30A FISHING: LEARNING CENTER

• Fish Species
• Fishing Locations
• Fishing Tackle
• Fly Fishing
• Types of Boats
• Types of Charters
• Kid Fishing Trips

Guide to Fish Species on 30A

What’s Biting on 30A: Fish Species Guide  

Shallow Water Expeditions is the premier fly fishing and light tackle charter service along the 30A corridor, Panama City Beach, and the North Florida Gulf Coast. Here’s a breakdown of what our guides pursue throughout the year. 

Redfish Year-Round 

Redfish are one of the staple species pursued by all Gulf Coast guides. It’s a hard fighting and often willing participant, and our go-to species. “Keeper” redfish in the “slot” are between 17-27 inches in length; anglers can keep 1 per day per person. 

• Smaller juvenile redfish are found in back bays and flats along the 30A zone and Choctawhatchee Bay system 
• The larger, breeding population, known as “Bulls”, are found in the deeper passes, at Destin Bridge, and in certain areas of Choctawhatchee Bay 
• The Panama City Bay system holds juvenile redfish along the flat edges, pursued by our 30A guests on our flats boats 
• Many of our 30A charters target redfish in the Choctawhatchee Bay and Panama City pass. These “pass redfish” are the Bulls, the larger class of fish, ranging from 10–30 lbs or more 

Local Knowledge 

Out of all the species our guides target along 30A, redfish are probably the most common fish we catch.  

Tarpon May-August 

Our Panhandle tarpon population is seasonal and migratory, coming inshore as spring water temps climb. As the fish group up they begin their pre-spawn habits and patterns, and our bay boats are perfectly suited for this type of fishing. 

• Tarpon are sight-fished from bay boats as migrating schools swim along the Panhandle beaches. Guides spot the fish from towers over the center console, allowing them to see fish coming from long distances and prepare the angler to make the “shot” 
• Our 30A guides target tarpon with light tackle and fly, offering some of the most exciting summer fishing on the Panhandle 
• All guests targeting tarpon make the short trip to either Destin or Panama City to exit the pass, as the fish migrate along the 30A beaches 

Cobia April-May 

Also called “Ling” or “Lemonfish” by locals, this shark-looking fish makes its migratory trip along the 30A beaches in early spring. Destin, 30A, and Panama City Beach are among the best places in the world to sight-fish for large cobia, and one of the best eating fish to bless our waters. 

• The typical approach is to cruise the sandbars and visually search for west-swimming fish. Cobia swim on the surface and are typically moving west along the beach 
• Once spotted, anglers throw an array of lures, baits, and flies to elicit a bite. Everyone has their own secret technique and style 
• Locals and captains along the Panhandle become cobia-crazy in the spring, awaiting the first fish to make its showing each year 

Local Knowledge 

Visitors to the 30A area in the spring often ask what all the boats driving up and down the beaches are doing. They’re hunting for cobia.

Jack Crevalle March-September 

Jack Crevalle make a showing along the shallow beaches of 30A in early spring, moving inshore from their wintering wreck locations to prowl the sandbars hunting returning mullet. This species delivers some of the most exciting fishing of the year.  

• Typical spring schools hold hundreds of fish averaging 15-20 lbs. A Jack Crevalle is pound-for-pound one of the hardest fighting fish you can catch 
• Our guides target jacks using surface plugs and flies. A surface presentation is the best technique to entice a jack to attack, and one of the most fun 
• In the spring, bay boat guides run the shallow sandbars from center console towers to spot large schools from above 
• In the fall, guides meet guests in the bays just north of Watercolor and Seaside, running and gunning and looking for these predators slashing baitfish on the surface 

Amberjack March-November 

Also known as “AJs,” amberjack call near-shore wrecks and bottom structure their home. Our 30A guides have developed an exciting way to fish these hard-pulling fish, a definite crowd pleaser and one of our bread-and-butter gulf species. Many 30A area restaurants serve amberjack regularly. 

• Our guides have developed techniques to bring AJs up from the structure to the surface. Once up, they are easily hooked on bait, lure, or fly 
• The fight is the challenge: once hooked, anglers need to pull hard and put the brakes on before the fish heads back down to the structure 

Guide’s Note 

Each captain has their own special recipe for bringing AJs to the surface …those techniques are undisclosed.  

Red Snapper May-August (harvest season typically June 1-July 15, varies by year) 

Considered the king of Gulf table fare, red snapper are one of the gulf’s standard reef and wreck species. Regulation battles and overharvest created years of instability for the species, but proper management has since stabilized the population and our guests are now able to keep more of these delicious fish for the table. 

• Our guides were among the first to develop techniques to “bring up” and even sight-fish red snapper, a species that the rest of the area fleet typically only targets during the designated kill season of June 1-July 15 
• Our guides have been successfully practicing catch and release with these fish for years, well outside of the harvest window 
• Regulations and harvest dates may vary year to year. Always check current Florida Fisheries guidelines 

Guide’s Note 

While most of the area fishing fleet only targets red snapper during the kill season, our guides have been practicing catch and release with these fish for years, long before it was common practice on the Panhandle. 

King Mackerel May-October 

A longtime favorite among North Florida charter captains, king mackerel is one of the largest and fastest of the mackerel family, commonly reaching 30-40 lbs.  

