Carl Gray Park Fishing

Carl Gray Park gives shore anglers a long stretch of bay shoreline beside the Hathaway Bridge, where the tide moves fish along the flats and the bridge channel all year.

• A city park at the Panama City end of the Hathaway Bridge on US 98
• Redfish, speckled trout, flounder and black drum on the flats and channel edges
• Sheepshead in late winter and spring; mackerel, jacks and a few tarpon in summer
• Boat ramp, restrooms, covered picnic tables and a playground

The park is on Collegiate Drive in Panama City, just north of Gulf Coast State College and at the east end of the Hathaway Bridge.

• Getting there: leave US 98 at the east end of the Hathaway Bridge and follow Collegiate Drive to the waterfront
• Parking: lots along the shore, shared with boat trailers
• Entry: a city park; check posted signs for any ramp or parking fees
• Hours: dawn until dusk
• Fish from the sandy shoreline in front of the parking lots; stay off the highway and away from the launch lanes

The bay here holds inshore fish all year.

• Spring (Mar–May): sheepshead on hard structure, black drum, trout, and Spanish mackerel arriving
• Summer (Jun–Aug): Spanish mackerel and jacks on the tide, tarpon rolling early in the day, redfish and flounder on the bottom
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the best season, with bull reds, flounder moving toward the pass and trout feeding
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead, black drum, speckled trout and white trout in the deeper water

The flats in front of the park are shallow and the current picks up toward the bridge channel, so carry a range of weights.

• Redfish and black drum: a Carolina rig with 1 to 2 oz of lead and cut mullet, crab or live pinfish cast toward deeper water
• Speckled trout: live shrimp under a popping cork over the grass, or a soft plastic worked slowly
• Sheepshead: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short, strong leader close to any hard structure
• Spanish mackerel and jacks: spoons and jigs retrieved fast when bait is breaking
• Flounder: finger mullet or a jig bounced slowly along sand edges

The tide here is small, mostly one high and one low a day, but water still moves hard through the bridge channel.

• Fish the moving tide; slack water on a bright afternoon is slow
• The incoming tide brings clearer water up from the pass
• In summer the first hours after the park opens at dawn and the last hour before dusk fish best
• A strong wind across the bay makes the shoreline rough and muddy
• Cold fronts push trout into deeper water; fish the warm afternoons

The park is easy to reach, but the setting needs care.

• The current near the bridge is strong; wade only in the calm shallows and never swim near the bridge or the ramp
• The Florida Department of Health in Bay County sometimes issues bacteria advisories for the water here; stay out of the water while one is in effect
• Watch for boats launching and trailers backing at the ramp
• Leave the water at the first sign of lightning
• Parking and paths are paved, but the shoreline itself can be soft and uneven
• Never fish from the highway or the bridge approaches

Facilities are those of a busy city park.

• A boat launch ramp and parking
• Restrooms
• Covered picnic tables, a pavilion, benches, fitness stations and a playground
• No bait shop in the park; buy bait in Panama City or Panama City Beach
• Bring water, ice and spare tackle; there is nowhere in the park to replace lost rigs

• Time your trip for a moving tide, when the flats and channel edges come alive
• Sheepshead gather on hard structure from late winter into spring; bring fiddler crabs
• Tarpon sometimes roll near the bridge on summer mornings; watch before you cast
• Weekday mornings avoid the weekend ramp crowds
• Pinfish caught on the spot make excellent redfish bait
• Check for a water-quality advisory before you wade

The City of Panama City manages the park; posted park and ramp rules apply.

• Park hours are dawn until dusk
• Keep clear of swimmers and the boat ramp
• Do not fish from the highway or the bridge approaches
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Tarpon must be handled according to FWC rules; check FWC before targeting them
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything