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Nelson Guide Company
Charter operator

Nelson Guide Company

Destin, United States
250+ reviews
Captain Si Nelson is in his 22nd year as a professional guide and loves it more and more every day. He is a dual threat, able to run bay charters as well as nearshore Gulf charters. He was born and raised right here on the Emerald Coast so he has a lifetime of experience of fishing the Emerald Coast waters. Over the years he has worked from Matagorda, Texas to Block Island Sound, New York, and everywhere in between giving him an extensive seaborne experience making him uniquely qualified to deliver the perfect experience for just about any crowd. Captain Si is just as at home stalking the flats in the backcountry as he is sounding the depths for offshore monsters, and knows how to keep things light and fun! A perpetual student of the University of West Florida's history program, Captain Si not only puts you on the fish but keeps things interesting with constant information about the local history.
Si N.
Si N.
Captain
Wyatt L.
Wyatt L.
Captain

Charter

Rating

4.8
320 reviews
4.7
Boat & Equipment
4.9
Captain & Crew
4.8
Fishing Experience

What anglers say

96%
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
97%
Recommend this charter
99%
Appropriate for children
97%
Satisfied with the boat
98%
Caught fish

All reviews (320)

Showing 1 – 5 of 320 reviews
  • Micah Looney
    Micah Looney
    us
    Georgia, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Wyatt was dripping with Aura

    3 Hour Trip – Kids' Trip • 5 adults • 2 children

    First off, when you take kids on a boat who’ve never done serious fishing, you expect some moans and groans. Wyatt was so engaging and friendly that my kids were completely enthralled. Whenever something went wrong he adjusted with a happy attitude and made us feel like we were part of the crew. This is what makes the difference between a good trip and a great trip. A lot of people can tie lures and drive a boat. Not everyone can provide an excellent experience for kids. This was, by far, the highlight of our entire vacation. Thank you, Wyatt.

    Response from Charter operator

    i’m going to give you a review five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you so much for coming out with us and this wonderful review! come back and see us again. I can’t wait to show this to Captain Wyatt! - Captain Si

  • Frederick Rarick
    Frederick Rarick
    us
    New York, US
    Member since 2026
    4.7
    Verified

    Great Captains X2

    4 Hour Trip – Shark Fishing (PM) • 6 adults

    We booked a Shark Fishing trip. Firstly, I had some last minute questions pertaining to our trip. Captain Si called back very quickly and was knowledgeable and very friendly. Our Captains for the fishing trip were Wyatt and Mike. Both were very cordial, professional, and had great personalities. They brought us to a few different spots. We were able to catch numerous fish. Even though we did not catch a shark, it was a still a wonderful trip. The best part of the trip was the bantering, jokes, and conversation between everyone. When we got back to the dock, Mike filleted and packaged the fish we caught. I would like to do another Shark Trip for sure with this company. I recommend this charter company for anyone looking to have a fun filled and stress free fishing trip.

    Response from Charter operator

    Fred, thanks for the good words! Glad you guys had a great time - we look forward to seeing you guys on the next one! Captain Si

  • Jayce Harrison
    Jayce Harrison
    us
    Arkansas, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    last minute trip and mike made it great

    4 HRS OFF SEASON SPECIAL • 4 adults • 1 child

    caught our limit of mangos with the first couple of hours then chased different species mike asked what we wanted and he delivered. with a 2 year old on board we were able to focus all our attention on her and mike handled the rest if you have young children ask for mike and he will make the trip convenient for all ages we will definitely be coming back and would recommend to anyone looking for the best bang for there buck safety and quality of the trip was perfect thanks mike

    Reported catch:
    Mangrove Snapper
  • Zack Davis
    Zack Davis
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Amazing trip with great captains!

    4 Hour Trip – Captain's Choice - 1:00 PM • 3 adults • 1 child

    It was a wonderful trip. Captains Wyatt and Mike made it a super fun trip for the kids. We caught plenty of fish and saw dolphins. Mangrove snappers, the biggest Ladyfish the captain had ever seen, Red fish, and even a blue crab. They even took us to crab island twice during the trip to let cool off from the heat. Overall amazing experience and we will definitely use them again next year!

  • Jackie Kelsey
    Jackie Kelsey
    us
    Alabama, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Great Trip!

    4 Hour Trip – Captain's Choice - 1:00 PM • 3 adults

    Booked this as a surprise for my 15 year old. Had my husband tag along as well as my dad who was visiting from Germany. The boys caught some Mangrove Red Snapper and Bluefish. Captain Wyatt was fantastic. Everyone had a great time and they brought me back some fish for dinner. I’d definitely recommend them to anyone looking to go catch some fish. 10/10 - great experience!

