5.0(3 Reviews)Panama City Beach Inshore Fishing Charter
5.0(3 reviews)
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
6hour inshore charter targets redfish, seatrout, and sheepsheadCovers Choctawhatchee Bay with all gear and licenses includedMondaySaturday departures accommodate up to 4 guests
Captain Dexter knows these waters like the back of his weathered hands, and this 6-hour Panama City Beach inshore fishing charter puts you right in the middle of some of Florida's most productive fishing grounds. Starting at 7:00 AM sharp, you'll spend your morning and afternoon working through Choctawhatchee Bay and the maze of bayous that hold some serious fish. This isn't your typical tourist boat ride – it's a real fishing trip where you'll learn the water, understand the bite, and hopefully fill the cooler with redfish, speckled trout, sheepshead, and black drum.
When you meet Captain Dexter at the dock, you're stepping onto a charter that runs Monday through Saturday and accommodates up to 4 anglers comfortably. The boat's rigged for inshore work with all the tackle, bait, and licenses you need already sorted out. You won't waste time fumbling with gear or wondering if your license is current – everything's handled. The 6-hour window gives you real time to fish, not just a quick tour of the bay. You'll hit multiple spots based on tide, wind, and where the fish have been feeding. Some days that means working grass flats for trout, other days it's sight-fishing reds in skinny water, and there's always structure fishing for sheepshead and drum when the bite gets tough elsewhere.
This charter runs the gamut of inshore techniques depending on conditions and what's biting. You'll throw everything from live shrimp under popping corks to paddle tail jigs bounced along the bottom. When the trout are schooled up, you might spend time with soft plastics on jig heads, working them slow through the grass. Redfish often want something with more action – spoons, topwater plugs, or live bait depending on whether they're cruising shallow or holding in deeper pockets. Sheepshead fishing is a whole different game, requiring finesse with fiddler crabs or shrimp around structure, and the bite can be so light you'll miss it if you're not paying attention. Captain Dexter reads the water and adjusts tactics throughout the day, which is why experienced anglers and families both have success on this trip. The gear is quality stuff that can handle anything from schoolie trout to bull reds, and there's always a backup plan when one technique isn't producing.
"Captain Dexter was amazing. He was patient and understanding with my 12 year old grandson and took time to actually teach him. We caught several nice fish and seen turtles and dolphins. An absolute fantastic experience. 10/10 would recommend fishing with Dexter." - Gary
"Captain Dexter was great. The bigger fish weren't very hungry on this day. We caught 2 keeper trout. We switched over to the paddle jigs and caught around 30 smaller trout. It was fun catching all the fish. Just wish we had more bigger ones to bring home.all in all we had a great time and would book Captain Dexter again." - Alfred
"Captain Dexter was very professional and fun to hang out with while we were fishing. He has great knowledge on the area for fishing speckled trout and redfish. We will definitely give him a shout next time we're down!" - Matt
Redfish are the bread and butter of Panama City Beach inshore fishing, and these copper-colored fighters are what most anglers dream about. They run anywhere from schoolie size around 18 inches up to bull reds pushing 40 inches and 30 pounds. Spring and fall see the biggest concentrations, but you can find reds year-round in this area. They love shallow grass flats during moving tides and will cruise right up to the boat if you stay quiet. When a red grabs your bait, there's no mistaking it – they pull hard and make long runs that test your drag. The slot-size fish between 18-27 inches make excellent table fare, while the big bulls are catch-and-release trophies that'll give you a workout.
Spotted seatrout, or "specks" as locals call them, are probably the most consistent biters in these waters. They school up in grass beds and around structure, especially during cooler months when they can be caught by the dozens. These fish range from throwback size up to 5-pound gator trout that are getting harder to find each year. Specks hit a variety of baits and lures, making them perfect for anglers still learning the ropes. They're also some of the best eating fish in the Gulf, with firm white meat that fries up perfectly. The bite can be subtle, so keeping a tight line and feeling for that telltale tap is part of the challenge.
Black drum are the bulldozers of the inshore world, and Panama City Beach has some quality fish that'll surprise you with their power. These bottom-dwellers love structure like docks, bridges, and oyster bars where they root around for crabs and shellfish. They can be finicky biters, but when you hook into a 15-20 pound drum, you'll know why anglers target them specifically. The bigger fish are usually catch-and-release, but smaller drum in the 5-10 pound range are excellent on the dinner table. They require patience and the right bait presentation, usually live or cut shrimp fished on the bottom.
