known is the October Destin Fishing Rodeo, which is more than just a fishing competition. It includes everything from a 5K run to a pageant to events and activities for kids too young to compete.
The Destin Fishing Rodeo is considered the “ultimate saltwater tournament” because of its incredible scale, which includes not only huge prize payouts, but also 29 divisions for over 33 species of fish. Virtually every meaningful gamefish found in local waters is eligible for some sort of prize. That means the various local snappers and groupers, as well as King Mackerel, and massive billfish like sailfish are marlin are all valid targets. In other words, no matter what your favorite species, what kind of craft you own, and where you think your competitive advantage lies, there’s a way to get in on the action.
It’s possible to competed out of a kayak or paddle board, or even from a bridge or the beach, but if you want to hit the depths and you don’t own a boat, you can charter one.
What makes the Destin Fishing Rodeo stand apart from other tournaments is the emphasis placed on children during the event. The biggest investment that the fishing communities across America have is in our children. The Destin Fishing Rodeo is a time to involve children and families in the traditions of coastal living.
Other Fishing Competitions in Destin
If you won’t be in Destin in October, or you want to fish a different time of year, or simply have the itch to fish multiple tournaments, there are other major events taking place throughout the calendar year.
One of the most exciting fish to chase, as well as one of the tastiest, is the cobia, and Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House runs a major Cobia tournament (the “Flathead Classic”) in April. Also in the spring, Harbor Docks runs a Cobia World Championship out of Destin Harbor.
In June, there’s the Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic Tournament, where competitors chase one of the Gulf’s apex predators for hundreds if not millions of dollars in prize money.
If none of these appeal to you, or more likely if you simply want more, consult the calendars of local fishing clubs, bait and tackle shops, and tourism boards. No matter when you’re coming, or what you want to catch, there’s an option that’ll fit your needs.
Tournament fishing takes a hobby and turns it into a serious competition, and possibly a business. While everyone has to start somewhere, this is a serious endeavor, and some of the best anglers in the world reside in or frequent Destin’s contests. Everyone has to start somewhere, though, so with a simple game plan you can make the most of your chances.
Do this to be your best on the water:
Pick Your Events Carefully – Know what species you are able to chase and might have a competitive shot at capturing. You’re probably not going to be able to compete in the blue marlin events from a paddleboard. Even if you have a larger craft, understand how far you’ll need to go and in what type of seas. Remember, there are always charter boats you can hire, but the best ones tend to fill up months or even years in advance.
Know the Rules – Each competition has slightly different rules and regulations and you’ll be expected to know them and abide by them. Read them in advance. If you have any questions, ask the tournament director. You don’t want to miss out on a valuable prize or honor because you violated a rule, nor do you want to get the reputation (deserved or otherwise) of someone who operates in a gray area.
Understand Seasonal Fish Habits – You may be the world’s greatest snapper or marlin or King Mackerel fisherman in a given month, or a given venue, but in the world of fishing, things are changing all of the time. Know where you’ll need to be to encounter the winning fish and how to tempt them at that particular time. Ninety percent of the fish are in 10 percent of the water, so if you’re in the wrong areas, you might as well not compete at all.
Come Up with a Game Plan – Look at past tournament results so that you know what it will take to win. That way you’re not tilting at windmills trying to chase a winner that doesn’t exist. Then take into account factors like tides, your gas budget, your time limitations and likely fishing pressure to give yourself the best chance to win. You don’t need to catch a world record, although they certainly exist in our waters, but you do need to beat everyone else.
Put Together the Right Team – Some fishing tournaments are individual affairs, while others allow you to compile a group of anglers to help your cause. If you’re participating in one of the latter, get the right folks on board, people who are willing to work and who know what they’re doing. Of course, it can behoove you to add in a newcomer to grow the future of the sport, but this is a time for seriousness and concentration.
Prepare Your Equipment – A pulled hook or a broken line can result in lost fish that cost you thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. Prior to even loading gear on your boat, make sure that everything is in top notch shape and of premium quality. Once you’re out there, you’re limited on time and attention, so do the “busy work” when you’re onshore, waiting for competition to start. Halfway through the battle with a winning fish you don’t want to wonder whether you lubricated your reels, tested your drag or spooled on fresh line.
Gauge the Weather – The behavior of your quarry depends heavily on seasonal and daily weather changes, so be aware of what’s going on around you and what’s likely to ensue. You may have the best game plan in the world, but wind or rain or sunshine can impact it significantly. This is not just a matter of competition – it impacts safety, and you don’t want to put yourself in a position where chasing the winning fish puts you, your crew or your boat into a compromising position.
You’ve planned your vacation for months or even years, saved your money, done some research, and booked what you think is the perfect Destin fishing trip. You’ve already cleared out space in your freezer for fillets, or perhaps a space above the mantel for your trophy replica. Then, when the long-awaited day finally arrives, you get nailed by the old bait and switch.
The call of Destin, Florida means different things to different people, but if some sort of fishing is on your Florida adventure to-do list, Destin provides the ultimate backdrop for your vacation – whether you’re coming by yourself, with a group of friends, or with your family.
Many conversations start with 
The great news about fishing in Destin, Florida is that there’s always something biting but understanding what you’re able to target at a particular time isn’t always simple. Your 
