The waves hit the white sands of Destin where people stands with their fishing rod in their hands. The sun set over the gulf and transforms the water into shades of pink and orange. For those who have stood on the beach in Destin with a fishing rod in their hand, the sensation of a fish pulling on their line is a sensation that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Surf fishing in Destin isnt a pastime that all who visits the town enjoy as a hobby. Instead, people of both Destin and those who visit the town each participate in this surf fishing activity each season. Surf fishing in Destin requires patience and much luck in addition to the proper knowledge of the location of the surf fishing spots along the beach.
Destin has clear emerald waters, shifting sandbar, and a variety of fish that live in the shallower portions of the gulf. People who visit the area can catch many different types of fish in the shallow waters without ever leaving the beach itself. A few different factor determines the difference between catching no fish and catching a full cooler of fish.
By mastering these factors, each individual will find that the Gulf of Mexico will provide their fishing trip with fish with ease.
Essential Tips For Destin Surf Fishing
1. Proper Surf Fishing Gear
The spinning reel should hold at least 250 yards of 15 to 20 pound braid fishing line to increase the sensitivity of the fishing rod while fishing because braid line dont stretch. An angler should attach a 30 pound fluorocarbon fishing line to the fishing rod at a length of three feet because fluorocarbon fishing line is clear in the water and will not scare the fish away. This fishing gear is versatile enough to handle the most common fish in the gulf yet strong enough to handle a shark should one enter the area.
2. Fresh Bait Selection
The selection of bait for the fishing rod will have a major impact upon fishing trips.
3. Pompano Bait and Feeding
Pompano fish will be attracted to sand fleas also known as mole crabs that can be dug up from the wet sand during low tide. Using a bucket to gather a few dozen of these sand fleas will provide the best bait for catching pompano that will cost the angler nothing.
4. Redfish and Black Drum Bait
Redfish and black drum prefers fresh shrimp or mullet.
During periods when the gulf waters are cloudy due to storms, an angler can use a piece of frozen squid as the bait because the scent of the squid will attract the fish from greater distance. The bait should be changed every 15 to 20 minutes because stale bait will not be visible to the fish. Being able to read the water will allow an individual to become a consistent fish catcher in the area.
5. Reading the Water and Troughs
One method of reading the water is to look for changes in the color of the water where the waves create deep trough that are parallel to the beach. The fish in the area tend to like to swim in these troughs. Rip currents can also be used to catch the fish in Destin if read correctly.
The fish in the area follow the food that the rip currents carry. Additionally, people can look for other signs of the presence of fish such as pelicans diving into the gulf or the baitfish jumping over the water’s surface. These signs indicate that the fish in the gulf are active at that time of day.
These spots can then be visited to improve the chances of the angler of catching fish. Knowing when to go fishing in Destin is a requirement for those interested in catching the fish with success.
6. Optimal Tides and Timing
Additionally, the tides in Destin exhibit the strongest incoming tide during the time of a full moon and a new moon. These times of the month can be targeted to fish between the hours of 5:00 in the morning until 9:00 in the evening. The sun tends to push the fish into the deeper portions of the gulf during the middle of the day yet also heats the sand to the point where standing on the beach is not desired.
Thus, the sensation of watching the horizon transform into orange while the fishing line moves back and forth indicates that fish is biting. Using the proper size and type of fishing hook will prevent the loss of the caught fish and the wasting of time. Using circle hooks between sizes 2/0 and 4/0 will allow for the fish to be released back into the sea if the fish is to be caught and released back into the sea.
7. Effective Fishing Hooks
Because the circle hooks tend to catch the fish in the corner of the mouth rather than the deep portion of the fishs gills, the fish are more likely to survive the catch and release process. For those who intend to cook the caught fish, a Kahle fishing hook will secure the fish better when the fish have bony mouths like whiting and pompano fish. Additionally, an angler should never use treble hooks in the surf areas because the hooks will tangle with the fishing line, the hooks may snag on seaweed, and the fish will create a mess in the water.
One solid hook is better then three smaller hooks. Knowing how to properly cast the fishing line will help to increase the distance of the cast as well as the likelihood that the fish will notice the bait. An overhead cast can be used when fishing for short distances but sidearm or pendulum casts will allow the bait to travel further with less effort.
8. Casting Techniques
The tip of the fishing rod should be kept low when fishing for the fish because the fish live near the bottom. Additionally, the rod should be lifted every few minutes to allow the bait to fall back to the bottom as the fish tend to be attracted to the motion of the bait.
9. Weather and Wind Conditions
Knowing the weather prior to travel to the beach in Destin can prevent the development of frustration and ensure the safety of the angler. The direction of the wind is important to note before leaving the house. If the wind is coming towards the beach, the bottom of the sea will become stirred up and visibility into the gulf waters will decrease.
Offshore winds will create flat surf and increase visibility of the fish in the gulf. Additionally, if there is lightning in the horizon, it is best to avoid the beach as the weather can quickly change from calm to dangerous. If the flag at the beach pier is moving heavily in the wind, it may be better to fish in the bays instead of along the beach.
10. Fish Handling and Care
Thus, knowing the weather is a necessity for an angler visiting Destin. Taking care of the fish that are caught will ensure that the fish population remains strong for the next fishing season in Destin. When holding the fish, wet the anglers hands prior to touching the fish to not remove the protective slime from the fish’s body.
Use pliers to remove the hook from the fish yet do not drag the fish across the sand. If the fish are to be prepared to eat, kill the fish humanely by blow to the head and place the fish on ice. Fish that are too warm will quickly spoil.
Additionally, the anglers who visit the area should respect both the fish and the beach. Knowing the fishing patterns along the gulf will provide an advantage to anglers who are visiting the area compared to those who are residents of Destin. For instance, pompano fish are present from late spring until mid summer.
During this time, the best spots to fish for pompano are the troughs during the rising tides when the sea floor temperatures reach the high 60s. Spanish mackerel and ladyfish are present from late summer into the fall when they travel into the baitfish schools near the edge of the rip currents. Additionally, larger redfish begin to move into the gulf in the fall when they begin to school up for the winter. The last hour of light during daylight will exhibit the strongest bite of fish in the gulf that day.
After sunset, the predatory fish in the gulf lose some of their caution around humans and begin to travel into the shallower portions of the sea. These spots are closer to the beach so the angler can lessen the distance of the cast. Additionally, during these last hours of daylight the sky in Destin transforms to orange colors during which the gulf waves glow yet the line begins to move in response to the fish that are biting.
These hours are the motivation for the individuals to travel for many hours to the beach and to stand in the surf with their fishing rod in their hand. Surf fishing in Destin rewards those who take the time to learn the location of the best spots to fish in the area. Surf fishing rewards those who respect the water in which they fish as well as the different fish that live in the gulf.
Surf fishing rewards those who take the time to learn the different seasons of the year when the different types of fish live in the area. The Gulf of Mexico does not provide fish to those who fish without curiosity, patience, and a willingness to learn from each fishing trip they make. Thus, the next time that an individual desires to fish for the season or beyond, they should walk to the beach with their longest fishing rod and a bucket of bait in their possession.
The fish will be waiting for them where the sand meets the sea.