Emerald Coast, FL

Red Drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

The signature inshore fish of the Gulf Coast, also called redfish. Slot-size reds tail and push wakes on shallow flats, while big bull reds gather at passes and beaches in the fall.

Spotted Seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

A soft-mouthed, speckled inshore predator of grass flats from Texas to Florida — not a true trout at all, but a member of the drum family. Trout ambush shrimp and baitfish over grass and strike soft plastics readily.

Mahi Mahi

Coryphaena hippurus

The fastest-growing fish in the ocean and one of the most colourful. Mahi gather under weed lines and floating debris, travel in schools, and strike trolled baits and cast lures with almost no hesitation.

Cobia

Rachycentron canadum

A powerful, brown, shark-shaped fish that cruises the surface around rays, buoys and wrecks and is mostly taken by sight-casting. Cobia eat jigs and live baits presented right in front of them.

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

The classic beginner's panfish: abundant, willing and surprisingly strong on light tackle. Bluegill nest in colonies on shallow flats in spring and guard the beds aggressively.

Channel Catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

The most widespread catfish in North America, at home in rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Channel cats find bait by scent and taste, bite readily after dark, and are the backbone of pay-lake and river catfishing.

Flathead Catfish

Pylodictis olivaris

A solitary, big-river predator that ignores stink baits and eats live fish instead. Flatheads hide in log jams and deep holes by day and hunt sunfish and bullheads at night.

Red Snapper

Lutjanus campechanus

The scarlet prize of the Gulf — red snapper stack on reefs, rigs and wrecks in deep water and pull baits down hard. Peak sport comes in the warm summer months.

Black Drum

Pogonias cromis

The big, drumming bottom fish of Gulf and mid-Atlantic bays — modest as 'puppy drum' for the table, and a spring giant of 40 lb-plus at the passes.

Spanish Mackerel

Scomberomorus maculatus

A spotted, surface-slashing school fish of Gulf and Atlantic beaches — the spring and fall runs fill coolers off piers, jetties and small boats.

Florida Pompano

Trachinotus carolinus

The silver prize of the Florida surf — pompano run the beaches in spring and fall, digging sand fleas from the wash and jolting light surf rods all along both coasts.

Tripletail

Lobotes surinamensis

The master of disguise — tripletail drift sideways under buoys and floating junk pretending to be debris, then crush a live shrimp floated into range. A sight-caster's favourite from Florida to Texas.

Vermilion Snapper

Rhomboplites aurorubens

The Gulf's cheerful 'beeliner' — vermilion snapper swarm deep reefs in red clouds, bite small baits eagerly, and fill coolers on party boats from the Panhandle to Louisiana.

Blackfin Tuna

Thunnus atlanticus

The Atlantic's pocket tuna — blackfin school over Keys humps and Gulf ledges at dawn, out-pull their size by a mile, and eat better than any other small tuna.

Little Tunny

Euthynnus alletteratus

The 'false albacore' — a line-burning little tuna whose fall blitzes along Carolina and mid-Atlantic beaches are pure chaos: birds screaming, bait flying, and reels singing.

Greater Amberjack

Seriola dumerili

The reef donkey of the Atlantic and Gulf — greater amberjack hold over deep structure and pull harder, pound for pound, than almost anything on the reef. Live baits and fast jigs draw brutal strikes, and the first run decides the fight.

Gag Grouper

Mycteroperca microlepis

The grey prize of Gulf and southeast ledges — gag grouper rush baits from holes and wrecks and dive straight back, so the first ten feet of the fight are everything. Live baits over ledges in spring and fall produce the biggest fish.

Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic

Every June

Destin Fishing Rodeo

All of October (the full month)