Bay or Gulf: how to pick your Destin charter
The bay is calmer, cheaper and closer, and it holds redfish and trout. The nearshore Gulf is where the snapper, grouper and mackerel are. Here is the honest way to decide between them.
Pick the bay if
Choctawhatchee Bay and the intracoastal, on light spinning tackle, close to the dock.
Somebody on the boat gets seasick
Protected waterThe bay is inside the pass and stays calm when the Gulf does not. It is the difference between a good morning and a long one.
You are bringing children
Steady actionShort runs mean more fishing time, and the bay species bite often enough to hold a child's attention. For under tens, the two and three hour kids trip is better again.
Kids trips →You want to catch redfish or trout
The bay speciesRedfish, speckled trout, sheepshead, black drum, ladyfish and jack crevalle live in there. Sight casting a redfish in shallow water is the trip most of our captains would book for themselves.
Redfish →You want the lower price
$800 for four hoursBay trips are $100 cheaper than the Gulf trips at every length.
Bay fishing trips →Pick the nearshore Gulf if
Out of the pass, within about nine miles, trolling and bottom fishing reefs and wrecks.
You want fish for the table
Snapper, grouper, triggerfishThe reefs and wrecks hold the best eating fish on this coast. What you can keep depends on the season, and the captain will tell you before you leave the dock.
Red snapper →You want a bigger fight
Amberjack, kings, bonitaTrolling produces king and Spanish mackerel, amberjack and bonita, and the occasional mahi mahi, cobia or blackfin tuna as a bonus.
Amberjack →You have a full day
Up to eight hoursThe 31 foot Cape Horn runs the only eight hour trip in the fleet, which is the one to book if you want the range for the further structure.
Cape Horn trips →You do not want to go deep sea
Nine miles, not thirtyDestin has enough fish inside nine miles that a deep sea trip is usually a longer, more expensive way to catch the same species.
Nearshore trips →Still not sure? That is what Captain's Choice is for
Book Captain's Choice and the decision moves to the person who was on the water yesterday. Same price as the Gulf trips, and the captain picks the bay or the Gulf on the morning based on the wind, the tide and what has been biting. Anything legal you catch is yours to keep and it is cleaned at the dock.
Captain's Choice
From $900 for four hoursThe trip for anglers who care more about bent rods than about a particular species.
Captain's Choice →Questions about picking a trip
The real differences between bay and Gulf, and who each one suits.
What is the difference between inshore bay fishing and nearshore Gulf fishing in Destin?
Bay trips stay inside the pass on Choctawhatchee Bay and the intracoastal, fishing light tackle for redfish, speckled trout, sheepshead and black drum. Nearshore trips run out of the pass into the Gulf, usually within nine miles and within sight of land, trolling and bottom fishing reefs and wrecks for snapper, grouper, triggerfish, amberjack and mackerel.
Which is better for kids, bay or Gulf?
The bay. It is protected water, the run is short, and the bite is steadier. For children under about ten, the two and three hour kids trips are built for exactly this.
Which trip is better if we want to take fish home?
The nearshore Gulf. The reef and wreck species are the best eating fish on this coast. What is open to keep changes through the year, so ask when you book.
Do I have to decide when I book?
No. Book Captain's Choice and the captain picks the water on the morning of the trip, based on conditions and what has been biting that week. It costs the same as the Gulf trips.
Have questions or ready to book your trip? Send us a message or give us a call — we’ll help you plan the perfect day on the water in Destin.