Top 5 Saltwater Fishing Spots in the Winter: Our Top Picks!

Saltwater fishing isn’t just a great summer activity – so we’ve put together a list of the best saltwater fishing spots in the winter. Whether you’re cruising the coast in a Blackfin boat or you’re planning on renting or chartering a fishing boat on an upcoming trip, this blog will help you reel in some great catches. Read on, and get all the details from Blackfin Boats.

1. Key West, FL

Planning a road trip? Key West is the southernmost city in the contiguous United States, with daytime temperatures in the 70s, so it’s great for winter fishing. The water of the Gulf of Mexico provides plenty of great fishing, too. Whether you prefer trolling or live baiting, you can pull in sailfish and blackfin tuna (our namesake!) and dolphin fish (mahi mahi). If you’re interested in bottom fishing the reefs you can find black grouper, gag and mutton snapper during the winter months.

2. Venice, LA

Louisiana is an excellent winter fishing destination, with relatively warm weather and plentiful inshore and offshore fishing opportunities. Venice is in the southeast of the state, and is renowned for yellowfin tuna, which can be caught near the famed Midnight Lump, which is one of the best winter fishing destinations in all of the Gulf of Mexico. You’ll also find a lot of bull redfish and red snapper when bottom fishing.

3. Galveston, TX

Continuing with our Gulf Coast theme is Galveston. Surrounded by innumerable channels, large oyster reefs and docks, Galveston Bay and the nearby Trinity, West, and East Bays are home to flounder, black drum, sheepshead, and red snapper, to name just a few. Run about 70-110 miles offshore, and you’ll be in a prime position for winter wahoo fishing – a truly unforgettable angling experience.

4. San Diego, CA

You can’t catch lingcod or rockfish in the winter in San Diego. But if you get the proper permits, you can cross south into Mexican waters to catch these fish, as well as wahoo, yellowfin tuna, and calico bass. Within US waters, you can check out Point Loma and La Jolla to catch calico bass around the kelp beds. You can also find plentiful spotted bay bass near the South Bay.  California halibut weighing up to 50 pounds are also plentiful around Imperial Beach and the Camp Pendleton military base.

5. Hatteras, NC

The Outer Banks and Hatteras, NC are great winter fishing destinations. The weather is mild compared to the more northern states, and the angling is red-hot! Near the Gulf Stream, you’ll encounter bigeye, blackfin and yellowfin tuna. If you get lucky, you can even find bluefin tuna in the 200-500 lb range feeding on schooling baitfish within a half-mile of shore. Heading inland, you can find plentiful big bull and slot-size redfish in Pamlico Sound and the Pamlico River, as well as speckled trout, sheepshead and black drum.

Head To One Of These Winter Saltwater Fishing Spots For An Unforgettable Catch!

Fishing should be enjoyed all-year-round! So don’t let a bit of a chill stop you from getting out on the water. Most of these destinations are pretty mild – and will offer extraordinary angling opportunities. Start planning your next trip to one of these best saltwater fishing spots in the winter today.