What would you recommend to anglers fishing in Destin, Florida for the first time?

Destin, Florida dubbed the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” is a load of garbage especially in May. Look to go: June–July: Red Snapper season is in full swing, offering excellent opportunities for substantial catches. Other species like Tarpon, Redfish, Trout, Mackerel, Sailfish, and Mahi-Mahi are also prevalent. August: Deep-sea fishing thrives with peak activity for Bluefin and Yellowfin Tuna, along with Blue and White Marlin. Reef areas are abundant with Amberjack, Snappers, and Triggerfish. September–October: Inshore waters see an influx of Bull Redfish, while offshore fishing remains productive with Marlin, Tuna, Kingfish, and Cobia. October also hosts the renowned Destin Fishing Rodeo, attracting anglers worldwide. Wouldn't recommend in the transitioning months at all waste of time and money.

A little different experience, you can’t set the hook like you used to, due to the rounded hooks (circle hooks) that are mandated in this area. Could be a little frustrating. Still a lot of fun though.

Listen to the crew on what to do and not to do. They want you to catch. Bring some food and definitely drinks. Take motion sickness medicine the night before if you tend to get sick or have never been on a boat like this. A long sleeve fishing shirt to keep the sun off of you. Sunglasses. A hand towel to wipe your hands. Cash to tip with.

Plan on staying busy working your reel. If You came to fish, expect to fish. If you don’t want to work for your fish, take a dolphin tour. We had an EXCELLENT time, but we enjoy fishing. They will keep your lines wet for sure.

If you have lefthand folk in your fishing party it may be best to let your captain know ahead of time. It slipped my mind as my nephews are lefties and it could have made things go a little smoother had I given some warning to the crew.

Be aware there are limits on fish during certain times of the year. Example: Gag Grouper and Trigger Fish are protected fish and can't be kept. Check the regulations before booking on the limits and inches that a species has to be. Caught plenty but returned many fish also.

Focus on the Captain. There are many highly experienced captains in Florida, but the quality of your experience will depend on the character of the captain. Will you catch fish??? If you have a seasoned captain and the weather is right you have a very good chance, but if you have an overbooked captain stressed about his next charter then you might not have a good experience regardless of how many fish you catch. Look at this as an overall experience - the scenery is incredible and you want to get along with the captain. Secondly, look at the boat. Finally, go into it with an attitude that you are going to enjoy the moment and have fun.

We fished the first opening snapper day and ended up catching four humongous red snapper , so we met our limit in less than an hour and a half. Then we trolled for a while and that was fun and then went back to try to get a different kind of snapper. It was just a perfect day of fishing and with Captain James’s guidance it was successful . The Captain is very skillful and knowledgeable. It was a very pleasant fun fishing day.

Captain Mitchell was a horrible host and captain with no sense of humor or personality. It really felt like he really did want to deal with us and seem slightly racist, just by his demeanor and the way he acted when we showed up. I only pretended like he was trying to put us where the fish were. So not only did we NOT catch but 3 keepers, his attitude made the trip even worse. Not to mention, that he dumped fuel in one of the area we spotted to fish. But he didn't know I realized what he had done. I may not have a lot of experience driving a boat, but I've been on enough charter trip to know better. So, to sum it up. This was the charter experience ever. A complete waste of time and money. This review is based only on the captain himself, not the company. But he is a reflection of the company, which was not a good look at all. So please know that.

In spring and early summer, go for Spanish mackerel, kingfish, tuna, and red snapper. Local captains and crew (like Eric!) are usually happy to teach you techniques—from baiting a hook to reeling in your first big catch.

We caught Black Snapper, Trigger Fish & Vermilion Snapper… We told the Captian we wanted to catch a good eating fish for dinner ( 10 people ) He did what we ask … had a nice dinner Fishing is okay in April… Never can tell when the Kings are going to show… wasn’t snapper season… caught a few nice ones.

Definitely use Captain Jonathan. He’s knowledgeable and knows good spots. Within minutes he has pulling up fish. The weather in May can be tricky but book ahead of time and that way they can work with you and let you know the deal.

The Destin Fishing Rodeo, which takes place October 1-31, is a must for your bucket list. The harbor is buzzing with fun activities and the rodeo weigh-in dock is a great place to see all of the day's catch.

The main thing we caught were Spanish Mackerel. Hopefully there is more of a variety of fish you can catch during different seasons. We were not disappointed though! Sounds like Cobia have been fished out.

