Florida is one of the best open ocean fishing spots in North America. The industry is a significant employer and tourist attraction here. In 2006, anglers spent $4.4 billion fishing in Florida! If you want a piece of that action, you need to market your property to visiting fisherman!
Destin is the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village
Destin is uniquely situated for fishing. It’s known as the world’s luckiest fishing village because it’s easy for anglers to do both deep-sea fishing and shore fishing in one trip. The shoreline drops only 12 miles from shore, so anglers don’t have to travel far to get in some great deep sea fishing! This unique water feature is a great option to mention to your visiting renters who may not want to waste valuable fishing time sailing to deep waters.
Fishing is so popular in Destin that there are several fishing tournaments each year, including the Destin Fishing Rodeo, held in October each year. Visiting anglers from across the country come to town for these events and are always looking for a great place to stay during the competition!
The Choctawhatchee Bay is perfect for shore fishing
Deep-sea fishing isn’t the only fishing attraction in the area either. There are miles of beautiful coastline perfect for shore fishing, particularly in The Choctawhatchee Bay area. One of the many benefits of the Destin area fishing grounds is that there is a vast variety of fish and aquatic wildlife, including Red Snappers, Bay Scallops, Stone Crabs, Grey Triggerfish, and more. One of the largest Red Snapper Fish, weighing 46 lbs and 8 ozs, was caught just off the coast in Destin!
Five ways you can market your property for fishing
Owning a short-term rental property in the Destin area is smart, especially if you target visiting anglers. So what can you do to keep your property booked throughout the whole fishing season and not just during busy tournament weekends? Here are five things I recommend:
- Offer weekly rates. If you want your guest to enjoy all the fishing opportunities in the area, they should stay for longer than a weekend. Offering lower weekly or bi-weekly rates is a great way to ensure that your property is booked more consistently throughout the year instead of just on busy fishing weekends.
- Pay attention to the fishing seasons. There are different fishing seasons for some of the more popular fish. Each year, the seasons may change, so you must stay up to date on when certain seasons open. Follow the local calendar for popular fishing times (and charge higher rates).
- Offer fishing amenities. If you’re going to target anglers, you need to have the amenities they crave. So make sure to have freezer space and coolers available for their catch and secure storage space for their fishing equipment.
- Make sure you have proper insurance coverage! Occasionally fishing guests may get a little rowdy and damage your property. We offer risk insurance coverage, including $1 million professional liability coverage.
- Target repeat visitors. If you manage your property right (by hiring us), your visitors will love coming back again and again. Repeat visitors are the best in the short-term property world, and we can help make your property a must-stay fishing vacation rental!
Recommend local fishing charters and boat rentals, and restaurants!
If you want to target visiting anglers, you’ve got to offer them the whole fishing experience. Team with local fishing charters and boat rentals companies to provide exclusive deals and discounts for your renters. You can also reach out to local gulf to table restaurants that can cook your guest’s catch to arrange recommendations or discounts for your renters.
Trust our local property management experience
Owning a rental property in Destin is a great way to earn passive income from your vacation home, especially if you target visiting anglers. Fishing is huge here! We can help you market and rent your property to visiting anglers year-round. We even offer a free rental analysis of your property. Visit our website to request your analysis today!
