By Pam Anderson
January may be a little chilly, but there are still fish out there waiting to be caught. Our private guide boat captains are ready to help you catch some redfish!
Several charter and guide boats in Grand Lagoon and Treasure Island’s headboat, Jubilee, are open for winter visitors. When you’re from Minnesota, 40* is balmy, right? Fishing is always fun whether you’re freezing or feeling the heat. Mangrove Snapper (Black Snapper to locals), as well as other snapper species, are open and so are Red Grouper beginning January 1.
We are really looking forward to another great year here at Capt. Anderson’s Marina. Besides all the great fishing and cruising opportunities we have the Event Center booking everything from weddings, seminars, and birthday parties to ticketed events and corporate meetings. Check out the virtual tour online captainandersonseventcenter.com.
Grand Lagoon has much to offer in our unique area. We have Cajun, Italian, Mexican, and American cuisine, local seafood galore, night spots, as well as great curio and antique shops, all locally owned and operated. Coming soon, lots of water adventures!
While all the boat operators are busy this time of year with painting, repairing, USCG inspections and the like, we are busy planning the Valentine’s Day Cruises. Besides their boat maintenance, our boatmen are out whenever possible adding fishing reefs offshore to enhance the habitat and the fishery off Bay County – at their own expense.
Valentine’s Day Cruises on the Capt. Anderson III are annual events every February 14. The cruises are scheduled from 12 noon until 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. You can make reservations online at www.captandersonsmarina.com or in person or by phone.
Visitors will love the new Capt. Max’s Dockside Grille for lunch or some light refreshment as they watch the fleet come in or just to enjoy the beautiful view of Grand Lagoon. It will open in March.
The first venues of Fisherman’s Walk debuted in 2022 and were a hit – find early breakfast and specialty coffees, ice cream, and souvenirs – even ax-throwing! There is more to come!
A lot of the fishing this time of year is commercial fishing. Many of our charter boat operators have dual licenses, so in the winter they are able to commercial fish, keeping local restaurants full of that fresh Gulf seafood we all love. They all switch into the ‘recreational fishing’ mode on March 1, just in time for Triggerfish season to open. Did you know there are 10 species of snapper off our shores that you can catch and keep all year?
Red Snapper season opens June 1. Be sure to reserve early!
When planning your fishing trip, remember Capt. Anderson’s Marina… home to 3 large headboats, 38 private charter and guide boats, and 4 dive boats… and Shell Island/Dolphin Cruises.
Capt. Anderson’s Marina…Where the fish are always biting and the kids are always smiling.
