Panama City Fishing Report — August 2025
Late summer pattern.
Inshore & Nearshore Fishing
Flounder building in the passes and along the bay grass edges. Seatrout and redfish at dawn. Spanish mackerel nearshore.
Offshore Fishing
Offshore snapper, grouper, and amberjack continue. King mackerel excellent.
Top Techniques This Month
August dawn: Get to the St. Andrews Bay grass flats by 6 AM. Topwater plugs for seatrout in the first light.
Fishing Outlook
Good to excellent.
Regulations
Redfish: 18–27″ slot. Verify current regulations at state fishing regulations.
Plan Your Trip
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Offshore — Snapper Season Continues
August in Panama City means the offshore fleet is busy. Red snapper season is open (verify current federal/state dates — they change annually), and the reefs in 80–120 feet are stacked. Use circle hooks on a knocker rig with cut bonito, squid, or live pinfish. Many of the boats out of Bay Point and St. Andrews Marina are limiting in two hours once they find a productive piece of structure. Gag grouper, scamp, and amberjack (when open) are bonus targets on the deeper wrecks. King mackerel are stacked along the color change at 20–30 miles out — slow-trolled live menhaden on a stinger rig is the textbook approach.
Tarpon at the Piers, Inshore Burns Hot
Tarpon are running the beaches and stacking at the public piers (Russell-Fields, MB Miller). Live mullet drifted on outgoing tide off the pier produces consistent shots at fish in the 80–150 lb range. Patience required. Inshore, the water has hit 86–88°F and the bite is dawn-only. Speckled trout are stacked in the deeper holes of St. Andrews Bay during the day, then move shallow at sunrise. Topwater plugs in the first 45 minutes of light is the entire window. Redfish are doing the same — sight-casting at tailing fish on the dark-bottom flats at sunrise.
Spanish on the Beach, Inshore Heat Strategy
Spanish mackerel are running thick on the beaches all day — Gotcha plugs from the piers or trolled silver spoons from a boat produce limits fast when you find the bait. Ladyfish mixed in with the Spanish. Snook (catch-and-release only) are at the pass rocks at dawn. After 9 AM, go offshore, go home, or wait for the evening bite to start around 7 PM.
Conditions, Hotspots, Regulations
Water 84–88°F inshore, 82–84°F offshore. Florida saltwater license required. Federal reef fish endorsement required (free). King mackerel 24-inch minimum with 2-fish bag. Gag grouper 24-inch minimum with 2-fish bag (Gulf). Tarpon over 40 inches release-only without tag. Snook closed June through August (catch-and-release). Hotspots: St. Andrews Pass dawn for snook and tarpon, the inshore reefs at 80–120 ft for snapper, the piers all day for Spanish, deep grass of St. Andrews Bay for trout at sunrise. Hydrate. Tight lines.
Boat Ramps and Heat Strategy
August in Panama City means dawn-only inshore. Carl Gray Park ramp at St. Andrews Pass is the fastest launch for tarpon at the pass and inshore reds at sunrise. Bay Point Marina is the offshore-fleet launch for snapper trips. The MB Miller Pier and Russell-Fields Pier give shore access for tarpon and Spanish all day. Watch for afternoon thunderstorms — they build fast and produce dangerous lightning. Bring extra water, sunblock, and a marine VHF radio for any offshore run. Tight lines.