Capt. Anderson's Marina — Panama City Beach Marina Guide
A visitor guide to Capt. Anderson's Marina on Grand Lagoon — its role in Panama City Beach fishing, the Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo, and nearby dining and experiences.
By BeachLoco Editorial Team
Capt. Anderson's Marina is one of the places where Panama City Beach's fishing identity becomes visible from shore. Set on Grand Lagoon, it is the host venue for the Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo, a base for charter and head-boat activity, and a public-facing waterfront where returning catches, tournament scales, and the local fishing community come together.
Most visitors first see Panama City Beach from the Gulf side. The marina district on the Thomas Drive peninsula shows the working side of the destination: boats leaving for reefs and offshore water, anglers returning to the lagoon, and events built around the local marine community.
Where Capt. Anderson's Marina Is
Capt. Anderson's Marina is at 5550 North Lagoon Drive, Panama City Beach, Florida 32408, on the Grand Lagoon side of the Thomas Drive peninsula. The Gulf beaches are on the other side of the peninsula, while the marina faces the protected lagoon used by much of the local fishing fleet.
That geography makes the marina useful for travelers planning a fishing-focused stay. Grand Lagoon connects the working waterfront to the pass and the Gulf beyond it, placing charter departures, head-boat trips, and public tournament activity within the same broader district.
Marina Information
Capt. Anderson''s Marina
Grand Lagoon · Panama City Beach, Florida
⌖ 5550 N Lagoon Drive, Panama City Beach, FL 32408
✆ 850-234-3435
◷ Hours: Verify with marina
↗ Official Marina Website
Hours and marina operations can change seasonally. Verify current information before visiting.
Its Role in Panama City Beach Fishing
Capt. Anderson's Marina is a working fishing waterfront rather than a beach attraction. During the Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo, it accommodates the captains meeting, public scales, participating boats, and the closing-weekend activity that gathers around the event.
The Rodeo's range of divisions reflects the wider fishing community that meets here. Charter boats, private boats, head boats, divers, and land-based anglers all have a place in the competition. For visitors, the most accessible connection is watching the daily scales or arranging a charter or head-boat trip through the Grand Lagoon district.
The Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo
The marina's signature fishing event is the Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo, hosted by the Bay County Artificial Reef Association. The fourth annual edition ran October 3–11, 2026, with divisions ranging from bluewater and charter boats to head boats, diving, and land-based fishing.
The scales were open free to the public each day, generally from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with an earlier close on the final Sunday. Late afternoon was the main time to see boats return and catches reach the scale. The event also included a free children's fishing clinic on its opening Saturday.
The 2026 closing weekend overlapped with the Panama City Beach Seafood Festival in the marina's west lot. Vendors, entertainment, family activity, the final weigh-ins, an awards ceremony, and fireworks over Grand Lagoon made that weekend the busiest visitor period. Future dates and schedules should be confirmed with the organizers rather than inferred from the 2026 edition.
The complete event format, divisions, species, spectator details, and confirmed historical dates are covered in the Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo guide.
Charter and Head-Boat Context
The Rodeo demonstrates how many ways there are to fish from Panama City Beach without owning an offshore boat. Charter boats compete in their own division, while head boats have a separate category built around the bottom-fishing trips they normally run over Gulf reefs.
- Private charter: a captain and boat reserved for your group, with the trip length and target species shaped by season and conditions.
- Head boat: a pay-per-seat option that puts individual travelers and families on a larger shared fishing boat.
- Land based: the Rodeo also recognizes fishing from piers, bridges, jetties, kayaks, and paddleboards, showing that the local fishing scene extends beyond marina departures.
Our Panama City Beach fishing charter guide explains the main trip formats, while the fishing charters hub helps visitors compare their options. During a major event, discuss availability and participation requirements directly with a captain before making plans.
Things to Do from Capt. Anderson's Marina
The docks here are working waterfront first, but the same slips that send out the Rodeo fleet also anchor the visitor side of Grand Lagoon. Between the charter boats, the sightseeing and eco-tour operators, and the dockside businesses along North Lagoon Drive, the marina district is one of the few places in Panama City Beach where a full day of activities starts and ends at the same waterfront.
Deep-Sea Fishing Trips
The shared-head-boat fishing trips are the marina's most accessible outing. They run in seven lengths: roughly five-hour morning and afternoon trips that suit families and first-time Gulf anglers, a six-hour trip for a fuller day on the reefs, an eight-hour night trip that runs in season, and longer ten-, twelve-, and eighteen-hour runs for anglers who want deeper water and more time over the structure. Which length to choose mostly comes down to how much sea time you want and who is on board — our Panama City Beach fishing charter guide explains how the trip formats compare.
Private Charters
For groups that want the boat to themselves, private charters out of the same docks shape the day around your party — target species, trip length, and pace are set with the captain rather than a fixed schedule. It is the pricier format, but it is also the one that matches the offshore fishing the marina is known for. The fishing charters hub is the place to compare boats and trip options.
