Port guide / Florida Panhandle / Florida

Destin fishing guide

Destin sits on East Pass, the only outlet from Choctawhatchee Bay to the Gulf, and the rock jetties on both sides of the pass are where shore anglers go for reds, sheepshead, mackerel and snapper. Deep water comes close here, so the harbor fleet of party boats and private charters reaches reefs and wrecks quickly. Okaloosa County runs permitted artificial reef sites just east of the pass and farther out in federal water, and the Okaloosa Island Pier covers the beach side.

Conditions now
What is biting
Seasons and rules
Where to fish
Ramps and piers
Bait and charters
Events
Questions

10 ft, conditions now

Conditions now

Live from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Times show in your own time zone.

Tides

Loading the next highs and lows from NOAA.

On the water now

Water: Checking
Wind: Checking

Marine forecast

Loading the National Weather Service forecast.

NOAA tides, Destin, East Pass, FL (opens in a new tab) NOAA station Panama City Beach, FL (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Coastal waters from Okaloosa Walton County Line FL to Pensacola FL out 20 NM (opens in a new tab)

20 ft, what is biting

What is biting, month by month

When each fish is at its best around Destin. This month is marked.

What is biting by month around Destin. Peak, good and slow months for each species.
Species	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Redfish	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Good	Good
Sheepshead	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Good	Peak	Good
Florida pompano	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Good
Spanish mackerel	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Slow
King mackerel	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Slow
Cobia	Slow	Slow	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Slow	Slow
Mangrove snapper	Good	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Red snapper	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Slow	Slow
Gray triggerfish	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Slow	Slow
Greater amberjack	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Slow	Slow

Redfish
Peak: April, May, June, September, October
Reds hold on the East Pass jetties through winter and come back strong in October, and they feed best on the tide changes.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Sheepshead
Peak: March, April, May, September, November
A winter regular on the jetty rocks at East Pass.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Florida pompano
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August
Spring pompano show up at the jetties and in the nearshore troughs along the beaches.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Spanish mackerel
Peak: May, June, July, August
From spring through summer they run the jetties, the beach troughs and the Okaloosa Island Pier.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
King mackerel
Peak: May, June, July, August
Kings arrive around May at the pass and piers, and the Destin Fishing Rodeo runs a king mackerel jackpot every October.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Cobia
Peak: April, May, June, July
Spring fish cruise the nearshore troughs and come through East Pass starting in March and April.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Mangrove snapper
Peak: May, June, July
Summer into November at the jetties, especially near the deep ship channel off the end of the spur jetty.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper
Peak: May, June, July, August
Taken on Okaloosa County artificial reef sites east of the pass and on natural bottom in federal water during the open season.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Gray triggerfish
Peak: May, June, July
Common on both the artificial and natural reefs off Destin, inside the March to May and August to December season.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack
Peak: May, June, July, August
They hang around tall structure like the sunken tugboat Belize, and harvest is open only in the short fall season.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)

30 ft, seasons and rules

Seasons and rules

Open and close dates we could confirm from official sources, plus where to check limits before you keep a fish.

Red snapper, private recreational, Gulf state and federal waters
Open May 22 to July 31 daily; Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 daily; Oct. 9 to 22 daily; then weekends only: Oct. 23 to 25, Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, Nov. 7 to 8, 14 to 15 and 21 to 22, Nov. 26 to 29 (Thanksgiving weekend), Dec. 5 to 6, 12 to 13 and 19 to 20, Dec. 25 to 27, and Jan. 1 to 4, 2027. Also applies to charter boats without a federal permit fishing state waters.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, federal for-hire (charter boats with a federal reef fish permit)
Opened 12:01 a.m. June 1, 2026 and closes 12:01 a.m. Oct. 26, 2026.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, Gulf state waters
Open Sept. 1 to 30, 2026; harvest closes Oct. 1 for the rest of the year.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, federal waters
Open 12:01 a.m. Sept. 1, 2026; closes 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1, 2026.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red, black and scamp grouper, Gulf state waters
Open year-round in state waters.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, Gulf state waters
Open Sept. 1 through Oct. 13; closes 12:01 a.m. Oct. 14.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, federal waters
Open Sept. 1, 2026 to 12:01 a.m. Oct. 14, 2026, then closed until the next season starts Sept. 1, 2027.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gray triggerfish, Gulf state and federal waters
Open March 1 to May 31 and Aug. 1 to Dec. 31.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Flounder, state and federal waters off Florida
Closed every year Oct. 15 through Nov. 30.
FWC, annual, applies to 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout, Panhandle Region
Closed in February; open March 1 through Jan. 31.
FWC, annual, applies to 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)

Rules change. Check before you go.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

