Damn Good Skipjack Tuna Fishing Charters

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Skipjack Tuna Fishing Charters

Damn Good
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

Inshore, Nearshore, Jetty in Orange Beach

4 Hour-Inshore/Nearshore/Bottom

100% (9) Guided by Pat
25 ft 1 - 12 People From $660
Damn Good
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 Fishing in Miami Beach

Luxury Off Shore Deep Sea Fishing

100% (42) Guided by Ralph
55 ft 1 - 6 People From $2,000
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Big Pine Key

Big Pine Offshore Fishing

100% (2) Guided by Tom
25 ft 1 - 12 People From $1,150
Damn Good
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 Fishing in Islamorada

Full Day Islamorada Trip

100% (19) Guided by Troy
44 ft 1 - 12 People From $1,800
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people are viewing this trip.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Deep Sea Fishing in Puerto Vallarta

4 Hrs Fishing Puerto Vallarta

100% (4) Managed by Steve
28 ft 1 - 4 People From $395
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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 Fishing in Myrtle Beach

9 Hour Trip - Offshore

100% (6) Guided by Ronnie
36 ft 1 - 6 People From $1,075
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Everything to Know About Booking a skipjack tuna fishing charter

What are the best skipjack tuna fishing charters?

The best skipjack tuna fishing charters are:

What is a Skipjack Tuna?

The skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) is a member of the tuna (Thunnus) tribe, one of the four tribes in the Scombridae family, which it shares with mackerels, spanish mackerels, and bonitos. You may have heard it colloquially referred to as the balaya, cakalang, arctic bonito, mushmouth, oceanic bonito, striped tuna, or victor fish.

With a torpedo-shaped body made for fast swimming, and a strong sense of smell, they are excellent hunters. Their back is a dark purple or blue, that fades into silver on their sides and bellies which helps with camouflage. There are also four to six stripes on their sides.

They are fished for both commercially and recreationally. In fact, they are so popular for commercial fishing that if you’ve ever had canned tuna, it was probably skipjack.

How big do Skipjack Tuna get?

There is much conflicting information on the size of skipjack tuna, as they are so commonly confused with little tunny, bonito, and more. So lets set the record straight here: the average length of a skipjack tuna is 32 inches, and weighs about to seven to 22 pounds. They are one of the smaller tuna species.

What's the biggest Skipjack Tuna ever caught?

The all-tackle world record skipjack tuna was caught by Joeri Van Laken in La Gomera, Spain. On November 15th, 2020, Van Laken boated this 46 pound, 5 ounce monster.

Where is the best place to catch Skipjack Tuna?

Skipjack tuna are spread throughout tropical and temperate waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. They are a pelagic species, meaning they prefer to be in the open seas in the upper sections of the water column.

When should I catch Skipjack Tuna?

Skipjack tuna spawn year round, which means that they can typically be caught year round, especially in more tropical zones where the water is consistently warmer and prime for spawning. However, as you get towards more into temperate waters, the best season will be in between May and August when the waters are the warmest.

How do you catch Skipjack Tuna?

To begin, look for areas of surface irritation or sea birds, which will help you to identify where to start fishing. Skipjacks are a schooling fish, which means that trolling is the best method to catch them. For bait, live or strip baits, feathers, plugs, and spoons will all work great.

Skipjack are easily startled, which means they key to fishing them is to circle the boat around the school and let the bait drift through them. Once hooked, be ready for the fight!

Are Skipjack Tuna good to eat? What are the best Skipjack Tuna recipes?

Skipjack tuna is a very commonly eaten fish, being one of the most popular tuna served canned worldwide. They have a meaty, bright red flesh that has a mildly fishy flavor. It can be prepared and eaten canned, baked, seared, grilled, or raw.

There are many cultures around the world where skipjack tuna is the highlight of the dish. In Japan, skipjack tuna, known there as katsuo, is eaten raw in sushi and sashimi, or smoked and dried to make katsuobushi which is the main ingredient in fish stock, or dashi. Also, in Indonesia, it is enjoyed cured and smoked in a dish called cakalang fufu.

Recent Reviews

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great trip with Capt. Buddy!

    Chad B. | November 30, 2025

    Trip: Offshore Fishing, Panama

  • ★★★★★
    This Charter was a BLAST! I booked this 8 hour charter for my husband’s birthday. His biggest dream since a little kid was to go out deep-sea fishing for big game fish specifically a king mackerel! Well they sure make my husband’s dream come true!!! We both caught our limit on what your allowed to take home (and more which we had to throw back) of that’s right…yep you guessed it….HE CAUGHT KING MACKEREL!!!! From our first step on the boat the captain and his deckhand made us feel so comfortable, like you’re just hanging out fishing with a couple of friends! They answered all my questions which trust me was a lot! They are both so friendly, down to earth, very hardworking and just a lot of fun! From start to finish the captain always made sure we were in the best spot to catch fish and the deckhand made sure we didn’t have to take care of anything except for having a great time. We had a blast with him the entire 8 hours! He took care of everything. He made sure all the poles stayed in the water and was right there bringing the fish on board when we got them to the boat and he even cleaned, cut and bagged them all up when we got to the dock. He didn’t sit down not one time! We would recommend these 2 guys to anybody who is looking for a deep-sea charter trip!!! They are the best and I promise you won’t be disappointed!!! If you want to catch big game fish and have the experience of a lifetime then these 2 are the charter to call! Thanks for making my husbands birthday unforgettable and the best birthday ever,! We will be repeat customers!

    Krystal H. | October 24, 2025

    Trip: 9 Hour Trip - Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    Great trip got on some great spots with good fish

    Trevor B. | October 16, 2025

    Trip: 5 Hour Bottom Fishing & Trolling

  • ★★★★★
    It was a blast. Dan captained and Cross was the mate. They were really were amazing. And thanks so much for the help!

    Olin H. | August 30, 2025

    Trip: 9 Hour Trip - Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Alek was awesome. He took us to great spots and we caught a ton of fish. Very knowledgeable and friendly. When we came back he prepped all of our fish for us so we could have feast later than night. Great experience!

    Brian S. | August 25, 2025

    Trip: Miami Sport Fishing 🎣

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