5.0(1 Reviews)Private Full Day Bay Fishing Trip
5.0(1 reviews)
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Full 8-hour inshore fishing adventure in Port St. Joe watersTarget Redfish, Snapper, Drum, and Flounder with provided gearPrivate charter accommodates up to 3 guests with licenses included
There's nothing quite like having an entire day to chase fish in the productive inshore waters around Port St. Joe and Mexico Beach. This 8-hour charter kicks off at 7:00 AM sharp, giving you the full morning bite plus plenty of time to explore different spots as conditions change throughout the day. Captain Mason knows these waters like the back of his hand, and he'll put you on the fish whether they're hanging around oyster bars, cruising the grass flats, or tucked up in the mangroves. With only three anglers max, you'll get personalized attention and plenty of room to fish comfortably without crowding the boat.
This trip is all about maximizing your time on productive inshore structure. We'll start the morning targeting active feeders around oyster beds and dock pilings, then move to the grass flats as the sun gets higher. The beauty of an 8-hour day is that we can adapt to what's working best. If the redfish are tailing in shallow water, we'll sight fish to them. If the mangrove snapper are thick around structure, we'll anchor up and put some limits in the boat. You don't need to worry about bringing tackle or bait – everything's provided, including your fishing license. Just pack some drinks, snacks, and whatever sun protection you prefer. The boat runs smooth and stable, making it perfect for anglers of all skill levels who want a relaxed day focusing on putting fish in the cooler.
We'll be running a mix of live bait and artificials depending on what the fish want that day. For structure fishing around oyster bars and docks, we'll use medium-action spinning rods with circle hooks and live shrimp or pinfish. The grass flats call for lighter tackle and topwater plugs or soft plastics when the fish are shallow and spooky. Captain Mason keeps the boat positioned perfectly for each spot, whether we're anchored up on a productive piece of structure or doing a slow drift across the flats. The inshore setup is all about finesse and reading the water – you'll learn to spot nervous bait, look for subtle color changes that indicate grass edges, and understand how tide movement affects fish behavior. Most of the fishing happens in 3-15 feet of water, so you can actually see a lot of the action happening below the boat.
"Captain Mason was amazing!! He was willing to work with our group with whatever we needed! He did everything he could to make our group of new deep sea fishers as comfortable as possible! Captain Mason is such a friendly guy and at the end of the day we caught several good fish! Thank you Captain Mason for an amazing first deep sea fishing trip!" - John
Redfish are the bread and butter of these inshore waters, and they're active year-round with peak action from late spring through early fall. These copper-colored fighters average 18-27 inches in our area and put up a serious scrap on medium tackle. You'll find them cruising the grass flats on rising tides, and they're absolute suckers for live shrimp bounced along the bottom. What makes reds so special is their willingness to eat and their never-give-up attitude when hooked. They'll make long runs and use every trick in the book to shake the hook.
Mangrove Snapper, locally called gray snapper, are some of the smartest fish in the bay, but they're also some of the best eating. They average 12-16 inches around the oyster bars and bridge pilings, with the occasional 20-inch keeper that'll make your day. Summer months are prime time when they move shallow to spawn. These fish require patience and light tackle – they'll inspect your bait like they're shopping for groceries. When you hook one, expect a quick dash for cover and plenty of head-shaking on the way to the boat.
Black Drum are the workhorses of the inshore scene, often running 3-8 pounds with the occasional bull drum pushing 20+ pounds. They're year-round residents but really turn on during the cooler months when they school up around oyster beds. These fish are all about feel – they'll mouth the bait and barely move the rod tip, so you need to pay attention. Once hooked, they use their bulk and stubbornness to test your drag system. Blue crab or cut bait works best, and finding a school means steady action.
Southern Flounder are the masters of camouflage, lying flat on sandy bottoms waiting to ambush passing bait. Fall is prime time when they're fattening up before their winter migration, with fish running 14-20 inches being common. They hit live finger mullet or mud minnows drifted along drop-offs and channel edges. The bite is subtle – often just extra weight on the line – but the fight is surprisingly strong with lots of bulldogging and head shakes. Nothing beats fresh flounder fillets, and these fish are perfect for novice anglers learning to feel light bites.
Sheepshead are the convict-striped specialists of hard structure, using their crushing jaws to pull barnacles and crabs off pilings and rocks. Winter and early spring bring the best action when they stack up around bridges and jetties. These 2-4 pound fish are notorious bait thieves, requiring small hooks, light line, and lightning-quick hooksets. Fiddler crabs and sand fleas are top baits, and you'll go through plenty trying to outsmart these crafty fish. They're excellent table fare and provide non-stop action when you find a good school.