Private-boat anglers who keep or target red snapper, gag, red or black grouper, greater amberjack, gray triggerfish, vermilion snapper and several other reef fish need the free State Reef Fish Survey designation on their license. Charter and headboat customers and anglers under 16 do not. See https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/state-reef-fish-survey/
Florida manages red drum and spotted seatrout by region. The Panhandle Region runs from the Alabama line east to near Alligator Point in Franklin County and has its own rules. See https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/red-drum/
Florida's Gulf state water seasons for red snapper, gag and amberjack are set by FWC and can differ from federal seasons, so check which waters you are in.
FWC set a new lane snapper size and bag limit for Gulf state waters effective April 1, 2026. See https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/snappers/

Size and bag limits Fishing licenses

Last checked 2026-10-26

40 ft, where to fish

Where to fish

Jetty
East Pass jetties
The end of the spur jetty next to the deep ship channel is the go-to spot; wear soft-soled shoes, and stay off the rocks when waves are topping them.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Pier
Okaloosa Island Pier
A 1,262-foot county pier on Okaloosa Island with sight-casting in clear water and rentals at the entrance.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Reef
Okaloosa County nearshore artificial reefs
Permitted reef sites just east of East Pass and about 1 to 2 miles off the beaches hold snapper, gag and triggerfish.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Beach
Beach troughs, Okaloosa Island to Destin
The nearshore troughs give up pompano, reds, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and spring cobia.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Offshore
The Edge
Deeper ground about 23 miles southwest of East Pass that offshore boats run for bottom fish.
Source (opens in a new tab)

50 ft, launch and piers

Ramps and piers

Public launches and fishing piers. Fees and hours change, so check the link before you tow.

Public boat ramps and fishing piers around Destin
Name	Type	Fee	Where
Joe's Bayou boat launch (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	800 Beach Drive, Destin, FL 32541
Ross Marler Park boat ramps (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	1275 Santa Rosa Blvd., Fort Walton Beach, FL
Cinco Bayou Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	264 Seaway, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Liza Jackson Park (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	350 Hwy 98 W, Fort Walton Beach, FL
Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier (opens in a new tab)	Pier	Paid	300 Pier Road, Fort Walton Beach, FL

60 ft, bait, tackle and charters

Bait, tackle and charters

Local shops and guides. We are not paid to list anyone here.

Bait and tackle

Bait and tackle shops around Destin
Shop	Where	Phone
Half Hitch Tackle Destin (opens in a new tab)	621 Harbor Blvd, Destin, FL 32541	(850) 837-3121
The Ships Chandler Destin (opens in a new tab)	646 Harbor Blvd, Destin, FL 32541	(850) 837-9306

Charters and guides

Fishing charters and guides around Destin
Charter	Fishing
Destin Princess and Destiny Party Boat Fishing (opens in a new tab)	Offshore
Swoop II Adventures (opens in a new tab)	Offshore
Olin Marler Charter Boats (opens in a new tab)	Offshore
Charter Boat Al-Lin (opens in a new tab)	Offshore
Destin Inshore Guides (opens in a new tab)	Inshore

70 ft, on the calendar

Tournaments and events

Annual events on this water. Dates move, so confirm with the organiser.

Destin Fishing Rodeo (opens in a new tab)
all of October
2026: October 1 to 31
Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic (opens in a new tab)
usually mid to late June, at Baytowne Marina, Sandestin, Miramar Beach
Emerald Coast Open (lionfish tournament) (opens in a new tab)
usually mid May, in Destin and Fort Walton Beach

80 ft, asked and answered

Fishing Destin, asked and answered

Can I fish the Destin jetties without a boat?

Yes. Shore anglers fish the rock jetties on both sides of East Pass for reds, sheepshead, mackerel and snapper, and the end of the spur jetty next to the deep ship channel is the go-to spot. Wear soft-soled shoes and stay off the rocks when waves are topping them.

When is the Destin Fishing Rodeo?

It runs all of October, and the 2026 rodeo is October 1 to 31. It includes a king mackerel jackpot.

When can I keep amberjack and gag off Destin in 2026?

Gag was open Sept. 1 to 30, 2026 in both state and federal waters and closed at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1. Greater amberjack was open Sept. 1 through Oct. 13 in both and closed at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 14, so both are closed for the rest of 2026.

What does the Okaloosa Island Pier catch?

The 1,262-foot county pier is known for sight-casting in clear water. Spanish mackerel run past it from spring through summer, and kings show up at the piers around May.

Where do Destin boats go for snapper?

Okaloosa County has permitted artificial reef sites just east of East Pass, about 1 to 2 miles off the beaches, and more in federal water, plus natural bottom farther out like The Edge. Red snapper, gag and triggerfish are the usual catch.

90 ft, the kit