Fishing Panama City Beach . . years ago . . part 1
By William E. Males
Those who have been to Panama City Beach and made it a point to get out and fish the lucrative waters of the Emerald Coast or St Andrews Bay, knows that these are unquestionably some of the most productive waters along the gulf coast. Both the well seasoned fishermen and the new-fangled student of the art will revel in the abundance and variety of fish just waiting to be caught. Whether you’ve loaded up your favorite fishing rods and headed here with a dream of catching your dinner every night - or to land a trophy to mount on your wall - Panama City Beach has long been every angler's delight. If you’re heading out on the open water to do some trolling for sailfish, mahi mahi or a nice blue marlin, or deep sea fishing for grouper or snapper, this is a one stop, catch- all paradise. There’s scamp, shark, amberjack, flounder, sea trout, bonito, Spanish and king mackerel, redfish, sheepshead and bluefish.
Now these pristine waters of the Emerald Coast have long been a faithful source of sea delegacies. Even upon the early exploration of the Spaniards, shell heaps and mounds of oyster shells were noted as already becoming fixed markers of the landscape. Ages ago, gathered upon the shores of Saint Andrews Bay, these witnesses of a sea loving race whose efforts at obtaining an abundance of sustenance from the waters is attested by these half buried shell mounds that are still found along Florida’s Gulf Coast. It doesn’t require much imagination to speculate that those early residents who had gathered so many oysters and other shell fish, also knew and enjoyed the art of fishing.
It is uncertain exactly where these early harvesters of the sea were from and where they went. Whether destroyed by storm or pestilence nothing much remains to enlighten us. Scarcely a relic has been found to inform us as to their manner of living customs or burials. That they antedated the Indians found here by earliest voyagers is unquestioned. Some even believe that those Indians in fact had no knowledge of them. It has been speculated that perhaps these early residents of the Gulf Coast were even coexistent with the mound builders of the Ohio valley.
Interestingly, the first actual historical record we have of skilled fishermen in this region is recorded in the “Journey of Alvar Oaboza DeVaca,” one of only five survivors of nearly three hundred men on a Spanish expedition led by Panfilo de Narvaez in l527. Writing of a land point that seems to be confirmed as part of St Andrews Bay he states, “At sunset we turned a point of land and found there shelter and much improvement. Many canoes came and the Indians in them spoke to us but turned back without waiting. They were tall and well built and carried neither bows nor arrows. We followed them to their lodges which were nearby along the inlet and landed and in front of the lodges we saw many jars with water and great quantities of cooked fish. The chief of that land offered all to the Governor and led him to his abode. The dwellings were of matting and seemed to be permanent. When we entered the home of the chief he gave us plenty of fish.”
After DeVaca’s visit and report there is no other detailed account of the fishing in these waters. However, the Spaniards were frequently making voyages to the West Gulf Coast and possibly as early as 1505 had used and thus introduced the cast net from Spain to the Indians as a means of catching the fish they found here. For the next two hundred years the Spaniards were probably the only voyagers who successfully explored the Emerald Coast, and like the native Indians, undoubtedly enjoyed catching as many fish as they could make use of.
From 1763 to 1783 West Florida was taken control of by English, and some attempts at settlement were made by them at various points on the shores of St Andrews Bay - the principal settlement being at Dyers Point. Having such a ready abundance of fish, these settlers who had been granted lands undoubtedly also reaped from the waters no small share of their living until the return of West Florida to Spain in 1783. At that time the remaining English settlers were obliged to move to Jamaica and other land points, leaving their places untaken for many years.
Years later, in 1818, General Jackson visited this bay while on one of his excursion during his battles with the Seminoles and is speculated to also have taken a hearty supply of the East Bay fish to supplement their normal rations of salt pork and corn bread. Then in 1819 the State of Florida became a possession of the United States and again there began a slow but steady movement of would be anglers headed toward the sparkling green waters of the coast.
All it took was word of mouth and the lure of fishing was catching more than fish. St Andrews Bay had become a natural attraction for many looking for a new life by the sea. Today that attraction continues to draw people from all over the world for endless opportunities of fun and relaxation, as well as opportunities in business. So whether you’re looking for a new enterprise or just needing a break, grab you fishing pole and check out what Bay County has to offer.
