Destin Deep Sea – Nearshore Gulf Fishing – refers to fishing the waters of the Gulf of Mexico that reside a near shore or a short distance from the beach – less than 10 miles but usually 3 to 5 miles from shore and always well within sight of land. The coastal waters off of Destin quickly reach depths in excess of 100 feet within the first few miles. These warm, fertile waters of the Nearshore Gulf are some of the most bountiful in all of Florida. Fish of all shapes and sizes call these waters home. Destin Nearshore Gulf fishing trips are the closest to shore type of Destin Deep Sea fishing charters. These trips minimize the amount of time traveling to your fishing spots and increase your actual time fishing. However don’t for a moment think this has any impact on the quality or quantity of fish caught.
Nearshore Gulf fishing trips are the closest to shore type of Destin Deep Sea fishing charters. Minimize time traveling and spend more time fishing.
Catches of over a dozen different species ranging from King and Spanish Mackerel, Cobia, Mahi, Blackfin Tuna, Tarpon, Red Snapper, Mangrove Snapper, Vermillion Snapper, Grouper, Amberjack, Barracuda and a variety of Sharks (Bulls, Tigers, Hammerheads and Blacktips). Many of these fish average over 20 pounds and can run in excess of 300 pounds as in the case of the mighty Sharks. Bait selection will vary widely to include both live and artificial baits used in a variety of ways.
Destin Nearshore Gulf Fishing produces some of the most active and consistent fishing that Florida has to offer.
When fishing the Destin Nearshore Gulf’s wrecks and reefs, we will typically troll above or bottom drop baits to the wreck and/or reef floor of the Gulf. A variety of Snapper species, Grouper, Mahi, King Mackerel, Blackfin Tuna, Amberjack and many more species frequent these marine habitats and can also be coerced into swimming up to the surface right next to the boat and take a bait. Nothing could be more exciting than to see a reef dwelling 20 pound Red Snapper swim up and eat your top water offering and blaze your reel’s drag on its way back down to its home on the reef floor! From trolling for speedy pelagics, to playing tug-o-war with a Shark, big Grouper or Snapper, there is something lurking on or above the Nearshore Gulf wrecks and reefs.
ICX also employs a “Run and Gun” tactical cruising approach to sight cast to the surface-feeding species by looking for visual cues such as diving birds, baits breaking on the surface and masses of floating grass. In the case of the Cobia, Mahi and Tarpon, which stand out easily in the emerald green waters, we can spot them from the boat’s tower’s while we cruise along. Once the targeted species are located, an artificial lure or live bait is cast to it, so hold on tight, because the fight is now on!
The availability of Destin Nearshore Gulf species is all about the seasons, water temperature, and fish migrations. Feel free to contact us to find out what species are usually available during your planned visit, or to find out what the best time is to target the species you are most interested in catching.
