Dawn Patrol Charters 

4.9/5 (269 reviews)
 
Federally permitted
 538 Harbor Boulevard, Destin, FL 32541, United States

Dawn Patrol Charters 

 
Federally permitted
4.9/5 (269)
 Angler's Choice
map-thumbnail
538 Harbor Boulevard
Destin, FL, United States
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Dawn Patrol Charters invites you to explore offshore, back bay, and inshore Gulf fishing in the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.” For Captain JT and his team, everything swimming around Destin is fair game. Join the crew for a fun and productive day with your family and friends.

Whether it’s a trip to the Choctawhatchee Bay for Redfish, Speckled Trout, Sheepshead, Flounder, and Pompano, or an excursion to the prolific Gulf waters for the likes of Grouper, Amberjack, King Mackerel, Red Snapper, Cobia, and Tarpon, Dawn Patrol Charters has it all.

Bay fishing is a great year-round opportunity to enjoy live bait and light tackle action. There are plenty of grass flats, jetties, bridges, pocks, points, and drop-offs to be explored. Plus, you may also catch Ladyfish, Bluefish, Black Snapper, and many more!

If you’re after a trip to the Gulf, then just let your captain know. You will be bottom fishing for various species of Snapper and Grouper, as well as Amberjack, Flounder, Triggerfish, and who knows what else. Or go trolling for Wahoo, Mahi Mahi-Mahi, Cobia, Bonito, Spanish and King Mackerel, and Jack Crevalle. These trips can be organized anytime from April until November.

Dawn Patrol will take you out aboard a 22’ Cape Horn center console. This spacious boat can accommodate up to six anglers. It comes powered by a single 250 HP Yamaha 4-stroke and can cruise at a top speed of 35 knots. The boat features a dual helm and a Cobia Tower - key features of any sight fishing trip.

The vessel is outfitted with top-notch navigational and fish finding electronics to save your time while searching for fish. As well as that, there is a 30-gallon live well loaded with all kinds of bait to make your hooks irresistible. Depending on which trip you chose, you will use cigar minnows, herrings, redefines, and speedos.

All trips come with the licenses, bait, fly fishing equipment, and quality spinning rods and reels mainly by Penn International.

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Rating

4.9
269 reviews
5
244
4
17
3
2
2
2
1
0
4.9
Boat & equipment
4.9
Captain & crew
4.9
Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (549)

What a day!
What a day!
What a day!
What a day!
What a day!
Great..experienced and caring apt
+543

What anglers say

95%
Great experience
96%
Family friendly
99%
Friendly captain
98%
Good boat
96%
Recommended
92%
Caught fish

All reviews (269)

