Florida is home to 506 fishing captains who earned the prestigious Angler’s Choice Award in 2025. These guides are recognized for consistently delivering world-class service, maintaining top review ratings, and creating unforgettable experiences for anglers. Award-winning guides operate across the state’s premier coastal and Keys destinations, including Destin, Panama City Beach, Fort Myers, Naples, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Key West, with guides also based in inland and smaller coastal towns.
Based on FishingBooker's 2025 analysis of the “States with the Best Fishing Guides in the US,” Florida ranks #2 nationwide. The ranking takes into account both the percentage of guides who earned the Angler’s Choice Award and the total number of captains operating in the state, weighted to fairly represent both the quality and size of the local guide community. Florida is behind South Carolina.
Why this matters
This means that Florida not only has a large number of highly recognized guides, but also that a significant portion of the state’s fishing community is performing at the very top of the industry. For anglers, this is a clear signal that trips booked in Florida are likely to be guided by experienced, highly rated captains who consistently deliver exceptional fishing experiences. For the guide community, it highlights the strength and professionalism of Florida's captains compared to those in other states. This ranking is a clear indicator for local anglers and visitors planning trips for the upcoming season that Florida's guide community performed strongly in 2025 and is worth paying attention to in 2026.
To support your coverage, we have provided a Dropbox folder containing images of winning captains and a full sheet of rankings for all states.
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