Surf fishing slow due to colder water. Pretty much expected in any type of fishing. The bigger fish have not yet migrated to the area. I would imagine chances for bigger fish improve as the season progresses. On the plus side, much less crowded.

Spend the extra money and do 8 hrs at least because it takes 90 minutes just to get to the good areas about 60 miles off the coast or so otherwise you will be very limited on what you can vactch. I did a 4 hour one prior to this and it definitely wasn't worth it

Know what you can catch for the season and chartered time. Understand limits of kids to pull up big fish (small-medium is not sexy but kids watching mom and dad catch everything can be awful for them). If I take first timers, I always make sure there is a nice enclosed Air condition cabin- in case someone gets sick or if it’s too hot, especially during summer. I’ve never had a bad time in Destin. I average 5–6 hour trips.

I recommend you enjoy the experience & take the time to ask questions & learn how to catch those giant amazing creatures! It’s like A big beach party and everyone is invited. So pray up, stay up and get ready for some good times! It was really enjoyable for the kids. Zachary was great at answering all the crazy questions and explaining his methods to everyone & anyone who asked at anytime. Go have fun and the sharks will come!

Expect to be busy catching fish. From trolling to bottom fishing, there are plenty of opportunities for you and your group to catch your targeted species. The Captain will take care of you and make your experience worthwhile.

The 8 hour trip is not for small children. This is a great experience for older kids and adults. The temperature is great, but storms may be experienced. Book your trip and have plans to alter the date due to storms in the area.

Make sure the type of fishing (trolling, bottom, etc), fish and size that you are interested in are clearly defined with the captain. Ask about coolers and storage to be clear about what to expect for packing ahead and while on the water.

August is super hot in Florida. You may or may not catch the fish you want so don’t get discouraged if you don’t catch a trophy. And don’t get upset if the weather is a factor in what and how you catch fish. Any fish are good fish.

The boat felt like driving a Cadillac on the ocean. It was very smooth. The boat had a clean restroom. The boat had comfortable seating for the drive. The deck hand baited everyone’s hook and removed the fish. He was very fast and good at his job. We caught a huge variety of large and small fish. This was my first fishing deep sea experience. I am hooked! The captain and deck hand were very respectful to me and my family. I highly recommend Tyler and Isaiah for your next deep sea adventure.

For our first time ever deep sea fishing, we learned alot and had a wonderful time with Captain Jared. We highly recommend booking with 850 Charters, as we had an exceptional time. Thank you so much.

Like any fishing you have good and bad days. We caught fish and had fun. Just hoped for something to take home and eat. But we got sick and asked to return early so it is nothing against the captain or mate.

As a first time visitor to Destin you are dependent on the experience and knowledge of your captain. You have to put all trust in your captain and go with the flow. Your captain will take you to a spot where he feels you hav free the best chance to catch something and get you warmed up. After you are warmed you should ask about options. If you want to target a particular fish ask that question before you book your trip. You may be there at the wrong time. When I am in a new location and have no local knowledge I just tell the captain I would like to catch as many different types of fish as possible and always target what ever is biting at that time.

Definitely consider the type of species you aim to catch. Bigger fish require bigger/deeper water. This of course turns into longer boat rides to the necessary habitat. The time in travel can eat into the scheduled time for your trip. If bringing smaller children, you'll be able to get into feisty smaller fish for sure much sooner. They'll have a fantastic time getting into fish much sooner in the trip and have a very memorable time.

Need to have realistic expectations for January fishing. Probably better to target smaller fish where you have a better chance to catch more fish, especially if you want to keep some. We didn't know when we might get back, so intentionally took a shot at bigger fish, knowing the timing wasn't ideal. Naturally we were hoping to have that rare "GREAT" day, that didn't happen, but we were very satisfied. We saw sharks close & dolphins at a distance which was fun.

For first timers, try a four-hour nearshore charter, but if you want to deep sea fish you will probably need a full day. We booked with Captain Jayson Self on the King of Kings boat, a 38-footer with covered area and a toilet. Captain Jayson & Juan were very helpful and fun to be with. Having a great captain, crew, and a boat with a covered area and toilet makes for a great trip. We caught 35+ fish which also makes for a great charter!

Fishing in Destin is great. If you get with a good outfit, you're guaranteed to catch fish. However, if you want to keep the fish you catch, you need to check the seasons for your targeted fish and plan accordingly. The seasons for many of Florida's game fish are pretty short. Booking a trip and catching a bunch of amazing fish you can't keep can be frustrating. But, all in all, great place to fish!