Sheepshead might be the trickiest fish you'll encounter on this trip, but they're also one of the most rewarding to catch. These black-and-white striped convicts have human-like teeth and a knack for stealing bait without getting hooked. They hang around any kind of structure – pilings, rocks, reefs – and feed on barnacles, crabs, and shrimp.
Hit the waters of Panama City Beach aboard our nimble fishing skiff, powered by a reliable Suzuki 60HP engine that'll cruise you to the hottest fishing spots at 30 knots. This well-rigged boat comes loaded with everything serious anglers need – GPS to keep you on the best structure, fishfinder to locate schools of redfish and seatrout, plus a wireless trolling motor for those stealthy approaches in shallow water where the big sheepshead hang out. The live bait well keeps your shrimp and pinfish frisky, while the icebox handles your catch and cold drinks during those long days targeting black drum in Choctawhatchee Bay. Perfect for working the flats, grass beds, and oyster bars where Panama City's best inshore action happens. This setup gets you into the skinny water where the fish live without spooking them.
Pogonias CromisBlack drum are powerhouse fighters that can range from 5-30 pounds, with some monsters pushing 90 pounds. These bottom-feeders love shallow muddy flats and oyster beds throughout Choctawhatchee Bay, using their crushing jaws to feast on crabs and shellfish. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning, making them easier to target. What makes them special is their drumming sound they make underwater - you'll actually hear them! They're great table fare if you keep the smaller ones under 15 pounds. My go-to trick is using fresh blue crab on a carolina rig and letting it sit right on the bottom near oyster bars. These fish are stubborn once hooked and will test your drag system. The fight alone makes them worth targeting, plus they're plentiful in our local waters year-round.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the crown jewel of our inshore fishing, and for good reason. These copper-colored bruisers with the distinctive black spot run 20-40 inches in our waters and fight like nothing else in the shallows. They cruise oyster bars, grass flats, and creek mouths in 1-4 feet of water - sometimes so shallow their backs are showing. Fall and spring are prime, but they bite year-round. What makes reds special is their power and that explosive topwater strike that'll get your heart pumping. They're also excellent table fare with mild, sweet meat. The key is sight fishing - look for tailing fish or copper flashes in skinny water, then make a quiet approach. I like throwing a gold spoon or topwater plug just ahead of cruising fish. Once hooked, they'll make blistering runs that test your equipment.
Salmo TruttaSpotted seatrout are bread-and-butter fish in these waters, running 14-24 inches and putting up a solid scrap on light tackle. They love grass flats and shallow areas, especially at dawn and dusk when they're actively feeding on shrimp and small baitfish. Spring through fall are peak seasons, but we catch them year-round in the deeper channels during winter. What guests love about trout is their willingness to hit both live bait and artificials - topwater plugs create explosive strikes in the early morning. The meat is tender and mild, perfect for the dinner table. Just don't overcook it or it gets mushy. My favorite technique is working a soft plastic jig around the grass beds on an incoming tide. Listen for them popping shrimp on the surface - that's your cue to cast right into the action.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are one of the trickiest fish to catch around here, but that's what makes them so rewarding. These gray-and-black striped convicts hang around every dock piling, bridge, and structure in the bay, using their human-like teeth to scrape barnacles and crabs. Most run 1-8 pounds, though we see some 20-pounders. They're notorious bait thieves, so you need to stay alert and set the hook fast when you feel that tap. Spring months from February through April are best when they're spawning near structures. The meat is sweet and flaky - some of the best eating you'll find inshore. Here's the key: get your fiddler crab or shrimp as close to the pilings as possible and keep minimal slack in your line. Once you master sheepshead, you can catch anything.
5.0 out of 5.0Captain Dexter was amazing. He was patient and understanding with my 12 year old grandson and took time to actually teach him. We ...
Captain Dexter was great. The bigger fish weren’t very hungry on this day. We caught 2 keeper trout. We switched over to the paddl...
Captain Dexter was very professional and fun to hang out with while we were fishing. He has great knowledge on the area for fishin...
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