Need your help on some recommendations for fishing guides on the Emerald Coast/Destin/Santa Rosa Beach area of Florida for the end of September.

We will be staying in Seagrove/Seaside area.

Looking for some good guides for bay type (in shore) fishing Reds (primarily) and Specs second.

And also any good guides there for off shore that you know of for Kings, Lings, and dolphin/pompano fishing guides, really anything but bottom fishing.

Thanks for your help, Let me know if you know of somebody that you can recommend (links to their sites would be good, or just a name, I’ll find them).

I love that area. I don't know any guides but I bank fished quite a bit.

I lived there for 4 years ('95-99) when I was stationed at Hurlburt Field in the AF, and did some good fishing there. The causeway area where the bay goes to the gulf at the Destin bridge is great. Redfish, Black Drum, Sheep Heads - what a blast. Fish the crushed up barnacles with a treble hook at the bridge for big Sheep heads... :-)

There is a Coast Guard installation there on the back edge of the bay entrance, and active duty military can fish it. I caught more fish from that jetty than any place. The Navarre pier is good too.

I'm sure you'll tear 'em up where ever you go.

Mark, my fiance and I went to Destin about a month ago. We just took a road trip vacation and ended up there so I didn't get to do much research on a fishing trip. We picked up a bunch of flyers at hotels and called around. Man, those guys doing inshore are making a killing!! And they seem to be staying booked up. It was just too expensive for only 2 of us to go out with one.

Sooo... we ended up going to the docks and getting paired up with 4 others and booked a offshore trip. We did catch some nice fish. It was mostly bottom fishing though. I had a 22 lb grouper and she had a 16 lb Mack. We trolled some baits on the way out and back, but didn't have any luck there. It was cheap though, like $150 per person for a 6 hour trip.

You've got plenty of time to get on someones schedule though, so I bet you can find what you are looking for. I did talk to the guys at Bass Pro Shops there and they had a guy that worked there some that everyone said was great and guaranteed his trips. The concierge at our hotel recommended him as well. He was booked that week. Lost his card, but I bet you could call the Destin BPS and get a few ideas if all else fails.

Capt. Jeff Moore out of Pensacola...don't have his number but look him up on google. He would at least know a good guide for that area that he could refer you to if he wasn't what you were looking for.

Stop at the harbor on the way in and pick up some brochures or go on line. The brochures usually have discount coupons in them. The offshore guys seemed to have openings trying to fill up a boat. I do not know about the bay side. I think on the bay side you will need to book something in advance.

Thanks Trevor. Did you use Jeff Moore? Looks like his site is http://www.moorebetter.com/

Also got a good lead from the Bass section for a Eddie Woodall http://www.fullnetcharters.com/default.aspx Both inshore and Off Shore. He looks very good to me.

Thanks for all ya'lls help.

We try to make it to Destin area every summer. I have caught more fish from this pier than any other in the area. They are reasonable, the locals are friendly and helpful, and the fishing is great!


www.okaloosaislandpier.com