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Florida Fishing Guides:
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Some of the fish caught out in deeper waters include dolphin, pompano, tarpon, black fin tuna, bonito, blue and white marlin, barracuda, wahoo, kingfish, marlin, sailfish, and even monster-size shark if you really like a fight! Bottom fishing is another method of targeting your chosen fish.
Boats used for offshore fishing are generally the biggest and hold more people than charters for the other fishing types. Some popular vacation destinations for deep sea fishing charters are Pensacola, Destin, and the Florida Keys.
Speaking of charter captains, please visit our charter captains page to learn how to select your Perfect charter captain!
Florida Fishing Guides
Wreck and Reef Fishing
There are many natural shipwrecks sitting at various depths in the waters surrounding Florida. Wrecks are found anywhere from 15 to 35 miles out, and rest at depths ranging from 20 to 300 feet. Little fish hang around the wrecks for cover, and the bigger fish that anglers are seeking come to the wrecks looking for the small fish! The wrecks action is particularly great for permit, cobia, snapper, sharks, and grouper. Wrecks that rest in deeper waters often provide the bigger catch. Chumming and using live bait will turn the action red-hot and non-stop!
| What fish are found around the wrecks and reefs? Snapper and grouper fishing is good just about any time. Dolphin, permit, giant red fish, tarpon and shark are just some of the offshore fish found by Florida fishing guides around the reefs and wrecks. Reef fishing is ample at the thousands of patches of artificial reefs - and at the only natural reef in North America located off the Keys! - all the way along the Florida peninsula, through the islands of the Keys, and all the way out to the Dry Tortugas, which lie about 70 miles west off Key West. |
There are plenty of reefs that aren't fished very often, so the fish at the reefs are always jumpin'. Reefs offer up about the same variety of fish as the wrecks; many anglers like to combine the two into a day's fishing. An added bonus to wreck and reef fishing charters, is that charter captains often happen upon a shrimp boat on your way out to the wrecks and reefs, and take the opportunity to fish the large schools that congregate around the shrimp boats.
There are many fishing charters in Florida whose charter captains specialize in wreck and reef fishing. The action is always productive as different varieties will be hot at various times.
Florida Fishing Guides
Flats Fishing
The Flats are very shallow waters inshore and the same technique is used in rivers and creeks. Flats fishing is done from a small vessel, usually holding only 2 people plus the guide, but is worth your time if you're seeking the elusive bonefish. Florida fishing guides whose specialty is flats fishing emphasize the many opportunities to enjoy natural scenery and undisturbed wildlife found while flats fishing.
This is a step above wading as you're in a boat, but the flats boat isn't motorized; a pole is used to push the skiff along. If you've ever read Tom Sawyer, well, picture Tom and Huck pushing their raft along the Mississipi with a cane pole; that image pretty well sums up flats fishing....
It takes some practice to become adept at navigating the small skiff used for flats fishing. If you're short on time, it's best to hire a flats fishing guide for some of the best flats fishing. If you choose flats fishing, better hone your casting skills; flats fishing is fairly technical and you need to be able to cast with a good amount of precision when a fish is spotted. Flyfishing is well suited for the flats fish, as well as convential gear. Key West flats fishing guides are particularly popular; we recommend you try flats fishing if your Florida fishing vacation takes you to the Keys.
Florida Fishing Guides
Backcountry Fishing
The backcountry waters of the Florida Bay, where the fresh waters coming down through the Everglades comingle with the ocean waters off the Florida mainland. The backcountry waters average only about a 3 foot depth, and is an impressive mix of mangrove islands and flats. The mangroves harbor species such as tarpon, permit, barracuda, snapper, and sharks, and lots of other great sport fish. During the height of tarpon season in June and July, the backcountry is often your best chance of getting one of these big fighters.
If you want the action and excitement of shallow water fishing without the technical aspects of flats fishing, then your Florida fishing trip is more suited for the backcountry. There's no poling involved; Florida fishing guides set up along the edges of channels to ambush your prey! Another great thing about both flats and backcountry fishing charters in Florida is calm water! It's almost like fishing on a lake back home; the chances of rough water are very slim.
Both Flats and backcountry fishing charters in Florida are ideal for the novice angler, or just to relax and have fun if someone has had enough of being seasick! The smaller, 2-person skiffs that are used for flats fishing can also be used to fish the backcountry. The larger, light-tackle boats are generally used more often for backcountry fishing.
Florida Fishing Guides
Tournament Fishing
There's always plenty of fishing tournaments if you're interested in a little competition! Many anglers plan their fishing vacations to coincide with a favorite tournament, and hire a Florida fishing charter boat captain to take them to where the action is hot. Fishing guides give even an amateur much better odds of landing a prize!
Tournaments are held for both saltwater and freshwater varities of fish. The tournaments are many, covering all of the peninsula and are particularly plentiful in the Keys. The contests range from deepsea, inshore, to specialized tournaments focusing on a particular species of fish, such as tarpon or bass. There's even some fishing tournament opportunities for junior anglers and some tournaments are just for the ladies, too.
The Key West Swordfish Tournament, held in the early summer, and the famous Islamorada Sailfish Tournament, help in late November-early December, are two of the better known tournaments in the Florida Keys. Destin fishing is also a frequent tournament location, with many top-knotch charter captains calling Destin their home port.
BassPro Shops sponsor quite a few bass tournaments around the state for bass anglers. Speaking of bass...
Florida Fishing Guides
Bass fishing
 | The famous Florida black bass - affectionately known as the Largemouth Bass - is a good reason to book a tour with a Lake Okeechobee fishing guide. The largemouth bass is plentiful in the big lake, as well as quite a few other lakes and rivers such as the St Johns river. Reserving a bass charter is a good idea as the guides are sometimes booked for months in the months the bass are most active. Try one of the many Florida fishing guides that concentrate of bass fishing for a memorable fishing experience. |
Now that you're familiar with the specialized fishing the guides provide, you may find our Florida charter boat prices guide helps you decide which charter fishing guide is a perfect price for your Florida fishing vacation! In addition, our boats page will inform you about the basic fishing charter boats used by the Florida fishing guides.
| Please stop by our review of Florida Hotels section. We've already researched hotels, and the reviews are focused on hotels that welcome anglers. |
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