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Capt. Anderson's Marina - Fishing & Cruising Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Capt. Anderson's Marina - Fishing & Cruising Tours

#43 of 156 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Panama City BeachBoat ToursFishing Charters & ToursDolphin & Whale Watching
About
There are so many fun things to do here at Capt. Anderson's Marina that we don't know where to begin! With almost 60 years as North Florida's premier water excursion facility in Panama City Beach, we are the marina "where the fish are always biting and the kids are always smiling"! Capt. Anderson's Marina, located on the Historic Grand Lagoon within minutes of scenic St. Andrews Bay and the bountiful Gulf of Mexico, is open year' round and a must-do on your vacation list - we can help you put the fun stuff in your trip~! FISHING: We offer 5 HR, 6 HR, 8 HR, 10 HR, 12 HR, half-day and all-day Deep Sea Fishing trips on 5 large head boats (party boats) as well as private sport fishing on over 25 smaller charter boats. Come spend the day on the newest boat in the fleet, the Capt. Anderson 10 HR Deep-Sea Fishing boat and experience salt water fishing at its best! We also have a conveniently located Fish Market here at the dock to clean and pack your fish for travel. Just imagine how you will be eating fresh fish for dinner that night! DOLPHINS: The Capt. Anderson III is our double decker boat taking visitors on narrated Dolphin Sightseeing Cruises loaded with fun and adventure! Join us during the day for the 3-1/2 HR cruise which includes a visit to pristine Shell Island, an Eco-Tour (watch a trawl net pulled up to check out the cool sea life of St. Andrews Bay!) and of course go see the Dolphins frolic and play! Or, choose serenity and sunsets with the 1-1/2 HR evening cruise that is the perfect way to get out on the water, listen to music and relax while viewing the Dolphins and the beautiful sunsets that Panama City Beach is famous for! SHELL ISLAND: Our large, comfortable PCB Shell Island Express Ferry will take your family from the Grand Lagoon through St. Andrew's Bay over to the dock at legendary Spanish Shanty Cove on Shell Island where you can spend just a couple hours or the whole day! We have the easiest way to get to Shell Island with a large dockside parking lot (FREE parking!) where you can off-load all your beach equipment right at the shuttle departure area. Upon arriving at Shell Island, it is only a very short boardwalk to get to the pristine clean white sands! Go exploring, swimming, shelling, or just relaxing on a stretch of the sugar sands that is like your own private beach with no condos behind you! The shuttle also offers Paddle Board rentals so you can check out the oyster beds, sea grass, and diverse ecosystem of Spanish Shanty and St. Andrews Bay!
Panama City Beach, Florida
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Monday
4:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
4:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
4:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
4:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
4:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
4:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
4:00 AM - 8:00 PM
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Travelers talk about
(45 reviews)
(178 reviews)
(5 reviews)
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles415 reviews
Excellent
237
Very good
68
Average
31
Poor
23
Terrible
56

