Front Beach Road gets the crowds, but Panama City Beach’s boats live around the corner on Grand Lagoon. Tucked behind the dunes at the east end of the beach and connected to St. Andrew Bay, the lagoon is where the headboats, private charters, dolphin cruises and pontoon rentals leave from, and where some of the town’s best seafood gets served dockside. If you want to fish, see dolphins or get to Shell Island, this is where you start.
Quick answer
- Classic deep sea trip: a headboat from Capt. Anderson’s Marina, fishing out of Grand Lagoon since the family moved there in the 1950s.
- Private charter: Catch It Fishing Charters & Tours, for snapper, grouper, amberjack and king mackerel.
- Dolphins and Shell Island: tours from Capt. Anderson’s, Adventures at Sea or Sunshine Watersports PC.
- Rent your own: pontoons (including double-deckers with slides) and jet skis at Adventures at Sea.
- Dinner on the water: Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant or The Grand Marlin.
Why the boats leave from here
Grand Lagoon sits at the east end of Panama City Beach, off Thomas Drive, just inside the pass by St. Andrews State Park. The lagoon’s protected water makes an easy harbor, and the pass puts boats in the open Gulf within minutes. Offshore, Panama City Beach has something much of the Panhandle doesn’t: natural limestone reefs, plus a long-running artificial reef program. Captains don’t need long runs to find structure, which keeps even half-day trips productive.
Deep sea fishing charters
Capt. Anderson’s Marina is the lagoon’s anchor and one of the busiest sportfishing docks on the Emerald Coast. The story starts in 1935, when Captain Charlie Anderson launched the headboat Miss Panama. When waterfront redevelopment pushed the family off their original dock in the 1950s, they built the marina on undeveloped land on Grand Lagoon, and the Andersons still run it today. The marina operates three headboats, with trips from five hours up to twelve, including a night trip, and dozens of independently owned private charter boats dock there too.
Catch It Fishing Charters & Tours runs deep sea fishing and dolphin tour charters, targeting amberjack, red snapper, king mackerel and grouper. Red snapper and grouper bite best in summer, while king mackerel and amberjack stay active across a longer stretch of the year.
Headboat or private charter?
- Headboat (party boat): you buy a ticket per person and share the boat with other anglers. The crew handles bait and helps with fish. It’s the easiest, most affordable way to try deep sea fishing, and a good fit for first-timers and families.
- Private charter: you book the whole boat for your group, usually up to six people. The captain plans the trip around what you want to catch, and you get more room and attention. It’s the better choice for serious anglers and special occasions.
For trip length, five or six hours is plenty for most families. Longer trips (eight to twelve hours) run farther offshore to deeper structure, and they’re best for experienced anglers with strong stomachs.
Know before you go
- Licenses: charter boats supply the rods, reels, tackle and bait, and the boat’s license covers everyone on board, so you don’t need your own Florida fishing license.
- Seasons: snapper and grouper seasons change from year to year, so ask your captain what’s open when you book.
- Seasickness: take medication the night before and again in the morning. If you’re unsure, choose a shorter trip or a calm-water lagoon outing first.
- What to bring: sunscreen, a hat, polarized sunglasses, snacks, water and a soft-sided cooler for your fillets. Ask the boat about food and drink rules.
- Tipping: deckhands work hard and rely on tips. Around 15 to 20 percent of the trip price is customary.
Dolphin tours and Shell Island
Across the pass from St. Andrews State Park, Shell Island is seven miles of undeveloped barrier island with a resident pod of bottlenose dolphins, and you can only get there by boat. Most dolphin tours and Shell Island trips run from the lagoon and the bay.
- Capt. Anderson’s Marina runs Shell Island eco-tours with dolphin watching.
- Adventures at Sea, on North Lagoon Drive, runs dolphin and Shell Island tours and parasail flights, and rents pontoons (including double-deckers with a slide) and jet skis. It’s open daily from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Sunshine Watersports PC launches from a bayfront dock near the Hathaway Bridge, with Waverunner rentals and a roughly two-hour Shell Island tour across St. Andrew Bay and Grand Lagoon.
- AAA Jet Ski Rentals and Tours, also near the Hathaway Bridge, runs guided dolphin tours along with jet ski rentals, and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Shell Island has no restrooms, shade or trash cans, so pack water and sunscreen and bring everything back. Boats run only when the weather and water allow, so go early on a calm day. Our Panama City Beach beaches guide covers the official Shell Island Shuttle.
St. Andrews State Park
The state park on the lagoon’s Gulf side is worth half a day on its own. It has about a mile and a half of beach, rock jetties with calm water for swimming and snorkeling, fishing piers on Grand Lagoon, and a campground with glamping tents that overlook the lagoon. It’s open from 8 a.m. to sunset every day, and the Shell Island Shuttle leaves from here.
Marina-side dining
Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant has anchored Grand Lagoon since 1967, when brothers Jimmy and Johnny Patronis opened a seafood house next to the docks. The brothers worked it themselves for decades, and younger generations of the family still run the dining room and kitchen. It’s a Panama City Beach tradition for a reason.
The Grand Marlin opened on the lagoon in 2016, the second location of the Pensacola Beach original, with daily-changing menus built around the local catch, the North Drop Bar and a dockside Ship Store.
A short drive up Thomas Drive, Big Easy PCB brings New Orleans flavor with seafood gumbo, jambalaya and beignets. For more, see our list of the best restaurants in Panama City Beach.
Where to stay near the lagoon
The Thomas Drive stretch between the lagoon and the Gulf is a good base for a boat-heavy trip. Shores of Panama is a 23-story Gulf-front condo resort with a big lagoon-style pool. Boardwalk Beach Hotel & Convention Center is an affordable beachfront hotel with two pools, close to St. Andrews State Park. Boaters bringing their own rig can fuel up and store at Lighthouse Marina, on the north shore of the lagoon since 1979.
Grand Lagoon FAQ
Where do fishing charters leave from in Panama City Beach? Mostly from Grand Lagoon, off Thomas Drive at the east end of the beach, including Capt. Anderson’s Marina.
Do I need a fishing license on a charter? No. On a licensed charter or headboat, the boat’s license covers everyone aboard.
What’s the best way to see dolphins in Panama City Beach? A dolphin or Shell Island tour from Grand Lagoon or the bay. Bottlenose dolphins live in the area year-round.
Can I get to Shell Island without a tour? Yes, by renting a pontoon or jet ski, or by taking the Shell Island Shuttle from St. Andrews State Park.
Browse everything on our Grand Lagoon area page, and plan the rest of the trip with things to do in Panama City Beach. Traveling with kids? See family fun in Panama City Beach.