Destin Deep Sea Fishing Charters

Any type of fishing that happens more than a mile from the shoreline and is located in the Gulf of Mexico, is considered deep sea fishing. Deep sea fishing is usually for bottom fishing, trolling or shark fishing.

Party boat trips are budget friendly but private charters typically are not. Party boat trips are deep sea fishing trips where there are many people on board, usually 30-65 depending on the boat. The rates are per person depending on the length of the trip. For private deep sea fishing charters, the rates are per trip and are completely private with just you and your family on board. This provides a more intimate experience when fishing and the more people in your group, the bigger the private charter boat will need to be, thus costing more.

No, but you are guaranteed to have a knowledgeable captain and crew who wants you to have an incredible trip! Fishing is like gambling, so every line in the water is like rolling the dice at a casino.

Sunscreen is an obvious choice, but honestly everyone should bring a wash cloth or small towel with them that is specifically for your hands. Fish don’t like the taste of sunscreen and since everyone is constantly slathering on sunscreen in order to avoid sunburn, your hands will always been covered with it. Your towel can be used not only to wipe off sunscreen or bait juices from your hands, but also to mark your spot on a party boat if you have a particular pole or spot you’d like to use. The party boats in Destin do not assign spots, every space is first come, first serve. So if you have a particular spot you’d like to fish in on a boat, it’s best to arrive early so you’re in line early. Then once you board the boat and get to the pole you want, you can wrap your towel around the end of the pole, nearest to the rod or holder. This will signify to others that “this spot is taken.”

You can fish year round, however depending on the target species you are going for, you may need to book your fish trip during certain months of the year or on certain boats. For example, Red Snapper season is in June and for bigger snapper you’ll need to fish in deeper waters so you’ll need to book a boat that has federal fishing permits.