April 2025 — Panama City: Cobia excellent, spring inshore in full swing. April is a spring month with water in the 68–76°F range — cobia peak; Spanish mackerel and bluefish arrive; spawning movements. Here’s the full breakdown of what’s biting, where to fish, and the most productive tactics for this month.
What’s Biting — April 2025
Primary targets this month: Cobia, Redfish, Seatrout, Flounder.
Cobia
Peak cobia migration. Sight-fishing along the beach, around St. Andrews Pass jetties, Mexico Beach jetties, the M.B. Miller Pier, and along the beach from mid-March through late April, and following stingrays in clear water is the move. You need calm seas (1–2 ft) and sun overhead to spot fish. Run the beach 1/4 to 1/2 mile off the sand looking for dark torpedoes — single fish, pairs, or pods of 4–6. Cast 4–6″ bucktails (chartreuse, white, pink), large soft plastic eels, or live eels and pinfish. Cobia will often follow the boat after first refusal, so make a second cast.
Redfish
Redfish are in West Bay grass flats, North Bay near Lynn Haven, Watson Bayou, Grand Lagoon docks, and the Cut behind Shell Island. Cut bait, gold spoons, and soft plastics on light jigheads all produce. Match the tide and look for activity on shorelines with clean water.
Seatrout
Seatrout are holding in the deep grass of West Bay, North Bay docks, Crooked Island Sound, and Watson Bayou. Live shrimp under a popping cork and soft plastic jigs in natural colors (root beer, new penny) are reliable.
Flounder
Flounder are around the Hathaway Bridge pilings, the St. Andrews jetties, Grand Lagoon channel edges, and the Tyndall pier. Bucktails with Gulp! trailers, live mud minnows, and finger mullet on Carolina rigs produce. Work baits slow on the bottom.
Water Conditions & Patterns
Water temperatures are running 68–76°F. Cobia peak; spanish mackerel and bluefish arrive; spawning movements. St. Andrews Pass funnels enormous tidal volume; expect strong rips on both sides of slack. The best inshore bite windows on the bay flats are typically the two hours leading into and following a tide change.
Check the NOAA marine forecast and tide charts before launching. Wind direction matters more than wind speed for inshore fishing — east winds tend to push clean water in, while strong westerlies can muddy the bays.
Tactics & Tackle for This Month
- Cobia readiness. Keep a heavy spinning rod (8000-class reel, 40–50 lb braid, 60–80 lb fluoro leader) ready with a bucktail or live eel — cobia don’t announce themselves.
- Sight-fishing weather. Plan trips around calm seas and sun overhead. Polarized lenses (amber or copper for clarity) are essential.
- Bait migration. Spanish, kings, and predators follow bait pods — keep an eye on diving birds and surface activity.
April Outlook
Cobia peak this month — be ready when conditions align. Tarpon begin showing on southern beaches; Spanish mackerel and bluefish push north.
Regulations Reminder
Redfish: 18–27″ slot, one per angler per day (verify current FWC zone-specific rules). Seatrout: 15–19″ slot, three per day in most zones (verify current FWC zone rules). Flounder: 14″ minimum, five per day (Florida). Cobia: 36″ fork length, one per harvester, two per vessel in state waters (Florida — verify current rules). Always verify the current FWC regulations at myfwc.com before your trip — sizes, bag limits, and season dates change.
Local Resources
Bait & Tackle: Half Hitch Tackle (Panama City Beach, 850-234-2621); Sunjammers (Panama City, 850-769-1090); Anglers (Panama City Beach, 850-249-3300).
Public Boat Ramps: Earl Gilbert Park (St. Andrews), Carl Gray Park (St. Andrews), Lynn Haven Boat Ramp (North Bay), Mexico Beach public ramp.
Charter Fishing: $500–$800 inshore (bays, jetties); $1,400–$2,800 offshore (red snapper, AJ, grouper, deep drop). Book ahead during cobia migration (March–April), red snapper opener (June), and the fall run (October–November).
More Panama City Resources
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