Fishing with Children in the Beaches of South Walton and Destin Area

The look on the face of a young boy when he is purchasing his first new rod and reel, is absolutely timeless. My son went fishing today and we decided he was old enough for his own equipment. The last time I saw him that excited was when the XBox 360 came out and I'll do just about anything to get him off of the computer or video games, so the investment was well worth it. My staff has been asked on numerous occasions for advice on where to take children fishing and I'd like to share some of our favorite spots:

In the Beaches of South Walton there are ample spots to steal away the day with rod and reel and your children. In the north end of South Walton (Niceville, Choctaw Beach, and Freeport area) you can simple pull off the side of the road on Highway 20 in several marked spots where the fishing is excellent for children. The water is not deep and the fish are ample. We've always caught catfish in these spots. Heading towards the beaches on Hwy 331 there is small park area where you can find folks fishing as well. In the south and southeast end of Beaches of South Walton we prefer Topsail Hill State Park. There are many "off the beaten path" spots that will take you to coastal dune lakes that offer great spots for quiet time and tranquilility with plenty of dry land to camp out for the day. Our other favorite it Eden State Park where this is a small dock that the children can stand on. Many times the fish will fly right out of the water which is more amusing to the children than actually get a bite on the line.

In Destin, there are a couple boats that cater to children's fishing on the harbor, but for something more simplictic, stick to right under the Destin bridge. You can park, and the water is calm and shallow with a great view of Crab Island.

Bait, Tackle, Rods and Reels can all be purchased quite reasonably at either the Bass Pro Shop at Destin Commons or Walmart on the west side of town. We spent less than forty dollars to get him fishing gear at Bass Pro Shop.

We had more rain than fish biting on the lines today, but my son came back with his first set of fishing tales.... even at 8 years old, he's already had his first, "the one that got away" encounter.

Home on the Harbor

Sunday afternoon is my favorite time to sneak into AJ's for a few drinks and a snack (or two!). Fine weather, a cool breeze off the Gulf and a perfect view of the Destin Charter Fishing Fleet - AJ's offers an unbeatable atmosphere, delectable treats and strong cocktails. This is a t-shirt and jeans, shorts and tank top, or well - whatever floats your boat kind of atmosphere. There's no judging at AJ's, especially past 10pm! During the day it is a family affair, children welcome upstairs and down; while the evenings are lively with music, local bands and plenty of drinking and dancing.

Southern hospitality is alive and well at AJ's, patrons are not shy and will share a story, cocktail or a dance! Every Sunday, AJ's prepares a fresh crawfish boil in addition to their diverse menu of seafood and appetizers. Scrumptious treats, crawfish lovers will endulge in this spicy concoction of crawdads, red potatoes and sweet corn on the cob!

The view during the afternoon usually consists of watching the fisherman unload their catch and prepare the fish for commercial use. Crowds gather around the docks to watch the local tradition unfold. Destin has the largest charter fishing fleet in the State of Florida and is known as the "Worlds Luckiest Fishing Village!". A complete listing of available Captains and boats for daily and trip rentals can be found at http://www.hookedondestin.com/.

Without a doubt, the Destin Harbor and AJ's is the one spot on your vacation that will send you home with plenty of tales to tell!