Boating & Fishing Insiders

The sailfish option is awesome. Big boats, big fish, blue water. Credit: Terry Gibson/Northswell Media & Consulting

Home from school? Or headed to Florida to visit relatives over winter break? Why not spend some quality family on the water, fishing? There isn't any better time spent.

Here are three simple ideas.

Almost every waterfront near an inlet has a local party boat or two. These boats accommodate anywhere from seven to 50 anglers, depending on their size. They're super affordable, running on average between $40 and $75 per angler. Most party boats target reef fish by bottom fishing. It's simple, fun, fishing, and you'll almost surely come home with fresh catch. Here's a list of party boats throughout the state, along with a great article about what you can expect.

Go bass fishing with shiners. Shiner fishing involves using said species of live fish for bait, generally under a balloon as a strike indicator. It's really visual fishing -- bass just maul the things on the surface. If you've got a larger party, pontoon boats can hold a pretty big family. Most bass boats can accommodate up to three anglers. Top spots include Lake Okeechobee, Stick Marsh and Lake Kissimmee, near Orlando.

Go billfishing. Winter is the peak season for sailfishing along Florida's southeast coast and in the Florida Keys. Sailfishing is a team sport if there ever was one in fishing, and about as exciting as fishing gets. It's amazing how strong and acrobatic these fish are. Most charter boats can accommodate up to six anglers. Fishing is best out of Fort Pierce, Palm Beach, Miami Beach, and anywhere off the Keys.

Make it a family fishing holiday!