3 Charter Fishing Trends to Watch in 2014

If there is one thing that Destin is known for, it’s our charter fishing fleet. As the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village, Destin boasts the largest and most elaborately equipped charter fishing fleet in the state of Florida. With our location on the Destin Harbor and our finger on the pulse of the charter fishing industry, we usually get a pretty good feel for what’s going on in the charter fishing industry and for charter fishing trends. In addition, we are a family of avid fishermen (and woman-that would be me), so when we’re not fishing ourselves, we’re watching fishing on tv, on YouTube, or reading fishing magazines (we like Florida Sportsman for their in-depth coverage of hot fishing topics). Yes, really, we like fishing THAT much…

As we look back at 2013 and start to make plans for 2014, there are a few trends in the charter fishing industry that stand out. These are things that we are just starting to see along the docks that we think will really take off in the next year and become trends in our local, and possibly even national, charter fishing industry.

1. Overnight or multiday trips. Two or three day trips aren’t new. But they are gaining in popularity. More and more people are looking for that once-in-a-lifetime experience that they just can’t get anywhere else, and overnight trips definitely deliver. The size, number, and quality of fish are unmatched in the deep waters 100+ miles offshore, and the views are spectacular. Many charter boats leave at night, travel all night, and reach their far-away destination at sunrise. The views, fishing, and camaraderie amongst the crew and customers can’t be beat. If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience, it’s hard to beat a multiday trip! And with catches like this, you are guaranteed to take home some pretty amazing stories that you can tell for years to come:        
2. Tournament-style fishing trips. With the rise in popularity of reality fishing shows like Reel Rivals, we are also seeing a trend in tournament-style fishing trips, particularly among corporate groups and family reunions. Tournament-style charter fishing trips involve chartering multiple boats and competing amongst each other for the biggest or largest number of fish. The competition is fierce as captains compete for bragging rights and help their customers go for the win on a fun-filled, excitement-packed, competitive fishing expedition. Tournaments can be customized for the individual group, from backbay fishing to deepsea fishing trips, and are guaranteed to be a unique and memorable experience.
3. Youtube and the rise of the GoPro. One of our favorite tools to use on a fishing trip is a GoPro camera (warning: loud video loads automatically). Popular among adventure sports enthusiasts, these cameras offer the unparalleled advantage of being able to film yourself while being able to fully participate in the sport. The GoPro cameras offer unique waterproof housing cases and mounts that allow them to be strapped to your head, chest, boat, or on the end of a pole for unique hands-free shooting angles to capture events as they happen. Not surprisingly, we are seeing a huge increase in the use of GoPro cameras in adventure sports such as fishing and we expect that trend to continue in the coming year. You can see how we even use a GoPro with the waterproof housing in this video to see what kind of fish we are reeling in on a trip. (You can get great underwater footage this way, but that's not what we were going for in this video.)We are currently working with GoPro to be able to sell the cameras in our marina store, but in the meantime, if you want to capture your charter fishing trip on video, you can pick up your GoPro camera through our Amazon affiliate link.

We are really excited about 2014 and watching the new trends in charter fishing unfold. If we can help you out with your Destin charter fishing needs, please contact us at (850) 650-2628.