Best Fall Fishing in Destin

Destin, Florida is located on the Sunshine State's Panhandle region. There are thousands of saltwater fishermen here and that many more tourists who come here to fish our waters. Some of the best fishing in Destin can be had during the Fall season, and that is why Autumn is my favorite time of the year! The following are some of the best areas for Fall fishing here along with a few helpful tips.

Choctawhatchee Bay - From the Destin Pass to the Harbor, Bridge, and Coast Guard Station, on through the bay flats to bayous, the Flounder and Redfish action is great in the Fall. Flounder migrate into the Gulf waters to spawn between mid-October and mid-November, making them easy to target from land in the Fall. No boat necessary! Redfish also spawn from mid-August through October, creating some good Fall Drum fishing in the afternoons and night. I tend to fish for them in the Fall particularly near the jetties and bridge. Use live pinfish, pigfish, shrimp on Carolina rigs, and/or Gulp on red jig heads, DOAs, and spoons. Remember that Flounder in Florida have to be 12" and you can only keep 10 per day. Redfish have to be between 18" and 27" if you want to keep them. You can only keep 1 per day though.

Both White and Speckled Trout can be caught with topwater tackle and DOAs in the Destin Harbor, Bay flats, and bayous through the Fall. There are no size limits for White Trout, but Speckled Trout have to be between 15" and 20", one fish however can be over 20". You're allowed to keep 5 Speckled Trout per day.

For inshore fish such as Flounder, Redfish, and Trout, you'll want to fish moving water, aka a tide change, either incoming or outgoing. I myself prefer outgoing tides. To check your tide times, use the Tide Tables HERE, they include both primary and secondary stations.

Offshore Waters - Fall weather brings nice cooler temperatures, a great welcome for fishermen and the fishing for that matter. Areas from the Edge out further/deeper, the Nipple and Spur for instance, can hold good numbers of Wahoo, Billfish, some Mahi and Tuna. Some of your trolling tackle should consist of ballyhoo (naked and skirted), live blue runners or herring, Yo-Zuri Bonitas, Stretch 30s, to name a few. Have a pitch rod and bait ready to throw at any fish you may sight from the boat. Success at these offshore fish depends on bait and water conditions. You can get free, highly accurate Sea Surface Temperature break charts, water color Chlorophyll charts, GPS numbers, and other rigging tips from Florida-Offshore.com. Study up on these fish before trekking out if you don't have the experience or confidence; I could write for hours about each but that could get long winded! Also, if you venture offshore for the Fall bite, I recommend purchasing a recreational NMFS permit if you don't have one. To view the current rules and regulations for these offshore fish, check the FWC web sites's PDF document.

King Mackerel fishing is awesome in the Fall as well! Big 30+lb fish can be found nearshore (say 12 miles South of the Pass) out to the Edge. Troll or drift live baits like herring or blue runners around structure, as in natural bottoms and wrecks. Make sure you're using a wire leader and stinger hooks so you won't lose your fish. King Mackerel are GREAT to eat as a smoked dip.

One last vital piece of information I need to share with you: In the state of Florida, you need a fishing license when you are fishing from a boat AND from land - that's for tourists and residents. There are exceptions, so take a look at the FWC's list of licensing requirements.