Panama City bay fishing.

ejones1961 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 10:52 AM

I was considering taking my boat down to Panama City and try fishing in the bays during the first week of April. Does anyone have any good suggestions of where to fish? Would I be better off trying this over chartering a fishing trip?

donut slayer · #2 (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 05:33 PM

If ya havent heard, charter fishing down here is getting a might expensive. Just passed new regs about red snapper (2 per person) and it has hurt the charter fishing boats. That along with the gas prices and its expensive to charter a boat. I've always heard mexico beach is good fishing. I'm no expert on PC, I'm from P'cola. If it was me, I'd bring my boat and give it a try.

mister sacalait · #3 (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 07:44 PM

2 per person? What was it before? I've been charter fishing in Destin and brought home many snapper. How's the bay fishing in Destin? I've always wanted to take my boat there to fish. I'm not even going to try and spell the name of that bay.

shadow · #4 (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 10:11 PM

If I remember right, in Louisiana it went from 5 to 4 to 2 and if I heard right this year it will go to 1!

Not worth going out there for 1!

Oscar73 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 03:47 PM

A charter really isn't worth it unless you are going after multiple kinds of fish,

AJ, Snapper, etc.

I have spear fished panama city, gulf shores, destin etc.

There is a sizable snapper population around the wrecks at Panama City, but they tend to be undersized. Amberjack and Grouper are a similar story. I just don't think that Panama City is the fishery it once was.

Personally, for bottom fishing and spear fishing my luck has been alot better out of Orange Beach.

SteveGibson · #6 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mister sacalait

2 per person? What was it before? I've been charter fishing in Destin and brought home many snapper. How's the bay fishing in Destin? I've always wanted to take my boat there to fish. I'm not even going to try and spell the name of that bay.

It's easy: Choctawhatchee!

Kajun · #7 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 07:10 PM

i live in panama city.....during the first week of april the bay will be FULL of spanish mackeral....with maybe a few cobia and kings around.....what kind/size of boat do you have? you will be able to stay inside the jettys or close to the mouth of the bay and catch all the spanish you want.....check http://www.halfhitch.com/ for the fishing reports...or call the store in PCB...they will give the latest and greatest reports for PC.........i'll be fishin as much i can the first week of april and the second week taking a weeks vacation just to fish the spanish run.

ejones1961 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 09:26 PM

Thanks for the information I have a 1756 G3 with a 40 hp. I think that my dad might be wanting to hire a charter that would save me from having to tow the boat from NW tennessee. It looks like we will be able to only fish 1 day.

Kajun · #9 (**permalink**) 03-13-2008, 11:04 PM

one day...yup charter time...

OKSTATEjiggy · #10 (**permalink**) 03-20-2008, 01:44 AM

You may be wondering why an Okie is responding, but it's called Choctawhatchee. Somehow I just remember the name of that bay. I spent two weeks at Sandestin Resort over Christmas. We went with the guide service Dawn Patrol and had a pretty good time. Sheepshead, reds, and black drum I think are what we caught. But yeah, Choctawhatchee Bay...

Quote:

Originally Posted by mister sacalait

2 per person? What was it before? I've been charter fishing in Destin and brought home many snapper. How's the bay fishing in Destin? I've always wanted to take my boat there to fish. I'm not even going to try and spell the name of that bay.