My Destin Charters runs the Kitchen Pass, a classic 36 foot Bertram cabin boat, out of Destin Harbor, and it pairs a well reviewed local captain with the widest trip menu in our field. Where the boats ranked above it lead on a newer hull or a deeper record, this one leads on range: a 4 hour shark trip at one end and an 18 hour offshore run at the other, with a cabin and a head for the long days. For an angler who wants a private cabin boat and a real choice of trip lengths at a fair price, it is a solid pick.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.6 My Destin Charters is a strong choice and ranks fourth in Destin, the most versatile of the mid priced private boats. It sits behind the deeper records and newer boats of Maximus, Phoenix, and the lower priced 850 Charters, and the difference is mostly the boat: the Kitchen Pass is a capable but older hull. What sets it apart is a genuine cabin and the trip range, including an 18 hour run few boats in the port offer. For a newer or faster boat, the leaders are the step up; for a large group the Lady Em carries far more anglers; and for a walk on seat, the Pelican Adventures party boat is the cheap way out. The full field is on the Destin ranking.
The boat
The Kitchen Pass is a 36 foot Bertram sportfishing convertible with a flybridge, built in 1984 and running twin 220 horsepower Caterpillar engines, with a top cruising speed near 18 knots. As a cabin boat it has the things an open center console does not: a head aboard, shade and shelter from the sun, and a steadier ride in a chop. The honest caveat is its age. A 1984 hull is a generation older than the newer boats in the field, and while a Bertram of that era is a sturdy, sea kindly boat, it is slower and less polished than a 2025 sportfisher, so it shows its years in the finish and the run time to the grounds.
The fishing and what you target
The boat fishes the full spread Destin offers, from the nearshore reefs to the deep offshore ground. The bottom holds snapper, grouper, and amberjack in their open seasons, the nearshore troll gives up king mackerel and cobia, and the long offshore trips reach mahi mahi, wahoo, tuna, and sailfish, with a dedicated 4 hour shark trip on the menu in the warm months. Red snapper is the summer headliner on the federal for-hire season. The 18 hour trip is the standout, a run to the far offshore ground for tuna and billfish that most six packs do not offer. Gag grouper is closed for most of 2026 and amberjack stays shut through August 31, so check the open windows with Florida FWC before you book a season specific target.
Trips and prices
The Kitchen Pass runs one of the widest menus in the port, all whole boat for up to 6 anglers: a 4 hour shark trip at $999, a 6 hour at $1,700, an 8 hour at $2,250, a 12 hour at $3,300, and an 18 hour offshore run at $5,000, with the 5 and 10 hour lengths scaling between. Rods, reels, bait, tackle, and the license are included and the captain fillets your catch, with a customary crew tip extra. The pricing sits in the normal mid range for a Destin cabin six pack, fair for the boat and the menu. For how those numbers compare with a per person head boat seat, our cost guide and the party boat versus private charter guide work it through.
The crew
Captain Anthony Dewberry runs the boat, and the sentiment is the operation’s main strength. Across its reviews the captain and crew rate near the top, with 98 percent of reviewers noting a friendly captain and the large majority reporting a good day and fish in the box. The record is solid rather than spotless: out of 86 reviews most are five star, but a small handful sit at two and three stars, the normal spread for a boat that runs a lot of mixed trips. That honest mix, strong but not faultless over a moderate volume, is what places the track record a notch below the deeper records of the leaders.
Booking and what to know
Book direct or through FishingBooker, and book ahead for summer and red snapper season. Confirm the trip length and the target with Captain Anthony so the plan fits the season, and consider the longer trips if tuna or sailfish is the goal, since the boat’s range is its edge. The boat departs Destin Harbor. Bring food, drinks, sunscreen, and a cooler with ice for your fillets; the boat covers the rods, tackle, bait, and license, and the cabin gives you somewhere out of the sun on a long day.
How we scored it
The operation scores 7.6: a well reviewed local captain on a classic cabin six pack with the widest trip menu in the field, held below the leaders by an older 1984 hull and a solid rather than spotless review record. Captain and crew and trip range are its strongest factors. See how we scored this boat and the Destin ranking for the field.