Updated: Thursday, May 14, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, May 21, 2026
This Panama City fishing report covers mid-May, the home stretch before the June 1 red snapper opener. Offshore boats run scouting trips daily, the inshore fishery in St. Andrews Bay hits its spring peak, and the pompano run is still going on the beaches. Speckled trout lead inshore, while red snapper load the reefs offshore. Plan around the Saturday new moon, which brings softer tides and strong dawn and dusk windows, and light south winds through Friday.
What’s Hitting
Red snapper load every wreck and pile in 80–120 feet. Vermilion snapper (beeliners) and white snapper are open and take baits on the bottom. Inshore, speckled trout blow up topwaters on the grass flats at dawn; solid trout are common, and gator-class fish over 20 inches show daily.
Redfish work the flats and oyster bars, and bull reds start to show in the deeper holes near East Pass. Flounder build, sheepshead transition off the structure, and pompano, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and kingfish work the beaches and piers.
Where to Find Them
The public numbers in 80–120 feet off St. Andrews Pass and Mexico Beach are loaded with red snapper. Look for structure that also holds tilefish, amberjack and triggerfish for the opening-day grab; amberjack rules differ between state and federal waters, so confirm what is open before you target them. For trout, work the grass flats off Shell Island and the deep grass along the Intracoastal at first light. Reds sit on the flats inside Grand Lagoon and the back of Tyndall.
Flounder hug the docks, drop-offs and bridge pilings. Kingfish cruise past the Mexico Beach Pier and the Panama City Beach Pier, and pompano run in the surf from Beach Drive west to Camp Helen and from Camp Helen east through Mexico Beach.
Tides & Conditions
Expect water temperatures of 75–77°F. The new moon on Saturday brings softer tides and strong dawn and dusk windows, with light south winds forecast through Friday. Sight-cast the Grand Lagoon reds at low tide on calm mornings. St. Andrews Pass fishes well on the outgoing, when baitfish flush through the cut.
Tackle & Tactics
- Snapper scouting: drop a single bait to confirm fish and mark the spot for opening day.
- Vermilion snapper: cut bonito, bonito strips or squid on the bottom.
- Trout: walk the dog with a Top Dog Jr. for the first hour, then drop a Z-Man PaddlerZ on a jighead.
- Flounder: live mud minnows or finger mullet on a 1/2-ounce jighead.
- Sheepshead and reds: fiddler crabs and live shrimp on the pilings; cut bait for the East Pass bull reds.
- Beach and pier: sand fleas for pompano, and slow-trolled live menhaden under a balloon for kings.
Local Intel This Week
St. Andrews Pass on the outgoing tide gives up trout, reds and the occasional king mackerel chasing baitfish through the cut, and St. Andrews State Park sits right at the pass. The Hathaway Bridge pilings hold sheepshead and the first cobia stragglers. The Russell-Fields Pier can deliver Spanish mackerel and ladyfish on nearly every cast some mornings. Carl Gray Park and St. Andrews Marina are public access points on the bay, convenient for the Hathaway Bridge and the Shell Island flats. Check current FWC and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
Front-load your trout mornings. St. Andrews Bay trout crush topwaters at dawn, then shift to subsurface baits as the light comes up. Start with a walking plug like a Top Dog Jr. and switch to a paddle-tail on a jighead once the surface action fades.
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