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

Our Captain took us out approximately 20 miles to provide the best spots for great red snapper. It was great. Our group caught some beautiful reds. We did have some issue with sharks taking our catch but we still managed a nice catch. The weather was challenging but the Captain kept watch and kept us moving. It was a great trip!

Come Prepared, Take Motion medicine if you need it even if you think it is calm. Don't chance it and ruin the amazing experience you will have. Make sure to take lots a pictures, it is an experience you will want to remember.

Obviously watch the weather. Finding a guide that matches your personality is the difference on a good vs bad trip. Fishing is spotty in early March but that’s why they call it fishing and not catching. We reeled in over 40 fish and lost a couple of nice ones for sure. We also saw dolphins everywhere. Destin is beautiful and being out, even in some rough water is fantastic.

Really nice harbor, clean beaches and really clear water...Grew up in Texas and had nothing but dirty experiences in the Texas gulf...Quite the opposite in Destin with Far Far exceeded my expectations...

Be prepared for the weather - wind on boat is 20-30 degrees colder… nice in summer but tough when in 40’s and 50’s! And winds can make water choppy which makes for a rough ride. Use motion sickness patch even if never seasick before… better to be prepared…

Understand the fish in season and listen to the Captain. If he is recommending a longer charter, it’s not because he is looking to bill more but trying to put you on the fish and sometimes they are further out.

Expect it to be really hot and not to be peak season for anything. I would not come here on a primarily fishing driven trip in August but I’d fish a day if here. We just wanted to catch some fish and we did and our captain was great but it’s a slow time of year.

Drink a lot of water. Start with a smaller trip before you do a full-day unless you've fished before. Have a plan for what you are going to do with the fish you catch (give them away or take them to a restaurant to have them cooked).

get to your boat on time and bring food. you need a lot of time to catch the fish because sometimes there are dolphins around and they end up getting the fish before you do so the captain usually has to move his boat to different spots.

I would not recommend a long or out on the sea trip if this is your first time fishing. My wife and another guy got seasick as this was their first time. Either try some offshore fishing or reef fishing. Don’t try a 2 hour boat ride to fish and then 2 hours back on your first go.

Book early. Explore the boats you're planning to book. Beginners should pick larger boats with 4-6 hr expeditions. Smaller speedboats can be quite a rough ride to get farther offshore, although the bigger catches often require longer, farther offshore excursions.

Book the Wahoo. Captain Steve is the boat owner so he really care about his customers being happy. His crew has been with him for years and they do a great job of making the fishing fun and productive. We have been on many fishing boats, this is our favorite.

Make sure you know what fish are in season and the size of the fish required to keep. Caught a lot of triggers and 3 sizeable amber jacks, but all were too small to keep. Do admire the captain for carefully returning fish that did not qualify.

It was a very clean boat and the captain and crew were very friendly and it was an enjoyable trip. The first mate was exceptional and worked very hard to make sure that we had a very enjoyable trip. I would recommend this charter to anyone wishing to fish in the Gulf when they are here visiting Destin.

August is a great time to fish with the smaller kids because one of the primary targets is smaller mingo snapper. There are plenty of them and the kids can reel them in. A few prized fish are out of season by August 1st. Red Snapper and Triggerfish for example. You might catch them, but you can't keep them.

It was a wonderful trip. We wanted the two girls ages eight and 10, to catch fish and they did! They wanted to keep fishing. So the trip was very successful. Thanks again and we hope to see you soon.

Bring a few things that make you comfortable ie: hand towels, small cooler, snacks, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and so on. BE respectful to your Captain and know that weather and water conditions will play a huge factor into your trip! Happy Fishing!!

Watch the fish reports. See what’s working. Fishing better sometimes on the dark of the moon. See where the most action is being reported and adjust your trip. Our crew was on the money with our trip.

For the money you have to go on a party boat. Expect line tangles with other fishermen, women and children. If crowds aren't your thing best to bust out more cash and go with a private charter or rent a boat to go on your on. Had a good time overall.

Don't waste your money, there is obviously a game of time that is played on customers like yourself. The charters will take you to there "Spots" spend some time there then move on to the next spot working their way back to shore.

Be sure to do your research and if you are unsure, then book the cheapest fishing trip so you will have a better understanding. You can watch YouTube videos all day long, nothing beats having boots on the ground for your intel. Remember, these charters is how they make a living. If you want to catch lots of fish with fewer people on board, then you will have to pay more money for the trip.

We booked our trip months ago, but who knew that the one day out of that week was the one most charters cancelled due to high winds. Unfortunately they were booked the rest of the week and we were unable to reschedule. Facebook posts from the other days encourage us to try again another time.

Go on the Mighty Fine boat. Besides the Captain and deckhand being super friendly the owner of the boat Lindley met us as we left and was there to meet us when we returned. All were super friendly and did their best to make our trip a success.

Eat light, bring lots of water (not sugar or alcohol drinks), heavy sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, deck shoes or old tennis shoes, light gloves. Workout rowing and curls (heavy as you can) 2-4 weeks before sailing. Go to bed early and hope to hook a monster fish.

Sea sickness hit 4 of the 6 six guys on there trip. There was rain for 3 days so the seas were choppy. Make sure it's calm seas when you go. The boat was hard to stand up in because of the choppy sea. They stayed longer because they didn't catch anything until about 2 pm.

Do a thorough review of the boat and the captain before setting out. Decide whether you would like to bait fish or purchase the bait fish from the boat beforehand. Not bait fishing saves a lot of time for larger fish.

Just make sure you plan earky enough to allow time for the charter perso nel to respond. The service they use has to inform them of your request and they have to respond. This means that even though it says your booking is available, it may not actually be.

Read "Destin Party Boat Fishing: All You Need to Know" before you go. I know it says party boat but still has good info. For first timers or older folks (like me) either book a trip less than 12 hour (what ours was) or book an over night trip. (12 hours of hard fishing is pretty tough)

If you are wanting a great time, reserve your trip with a reputable captain. Do your research. Read the reviews. But remember, it's called fishing, not catching. You may score big like we did, or you may strike out. And the captain is not responsible for weather or seas. Have an open mind, be adaptable to the situation, and by all means, have fun!

Take your own rods and reels. The tackle was too heavy for the small fish we were catching so you couldn’t feel the fish. It was more like a little extra weight. You drop the bait down and then reel it up. Boring and disappointing!