Labor Day has passed, the beaches are quieter, and the fishing in Panama City is getting better by the day. Spanish mackerel are running the pass and the piers, the first bull reds of the fall have been spotted along the beach, and the bay flounder bite is starting the climb toward its October peak.
What’s Hitting
This week on the water the Spanish mackerel are the easy action, with fish stacked at St. Andrews Pass and in front of the Panama City Beach piers on the bait. Bull redfish are beginning to show along the beach and at the pass in the mornings. Flounder are picking up around the pass rocks, the bay bridges, and the docks. Trout and slot reds are on the grass in West Bay and North Bay early, and king mackerel are on the nearshore wrecks and bait schools. The bottom fishing on the public reefs is steady for vermilion snapper, triggerfish, and grouper — check the seasons.
Where to Find Them
St. Andrews Pass and the jetties on the state park side are the top spot for Spanish, reds, and flounder on the outgoing tide. The Russell-Fields and M.B. Miller piers have Spanish, kings, and the occasional tarpon. The grass flats of West Bay and the mouth of the East Bay hold trout and slot reds. Shell Island and the beach east of the pass are where the bull reds are showing.
Tides & Conditions
Water temps in the Gulf are in the mid-80s. The strongest outgoing tides fish best at the pass, and the mornings have been calm enough to fish the beach from a small boat or a kayak. Afternoon thunderstorms are still on the summer schedule. Early September is the peak of hurricane season — check the tropics before any long run.
Tackle & Tactics
Spanish mackerel take a Gotcha plug, a small spoon, or a straw rig cast into the feeding fish on a short wire or 40-pound mono trace. Bull reds want a chunk of mullet or a live menhaden on a 5/0 circle hook. Flounder take a bull minnow or a finger mullet on a jig head worked along the bottom. Kings take a slow-trolled live bait on a stinger rig. Keep a topwater rigged for the morning when reds and jacks are pushing bait on the beach.
Local Intel This Week
Public ramps: the St. Andrews State Park ramp, the Carl Gray Park ramp, the Earl Gilbert Park ramp in Parker, and the Lynn Haven Bayou ramp. Fish are concentrating at the pass, along the beach in the mornings, and around bridge and dock structure for flounder. Check current FWC regulations and both state and federal seasons before keeping fish — especially reef species, which have shifting seasons this time of year.
This Week’s Tip
Spanish mackerel will cut anything but wire, and wire cuts down on bites. Split the difference with 40-pound fluorocarbon and check it after every fish — replace it the moment it frays.
More Panama City Resources
All Panama City fishing reports · Seasonal fishing calendars · Submit your own report
Planning a trip to Panama City?
This report tells you what happened. ReelAI tells you what to do about it — a briefing for your date, your target species and how you're fishing, built from our reports plus live NOAA and USGS data.
Powered by ReelAI — fishing.digital's intelligence layer. Answers are generated from fishing.digital reports and public NOAA, NWS and USGS data, and may be incomplete or out of date. Regulations and marine safety information are summaries only; always confirm with the responsible authority before you fish.