Filter
Showing 15 of 269 reviews
Sarah Wiley
Sarah Wiley
5.0
Verified
Great outing with JT
2 Hour Trip – Kids/Beginners Fun on October 14, 20252 adults1 child
We had a great fishing trip with JT. It was myself, my best friend, and my 6 year old son. It was his first time fishing and we started catching small bait fish right away that he was really excited about. After a bit we headed further out and started angling for the bigger stuff! I caught a grouper and a snapper. The trip was only a couple of hours which was perfect because that’s about the time my little boy lost interest! For the adults, it was both very relaxing and of course thrilling when we got one of the line. I will definitely go back out with JT for a longer trip when we’re down here again. He’s very personable, provides just the right amount of guidance, and was fun to be around! Highly recommend!
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Reported catch:
Mangrove Snapper
Response from Captain
October 15, 2025
A fun trip. With new friends. We had a lot of action a 2 hour hope to see you again soon. Thanks, captain j. T.
0
Sanjay Gogate
Sanjay Gogate
5.0
Verified
Awesome first-time fishing trip!
4 Hour Trip (AM) on August 21, 20251 adult1 child
I took my 10 yo son for a 4 Hr AM local off shore fishing trip. He has wanted to go for a few years now and I’m not an expert at saltwater fishing. Parking was easy and used Harbor Docks parking lot, as the boat is parked behind at their dock. We wore sunshirts, hats and sunscreen and croc type shores ate a must when it’s 90+deg daily. The Captain fixed all my worries of saltwater fishing as he used his 30+ years of experience to handle the “hard” part: boat driving, baiting/hooking lines, casting, gaffing and getting fish off. We had a wonderful day as we started with catching bait fish just outside the Destin harbor, seemed like 20+ fish in 30 minutes. This was fun for the kid as he was able to bring in 5 fish on one cast while we bait fished. He definitely was beating me, which was a huge thrill for him. We then made our way out to a farther off shore spot and BOOM! We were shocked as it was Fish-ON from the get go. We had two bait fish lines out and next thing we knew both lines made the whirring & zooming sounds of fish taking the bait and running fast away. The next three hours were a blur as we reeled in Spanish mackerel and King mackerel non-stop. I guess we had a lucky day and we were tired from reeling in fish who gave a really good fight for the whole time reeling them in one after another. Overall it was an awesome and amazing experience. Dawn Patrol made it easy. We were ready to come back after the 4 hours because we were exhausted as it was in the 90’s and humid the whole time. T-storms rolled in two hours later so we timed it perfect. We ended up with a total of a DOZEN king and Spanish mackerel total brought back. There were quite a few that either cut us off or stole the bait and lived to see another day. There were also at least 4-5 more reeled in that we had to release as they were juveniles that were under the regulations size. Overall, awesome and we’ll likely return to the Dawn Patrol again someday. Best of luck and now we LOVE Destin fishing and had a lifetime experience as a Father-son.
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Reported catch:
King Mackerel (Kingfish)
Response from Captain
August 22, 2025
Wow!! ,what an action pack 4 hour trip? Non-stop action as we caught king mackerel in Spanish. Mackerel, the fishing was super hot, along with the temperatures, had a blast fishing with you and your son hope to see you guys next year. Thanks, captain j. T.
0
Brad Russell
Brad Russell
5.0
Verified
What a day!
3/4 Day Trip (5 MAX) on October 28, 20254 adults
Capt JT was great to fish with! He started us using a Sabiki rig to catch bait and that was extremely fun. We then trolled and absolutely crushed the King Mackerel! Definitely my favorite guided trip I’ve ever been on. Got some bonitas too. Was an absolutely perfect day fishing, even with chilly, overcast weather. Can’t wait to come back and fish with Capt JT again. Thank you for a great time my boys and I will be talking about for the rest of our lives.
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Reported catch:
King Mackerel (Kingfish)
Response from Captain
November 11, 2025
Thanks, guys. Really enjoyed fishing with you. We had an incredible day, lots of action.
0
Tom Flavin
Tom Flavin
5.0
Verified
Good Trip With Dawn Patrol
4 Hour Trip (AM) on June 8, 20252 adults3 children
Booked an AM trip with Dawn Patrol for my three boys. It was our first time out fishing on the Gulf. Everything went smoothly from booking to cleaning the fish. The weather was not in our favor. We had high winds and choppy waters (2-4 foot swells). It was not for the faint of heart, but Captain didn’t give up. If things were slow in our spot, we would move on until we got hits. Due to the weather, we had to head back to the Bay. We weren’t able to hit the red snappers, but we scored a bunch of Spanish Mackerel. Overall, the kids had a good time and the trip was a success.
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0
Aaron Schwen
Aaron Schwen
5.0
Verified
A++ First Trip for my Three Year Old
2 Hour Trip – Kids/Beginners Fun on April 29, 20254 adults
Couldn’t have asked for a better captain and boat for my little guy’s first trip. Captain JT had a well thought out plan to get us on some bait fish for guaranteed fun bringing in multiples, and then go after some bigger fish trolling. The boat has high sides that tremendously helped Dad contain the ever excited boy looking for catfish and dolphins over the edge, and he didn’t mind the small hands on the steering wheel helping him captain the ship. Unforgettable trip, thanks again. Highly recommend.
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Trip availability and prices

