What is biting in Destin, month by month
Cobia in spring, tarpon and snapper through summer, redfish schooling in autumn, sheepshead and grouper in winter. Here is what the boats are actually on through the year, and what the season means for what you can keep.
March to May, the spring run
The water warms, the cobia move along the beach, and the bay wakes up.
Cobia
Sight castingCobia migrate along the Destin beaches in spring, which is the one time of year you are hunting fish you can see before you cast to them. Bright, calm days are the ones you want.
Cobia fishing →Spanish mackerel
Trolling and bayThey show up in numbers as the water warms, both nearshore and inside the bay, and they will keep a boat full of children busy all morning.
Spanish mackerel →Speckled trout
Bay, peak seasonSpring is the peak for trout over the grass flats on light tackle, which is the trip Captain Kyle would pick if you left it to him.
Speckled trout →Black drum and sheepshead
Bridges and structureStill holding around the bridges, jetties and docks early in the season before the water gets warm.
Black drum →June to August, the summer months
The busiest fishing of the year, and the season when what you can keep matters as much as what you can catch.
Red snapper
Bottom fishing, season set annuallyThe reefs and wrecks hold snapper all summer. The federal and state seasons are set fresh every year and they are short, so ask when you book whether your date falls inside one.
Red snapper →Triggerfish
Reefs and wrecksSummer is the peak. They sit over the same structure as the snapper and are one of the better eating fish out there.
Triggerfish →Tarpon
Beach sight fishingTarpon roam the Destin beaches through the summer. They are the largest thing you can hook from a bay boat here and they are catch and release.
Tarpon →Sharks
Heavy tackleWarm water brings the sharks close. Blacktips, spinners and bulls, on heavy gear, photographed and released.
Shark trips →September to November, the autumn schools
The best month of the year for a lot of local anglers, and quieter on the water than summer.
Redfish
Bay and beach, peak seasonAutumn is when redfish school up, in the bay and in huge groups cruising the beaches, which makes them the perfect sight fishing target. This is the peak of the year for them.
Redfish →King mackerel
Trolling, peak seasonKings run hard in spring and again in autumn. Trolling live bait or lures nearshore is how you find them.
King mackerel →Flounder
Inshore, the fall runThe autumn run brings flounder through the passes and around structure inshore.
Flounder →December to February, the winter bite
Fewer boats, colder mornings, and fishing that is far better than most visitors expect.
Sheepshead
Structure, winter peakWinter is sheepshead season around the bridges, jetties and docks. Fiddler crabs, light line, and a bite you have to feel for.
Bay trips →Grouper
Bottom fishing, winter peakGag and red grouper over the nearshore bottom, with winter the peak of the year for them.
Grouper →Bluefish
Year round, winter peakHard fighting, constant action, and a good winter option when the weather lets us out.
Bluefish →Redfish
Still schoolingThe winter schools are still on the beaches on calm days, which is one reason a December trip is worth booking.
Redfish →Two things that decide the day more than the month
Weather. A season is an average, and a front will move fish and close water regardless of the calendar. If the Gulf is rough, the bay fishes.
Regulations. What you can keep is set by state and federal rules that change through the year, and the snapper seasons in particular are announced fresh each season. The captain will tell you on the day what is open. Everything legal is cleaned at the dock at no charge.
Not sure which month to pick?
AskCall and say what you want to catch, and you will get an honest answer about when to come, including when not to.
Call (850) 502-9170 →Questions about when to fish Destin
Best months, snapper season, and what changes with the weather.
What is the best month to fish in Destin?
There is no dead month. Spring brings the cobia migration and the trout bite, summer is snapper, triggerfish and tarpon, autumn is the redfish schools and the king mackerel run, and winter is sheepshead, grouper and bluefish with far fewer boats on the water.
When can you keep red snapper in Destin?
The federal and state red snapper seasons are set fresh each year and are usually short. Ask when you book whether your date falls inside one. Outside the season the fish are still there, you just release them.
When do cobia run the Destin beaches?
In spring, as the water warms. It is the one time of year you are hunting fish you can see, which makes it the trip experienced anglers book first.
When are redfish best in Destin?
Redfish are caught year round, and autumn is the peak. They school in the bay and along the beaches in big groups, which is what makes them a sight fishing target rather than a hopeful cast.
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.