SarahJean850
Fort Walton Beach, FL
29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
Finding Capt Anderson's is incredibly easy, there's about a jillion signs to their location. They are requiring masks on their trip and you do have to fill out paperwork at check in to acknowledge that. The capt gives a short safety briefing before boarding and then when you get on, a photographer takes your pic which you can later purchase for $10. The boat is huge and there's plenty of room for seating. There's about 9 stairs that take you to the top deck where the crew brings you big buckets of Cheetos to feed the seagulls with. The ride to Shell Island takes about 15-20 mins which is filled by the Captain narrating with local facts and history tid bits. Once you get to Shell Island the crew lets you know you have an hour to explore. There is nothing on Shell Island- no vendors, bathrooms, businesses, pavillions, nothing. It's very peaceful and there's a ton of shells. I def recommend taking a net and shell bag! The hour goes by pretty fast and the crew even offers to wash the sand off your feet with a hose before you board! The rest of the time is spent watching dolphins and trying to catch critters in a net that is dragged from the bow. Whatever is caught is placed into a tank inside the boat where you can check out crabs, fish, etc. The snack bar is cash only and they do have drinks, slushies, hot dogs and snacks for a super reasonable rate. No alcohol so it's very family friendly. Our group of 5 had a fun day exploring and learning all the fun facts. We hope to go back soon!
Written April 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TheMasseys2010
Andalusia, AL
142 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
Each trip to PCB, we venture out to Shell Island and always use Captain Anderson's Shell Island Shuttle for transport. This trip, however, the water conditions were not ideal thanks to a tropical storm. So, we decided to try out the 3.5 hour eco-tour and Shell Island visit. We are very glad we did! The boat ride was fantastic and the crew were all wonderful. The crew provided feed as we started the trip to feed the seagulls that flew right along side the boat. They ate right out of our hands. Captain John was super friendly and our kids were so excited that he asked them to "help him steer the boat". He took the time to make sure we got lots of dolphin sightings and ensure everyone had a great trip. The entire crew was great but I have to give a special shout out to one young man, Alex. He was a teenaged member of the crew working a summer job. He took lots of time to talk with all the kids and explain different things to them about the bay, sea life, the boats and lots of other things. When we were leaving the boat, my six year old said "Mom, Alex is soooo nice!" He definitely made the trip for our crew! Thanks to all the Captain Anderson's crew and we will see you again next trip!
Written July 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for the kind words. We're very happy that the Tropical Storm did not ruin your cruise. The Shell Island Eco-Tour is our most popular cruise and we're glad you we're able to enjoy it. Capt. John is the best and I have printed this out for his boss to see. Ironically his boss is Alex's Mom- Mrs. Anderson. They will be very happy to know that the crew was so helpful and that Alex made such an impression. Thank you for this awesome review, we hope to see you next year!
Written July 28, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Donald
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Friends
The boat was clean and the crew were nice but there werent enough of them. My friend and i were overlooked as they were prepping things...no one knew who had us. The young man we tipped to help us was very nice. We had to bait our own hooks and they seemed to move to a new area every 5 minutes so there was a lot of pull up drop down which got really tiring. A few snapper were caught but really not a lot of fish. Despite covid theyre not limiting anyone...theyre still loading the boats to full capacity. There were a lot of lines tangled because of this. We saw a lot of dolphins which was nice. If you dont care how many fish you catch its a nice cruise.
Written July 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your fishing trip. Our Captains go to areas where they've caught fish before and they show up on their fish finder equipment. 95% of the time if there's no bite in 5 minutes, they're not biting even though they show up on the equipment. So the Captain moves on hoping fish are hungry. There's no guarantee that the fish are hungry. We just know if there's no bite in 5-10 minutes then we need to move the boat. It would be easier for the Captain to sit there and soak your bait but believe it or not every captain at the Marina wants you to have the best fishing experience, which is why they move.
Written July 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Gadgetguy25
3 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
We took our grandson on this tour based on what they had told us when we called and what their website promoted:
1. glass bottom boat
2. Ability to go shelling on Shell island
3. catching fish while dragging a net
4. Dolphin watching.

Our grandson as part of his vacation had wanted to experience all of these. Now for the results:
1. Glass bottom boat. Yes it did have a glass bottom but it was so covered with algae that you couldn't see anything. Strike one.
2. Shelling on Shell Island. Why this is called Shell island is beyond me. Yes, it does have a miniscule of shells, most of them were very small or broken into pieces. Strike two.
3. Catching fish while dragging a net. They do drag a net for about 5 minutes. In this case all they came up with was seaweed. Don't know how often they actually catch anything. Strike three, you're out!

4. Dolphin watchng. Here they did succeed in find a group of six of them so that was good.

The boat itself is clean but aged.

