Damn Good Sailfish Fishing Charters

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Top Cities for Sailfish Fishing

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Sailfish Fishing Charters

Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Quepos

Quepos Offshore

100% (1) Guided by Melvin
26 ft 1 - 4 People From $700
Hot Trip
people are viewing this trip.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing in Boynton Beach

Offshore Sport Fishing

100% (7) Guided by Eric
33 ft 1 - 6 People From $550
Hot Trip
people are viewing this trip.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Key West

Dry Tortugas Multi-Day Trip

NEW Guided by Yuri
50 ft 1 - 12 People From $5,900
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Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea, Nearshore, Jetty in Miami

Catch And Cook Sashimi/Grilled Fish

100% (6) Guided by Alek
29 ft 1 - 12 People From $1,000
Hot Trip
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Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Hatteras

Gulf Stream Deep Run

100% (6) Guided by Mike
51 ft 1 - 6 People From $2,353
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people are viewing this trip.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing in Cancún

Cancun Big Game - 25' Panga

100% (30) Managed by Travis
25 ft 1 - 4 People From $390
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Everything to Know About Booking a sailfish fishing charter

What are the best sailfish fishing charters?

The best sailfish fishing charters are:

What is a Sailfish?

The sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) is most recognizable for it’s large dorsal fin, or sail, that stretches along their entire back. Known as the cheetah of the ocean, they are some of the fastest marine creatures alive, swimming up to 70 miles per hour, making them highly prized by anglers despite being one of the smaller species of billfish.

Other distinguishing characteristics of sailfish are their blue to gray coloring, and elongated bill. These colors will change into rust color and even black while hunting. There are two types of sailfish, the Pacific Sailfish, and the Atlantic Sailfish, who reside in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans respectively.

How big do Sailfish get?

Sailfish grow quickly, being born at 0.125 inches long, and getting up to four to five feet within a single year. At full maturity, they can grow upwards of 10 feet long and 200 pounds.

That being said, there tends to be a size difference between the Atlantic and Pacific sailfishes. Pacific sailfish can get up to up to a foot longer than the biggest Atlantic sailfish. They can also be much heavier, by up to 70 pounds.

What's the biggest Sailfish ever caught?

In 1947, Carl Stewart caught the largest sailfish ever recorded. It was a Pacific sailfish landed out of the waters of Santa Cruz Island in Ecuador. This giant weighed in over 220 pounds, and was over 11 feet long.

Where is the best place to catch Sailfish?

Sailfish are spread across tropical and subtropical waters, staying in preferred water temperatures of 70 to 83 degrees. They stay close to the surface, usually alone or in small groups, sometimes schooling when hunting.

In the Atlantic, one of the best places to target sailfish is Florida. There are hotspots along the entire Floridian coast, including Miami, the Keys, the Panhandle, and Destin. Outside of the United States, some of the top areas are Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.

When in the Pacific, Guatemala and Costa Rica are the go-to places. For the best of both Pacific and Atlantic oceans, head to Mexico, where you can go to either coast for access.

When should I catch Sailfish?

Sailfish are typically good to fish year-round, it just depends on where they are in their migration to make sure you’re headed to the right area. For example Eastern Atlantic Sailfish have a seasonal migration south towards warmer waters, so the best time to target them is November through February. Peak season worldwide though tends to be from May to September, especially in July, since summer is the sailfish’s spawning season.

How do you catch Sailfish?

The most common way to hook a sailfish is by fast trolling, using artificial or natural bait. Artificials typically used are plastic lures, feathers, or spoons. Natural bait is preferred, however, and can be live or dead and cut into strips, with options like mullet, ballyhoo, or mackerel. Other methods like jigs, poppers, kite fishing, and fly fishing can also be used.

The “dropback” technique is highly recommended for sailfish. To do so, you should feed line to the sailfish once it is spotted approaching the bait. Continue to free spool until you’re sure that the bait has been taken, then set the drag, wait until there is no more slack, set the hook and get ready to fight. Sailfish are know for their acrobatic leaps, shaking their head, and tail-walking, which is where they skip across the water using their tails.

Are Sailfish good to eat? What are the best Sailfish recipes?

Much like other billfish, sailfish are most often caught and released. They are edible, however they are not considered the most palatable since the meat tends to be very tough, and they also have a high mercury content.

Recent Reviews

  • ★★★★★
    We highly recommend using Capt. Will! Unfortunately the fish weren’t biting much, but Capt. Will and his First Mate made it a fun trip nonetheless. Great boat, plenty of room, bathroom, A/C, etc. We would definitely rebook with them!

    Robert G. | November 12, 2025

    Trip: Fort Lauderdale Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    We took our team out with Hunter for a combo lobstering and deep sea trip and he didn't let us down! First and foremost, Hunter is an ex-marine who is incredibly on top of his equipment, his boat, and his safety and was very clear about expectations for the day and what we should be doing at any point in time. After a quick scuba diving refresher & safety brief we put on our gear for a dive and were rewarded with a number of keeper lobsters, a bigger number of lobsters that were too small to keep, a lionfish which we speared, and too many great wildlife sightings to count including a big loggerhead turtle, a black grouper, and a nurse shark hoping for a handout. After the dive we put our gear away we drove a few miles further out to catch some yellowtail snapper. We started slow, but pretty soon were reeling in a yellowtail almost every cast. We probably caught 20-25 within a few hours, as well as a small yellow jack, a parrotfish, and an undersized red grouper. Lastly, we decided to use the last hour of our trip to try to hook into a big black grouper using some of our yellowtail as bait. This was a bit of a "go big or go home" bet and unfortunately didn't pay off for us this time - I wish we'd had a bit more time to drift and I'm sure we would have hooked one. Overall can't speak highly enough of Hunter and the experience diving and fishing in the Keys. There is such a variety of things to do that even on a full day trip you will never feel bored and can always pivot to something else. We even chased a frigate bird and threw some bucktails in the middle of the day at some bait that was busting. You won't go wrong booking a trip with Hunter.

    Attison B. | November 5, 2025

    Trip: Full Day Offshore - 30' Seahunter

  • ★★★★★
    Awesome trip Captain Brad put us on the fish all day

    Sam R. | November 2, 2025

    Trip: Key West Mixed Bag Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Brad did a great job! Very good boat.

    Jeff M. | October 13, 2025

    Trip: Key West Mixed Bag Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great time with captain Kevin he put us on some good fish and had some great conversations looking forward to fishing with him again!!!

    Bryce K. | September 6, 2025

    Trip: Extended Day Deep Sea

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