Destin East Pass Jetty Fishing

Destin East Pass Jetty guards the Holiday Isle side of East Pass, the only inlet between Choctawhatchee Bay and the Gulf. Every tide pushes bait through the pass, and the rocks hold fish all year.

• The east jetty is the one the public can reach; the west jetty sits on Eglin Air Force Base property and is not open to visitors
• Redfish, black drum, sheepshead and flounder year-round, with mackerel and pompano in season
• Built by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960s to keep the channel open
• Serious rock fishing: rewarding, but not for the unsteady

The jetty is at the western end of Holiday Isle in Destin, reached along Gulf Shore Drive, which turns south off US 98 near the Destin Harbor.

• Getting there: take Gulf Shore Drive to the O'Steen public beach access (also called the Jetty East access), which the local tourism office names as the way to the east jetty
• Parking: very limited, so arrive early; the city lists the access as free and open dawn to dusk
• The walk: along the beach from the access to the rocks, then onto the jetty
• There is no path on the jetty itself; you step from boulder to boulder
• Norriego Point Park, at the tip of Holiday Isle inside the pass, is a separate city park with its own paid parking, not the way to the jetty

East Pass concentrates bay and Gulf fish on one tide line.

• Spring (Mar–May): sheepshead peak, pompano moving through the pass, Spanish mackerel and bluefish, cobia passing in April
• Summer (Jun–Aug): Spanish mackerel, little tunny and ladyfish on the outgoing tide; mangrove snapper in the rocks; redfish late in the day
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the best season, with bull redfish, flounder leaving the bay, pompano and big bluefish
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead and black drum in the rocks, redfish on warm afternoons

Rocks eat tackle, so fish heavier than you would on the beach.

• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a 1/0 hook with a short fluorocarbon leader, straight down along the rocks
• Redfish and black drum: live shrimp, crab or cut mullet on a knocker rig with a 1–3 oz egg sinker
• Flounder: a Carolina rig with a live mud minnow or finger mullet along the sand edge at the base of the rocks
• Spanish mackerel, bluefish and little tunny: gotcha plugs, spoons and small metal jigs on the outgoing tide
• Pompano: small pompano jigs bounced along the sandy bottom off the tip
• Use 20–30 lb braid, 30–40 lb leader, and bring a long-handled net or rope gaff

Gulf tides are small and mostly one a day, but the pass funnels the whole bay, so current here is strong.

• The outgoing tide pulls bait and clear bay water past the jetty; it is the prime time for mackerel and reds
• Slack water is best for sheepshead and flounder on the bottom
• A south wind against the outgoing tide stacks up rough water at the tip; do not go out in it
• Clear, green water is ideal; heavy rain upriver dirties the pass for days
• Early mornings avoid both heat and the heaviest boat traffic

This is the most hazardous spot in the county to fish, and it is not accessible to wheelchairs or anyone unsteady on their feet.

• The jetty is a wall of large granite boulders with deep gaps and drops between them
• Rocks are slick with algae and spray, and some spots are wet at high tide; wear non-slip shoes and never go out alone
• Waves can wash over the tip in rough weather; stay off it when the Gulf is up
• East Pass carries very heavy boat traffic, including charter boats and crowds heading to Crab Island; keep lines clear of passing boats
• Strong current in the pass: do not swim or wade off the jetty
• Summer lightning: there is nowhere to shelter on the rocks

There are no facilities on the jetty, and none beyond the walkway are listed at the O'Steen access, so plan the trip as if you were going somewhere remote. Everything you need has to be carried along the beach and over the rocks, and back again.

• Bait, tackle, food and fuel along US 98 and around the Destin Harbor
• Bring water, ice and a small backpack; you will carry everything over the rocks
• Pack out all line, bait and trash

• Walk out only as far as you can comfortably get back from, especially in fading light
• The first stretch of rocks nearest the beach holds sheepshead in spring and is the safest ground
• Fish the outgoing tide for mackerel and reds; switch to bottom baits at slack
• Keep casts clear of the channel when boats are running in and out
• Fall evenings bring bull reds; bring heavier tackle than you think, and leave while there is light to walk back
• The O'Steen access lot is small and fills early; weekday mornings are easier

The east jetty is a federal navigation structure built by the Army Corps of Engineers and reached from City of Destin beach; the west jetty is on Eglin Air Force Base property and closed to visitors.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• The city lists the O'Steen access as open dawn to dusk
• Pets, fires, fireworks, glass, littering and vehicles are not allowed on Destin's beaches; respect posted bird nesting areas
• Shore-based shark fishing requires the free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything, and check FWC rules before keeping any grouper