In summary, if you are booking this to go shelling, see fish and look through a glass bottom boat, think twice!
Written June 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brett S
Versailles, OH
34 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019 • Solo
In July 2019, I did the 5 hour morning fishing trip. I had never been saltwater fishing before let alone “deep sea” fishing. So I was excited to catch some saltwater fish that I had never caught before as I love freshwater fishing. I guess this just wasn’t what I expected. I know this one costs less than other charters, but next time I will definitely pay more money for a better experience. The problem with this boat is that they pack wayyyyy too many people onboard. You have very little room to fish and constantly get tangled with other people. And a charter like this usually has more beginners than experienced fisherman. On top of this, they have 4 deckhands to take care of over 70 people fishing. You could never get any help with anything. The captain actually came down and helped a couple times because there were no deckhands around. Two of the deckhands were teenagers and while one worked pretty hard, the other was pretty arrogant and didn’t pay attention. This just made it impossible to fish and I don’t think I had ever felt so frustrated during fishing in my whole life. The only positive was that the boat did have a good selection of beer for sale and was only $2 per can. Food selection was slim but it was only a 5 hour morning fishing trip. While I value the effort made by the whole crew, I will definitely spend more money next vacation on a smaller boat with less people on it.
Written January 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We appreciate your input but wish you would have said something earlier to give us the opportunity to make this right. 2019 was a tough year for all businesses in Bay county. We lost 30% of our work force and about the same in housing, due to Hurricane Michael. Good people who wanted and needed to work here could not find proper housing. That being said we tried very hard to keep all boats properly staffed with experienced crew. With the community getting closer to recovery from Hurricane Michael, there is much more housing and many employees are returning. Praise the Lord, 2020 will be a good year for everyone, we hope you try us again.
Written January 31, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Brittany G
3 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Solo
Buyers please beware! I booked multiple fishing trips and both got canceled late evening the night before. I was told multiple things as to why. The weather was initially blamed. Then when I debunked that they told the truth and stated that not enough seats were sold. I asked after the first trip got canceled if we’d definitely go tomorrow and they said things look good and we’d go. We didn’t. Nothing about the weather changed from last week to this week. Nothing about the weather change from yesterday to today. If enough seats weren’t sold they also should’ve noticed that last week and canceled then. Instead both of my trips were canceled last minute which means I spent money on a hotel and to travel here just to fish over multiple days and couldn’t go. I booked the 6 hour and 10 hour trip. The 5 hour trip is still going on the exact same day that the 10 hour trip was scheduled. Instead of refunding my money and putting me on the 5 hour trip for free I was told I’d need to pay for that trip. Meanwhile I was also told if the weather got rough the 5 hour trip would come back so why even charge me for it considering the circumstances. This company does not have a shred of customer service and will lie several times over to you. Save your money and please book with someone else that’s more honest and reliable. They need to change their practices and give people advance notice so that people can cancel their trip (hotel, rental car, flight).
Written April 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Crystal S
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
My husband and I just took my 14 year old son deep sea fishing today for 5 hours and loved it! Captain Anderson’s was highly recommended by a friend and we are glad we took his advice. I am not even into fishing and I had fun! The staff was so friendly and helpful, we caught plenty of fish and they have a place on site that will clean, filet and package your fish for you! They sell food, snacks and drinks ( including alcohol) inside the air-conditioned cabin and I was quite pleased with my tasty hot dog. The deck- hand was super helpful and patiently untangled mine and my son’s lines ( oops!) and helping me learn how to fish successfully. One of the staff recommended a very close hook and cook called J. Michaels that will cook your fish after you have them filleted. We went directly there afterwards and it was great! Do this and you will have a great experience!
Written August 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sue D
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021
Not many fish caught on this trip, tried many different spots. That can happen I suppose but the staff was still helpful. Now the inside cabin of the boat was kind of dirty, floor had not been swept for a while and we were the first to use the boat that day. The rest rooms were small and dirty, no soap or towels to dry your hands. No fish and a dirty boat, not good.
Written March 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SarahK
Springfield, MO
17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
Took our 4 boys (ages 16, 14, 11 and 9) out for the 10 hour fishing trip. They loved it. Caught several fish, and had the added bonus of seeing a lot of dolphins and a shark. It was a fun adventure as a family. If you are prone to getting sea sick I would not recommend the 10 hour trip.
Written August 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Diane A
Flower Mound, TX
6 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
They only put 4 lines in the water, with 15 people in the boat!! What?? I wish there had been more questions asked before we left. A total waste of time and $$. We drove around and around, never stopped to just drop a line. Trolling the whole time. No way for each person to begin to catch a fish. They should have told us there would only be 4 lines in the water. 5 tiny fish were caught at 2 pounds a piece. Really, only 4 lines with 8 more poles hanging overhead that never got wet. Save your money.
Written August 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Capt. Anderson's Marina - Fishing & Cruising Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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