Trip Date:
Days:
Group Size:
Select date to see availability
January 2026
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
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Number of days
1
Group Size
2 adults • 0 children
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2 Hour Trip – Kids/Beginners Fun
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
2 Hour Trip
starts at 1:00 PM
US $500
Entire boat: up to 4 people
3 Hour Trip - Kids Fun (5 MAX)
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
3 Hour Trip
starts at 1:00 PM
US $700
Entire boat: up to 4 people
4 Hour Trip (AM)
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
4 Hour Trip
starts at 6:00 AM
US $880
Entire boat: up to 4 people
Half Day Trip PM (5 MAX)
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
4 Hour Trip
starts at 1:00 PM
US $880
Entire boat: up to 4 people
Tarpon Fishing
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
5 Hour Trip
starts at 6:00 AM
Seasonal trip
Jun 1 - Aug 1
US $1,000
Entire boat: up to 5 people
Half Day Trip – Extended AM (5 MAX)
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
5 Hour Trip
starts at 6:00 AM
US $1,100
Entire boat: up to 4 people
Half Day Trip – Extended PM (5 MAX)
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
5 Hour Trip
starts at 1:00 PM
US $1,100
Entire boat: up to 4 people
3/4 Day Trip (5 MAX)
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
6 Hour Trip
starts at 6:00 AM
US $1,350
Entire boat: up to 4 people
Full Day Trip (5 MAX)
FREE Cancellation 3 days notice
8 Hour Trip
starts at 6:00 AM
US $1,700
Entire boat: up to 4 people
There are 7 people looking at this charter.

Rating

4.9
269 reviews
5
244
4
17
3
2
2
2
1
0
4.9
Boat & equipment
4.9
Captain & crew
4.9
Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (549)

What a day!
What a day!
What a day!
What a day!
What a day!
Great..experienced and caring apt
+543

What anglers say

95%
Great experience
96%
Family friendly
99%
Friendly captain
98%
Good boat
96%
Recommended
92%
Caught fish

All reviews (269)

