LIONFISH DESTINATIONS: Deerfield Beach

In our quest to expunge invasive lionfish from the Western Atlantic, we’ve landed in Deerfield Beach. A South Florida diving destination rife with the invasive species.

There’s a difference between hopefully searching for lionfish and hunting for lionfish. You may still be hopefully searching, but this series will get you hunting in no time. So grab your Zookeeper and a spear, this lionfish destination is waiting for you.

Hunting Lionfish in Deerfield Beach

Call it what you want; our impartiality may be in question. And that’s okay. Because hunting lionfish in Deerfield Beach is fantastic. Just never mind that we live nearby.

But maybe that’s why we were so pleased (or disappointed*) to discover the coral reefs in Deerfield Beach are infested with lionfish. Can you blame us, though? Another lionfish destination right in our own backyard. More fresh fish for dinner. And more opportunities to help the environment we love!

So if you’re seeking a destination ripe for lionfish hunting, consider Deerfield Beach! Here’s everything you need to know to get it done:

*NOTE*: If lionfish are bad for the environment, why do we rejoice when we find them? Or sulk when we don’t? It’s an interesting paradox we discuss here.

Where is Deerfield Beach?

Tucked away in the northeastern corner of Broward County, one of Florida’s most populated areas, is Deerfield Beach. The South Florida community is just a few miles north of Fort Lauderdale and 30 miles south of West Palm Beach.

Who to Dive With in Deerfield Beach

The best dive center in Deerfield Beach is Dixie Divers. Between their well-stocked dive shop, Newton dive charter known as ‘Lady Go Diver’, knowledgable staff and friendly owners, we were blown away. Your day of diving and hunting is sure to be a success if you book with them!

Booking your hunting trip

Dixie Divers runs regular trips with lionfish hunting in mind. Thursdays, specifically, consist of two tank dives to two separate hunting locations. Additionally, weekend trips aboard Lady Go Diver are often dedicated to hunting as well!

You can book via their dive calendar right on their homepage!

Best Dive Sites to find Lionfish in Deerfield Beach

What we’ve found while diving in South Florida is popular dive sites often contain less lionfish. Deerfield Beach is no different.

I mean, it makes sense. More divers = more hunters = less lionfish. A good problem to have. But not if you want to hunt, of course!

So when booking, avoid any popular shipwrecks as they’re usually picked clean of lionfish (obviously, that’s not to say you can’t find any there). Rather, select deep coral reefs in the 60 – 100′ range.

Why? It’s an immense amount of habitat that’s lightly trafficked. And even if it is highly trafficked, those pesky lionfish always seem to make a comeback regardless!

What Lionfish Hunting Gear to Bring

These are the few pieces of gear we recommend using when hunting lionfish:

And if you forget anything, Dixie Divers has just about everything you’d need for a successful hunt!

What to Expect: Recapping Our Experience

Check in was easy. Loading the boat was easier. And the boat ride was relaxing. We were on our way to one of the best lionfish hunts we’ve had in recent memory.

The dive sites

We visited two deep coral reefs, getting dropped off in our desired depth by the Captain. The depth tailoring was a nice additive as we could customize our experience more so than with other dive shops.

For both dives, we started in 70 – 80 feet along vast expanses of spur and groove formations – a common reef feature on The Florida Reef Tract. As you head towards shore (westward), the channels eventually dissipate in shallower water before dropping off to a 10 foot ledge – the perfect lionfish habitat.

Following the carved channels of coral, we peeked, poked, and prodded our heads in every nook and cranny in search of our prey. We found them. Lots of them.

The hunt

Lionfish after lionfish made an appearance; lionfish after lionfish were speared. The cull was on and we were leading the charge.

From our view, we cleaned out every lionfish along our selected spur and groove channel. Success. Now it was time to scour the western ledge.

And honestly, we wish we did our entire dive along this wall. Seemingly, more lionfish were hiding here. A packed house. A habitat primed for an invasion. And thankfully, our aim didn’t sway.

After adding fresh fish to our catch total, our dive came to an end. Those silly tanks always seem to get low on air. A shame.

But the day was a success! Diving was done. Lionfish were slain. And good times were had. Dixie Divers surely outdid themselves!

LIONFISH DESTINATIONS: Deerfield Beach Final Thoughts

We want you to stop hopefully searching for lionfish and start hunting them – Deerfield Beach is a great place to start!

The deep coral reefs weaving along the coast are the ideal habitat for lionfish to move right in. The most shocking part? As trafficked as these reefs are, lionfish are always present. That’s why it’s important we all join in the fight to protect our coral reefs, save our environment, and fill our bellies with this invasive, yet tasty fish!