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
Troll/Sight Fish: King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Tuna, Sailfish, Marlin, Cobia
Summer (June – August): Peak Vacation Season, Offshore Bounty!
Bottom Fish: Red Snapper, Vermillion Snapper, Triggerfish, White Snapper, Black Snapper, Shark, Grouper, Amberjack
Troll/Sight Fish: King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Tuna, Sailfish, Marlin
Fall (September – November): Crowds Dissipate but Big Fish Remain
Bottom Fish: Grouper, Amberjack, Vermillion Snapper, Triggerfish, White Snapper, Black Snapper, Shark
Troll/Sight Fish: King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Tuna, Sailfish, Marlin
Fishing Locations in Destin
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.