Weekend Red Snapper Charter Panama City Beach
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
8hour private charter targets Red Snapper, Grouper, and AmberjackAll gear, bait, and tackle provided with experienced captainAccommodates up to 6 guests using trolling and bottom fishing
Get ready for a full-day fishing adventure that'll have you talking about it for months. This 8-hour private weekend charter puts you right in the heart of Panama City Beach's legendary fishing grounds, where Red Snapper, Gag Grouper, and Greater Amberjack are waiting to test your skills. With your experienced captain calling the shots and all the gear you need on board, you're set up for success from the moment you step on deck. Whether you're a weekend warrior looking to land your personal best or bringing the family for their first taste of Gulf fishing, this trip delivers the perfect mix of steady action and good times on the water.
Your day starts early at the marina, where you'll meet your captain and get the lowdown on what's biting and where we're headed. The inshore waters around Panama City Beach are some of the most productive in the Gulf, and your captain knows every ledge, structure, and honey hole that holds fish. You'll be fishing aboard a well-equipped charter boat that handles the Gulf swells with ease, giving you a stable platform to work from whether you're fighting a bull red or wrestling with a stubborn grouper. The vibe is relaxed but focused – we're here to catch fish, but there's plenty of time to soak up the coastal scenery and enjoy being out on the water. With a maximum of 6 anglers, everyone gets plenty of room to fish and personal attention from the captain when the action heats up.
This charter combines the best of both worlds with a mix of trolling and bottom fishing techniques that keep the action varied and the fish box full. When we're trolling, you'll be pulling lures and live bait behind the boat as we cover water looking for schools of amberjack and mahi that cruise the deeper inshore waters. The captain will have the spread dialed in perfectly – usually running a combination of diving plugs, spoons, and live bait on different depths to target whatever's moving through. When it's time to anchor up and bottom fish, that's where the real fun begins. You'll be dropping heavy tackle down to structure and ledges where red snapper and grouper make their living. The captain provides all the tackle you need, from the heavy conventional reels loaded with braided line to the circle hooks and sinkers that get your bait down fast. Live and cut bait is provided, and your captain knows exactly what each species wants to eat and when they want it.
Red Snapper are the bread and butter of Panama City Beach fishing, and these crimson fighters never disappoint. They typically run 15-25 pounds in these waters, with plenty of bigger fish mixed in during peak season. Snapper are structure-oriented fish that live around hard bottom, artificial reefs, and natural ledges in 60-120 feet of water. They're aggressive feeders that hit cut bait hard, and once hooked, they'll make multiple runs trying to get back to their rocky home. The best action usually happens during the warmer months when they're most active, but Panama City Beach produces quality snapper fishing almost year-round. What makes them so popular with anglers is their combination of fight and table fare – they'll test your drag and fill your cooler with some of the best eating fish in the Gulf.
Gag Grouper are the bullies of the bottom, and hooking into a big gag is what Gulf fishing dreams are made of. These chocolate-colored bruisers can reach 40+ pounds in local waters and have the attitude to match their size. Gags are ambush predators that lurk around structure waiting to inhale anything that looks like an easy meal. When you hook one, the fight is immediate and intense – they'll try to get back to their hole and break you off before you know what hit you. The trick is keeping steady pressure and not giving them an inch. Fall and winter are prime time for gag grouper, when they're feeding heavily and easier to pull off structure. Anglers love them because every hookup is a battle, and a big gag provides enough fillets to feed the whole crew.
Redfish are the inshore favorites that never get old to catch, whether it's your first or your hundredth. These copper-colored fighters typically run 20-35 inches around Panama City Beach and are famous for their bulldogging runs and never-say-die attitude. Reds feed in shallow water around grass flats, oyster bars, and structure, making them perfect targets when we're working the inshore grounds. They're not picky eaters – cut bait, live shrimp, and small jigs all produce fish. What makes redfish special is their accessibility to anglers of all skill levels and their willingness to bite throughout the year. Kids especially love them because they fight hard but don't require heavy tackle to land.
Mahi Mahi bring the tropical flavor to Panama City Beach fishing, and when they show up, the action can be fast and furious. Also called dolphinfish, these golden beauties are pelagic nomads that follow current lines and floating structure as they cruise the Gulf. They typically run 10-20 pounds locally, though bigger bulls are always possible. Mahi are incredible fighters that jump, run, and change colors during the fight – putting on a show that gets everyone on the boat excited. They're most common during the warmer months when the blue water pushes closer to shore, but Panama City Beach's position on the Gulf means they can show up almost anytime. Trolling is the most productive technique, and once you find a school, you can often catch multiple fish before they move on.