Filter
Showing 15 of 269 reviews
Sarah Wiley
Sarah Wiley
5.0
Verified
Great outing with JT
2 Hour Trip – Kids/Beginners Fun on October 14, 20252 adults1 child
We had a great fishing trip with JT. It was myself, my best friend, and my 6 year old son. It was his first time fishing and we started catching small bait fish right away that he was really excited about. After a bit we headed further out and started angling for the bigger stuff! I caught a grouper and a snapper. The trip was only a couple of hours which was perfect because that’s about the time my little boy lost interest! For the adults, it was both very relaxing and of course thrilling when we got one of the line. I will definitely go back out with JT for a longer trip when we’re down here again. He’s very personable, provides just the right amount of guidance, and was fun to be around! Highly recommend!
Review media 0
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Review media 0
Review media 1
Review media 1
Review media 2
Reported catch:
Mangrove Snapper
Response from Captain
October 15, 2025
A fun trip. With new friends. We had a lot of action a 2 hour hope to see you again soon. Thanks, captain j. T.
0
Sanjay Gogate
Sanjay Gogate
5.0
Verified
Awesome first-time fishing trip!
4 Hour Trip (AM) on August 21, 20251 adult1 child
I took my 10 yo son for a 4 Hr AM local off shore fishing trip. He has wanted to go for a few years now and I’m not an expert at saltwater fishing. Parking was easy and used Harbor Docks parking lot, as the boat is parked behind at their dock. We wore sunshirts, hats and sunscreen and croc type shores ate a must when it’s 90+deg daily. The Captain fixed all my worries of saltwater fishing as he used his 30+ years of experience to handle the “hard” part: boat driving, baiting/hooking lines, casting, gaffing and getting fish off. We had a wonderful day as we started with catching bait fish just outside the Destin harbor, seemed like 20+ fish in 30 minutes. This was fun for the kid as he was able to bring in 5 fish on one cast while we bait fished. He definitely was beating me, which was a huge thrill for him. We then made our way out to a farther off shore spot and BOOM! We were shocked as it was Fish-ON from the get go. We had two bait fish lines out and next thing we knew both lines made the whirring & zooming sounds of fish taking the bait and running fast away. The next three hours were a blur as we reeled in Spanish mackerel and King mackerel non-stop. I guess we had a lucky day and we were tired from reeling in fish who gave a really good fight for the whole time reeling them in one after another. Overall it was an awesome and amazing experience. Dawn Patrol made it easy. We were ready to come back after the 4 hours because we were exhausted as it was in the 90’s and humid the whole time. T-storms rolled in two hours later so we timed it perfect. We ended up with a total of a DOZEN king and Spanish mackerel total brought back. There were quite a few that either cut us off or stole the bait and lived to see another day. There were also at least 4-5 more reeled in that we had to release as they were juveniles that were under the regulations size. Overall, awesome and we’ll likely return to the Dawn Patrol again someday. Best of luck and now we LOVE Destin fishing and had a lifetime experience as a Father-son.
Review media 0
Review media 1
Review media 2
Review media 3
Review media 4
Reported catch:
King Mackerel (Kingfish)
Response from Captain
August 22, 2025
Wow!! ,what an action pack 4 hour trip? Non-stop action as we caught king mackerel in Spanish. Mackerel, the fishing was super hot, along with the temperatures, had a blast fishing with you and your son hope to see you guys next year. Thanks, captain j. T.
0
Brad Russell
Brad Russell
5.0
Verified
What a day!
3/4 Day Trip (5 MAX) on October 28, 20254 adults
Capt JT was great to fish with! He started us using a Sabiki rig to catch bait and that was extremely fun. We then trolled and absolutely crushed the King Mackerel! Definitely my favorite guided trip I’ve ever been on. Got some bonitas too. Was an absolutely perfect day fishing, even with chilly, overcast weather. Can’t wait to come back and fish with Capt JT again. Thank you for a great time my boys and I will be talking about for the rest of our lives.
Review media 0
Review media 1
Review media 2
Reported catch:
King Mackerel (Kingfish)
Response from Captain
November 11, 2025
Thanks, guys. Really enjoyed fishing with you. We had an incredible day, lots of action.
0
Tom Flavin
Tom Flavin
5.0
Verified
Good Trip With Dawn Patrol
4 Hour Trip (AM) on June 8, 20252 adults3 children
Booked an AM trip with Dawn Patrol for my three boys. It was our first time out fishing on the Gulf. Everything went smoothly from booking to cleaning the fish. The weather was not in our favor. We had high winds and choppy waters (2-4 foot swells). It was not for the faint of heart, but Captain didn’t give up. If things were slow in our spot, we would move on until we got hits. Due to the weather, we had to head back to the Bay. We weren’t able to hit the red snappers, but we scored a bunch of Spanish Mackerel. Overall, the kids had a good time and the trip was a success.
Review media 0
Review media 1
Review media 2
Review media 3
Review media 4
0
Aaron Schwen
Aaron Schwen
5.0
Verified
A++ First Trip for my Three Year Old
2 Hour Trip – Kids/Beginners Fun on April 29, 20254 adults
Couldn’t have asked for a better captain and boat for my little guy’s first trip. Captain JT had a well thought out plan to get us on some bait fish for guaranteed fun bringing in multiples, and then go after some bigger fish trolling. The boat has high sides that tremendously helped Dad contain the ever excited boy looking for catfish and dolphins over the edge, and he didn’t mind the small hands on the steering wheel helping him captain the ship. Unforgettable trip, thanks again. Highly recommend.
Review media 0
Review media 1
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0

FAQs about Dawn Patrol Charters

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The fish you can target

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What is the boat like?

Boat Image
Boat category
Center console boats
Capacity
5 persons
Boat length
22 ft
Year built
1994
Restored in
2020
Boat manufacturer
Cape Horn
Boat type
Center console

Engine model
Yamaha
Powered by
1 x 225HP
Max cruising speed
35 knots
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