Grayton Beach Fishing Charters & Guides

Grayton Beach Fishing Charters

Grayton Beach is both a Gulf Coast community in Florida and a state park of the same name near the community. Grayton Beach State Park is a nationally ranked state park. It owes a lot of this rank to the undeveloped nature of this stretch of the sunshine state. The park itself has biking and hiking trails, cabins and campsites for those who prefer to not stay in hotels. The park also encompasses Western Lake, of one Florida's freshwater tidal lakes that is a long cast from the saltwater nearby. It is located about halfway between Destin to the west and Panama City to the east. Both resort towns are just under an hour away. It takes longer than expected because the drive goes through several small towns where the speed limit drops. This proximity makes it a great place to base a family vacation since there is something for everyone very close by.

Western Lake

Western Lake could just as easily be described as two different lakes. The two main bodies of water are connected by a narrow, and sometimes quite shallow, natural canal. The western part of the lake has a snake-like natural drain into the Gulf of Mexico. At very high tides, enough water flows through to let saltwater fish into the lakes. At low tide, the rivulet is too shallow for nearly all watercraft. The 214-acre lake is also shallow. Water eight-feet deep is uncommon. The lakes have little to no structure and a sandy bottom. Fishing is best around the lily pads, weeds, and the points of land that jut into the water. The tannic water is harmless to fish. The stained water will help hide a fishing line, but light tackle is still recommended. Throw artificial frogs and weedless lures like a Texas or Carolina rigged worm for the bass around the vegetation. Panfish can be caught on small spinnerbaits or live worms or crickets with a pole. When the fish are bedding in the spring, follow your nose and you can catch a limit in short order. Because saltwater enters the lake regularly, it tends to be brackish. Saltwater fish like reds, trout and flounder can live in the lake. Throw soft-bodied lures bounced along the bottom. You never know what is on the line until you get it to the boat. Artificial shrimp and swim-tail jigs make great lures for everything in the lake.

Grayton Beach Inshore Fishing

Inshore fishing here is just as accurately described as near-shore fishing. Fishing for the shallow-water species here is good to excellent depending on weather, tide, temperatures and other factors. This stretch of Florida is unusual compared to the rest of the state. Only three small tidal creeks, all shallow enough to wade across, are in the immediate area. You have to go miles to the west to get to East Pass to get into Choctawhatchee Bay. The fishing starts just off the beaches and runs out into the grass flats. Reds, trout, black drum and croaker are the mainstays in these waters. Reds and trout are pretty regular feeders. Live and cut bait rule. Pinfish, squid, bull and glass minnows, and fingerling mullet are the prey bull reds and gator trout look for. Throwing an artificial shrimp especially under a popping cork when the water is murky often catches as many fish as natural bait. Black drum and croaker are best caught fishing on the bottom with live and cut bait. Use a surf rig. The pyramid sinker keeps your bait in the same place in the moving water. You need a still presentation because both fish are not aggressive and will usually not chase lures.

Grayton Beach Offshore Fishing

The 100 Fathom (600 feet deep) Curve in the Gulf of Mexico is closer to shore in this area than anywhere else along Florida's Gulf coast. This means the big boys come in closer to shore than elsewhere in this part of Florida. You can find tuna, sailfish, sometimes marlin, king mackerel, wahoo and mahi mahi near the surface. Most Grayton Beach fishing charters will troll offshore to find fish. Once you find the fish, the captain will often stop so you can cast to the schooling fish. Deep trolling is also a good way to connect with grouper and amberjack on the reefs and shipwrecks in the area. You can surface and deep troll at the same time with a downrigger right off the back of the boat. If the big ones are home, the captain will hover or anchor over the reef and you'll drop live and cut bait. Anglers interested in a more exciting way to fish should try high speed jigging. It does take arm and upper body strength to work those big lures up from the bottom. The fish you catch will make it worthwhile.

Book A Grayton Beach Fishing Charter

When you are ready to hear the words "FISH ON!" then Grayton Beach fishing charters are ready to yell it. FishAnywhere has the captains who know where the fish are. All you need to do is try to get those monster fish to the boat.