Greater Amberjack are the freight trains of the reef, and tangling with one will test your tackle and your endurance. These bronze-sided speedsters can reach 50+ pounds around Panama City Beach and have the power to humble even experienced anglers. AJs are structure fish that patrol wrecks, reefs, and ledges, often in schools that compete aggress
This beautifully restored 2001 28-foot Mako center console runs on twin 200HP Suzuki engines that'll get you to the fishing grounds fast, hitting speeds up to 40 knots. After her 2018 restoration, she's ready to handle whatever the Gulf throws at you while chasing red snapper, grouper, and amberjack in Panama City Beach waters. The boat comfortably fishes up to 6 anglers with plenty of deck space for fighting fish and moving around. She's equipped with GPS to navigate to the hot spots, fish finder to locate structure and schools, and a wireless trolling motor for those times when you need to position quietly over productive bottom. Whether you're dropping lines on offshore structure or working the nearshore reefs, this Mako delivers a smooth, dry ride that gets you there ready to fish.
Mycteroperca MicrolepisGag Grouper are the bulldogs of the Gulf - stocky, determined fighters that'll make you work for every inch of line. Most of what we catch runs 20-30 inches, but the big females can push 40+ inches and really bend your rod. These gray, mottled fish love hanging around structure - ledges, wrecks, and rocky bottom in 60-150 feet of water. Spring and fall are prime time when they're most active and feeding. Guests love the challenge because once hooked, these fish immediately head for the deepest hole they can find. The meat is excellent - firm white fillets that grill up perfect. Here's the key: when you hook one, lock down that drag and don't give them an inch. If you let them run, they'll wrap you around structure every time.
Seriola dumeriliGreater Amberjack are the freight trains of the Gulf - powerful fish that'll take you straight to the bottom if you're not ready. These silver-bronze bruisers average 20-40 pounds but can easily hit 60+ pounds on the right day. They patrol deep structure - wrecks, reefs, and ledges in 80-200 feet of water. Spring through fall gives us consistent action, especially when bait schools are thick. What makes them a favorite is that raw power - they'll peel line off your reel like no other Gulf species. The meat quality is good on smaller fish, though the big ones can carry ciguatera toxin. My advice: use heavy tackle and be ready for a long fight. When you hook one, pump and wind - don't just hold on or they'll take you into the wreck and break you off every time.
Coryphaena HippurusMahi Mahi are pure excitement on the line - fast, acrobatic fish that put on a real show with their jumps and color changes. These golden-green beauties average 15-30 pounds but can hit 50+ when conditions are right. They're pelagic fish that cruise the blue water, often under floating debris, weed lines, or around structure in 100+ feet. Spring through fall brings the best action when they're following the warm water. What gets anglers fired up is watching them light up in brilliant golds and greens when hooked, plus those spectacular aerial displays. The meat is top-shelf too - firm, mild fillets perfect for the grill. Here's my go-to trick: once you boat one, leave it in the water if possible - mahi travel in schools, and that first fish will often keep the others around for multiple hookups.
Lutjanus CampechanusRed Snapper are the bread and butter of Gulf bottom fishing, and for good reason. These pink to bright red fish typically run 1-2 feet and 5-10 pounds around here, though we occasionally hook into 20+ pounders that'll test your gear. They hang out around structure in 30-200 feet - wrecks, reefs, and hard bottom are prime spots. Summer through early fall gives us the best action when they're feeding heavy before winter. What makes them special is that solid fight combined with some of the best eating you'll find in the Gulf. Their firm, sweet meat is why restaurants pay top dollar for these fish. My tip: once you hook one, keep steady pressure and reel fast - they love to dive back into structure and cut you off on the rocks or wreck.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish, or Red Drum, are fantastic shallow water fighters that'll give you a workout in just 1-4 feet of water. Most run 20-30 inches, but the big "bull" reds can stretch past 40 inches and really test your drag. Look for that copper-bronze color and distinctive black spot near the tail. They love grass flats, oyster bars, and shallow structure where they can ambush bait. Fall and spring are peak times when they school up and feed aggressively. What makes them special is that powerful, steady pull - no flashy jumps, just bulldogging runs that'll burn your arms. Plus they're excellent table fare with mild, flaky meat. Pro tip: when sight fishing, cast well ahead of cruising fish and let your bait settle to the bottom - they spook easily in shallow water.
Panama City Beach