    Reported catch:
    Bluefish (Tailor)
    Mangrove Snapper

Real catches shared by our community

  • Nelson Guide Company
    Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
    Two adult anglers display a pair of red snapper on a center-console fishing boat offshore.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Red Snapper
    Timothy H.
    Timothy H.
    Great trip. Was supposed to be 3 hrs inshore trip, but the gulf was laid down, so we adventure out. Caught some bait on the way out. Caught some nice red snapper and a bunch of undersized trigger fish. Mike worked hard to put us on the fish.
  • Nelson Guide Company
    Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
    Angler holding a mottled grouper aboard a small fishing boat, with the fish’s prominent dorsal spines and patterned body clearly visible.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +2
    Gag Grouper
    Jeff S.
    Jeff S.
    Fantastic trip. Caught our limit of keepers abd threw back dozens more ! Captain Wyatt was awesome. True professional and put us on fish all day !
  • Nelson Guide Company
    Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
    Neatly arranged catch of multiple redfish and a larger silver fish displayed on a Nelson Guide Company fish board at a marina.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Redfish
    Greg M.
    Greg M.
    This was an awesome experience. We caught our limit of Mangrove Snapper and caught a couple of huge Redfish. Captain Mike was excellent and definitely knows about fishing this area. He made sure we had the best experience possible. I definitely recommend this company to anyone looking for a great fishing excursion.
  • Nelson Guide Company
    Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
    Family group with a young child posing beside a large catch board of multiple fish at a Destin marina; Nelson Guide Company, 850-803-2628, and NGCDestin.com are visible.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Red Snapper
    Jayce H.
    Jayce H.
    caught our limit of mangos with the first couple of hours then chased different species mike asked what we wanted and he delivered. with a 2 year old on board we were able to focus all our attention on her and mike handled the rest if you have young children ask for mike and he will make the trip convenient for all ages we will definitely be coming back and would recommend to anyone looking for the best bang for there buck safety and quality of the trip was perfect thanks mike
  • Nelson Guide Company
    Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
    Young angler proudly holding a small shark while fishing from a boat in a coastal environment.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Blacktip Shark
    Adam B.
    Adam B.
    was a great trip. We all caught fish. It was a Great time.
  • Nelson Guide Company
    Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
    A family proudly displays their catch of several Snapper on a catch board at the dock, showcasing a successful day of fishing with Nelson Guide Company.
    Fish 1
    Mangrove Snapper
    Brandon W.
    Brandon W.
    I went on the kids trip with my dad and 10 year old son. Everybody had a great time, we caught plenty of snapper!
  • Nelson Guide Company
    Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
    A family proudly displaying their catch of Redfish and Flounder at the dock after a successful fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +1
    Redfish
    Rebecca B.
    Rebecca B.
    the day started off slow due to the aftermath of tropical storm but then Wyatt and Mike put us on a honey hole and we limited out on mangrove snapper and were 1 away from our limit on Red fish!
  • Nelson Guide Company
    Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
    Family group and charter guests pose beside a dockside catch board displaying multiple fish, with Nelson Guide Company branding and a waterfront marina backdrop.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +2
    Mangrove Snapper
    Scott M.
    Scott M.
    We had a lot of fun worh Captain Si. we caught 4 limits if mangrove snapper and woudl definitely fish with him again!!”
  • Nelson Guide Company
    Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
    A young angler proudly displaying a caught fish while on a small boat, enjoying a day of fishing.
    Ronell G.
    Ronell G.
    We are not experienced fishermen but our boy is obsessed with fish and all sea creatures in general .We did not cach much but he did ! And had a lot of fun .Captain was great and was able to provide a great trip and be patient with my special son who had the most of fun of all on his birthday ! Thanks for the great experience !
  • Nelson Guide Company
    Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
    Single red snapper-style fish hanging vertically beside a boat, displayed against an open-water fishing backdrop.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Red Snapper
    Kelvin C.
    Kelvin C.
    Captain Wyatt was fantastic! Very knowledgeable, great sense of humor and fun! He put us on fish…we caught Lane Snapper and Mingo Snapper. We fought and missed some really nice fish.

What's biting with Nelson Guide Company in Destin

Fishing in Destin has to cool down at some point – but not in November! Make the most of the end of the pelagic season, while bay and bottom fishing is still on fire. Fill your boat to fill the freezer for the holidays!

Top catches for November

Fishing reports

Large display board featuring multiple red snapper catches from Nelson Guide Company at a marina.

Hot bite out in the cold!

Dec 6, 2025 • Destin
It was very cold and rainy today, but the bite was on fire! Absolutely had a blast catching our limit of various types of snapper and various groupers to throwback. Best bite we’ve had out there in a few weeks!
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Two anglers proudly displaying a Spanish Mackerel while enjoying a sunny day on the water.

What's biting in May?

May 1, 2023 • Destin
It’s that time of year where everything is just about to pop off, but hasn’t just quite yet. In the bay there are a few trout and reds to be caught, sporadically, but no where is hot cast after cast… yet. Bait is hard to come by, but it can be found - for the most part, I’m still using shrimp. The Spanish Mackerel bite is slowing down a little faster than I expected. The fish I am catching are actually very large. Last week I caught several Spanish in the 4-6lb class. A blast on light tackle! Redfish, especially bulls, are readily eating pinfish around the pass. It seems like the further into the bay you go the slower the bite has become. You can grind it out and catch a few fish on the flats and around the bayous, but nobody is finding fast action right now. The nearshore bite is still alive and well with vermillion and mangrove snappers to be found just about anywhere you look. Porgies and the occasional Flounder pop up now and then, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the occasional Scamp. Just move around until you find the fish. I had the pleasure of doing some offshore fishing this past week and we got into wahoos and tuna. The deep water bottom fishing was lackluster, but we still made a good day of it with some nice big Scamps and Vermilions. Cigar Minnows, Herring, and Hardtails are plentiful right outside the pass right now, and King Mackerels are sporadically working the bait schools and can make for some quick action. Red Snappers and Amberjack, while not in season are always a good time and are usually easy to find this time of year. Get Out There Any Make Something Happen! Captain Si
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