Destin
Instant Confirmation
Trips from
US $650
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.
Captain
Wyatt L.
Captain
Charter
Rating
4.8
318 reviews
4.7
Boat & Equipment
4.9
Captain & Crew
4.9
Fishing Experience
Anglers' gallery (312)
What anglers say
96%
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
96%
Recommend this charter
99%
Appropriate for children
97%
Satisfied with the boat
98%
Caught fish
All reviews (318)
Showing 1 – 5 of 318 reviews
Jayce Harrison5.0VerifiedNEWlast minute trip and mike made it great
4 HRS OFF SEASON SPECIAL • 4 adults • 1 childcaught 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:
Micah Looney5.0VerifiedWyatt was dripping with Aura
3 Hour Trip – Kids' Trip • 5 adults • 2 childrenFirst 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 operatori’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 Rarick4.7VerifiedGreat Captains X2
4 Hour Trip – Shark Fishing (PM) • 6 adultsWe 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 operatorFred, 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
Greg Minarchan5.0VerifiedNEWAwesome Fishing Trip
4 Hour Trip – Captain's Choice • 3 adultsThis 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.
Reported catch:
Zack Davis5.0VerifiedAmazing trip with great captains!
4 Hour Trip – Captain's Choice - 1:00 PM • 3 adults • 1 childIt 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!
Real catches shared by our community
- Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
- Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
- Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
- Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
- Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
- Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
- Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
- Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
- Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
- Nelson Guide CompanyDestin, FL
What's biting with Nelson Guide Company in Destin
Three words: Destin Fishing Rodeo. Over 30,000 anglers come to town over the whole month of October with a competition to suit all kinds of angler. Come and test your skills to be in with the chance of a top prize.
Top catches for October
Fishing reports
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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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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