The new FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices) have been installed within 60-80 miles offshore of the Destin-Ft.Walton Beach Coastline. These FADs are attracting Large Game Fish! These are the first ones deployed in the continental United States. These FADs are going to allow anglers to access a Pelagic Fishery without having to travel hundreds of miles!


There have already been 4 installed and 4 more to come within the next few months. The depth at the FADs range from 1,610ft – 1,830ft. This is a huge advantage for Destin since we do not have Oil Rigs like Alabama and Louisiana. Even though these FADs are freshly installed, they are already holding many fish species, imagine next year! It’s gonna be insane!
The Pelagic Fishery will consist of Swordfish, Wahoo, variety of Tuna, Mackerel, Mahi Mahi, and a variety of Marlin.
Just this past week we took our clients on their 12 hr trip to the FADs and what an experience! We left out at 6 a.m. and headed to our first FADs 71.4 miles offshore. It only took us 2.5 hrs to reach our first FAD of the day! We immediately threw our trolling lures looking for Wahoo and Mahi- Mahi. Just passing the FAD on our first pass, you could see the fish finder screen lit up like Christmas and Almaco Jacks right on the surface of the water schooling.
With no luck on the first FAD trolling, we dropped some live baits right next to the FAD to see what we could pull up. We landed a few Almaco Jacks and got them in the fish box. After a few hook ups, we headed on to the Second FAD that was just 5 more miles away.
Again, we immediately threw out our trolling lures and within seconds we hooked up on a Wahoo and a Mahi! Doubled up action! That’s when it got crazy aboard our 36Ft Yellowfin, it was one hook up on to another! We ended up with 7-8 Mahi and a nice sized Wahoo within hours!



We stopped to drop more live baits right beside the FAD and hooked up on more Almaco Jacks. Our fish box was full already halfway through the day! After spending most of our time on the second FAD we headed back to the first FAD we initially stopped at. We threw out our lures again and started hooking up on Blackfin Tuna. Double hook ups, triple hook ups, non stop action!

It was such an awesome day and our clients were extremely pleased with the catch from the day!


If you are looking for this non stop action and getting hooked up on Pelagic Species, book your FADs Trip today! We can say that you will not be disappointed and the experience will have you HOOK’D!
David Truesdale
hookdcharters