Part of this blog series of what to do in Destin of course, will have some fishing facts and information. The continental shelf comes close to dry land making the water deep closer to shore than any other place along the Gulf Coast of Florida keeping the water cool and the fishing good. A deep bay called Choctawhatchee Bay has formed to the north of Destin with access to the Gulf of Mexico by the East Pass. In the north section of the pass sits the famous Crab Island. Destin harbor is located midway and gives easy access to these bodies to many pleasure boats and is home to Florida´s largest fishing fleet. Given the unparalleled beauty and easy access there are a plethora fishing companies to choose from. Depending on the type of fishing you want and knowing what is around this section should help in your decision.

With the contour of the ocean bottom being perfect for fishing, Destin offers many types of both offshore and inshore fishing. Inshore fishing charters can be just as rewarding as deep sea. Light tackle, fly fishing, or bottom fishing can bring home anything from red and black drum, speckled and white trout, flounder…well this list of fish can go on and on. Bottom line, the fishing in Destin is hot. To top off hot fishing, the season for inshore fishing is always open! Sheepshead, flounder, the drums, are all open for harvest in Destin throughout the year. Destin has some of the world’s best inshore anglers all ready to put you and a few friends or family on the fish. See www.destin-inshore-fishing.com

Offshore or deep sea fishing is where the big game fish can be found. This is where we come in; Destin Beach Parasail has teamed up with Olin Marler Charters and will set you up with the offshore fishing experts. Close to shore along the beaches one can catch many types of fish including king mackerel, cobia, tarpon, and few types of the jack family including amber and pompano. Moving further offshore the prized red snapper and grouper can be hooked if bottom fishing. Red snapper being one of the most sought after fishes have a short season from June 1st to July 17th with a two per person per day bag limit. If you have your mind set for this fish make sure to plan ahead and be ready for excitement!

Grouper have similar eating habits as the snapper and can be a little more allusive; they can be harvested all months but February and March. As for blue water fish: tuna, marlin, wahoo, dolphin, (better known as mahi mahi) sailfish, swordfish, and many others are feeding off Destin’s coastline. They can be caught all year however usually depart the area during the colder times of year seeking the rich warm water feeding grounds. Last but not least ask about shark fishing if you didn’t get enough shark week in your system. Mostly this is done at night during the sharks peak feeding times. There is nothing like bringing up such a creature from the dark mysterious depths of the Gulf of Mexico.

Once back in Destin and back at the dock, observe the entire catch as the crew puts each fish on display and cleans them for you to take pictures to send to friends or for your bragging wall. Hungry right away? Take your catch over to the Crazy Lobster where the chef will be happy to cook your catch to perfection, perfectly seasoned with a choice of sides complimenting your taste.

Now that you have an idea of what the Gulf offers in Destin you might be able to pick which fish to target. Mostly Olin Marler Charters does deep sea bottom fishing but will accommodate to target any species with a private charter. Just give us a call to reserve a spot and we will be happy to get you deep sea fishing. Also you can look at their website at www.olinmarlercharterboats.com