Red grouper fishing out of Destin is bottom fishing over reef and wreck structure in 60 to 138 ft. The listed sites with distance data sit about 15 to 25 miles out, on bearings of 151 to 160 degrees. Below are the seasonal ratings, the grounds, how they are fished, and where to read conditions. For the wider coast, see the red grouper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and the wider Gulf of Mexico guide.
When red grouper are around Destin
FishingBooker’s Destin fishing guide rates red grouper fair in January and February, good in March and April, and great May through December. For biology, see the red grouper species guide.
Fair, January and February
FishingBooker rates these 2 months fair for red grouper out of Destin.
Good, March and April
FishingBooker rates March and April good.
Great, May through December
FishingBooker rates May through December great, which is 8 of 12 months.
Where boats run and the structure that holds fish
The grounds are reef and bottom grounds off Destin. Most of the listed structure is artificial reef: wrecks, tugboats, barges, tanks, culverts and a reef complex.
| Site | Depth | Detail | Distance/bearing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conch Reef complex | 110 ft | Reef complex | About 15.2 nm at 151° from Destin Pass |
| Army Tanks 10-14 | 115 ft | Army Tanks | About 16.6-18.0 sm at 154-158° magnetic |
| Monica Lee Tugboat | 117 ft | Tugboat | About 17.2 sm at 152° magnetic |
| Baskins Barge | 135 ft | Barge | About 21.8 sm at 156° magnetic |
| Culvert Reef A-F | 138 ft | Culvert reef | About 20.3-25.1 sm at 152-160° magnetic |
| Prewitt Tugboat | 135 ft | Tugboat | About 24.6 sm at 152° magnetic |
| The Boatyard | 119 ft | M/V Miss JoAnn, placed beside M/V Dylan and M/V Brannon. Relief is 40 ft. | Not listed |
| Miss Louise (OK-100) | 60 ft | Tugboat, Okaloosa County site OK-100. Length 95 ft, beam 23 ft. | Not listed |
Bearings are magnetic, distances are approximate, and these numbers are not for navigation.
Inside 18 miles
Three listed sites sit inside about 18 miles. Conch Reef complex is in 110 ft, about 15.2 nm at 151° from Destin Pass, the only distance given in nautical miles. Army Tanks 10-14 are in 115 ft and Monica Lee Tugboat is in 117 ft. The Army Tanks span 154 to 158°, so they are spread-out structure rather than a single mark.
20 to 25 miles
Baskins Barge sits in 135 ft at 156°. Culvert Reef A-F is in 138 ft and runs about 20.3 to 25.1 sm across 152 to 160°. Prewitt Tugboat is in 135 ft. Monica Lee and Prewitt both sit on 152°, about 7 sm apart, and the inner edge of Culvert Reef A-F starts on that same heading. These sites hold the deepest listed water, 135 to 138 ft.
Sites without distance data
The Boatyard is in 119 ft with 40 ft of relief. M/V Miss JoAnn sits beside M/V Dylan and M/V Brannon.
Miss Louise is Okaloosa County site OK-100, in 60 ft. It is a tugboat 95 ft long with a 23 ft beam, and it is the shallowest listed site. No distance or bearing is listed for it or for The Boatyard.
How red grouper are fished out of Destin
The local method is bottom fishing over the structure in the table, in 60 to 138 ft. A grouper trip here is a run to one or more of these marks. For general technique, see our reef fish guides.
- Method: bottom fishing
- Structure: wreck, tugboat, barge, tanks, culverts, reef complex
- Depth range: 60 to 138 ft
Reading conditions for the run
There is no NDBC buoy at the pass. The nearest NOAA data for the inlet is tide station 8729511 (Destin, East Pass). Read tide numbers from that station before you run East Pass, and take wind, wave height and period from the official marine forecast.
- Tides: NOAA station 8729511 (Destin, East Pass)
- Wind, wave height, period: official marine forecast
- Buoy at the pass: none confirmed
FAQ: red grouper fishing out of Destin
What are the best months for red grouper off Destin?
May through December, rated great by FishingBooker’s Destin guide. March and April are rated good, and January and February are rated fair.
How far do boats run for red grouper out of Destin?
About 15 to 25 miles. Conch Reef is about 15.2 nm from Destin Pass, and Culvert Reef A-F reaches about 25.1 sm. The listed bearings run 151 to 160°.
What is the shallowest listed site?
Miss Louise, in 60 ft. It is a tugboat, 95 ft by 23 ft, Okaloosa County site OK-100.
Where do I read tide data for East Pass?
NOAA tide station 8729511 (Destin, East Pass). There is no NDBC buoy at the pass.
Where are the rules for red grouper fishing out of Destin?
Check the Florida regulations page and the Gulf reef fish federal rules page. The 15 to 25 mile runs are why both matter, so check them before you fish.
