Capt. Anderson’s Marina

Capt. Anderson’s Marina has anchored Panama City Beach’s fishing scene since 1935, when Captain Charlie Anderson launched the headboat Miss Panama and began carrying visitors out into the Gulf for offshore fishing. Charlie had already worked the local waters since the late 1800s, harvesting mullet and mackerel commercially, and his four sons, Walter, Max, Lambert, and Virgil, joined the family venture as it grew. The first vessel to carry the Anderson name launched in 1946, and over the following decades the fleet’s headboats became fixtures of Gulf Coast fishing and tourism.

Waterfront redevelopment forced the Andersons to relocate in the 1950s, and the family turned undeveloped land on Grand Lagoon into the marina’s current home at 5550 N Lagoon Drive. What began as a modest seawall, wooden docks, a small ticket office, and a red clay parking lot has grown into one of the busiest sportfishing docks on the Emerald Coast. The marina remains family owned and operated today, with Capt. Ken Anderson, Pam Anderson, Suzie Anderson Laymon, and Joe Laymon carrying the operation into its ninth decade, backed by a younger generation now stepping into the business. Capt. Anderson’s Marina runs three headboats along with dozens of independently owned private charter boats that dock at the marina, giving visitors a wide range of vessels and captains to choose from for a day on the water.

Deep sea fishing here comes in a range of trip lengths to fit almost any schedule: 5 hour morning and afternoon trips, a 6 hour option, an 8 hour night trip, and full 10 hour and 12 hour excursions for anglers who want to reach the deeper Gulf structure. Panama City Beach’s offshore waters sit atop natural limestone reefs, a geological feature that sets the area apart from much of the rest of the Florida Panhandle, and the region also maintains an active artificial reef program that draws snapper, triggerfish, and amberjack. Charter boats supply rods, reels, tackle, and bait, and passengers do not need their own fishing license to participate, which makes the trips approachable for first timers as well as experienced anglers chasing grouper, amberjack, and other bottom species.

Beyond fishing, the marina runs a Shell Island Eco-Tour paired with a dolphin encounter, sending visitors across the pass to Shell Island, an undeveloped barrier island reachable only by boat that borders St. Andrews State Park. The island’s unspoiled sand and calm, clear water make it a favorite stop for swimming, snorkeling, and shelling, and bottlenose dolphins are a common sight for boats making the crossing from Grand Lagoon. Capt. Anderson’s Marina also recently added the Sea Patriot for jet boat rides, giving families a faster, shorter option beyond the traditional half day and full day charters. The mix of long fishing trips, shorter eco-tours, and jet boat rides makes the marina a genuinely family friendly stop, with options for young children as well as serious anglers in the same group.

The docks themselves are worth a visit even without booking a trip. Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant and the adjoining Dockside Market and Grill overlook the boat slips, and a ship’s store on site handles last minute tackle, sunscreen, and gear. Capt. Anderson’s Marina is open daily from 6 AM to 7 PM, early enough to catch the morning charters heading out and late enough to watch the afternoon boats come back in with the day’s catch. Visitors planning a trip should call 850-234-3435 ahead of time, since the morning and afternoon fishing slots and the Shell Island tours fill up quickly during the busy summer season. With nearly a century of continuous operation by the same Bay County family, Capt. Anderson’s Marina offers one of the most established ways to experience deep sea fishing and Gulf wildlife on the Emerald Coast.

Capt. Anderson’s also runs a dedicated Sunset Dolphin Boat Tour aboard the Captain Anderson III (we earn a commission), a 1.5 hour evening cruise timed for sunset.