• King mackerel can be teased up with live chum, trolled, or live baited on spinning tackle 
• Our Destin, Panama City, and 30A guides’ favorite technique is to “freeline” a live cigar minnow on a spinning rod, a natural presentation that consistently produces strikes 

Fun Fact 

Nicknamed “Smokers”, King Mackerel are both hot on the reel and good in a wood smoker.  

Spanish Mackerel February-September 

Huge masses of Spanish mackerel invade our beaches and bays in early spring, with visible flipping on the surface by the thousands. One of the favorite springtime species for our bay boat guides and a great target for family trips with kids. 

• A popular technique is trolling rigs with multiple lures or jigs through the feeding schools 
• Casting and fly fishing are also very productive for this toothy mackerel species 
• Charters along the 30A area usually find Spanish mackerel in the area bays and sometimes along the beaches.  

Local Knowledge 

Some clients catch Spanish mackerel right from the Seaside and Rosemary Beach shores. Tackle for beach fishing is available at Old Florida Outfitters, located in Watercolor Resort. 

Blacktip Shark April-October 

A rarely pursued species, the blacktip is an incredible gamefish that deserves far more credit among anglers. Once hooked, the blacktip puts on an incredible show of jumps and reel-melting runs. The 30A, Destin, and Panama City Beach area hold a great population of these high-powered fish. 

• Our preferred method is to stake out or cruise the clear water beaches and spot cruising sharks, then cast a bait, lure, or fly directly in the path of these hunting predators 
• Blacktips move in around the same time large schools of ladyfish arrive in the spring, making them a reliable seasonal target along the beaches 

Fun Fact 

Sometimes swimmers along the 30A beaches spot these sharks in the surf. Despite their explosive power once hooked, blacktips are considered docile in the water. 

Tripletail April-October 

A locals’ favorite for table fare, a delicate, flakey white fish that’s hard to beat. 

• Found sporadically; often an accidental catch 
• Targeted by running likely waters and inspecting crab-trap buoys and floating debris 
• Also found along Sargassum weedlines in the gulf 

Fun Fact 

Tripletail have an unusual habit of laying on their side floating on the surface. They use this to attract small baitfish and shrimp seeking shelter in their shadow, then quickly snap them up as the prey approaches. 

Bonito (False Albacore) Year-Round 

Also known as “False Albacore” or “Albies,” bonito are a type of small tuna and extremely fast swimmers.  

• The waters just off the 30A beaches drop off quickly, allowing this somewhat pelagic species to come very close to the shallow beaches, making Destin, Panama City, and 30A notably the best location in the Northern Gulf to target them. 
• Our typical approach is to spot schools as they feed on the surface, make a quick approach, and cast into the frenzy, a hookup is nearly assured 
• Not much for table fare, very bloody with a fishy taste, but pound for pound one of the fastest swimming, hardest fighting fish you can find in the Destin area 

Fun Fact 

Once considered a trash fish, the bonito has earned serious respect among light tackle and fly anglers. Pound for pound, few fish in these waters swim faster or fight harder.

Bluefish March-October 

Large schools of bluefish follow spring Spanish mackerel migrations into the nearshore system and typically mix right in with them. 

• Hyper-aggressive “chompers” can damage tackle, baits, and flies 
• Not a table fish, but offer high-energy action for all anglers 

Pompano March–September 

Any 30A springtime beachgoer has seen the droves of local fishermen with their rods in sandspikes lined up along Panhandle beaches, they’re targeting the spring pompano migration.  

• Considered by many as one of the gulf’s tastiest fish, pompano show up in early spring and are frequently caught steps away from the dry beach sand. 
• Pompano’s favorite food is the mole crab, known locally as the “sand flea”, found right in the surf zone 
• Another popular approach is to stake out a likely spot along the beach and sight-fish the schools of approaching “pomps” as they swim down the shoreline, with flies and jigs as the best weapons 
• The first catches of pompano each season are a harbinger of warming spring water temps and many other species are usually right on their heels 

Sheepshead February-April 

One of the first species to appear along the Gulf coast each spring. 

• Group up along jetties and bridges to spawn and feed 
• Fast action when they first arrive 
• While nearly impossible to target with lures in deeper structure locations, sheepshead are extremely vulnerable to a well hooked shrimp  
• Hard to clean, but outstanding table fare 

Family Friendly 

Best for families and young anglers. Sheepshead offer great family action for clients visiting the 30A area in the spring and are a favorite for young anglers. A Spring Break favorite target for our guides.

Flounder September-November (prime) 

One of the best eating fish in the gulf, requiring a delicate approach to catch. 

• Gather in large numbers in fall for spawning near passes and nearshore wrecks 
• Light jigs and live bait are most effective 
• Present year-round, but fall gatherings offer the best targeted opportunities 

Local Knowledge 

Fall is the prime window for flounder. Passes and nearshore wrecks become the location of choice as fish gather for spawning. 

Speckled Trout (Seatrout) Year-Round 

An old Gulf Coast standby, speckled trout can be targeted throughout the year using live bait, lures, and flies. 

• Available even during the coldest winter months 
• Found in Choctawhatchee Bay right in South Walton 
• A local favorite for the table, commonly battered and fried 

Fun Fact 

Anglers visiting in winter months when other species are less active. Seatrout are an old standby species along the Gulf coast and one of the most consistently available fish on 30A charters year-round.