Looks like I might be taking the family down to the gulf coast of Florida for a week in April 
. We won a week for a timeshare quite some time back and have finally found a week that seems to work for most of the crew. The place is right on the beach, just west of Panama City.
Does anyone have recommendations for a fishing excursion down there? Any tips for shore fishing?
G
Can’t tell you much about the fishing there.
I was there over a Labor day weekend many years back.
I don’t think there was a soul fishing, but the “scenery” is BREATH-TAKING!!!!
It is one HUGE beach too!
I can’t give you any recommendations about fishing, but you might want to make your way over to Spinnaker Beach Club as there is some nice scenery there during the day. 
I was down there a few years back – All I can recommend is that if you can swing it – get a private charter of some kind. I made the mistake of going on a large group type charter and what a mess. They line you up like sheep and you drop lines down – people are getting them twisted up an tangled and it wasn’t really what I was expecting….Good luck though…hope you find something decent – let us know how it goes. 
The phone numbers and addresses below might get you more info.
The Gulf of Mexico has hundreds if not thousands of fishing piers… stop at a bait/fishing tackle store and ask them if there is one near that has a good bite going… you might have to call it a fishing camp if the person you are talking to is a longtime local… they charge you so much a day, usually have bait and suggestions available. I find most of the inlets and inner bays are easier to fish than the gulf piers, but see what you find out and tell us when you get back. Fortunately or unfortunately lots of fisherman usually mean the fish are there and biting, and if the fish are off it sure won’t take you long to know it. The other advantage is you will see how the locals rig. A kind of middle of the road bait is a piece of newly dead shrimp,(the bait shop will know what it means), or if you want to spend the extra live shrimp… if the sand trout and specks are running at night sometimes a simple twister tail or your favorite plastic will work as well as anything. You should see some folks there fishing for their food and keeping everything, and you usually can’t go wrong by matching what they are doing.
Sports Authority
525 W 23rd St, Panama City, FL 2.13mi (850) 784-6089
Cherokee Landing
10035 Highway 2301, Youngstown, FL 13.30mi (850) 722-4902
Category: Fishing Bait & Tackle Hours: Open 7 Days A Week
Simpler Fish Camp
108 Mccewen St, Ponce De Leon, FL 26.89mi (850) 835-1821
Category: Camps
Anderson Capt Pier & Fishing Fleet
5550 N Lagoon Dr
Panama City, FL 32408 Map
(850) 234-3435
Hope these help.
Keep an eye out for the crazy spring breakers. i know some schools are off around then and panama beach is a huge spring break destination…
Ask what conventions are going on in the area at the same time. We were down there for my husband’s computer training and … lets just say… the scenery in the hotel was not what we would have wished to see…
The beach area was beautiful, but the outlying area was crime ridden. So enjoy, but be careful.
They had day cruises available. I would contact the Chamber of Commerce also.
I lived down there 30+ years ago and you could walk to the beach and fish off the docks.Went back 10 years ago and the place is total tourist trap now.I would call some of the # that Lawrence gave you and do some calling,not going to happen if you dont plan ahead.Me,I dont plan to ever go back there.
are you going to destin by chance?
i went out on a group charter out of destin harbor a few years back. it was nothing fancy, but it fit my grandpa’s budget. if thats what you are looking for, i can look for more info.
it was on a boat that could handle about 30 fishermen. they did everything for you except reel the fish in. i think it was like $60 a person for a 4-6 hour trip and 1 day license.
actually if you want to go bass fishing, there is a place not too far from Panama beach, called Defuniak Springs.. and from prior reading its a place of all bank fishing for bass. or a lot of bank fishing.. Its located on 331 and US 10.. just to the west of Panama city and not even as far west as Fort Walton Beach..
about a 100 years ago,( 1976 or so) Bassmasters wrote a story about the place. this maybe a little closer to what you normally fish.. and if money is an object,certainly cheaper then a charter boat.
Let us know what you decide to do..
I wish you well, and I WISH THAT I WAS GOING WITH YOU.. 
Quote:
are you going to destin by chance?
nope, we’ll be right in Panama City Beach… I know the Destin/Fort Walton area – my son did his EOD training at Eglin. He loved the area (what young male wouldn’t??).
I did some research on the Panama City Beach area and it looks like it’s the mecca for Spring Break… I hope the partying is all wrapped up by the time we get down there in mid-April…
G
King185:
I have fished with Robinson Brothers out of Appalachicola and have really enjoyed fishing with them. Both of my trips with them in early April have been good and with the water temps rising it can only get better. I know this Dineen talks about the Robinson Bros. in his report. You can do two on a flats boats, get a bay boat and take the family inshore or on the beach and that is as far offshore as I would go!!!
I really don’t know any one this far west. All I can tell you is the mid-April time frame things are just starting to heat up. I think cobia are just starting to show up and the trout & reds should be going pretty good by then. I included a link for this guy who reports on the Sunsports Chevy Fishing Report Show. Here is a link to Pat Dineen:
http://www.sunsportstv.com/fishing.jhtml?method=view®ion.id=8
He is the reporter for this area. Seems to be very knowledgeable guide during his reports on the show. I would check him out and would agree with Slop, do something that is good for your family, because the fishing inshore is more like fishing up here.
I have always stayed away from going out to sea for two reasons, the first is you don’t have to be concerned about seasickness and why would you want to go to FL, pick northern FL, get colder weather, then go offshore to 60 degree water temps and try to stay warm.
Inshore means lighter winds, less sickness and in my opinion easier fish to catch. Nothing like a 7# red tearing line off your walleye rod in 4′-6′ of water. 40-60 trout during a morning of fishing and if those cobia are in just off the beach… you could be catching fish up to 70#!!! I don’t know what he costs, but I am sure he would be competitive and may have guides under him that are perfectly capable of catching fish for maybe a little less.
Here is Dineen’s webpage: http://flyliner.com/
As for the partying, I think Panama has been trying to move some of that business elsewhere and it is quieting down.
Mark
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