Destin Fishing Report 9-7-25
For the first time in a long time, we have grouper, snapper, amberjack and trigger all open at the same time. This will last for another week.
Thankfully the weather gods somewhat cooperated. Most mornings this week were bouncy, then mid-day it seems to breeze up even more, becoming rough and then calming in the afternoons for the ride home. This next week the forecast does not look as promising but you never really know with an extended forecast, it could be much worse or much better than forecasted.
Bait in the pass has been very hit or miss. Thankfully the boys with Fresh Fish Live Bait have been out daily supplying plenty of live bait.
Bottom Fishing
With all the species open and fishable weather, the catches have been spectacular.
I have seen that deeper water has been more productive especially on grouper and amberjack. Snapper and trigger were fine in state waters.
Cigar minnows are working fine for snapper. If you're going to target amberjack you need live ruby lips and live hardtails, if targeting grouper you need live ruby lips, live squirrel fish, or live mullet. The best way to catch these is using sabiki rigs tipped with squid on the near shore public reefs.
Nearshore Trolling
Kings have been fairly steady. If you can find anything floating in the water, chicken dolphin were available.
The blackfin tuna have starter to show but in lesser quantities. This will improve daily as we get more fall-like days.
Offshore Trolling
The most abundant species were wahoo and white marlin, well that is unless you're making the run all the way to the rigs and then there is a good mixed bag of blackfin and yellowfin tuna. Around the fads there were mahi.
Pier Fishing
A few kings this week, some spanish, whiting are showing in the surf zone and some bull reds.
Tarpon have slowed considerably but hopefully the tuna will start to replace them as available species soon.
Surf Fishing
Pompano have been available, just not in large numbers. Many of them this time of year are just barely keepers and a lot of throw backs as we are just post spawn but these fish will grow fast.
Sharks are abundant at night and the whiting bite on fresh shrimp is pretty good.
Bay Fishing
The main target right now are the black snapper around the bridges and jetties. Bull reds around the Destin Bridge on the tide changes.
Other species available are trout, reds, and big jack crevalle. In the next couple weeks we should see an increased number of fall roe mullet. Who doesn't love fresh fried mullet roe!