A full day on the water with Captain Mason gives you the best shot at experiencing everything Port St. Joe's inshore fishery has to offer. From the morning bite around structure to afternoon action on the
Your fishing platform for the day is a well-equipped 25' Sea Pro center console that handles the inshore waters around Port St. Joe and Mexico Beach with ease. This boat comes loaded with everything you need to target redfish, snapper, and drum in the bay—rods, reels, tackle, and live bait are all on board. The wireless trolling motor lets your captain position you quietly over productive spots without spooking fish, while the GPS and fish finder help locate the best structure and grass flats. An icebox keeps your drinks cold during the 8-hour trip, and there's comfortable space for up to 3 anglers to fish without getting tangled up. The center console design gives you 360-degree fishing access, perfect for working oyster beds or casting to shallow water targets. Whether you're sight fishing the flats or bottom fishing deeper holes, this boat gets you where the fish are biting.
Pogonias CromisBlack Drum are the bulldogs of the bay - thick, powerful fish that can weigh anywhere from 5-30 pounds, with some monsters pushing 50+ pounds. You'll hear them drumming underwater before you see them, especially around oyster beds, shallow mudflats, and creek mouths where they crush shellfish with those powerful jaws. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning, making them much easier to target than the rest of the year. What draws people to them is the strong, steady fight and that unique drumming sound they make. The smaller ones under 15 pounds make good eating, but the big ones get tough and fishy. Fresh blue crab is hands-down the best bait - cut it in half and fish it on the bottom with enough weight to hold in current. Here's the trick: when you feel that subtle tap-tap, don't set the hook immediately. Let them pick it up and start moving off, then lean into them hard.
Lutjanus GriseusGrey Snapper, better known as Mangrove Snapper around here, are smart fish that'll test your patience. These copper-red colored fish with the dark eye stripe typically run 1-3 pounds inshore, though bigger ones lurk in deeper water. You'll find them around docks, mangroves, and any structure that offers cover - they're opportunistic feeders that like to ambush from the shadows. They bite best during dawn, dusk, and nighttime hours year-round, with spring and fall being prime. Anglers love them because they're scrappy fighters and make outstanding table fare with white, flaky meat. The challenge is they're bait thieves with sharp eyes, so light tackle is key. Here's my tip: use a small live shrimp hooked through the tail on a 4/0 circle hook with minimal weight. Let it sink to the bottom near structure, then reel up just enough to stay off the bottom. When they bite, don't jerk - let the circle hook do its job.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the crown jewel of our shallow water fishing - copper-colored fish with that distinctive black spot near the tail. They range from schoolie-sized 18-24 inchers up to bull reds over 30 inches that'll test your drag. Look for them in 1-4 feet of water around oyster bars, grass flats, and shoreline structure where they root around for crabs and shrimp. Fall and spring offer the most consistent action, but summer mornings can be magic when they're tailing in super shallow water. What makes them special is that explosive strike and bulldogging fight, plus they're beautiful fish with great table fare in the slot size. The sight fishing opportunities are what really hook people - watching a big red cruise the flats is pure adrenaline. Pro tip: when you spot one tailing or cruising shallow, cast your live shrimp or gold spoon well ahead of where they're going, not right at them. Let it sink and give it small twitches as they approach.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are the convict fish of our waters with those distinctive black and white stripes, and they've got human-like teeth that'll creep you out. Most run 2-6 pounds and 14-18 inches, though 10+ pounders show up around the right structure. They live around anything with barnacles - docks, pilings, bridges, and jetties where they pick crustaceans off the surfaces. Winter through early spring is when they're most active and easiest to pattern. People love targeting them because they're challenging to hook, fight surprisingly hard for their size, and make some of the best eating fish in the bay with sweet, white meat. They're notorious bait stealers with those weird teeth, so you need sharp hooks and quick reflexes. My advice: use small pieces of fresh shrimp or fiddler crab on a #2 hook, fish tight to structure, and when you feel them pecking at the bait, set the hook hard and fast before they strip it clean.
Paralichthys LethostigmaSouthern Flounder are masters of disguise - these flat fish bury themselves in sandy and muddy bottoms with both eyes on their left side, waiting to ambush prey. You'll typically find them around 15-18 inches and 3-5 pounds in our shallow bay waters, especially near grass flats and oyster bars. They're most active during cooler months from fall through early spring when they move into the shallows to feed. What makes them fun to target is their sneaky bite - they'll grab your bait and sit still, so you need to stay alert. The meat is excellent eating with a mild, sweet flavor. My go-to trick is using live bull minnows or shrimp on a light jig head, letting it sit on the bottom near structure changes. When you feel that subtle weight, give it a few seconds before setting the hook - they like to mouth the bait first.
5.0 out of 5.0Captain Mason was amazing!! He was willing to work with our group with whatever we needed! He did everything he could to make our ...
Port St. Joe