It’s a fishing day

Destin Beach fishing conditions · Florida

Now until 6 amTarpon

The bite peaks at 55.

Rip Current Statement until Monday 6 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 55 for tarpon, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Tarpon, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 552 am
  2. 55
  3. 55
  4. 555 am
  5. 45
  6. 49
  7. 458 am
  8. 45
  9. 45
  10. 4511 am
  11. 49
  12. 49
  13. 452 pm
  14. 45
  15. 45
  16. 455 pm
  17. 49
  18. 45
  19. 458 pm
  20. 45
  21. 45
  22. 4511 pm
  23. 45Tue
  24. 49
  25. 492 am
  26. 45
  27. 45
  28. 455 am
  29. 45
  30. 45
  31. 498 am
  32. 49
  33. 45
  34. 4511 am
  35. 45
  36. 49
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Tarpon range 74–90°

Wind
15 mph

From the northeast

Light
Dark

Sunrise 6:55 am

Sky
Mostly Clear

No rain expected

Air
64°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Florida regulations for these waters.

Tarpon

Tarpon

Megalops atlanticus

55MarginalNow until 6 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Tarpon bite in 74–90° water, best near 80°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Tarpon feeds aggressively under full moon. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Catch and release only today. Catch-and-release only. Tarpon over 40" must stay in the water unless you hold a tarpon tag (one per person a year), bought before fishing, in pursuit of a Florida state or world record.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Florida

Season here: Apr–Sep. Likes an incoming tide. More on tarpon

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Red drum bite in 65–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Red drum prefers incoming tide. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 27" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 18–27" slot, 1 per person a day; vessel limit 4 in the Panhandle and Big Bend regions and 2 from Tampa Bay south. Harvest is prohibited in federal waters.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Florida

Season here: Mar–Nov, from a water-temperature gauge 24 mi away, 2023–2025. More on red drum

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Spotted seatrout bite in 60–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 19" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tampa Bay south through Everglades National Park: 15–19" slot; one fish over 19" per vessel, or per person from shore, counts in the bag. 3 per person a day, open year-round.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Florida

Season here: Mar–Nov, from a water-temperature gauge 24 mi away, 2023–2025. More on spotted seatrout

Sheepshead

Sheepshead

Archosargus probatocephalus

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Sheepshead bite in 60–82° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Sheepshead prefers slack tide. Holds 5–40 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 8 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 12" minimum, 8 per person a day; vessel limit 50 per trip in March and April.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Florida

Season here: Feb–Dec, from a water-temperature gauge 24 mi away, 2023–2025. More on sheepshead

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

47Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Bluefish bite in 60–80° water, best near 70°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Bluefish prefers incoming tide. Holds 5–50 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 12" fork-length minimum, 10 per person a day in Gulf waters, including Monroe County.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Florida

Season here: Feb–Dec, from a water-temperature gauge 24 mi away, 2023–2025. More on bluefish

Southern Flounder

Southern flounder

Paralichthys lethostigma

–Not scoredOut of season

Out of seasonOut of season here today. Check the agency before fishing.

Water

No water reading here right now. Southern flounder bite in 58–82° water, best near 70°.

Why

Southern flounder prefers outgoing tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–20 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. Florida flounder: 14" minimum, 5 per person a day. Closed Oct 15–Nov 30.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Florida

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on southern flounder

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.07 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today6:55 am
  • Sunset today6:03 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 6:50 am–7:50 am
  • Major solunarToday 11:40 am–1:40 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:40 pm–6:40 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Florida FWC has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

Emerald-water surf near East Pass and the Destin jetties. Red drum and speckled trout, bluefish, sheepshead on the jetty rocks, tarpon passing in summer, and southern flounder at the pass (Florida closes flounder Oct 15–Nov 30).

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Navarre Beach24 mi · FloridaBest now until 6 am
90Go
Panama City Beach38 mi · FloridaBest now until 6 amSmall Craft Advisory
85Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Destin Beach?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Destin Beach you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Destin Beach?

Destin Beach is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Red Drum, Spotted Seatrout, Southern Flounder, Sheepshead, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Destin Beach?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Destin Beach against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Destin Beach have?

Destin Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Destin Beach?

state agency regulations apply at Destin Beach. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Destin Beach tidal water?

Yes. Destin Beach sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.