Santa Rosa Beach Kids Morning Fishing Trip
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Twohour morning inshore fishing trip designed for families with childrenAll fishing gear and bait provided by experienced local guidesAccommodates up to four guests for safe, memorable fishing experience
Getting your kids hooked on fishing starts with the right guide and the perfect spot. This 2-hour morning trip with 30A Bay Guide Service gives your little ones everything they need for a top-rated fishing adventure along Santa Rosa Beach's productive inshore waters. We're talking about calm, protected areas where the fish bite consistently and kids can actually land their catches without getting frustrated. Your guide knows exactly where to find the action, and with all gear and bait included, you just need to show up ready to make some memories.
This isn't your typical "throw a line and hope" kind of trip. Your experienced captain knows these Santa Rosa Beach waters like the back of their hand, targeting the grass flats, oyster bars, and shallow channels where redfish cruise and trout stack up. The morning bite is prime time for inshore species, especially when the water's calm and the fish are actively feeding. You'll be fishing from a comfortable bay boat that's perfect for families – stable, safe, and set up with everything needed to keep four anglers busy. The guide handles all the technical stuff like reading the water, positioning the boat, and switching baits when needed. Your job? Help the kids reel in their catches and snap some photos they'll treasure forever.
We're talking light tackle fishing here – perfect for young anglers who need gear they can actually handle. Your guide provides quality spinning reels spooled with the right line weight, paired with rods that won't wear out little arms. The bait selection changes based on what's biting, but expect live shrimp, cut bait, and maybe some artificials if the kids want to try their hand at casting lures. The techniques are straightforward: bottom fishing around structure for black drum and sheepshead, sight fishing for redfish in the shallows, and working the grass beds where trout love to ambush prey. Your guide will coach the kids through each step, from setting the hook to fighting the fish properly. No complicated rigging or advanced techniques – just solid, fish-catching methods that work.
Black drum are the perfect starter fish for kids – they fight hard but don't make crazy runs that'll leave young anglers struggling. These bronze-backed fighters hang around oyster bars and bridge pilings, growing anywhere from 2-15 pounds in these waters. Spring through fall offers the best action, with the bigger "puppy drum" showing up in cooler months. Kids love the steady, throbbing fight these fish put up, and they're just about the most cooperative species when it comes to photo ops.
Sheepshead are the tricksters of the inshore world, famous for stealing bait with their human-like teeth. These black-striped beauties require patience and quick reflexes – perfect for teaching kids to pay attention to their rod tip. They school up around structure during spring spawning season, making them easier targets. What makes sheepshead special is their unique look and the challenge they present. When a kid finally hooks one after losing a few baits, the celebration is worth it.
Redfish are hands-down the most popular inshore species, and for good reason. These copper-colored bruisers are found year-round in Santa Rosa Beach waters, cruising shallow flats and hanging around docks and mangroves. Bull reds can stretch over 40 inches, while the slot-sized fish (18-27 inches) are perfect for young anglers. They're aggressive feeders, fight with bulldogging determination, and that distinctive black spot near their tail makes every redfish photo a winner.
Sea trout are the bread-and-butter species of inshore fishing, schooling up in grass beds and providing consistent action when other fish get finicky. These speckled beauties hit live shrimp and soft plastics with authority, making that distinctive head-shaking run that gets kids excited. Peak season runs from spring through early fall, with the bigger "gator trout" showing up during cooler months. They're excellent table fare too, if you decide to keep a few for dinner.
Cobia are the wild cards of this trip – these brown sharks-lookalikes can show up anytime and turn a routine fishing day into something special. They're curious fish, often swimming right up to the boat to investigate. When a 20-30 pound cobia decides to eat your bait, kids learn real quick what a proper fish fight feels like. They're most common during their spring and fall migrations, but resident fish stick around all summer. Landing a cobia is a milestone moment for any young angler.
This morning kids' trip hits all the right notes – experienced guide, fish-holding waters, proper gear, and a timeframe that keeps young attention spans engaged without wearing anyone out. The 4-person capacity means your family gets personalized attention, and the included gear takes all the guesswork out of what to bring. Santa Rosa Beach's inshore waters are some of the most productive along the Gulf Coast, and 30A Bay Guide Service has built their reputation on putting clients on fish. Your kids will walk away with fishing skills, confidence on the water, and stories they'll tell for years. Don't wait on this one – good family fishing trips with quality guides book up fast, especially during prime season.
