5 Worst Mistakes Before Going Deep Sea Fishing

Many deep sea fishing vacationers end up wasting a lot of money and time because of preventable mistakes that some charter boats won't tell you to avoid before signing you up. I can tell you right now there are five mistakes that if every deep sea fishing vacationer knew about before they signed up for a charter yacht fishing trip, they would always leave happy.

1. Not checking the weather. Like I said before: I've been doing this a long time. But there are certain storms and conditions that I won't take anyone out on. I can't say that for other boats in the harbor. If you check the Destin weather ahead of time, you'll know the same info we have. If storms are predicted within 6 hours with five-foot swells, why chance coming to the Harbor Walk and getting on a boat only to be turned back halfway through? I won't waste your money, your time or my time.

2. Not taking Dramamine on time. If you are prone to sea sickness, take Dramamine. Everyone knows that. But what they don't know is you should start taking it at least the night before the trip. Taking it right on the boat doesn't mean you still won't get sick. Our yacht could start hitting waves 20 minutes into the trip, which doesn't give your body time to let the Dramamine take effect.

3. Stretch and exercise. When I ask customers "what's the biggest fish you've ever caught?" they usually describe a five or 10-pound bass, at the most. The Cobias we catch are at least 25 pounds. The biggest one we caught was 90 pounds. Let's not even talk about the sharks we get, either. These fish will fight you all the way to the dock for an hour in some cases and they have all the ocean in the world to swim in. If you don't stretch or do your push-ups before the trip, pack a lot of Motrin with your Dramamine. You're gonna be sore and give up your catch before the fish does.

4. Fishing out of season. Just like deer and ducks, Destin, Florida harbor fishing has hunting seasons. Some boats will take you on your trip no matter what season it is. What they won't tell you is that you can't keep the fish you catch unless it's in season. Why catch "the big one" and have your picture snapped on the boat only to throw your fish back in the water? Consider the local fishing limits before you venture out to sea.

5. Booking condos and hotels for long trips. If you want to go on an exclusive charter for a Tuna expedition, it's going to be at least a two-day trip. Even a long Cobia trip can take up your whole day. Save your money and don't book the room until after the fishing trip. If you come up with an empty catch, at least all you've spent money on was the adventure.