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Panama City Beach Fishing Report 7-30-26
Bay Fishing
Bay fishing has remained tough as stained water continues to affect the bays, bayous, canals, and other backwater areas. Some baitfish are beginning to show up, but the water still needs more time to clear before the bite really improves.
One strategy that has produced a few fish is catching pinfish and fishing them around docks overnight. With the incoming tide arriving late in the evening and high tide occurring in the morning, this pattern may offer your best chance.
Unfortunately, the forecast calls for heavy rain over the weekend, which could further delay improvements in water clarity.
Another option worth trying is targeting redfish around the pass. With the full moon, redfish often move higher in the water column to feed on crabs, shrimp, and baitfish during the outgoing tide. Rapala Long Cast plugs, floating plugs, and large soft plastics are all good choices for this bite.
Pier Fishing
Pier fishing has been slow this week. The water remains stirred up and has not fully settled following recent weather.
Most reports have consisted of catfish and sharks, although there were a few Spanish mackerel caught one day along with a handful of pompano.
Baitfish are beginning to return, but not in the numbers seen before Tropical Storm Bertha. Additional wind and rain over the weekend may slow improvements even further.
Nearshore Trolling
Inshore trolling has been very poor this week.
With the stained water limiting visibility, it is not a technique we recommend until conditions improve.
Surf Fishing
The surf has been the bright spot this week.
Although the water is still stained, pompano have been feeding well, and reports of good catches continue to increase. There are still plenty of hardhead catfish mixed in, but anglers who find the pompano schools have been catching several fish.
Shrimp and sand fleas tipped with a piece of Fishbites or Fish Gum have been producing the best results. Be sure to bring blanched sand fleas, as live fleas have been difficult to find recently.
With high tide occurring during the late morning, getting out early may provide the best fishing conditions.
Safety Reminder: Storms with lightning are expected at times this weekend. Keep an eye on the weather, especially to the north, as summer storms can develop quickly. Long fishing rods and open beaches are not where you want to be if lightning is nearby.
Bottom Fishing
Bottom fishing continues to be another strong option, but you'll need to run farther offshore into cleaner water.
The red grouper bite has been excellent, with fish up to 25 pounds being reported.
Red snapper are still available, although the full moon has made the bite more challenging. Today is the final day of the recreational red snapper season, with the season closing at midnight.
Meanwhile, the vermilion snapper bite has been outstanding and continues to provide excellent action.
Offshore
Offshore reports have been limited due to poor weather.
There have been reports of much cleaner water well to the west, and hopefully those conditions begin moving into our area soon. However, additional rain and rough weather are expected to keep most boats at the dock this weekend while also slowing improvements in water quality.
If you can safely make it offshore and find the cleaner water, fishing should improve considerably, but overall this weekend looks like another challenging one for offshore anglers.