Your family fishing adventure starts aboard our comfortable sailboat, perfectly sized for up to 4 guests exploring Santa Rosa Beach's prime inshore waters. This vessel combines the best of both worlds - sail power for those peaceful moments and a wireless trolling motor that keeps things whisper-quiet when we're sneaking up on fish. The onboard fish finder takes the guesswork out of locating where the action is hiding, while our GPS keeps us on track to the hottest fishing spots along the coast. Kids love watching the sonar screen light up when we mark schools of fish below. Our ice box keeps your catch fresh and drinks cold throughout the morning. Built for families, this boat offers plenty of space for little anglers to move around safely while learning to cast and reel. The shallow draft design lets us access those productive backwater areas where redfish and trout love to feed. Whether we're drifting quietly through grass flats or anchored over structure, this sailboat provides a stable platform that puts kids at ease while they focus on landing their next fish.
Pogonias CromisBlack Drum are the heavyweights of our local waters, typically running 5-30 pounds but capable of hitting 90+ pounds. These powerful fish love shallow flats, oyster beds, and creek mouths where they crush crabs and shellfish with their strong jaws. You'll hear them before you see them - they make distinctive drumming sounds, especially during spring spawning when they school up and become much easier to target. Kids love the steady pull these fish give, and smaller ones under 15 pounds make great eating with sweet, flaky meat. The secret here is using fresh crab on the bottom - it stays put better than shrimp and the drum can't resist it. Look for muddy water and listen for that telltale drumming sound.
Rachycentron CanadumCobia are the brown sharks that aren't sharks - these powerful 40-100 pound fish cruise near the surface around structure, making them perfect for sight fishing. They hang around reefs, wrecks, and buoys in 30-70 feet of water, though spring migration brings them into shallower areas. June through August is prime time when they're spawning and more aggressive. What guests love is the visual aspect - you can actually see these fish coming and cast right to them. They're also some of the best eating fish in the Gulf with firm, white meat. These fish are usually solo travelers, not schoolers, so when you see one, make that cast count. A bucktail jig worked near the bottom is hard to beat, but don't be afraid to throw bigger baits - cobia aren't shy about eating.
Salmo TruttaSpeckled Trout are our bread-and-butter inshore fish, running 14-24 inches with beautiful spotted sides that shimmer in the shallows. They love grass flats and sandy bottoms in 2-8 feet of water, especially around creek mouths and drop-offs where baitfish gather. Night fishing and early morning produce the best results, though cooler months see them schooling in deeper water. Kids enjoy them because they're aggressive biters and great table fare with delicate, white meat that's perfect for the dinner table. These fish are smart though - they can be picky about lures and presentation. The trick is using a popping cork with live shrimp about 18 inches below, letting it drift naturally over the grass. The noise draws them in, and that natural presentation seals the deal.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are what Gulf Coast fishing is all about - copper-colored beauties with signature black spots near their tails that cruise the shallows year-round. These 20-30 inch fish love grass flats, oyster bars, and marsh edges in just 1-4 feet of water, sometimes so shallow their backs stick out. They're perfect for families because they fight hard but fair, and smaller ones taste great on the table. Spring and fall offer the best action when they school up in big numbers. What makes them special is how they'll hit everything from topwater plugs to live shrimp, giving you that explosive surface strike kids never forget. Try throwing a gold spoon over shallow grass beds early morning - the flash drives them crazy and creates some of the most exciting fishing you'll ever see.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are the convict fish of our waters with their black and white stripes, but don't let their looks fool you - they're some of the smartest fish around. These 1-8 pound tricksters hang tight around docks, pilings, and any structure with barnacles, using their human-like teeth to scrape off their favorite meals. Spring brings the best action when they move into shallow areas to spawn. What makes them special is the challenge - they're notorious bait thieves who'll clean your hook without you feeling a thing. The meat is top-shelf though, sweet and white when you can land one. My advice: use small hooks with fresh shrimp or fiddler crabs, keep your bait tight to the structure, and set the hook hard the moment you feel weight.
Santa Rosa Beach, FL