Bay flats, nearshore reefs and deep water are all a short ride from Grand Lagoon.
Kinds of trips
Inshore: St. Andrew Bay and the flats, on small boats. Good for families and short trips.
Nearshore: reefs and wrecks a few miles out in the Gulf.
Deep-sea: longer runs offshore for snapper, grouper and amberjack. Headboats take larger groups; private charters set their own rates and schedules.
Where the boats leave from
Capt. Anderson's Marina, 5550 North Lagoon Drive. Deep-sea headboat trips on the Capt. Anderson boats, and dozens of independently run private charters on the docks.
Treasure Island Marina, 3605 Thomas Drive. A charter fleet running inshore through offshore trips, with half-day to overnight options.
Lighthouse Marina, 5325 North Lagoon Drive, on Grand Lagoon.
Licenses
If you fish on a licensed charter or headboat, you're covered by the boat's or captain's FWC license and don't need your own saltwater license. On a private boat or from the shore, you do. FWC licenses.
Seasons (2026)
Red snapper: Gulf private recreational season, open daily Oct 9 to 22, then on scheduled weekends and holidays through Jan 4, 2027. Federally permitted for-hire boats close Oct 26.
Gag grouper: was open Sept 1 to 30 in Gulf state waters; closed for the rest of 2026.
Red grouper: open year-round in Gulf state waters.
Greater amberjack: closed Oct 14, 2026 through Aug 31, 2027 in Gulf state waters.
Seasons change by executive order. Check FWC before you go: snapper and grouper.
The piers
Russell-Fields City Pier, 16201 Front Beach Road, and M.B. Miller County Pier, 12213 Front Beach Road, are fishing piers open 24 hours. Both charge a daily fee, cards only at the County Pier, and annual passes sold at Frank Brown Park work at both. Fees: County Pier and City Pier.
From FWC, NOAA Fisheries, Bay County, the City of Panama City Beach and the marinas' own sites, checked Oct 13, 2026. No prices listed: each boat sets its own.