Shell Island Eco-Tours and Dolphin Encounters
Not every trip from the marina carries a rod. Shell Island eco-tours pair the crossing to the undeveloped barrier island with dolphin viewing along the way, and standalone dolphin encounter cruises run out of the lagoon through the season — the pass between the jetties is one of the more reliable places to see them. If that side of the trip appeals, the guide to things to do in Panama City Beach covers Shell Island access and the wider boat-trip options, and the snorkeling guide covers what to bring for the island's clear shallows.
Sea Patriot Jet Boat Rides
The Sea Patriot jet boat ride is the fast option: a spin across Grand Lagoon and out toward the pass with the spray and turns that come with it. It is a short, high-energy outing that pairs naturally with a morning fishing trip or an afternoon at the docks, and it suits groups that would rather be on the water than on a schedule.
The Dockside Seafood Market and the Marina Waterfront
Between trips, the marina's waterfront businesses are worth the stop in their own right. Anderson's Dockside Seafood Market sells fresh Gulf catch straight off the boats, and the surrounding docks give visitors a close view of the fleet without booking anything. It also connects back to the table: the seafood you see coming off the boats here is the same catch that anchors the area's restaurants — our guide to waterfront dining in Panama City Beach covers where to eat it nearby.
What Visitors Should Know About the Marina Area
This is an active waterfront. Parking, viewing areas, dock access, and event layouts can change with marina operations and the size of a gathering. Follow posted instructions and event staff directions rather than assuming every dock or working area is open to spectators.
Practical notes
- Arrive before the expected fleet return instead of at the final scale deadline.
- Keep working docks, boat lanes, and crew areas clear.
- Bring sun protection and water for time near the open waterfront.
- Wear stable footwear suitable for marina surfaces.
- Supervise children closely near the water and returning boats.
- Confirm current parking and public-access arrangements before a major event.
BeachLoco does not publish marina slip counts, fuel services, rates, general hours, operator lists, or access policies here. Those operational details can change and should be confirmed directly with the marina or the relevant event organizer.
Getting There and Choosing a Base
- By air: Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport serves Panama City Beach and is the usual arrival point for visitors flying into the area.
- Marina district: the marina is on North Lagoon Drive, on the Grand Lagoon side of the Thomas Drive peninsula.
- Getting around: the beach corridor, marina district, and Pier Park are spread apart, so a car is the practical way to move between them.
Thomas Drive and Grand Lagoon place visitors closest to the marina and fishing departures. A beachfront stay works well when the marina is one part of a wider beach trip. The west end near Pier Park adds a longer drive but puts shopping, dining, and family attractions closer at hand.
Dining Around Grand Lagoon
The marina district makes a natural dining stop after a charter trip or an afternoon at the scales. The existing Captain Anderson's guide covers the dockside restaurant associated with this part of Grand Lagoon, while BeachLoco's guide to waterfront dining in Panama City Beach adds lagoon- and Gulf-side choices across the destination.
During the Rodeo's 2026 final weekend, Seafood Festival vendors operated in the marina's west lot. For future events, confirm current vendor schedules and restaurant hours rather than relying on the prior-year program.
Nearby Marina Guides and Panama City Beach Experiences
- Lighthouse Marina on Grand Lagoon: another working-waterfront perspective within the same fishing district and the host marina for the Grand Lagoon Billfish Classic.
- Point South Marina at Bay Point: the St. Andrew Bay base for the Bay Point Billfish Open and another window into Panama City Beach's offshore tournament scene.
- St. Andrews State Park and Shell Island: experiences that help visitors understand the bay, pass, and Gulf geography used by the local fleet.
- Pier Park: shopping, dining, and entertainment farther west along the beach corridor.
- More to plan: use the guide to things to do in Panama City Beach and the wider Panama City Beach destination page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Capt. Anderson's Marina?
It is at 5550 North Lagoon Drive in Panama City Beach, on Grand Lagoon and the Thomas Drive side of the destination.
What fishing event takes place there?
The marina hosts the Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo. The most recent confirmed edition ran October 3–11, 2026; later dates should be checked with the organizers.
Can visitors watch the Rodeo scales?
The 2026 scales were free and open to the public each day. Confirm current dates, hours, viewing areas, and access arrangements before attending a future edition.
Can visitors arrange fishing trips in the area?
Grand Lagoon supports charter and head-boat fishing. Use the Panama City Beach fishing charter guide to understand the trip formats, then confirm current availability directly with an operator.
Is the marina a general sightseeing attraction?
It is a working waterfront. Public access varies with daily operations and events, so visitors should follow posted instructions and staff direction.
Marina operations, access policies, and event details change. Confirm hours, parking, public access, and schedules directly with the marina or event organizers before traveling.