Port guide / Florida Panhandle / Florida

Navarre fishing guide

Navarre sits on Santa Rosa Sound between Pensacola and Destin, with Navarre Beach across the causeway on Santa Rosa Island. The 1,545-foot Navarre Beach Pier, billed as the longest in Florida and the Gulf, puts walk-on anglers on Spanish and king mackerel, while the surf gives up pompano and reds. Inside, the Sound's grass edges hold trout and shallow reds, and kayak anglers fish the nearshore reefs for snapper, kings and the odd mahi.

Conditions now
Chart and depths
Fishing reports
What is biting
Seasons and rules
Where to fish
Ramps and piers
Bait and charters
Events
Questions

10 ft, conditions now

Conditions now

Live from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Times show in your own time zone.

Today’s bite

A forecast built from live data and the calendar below. Not a catch report.

Working out today from the tides, water and calendar.

Tides

Loading the next highs and lows from NOAA.

On the water now

Water: Checking
Wind: Checking

Marine forecast

Loading the National Weather Service forecast.

7 day forecast

National Weather Service, for Navarre. Updates through the day.

Loading the 7 day forecast.

NOAA tides, Navarre Beach, FL (opens in a new tab) NOAA station Pensacola, FL (opens in a new tab) NWS 7 day forecast (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Coastal waters from Okaloosa Walton County Line FL to Pensacola FL out 20 NM (opens in a new tab)

12 ft, the chart

Chart and depths

The official NOAA chart, centered on Navarre. Depths, channels, reefs and markers, live from NOAA.

The NOAA chart loads when you scroll here.

NOAA electronic navigational chart: soundings, depth contours, channels, markers and hazards. Zoom in to see more soundings. Not for navigation. Open NOAA ENC Online

15 ft, fishing reports

Fishing reports

What people are catching, on what, and where. Every report links to whoever wrote it. We do not write these ourselves.

Latest reports

From local captains, shops and outdoor writers. Newest first, last 14 days.

Checking the latest reports.

Report sources: Great Days Outdoors Northwest Florida Fishing Report (opens in a new tab) Half Hitch Tackle Navarre Fishing Reports (opens in a new tab)

Straight from the dock

Reports sent to us by shops and captains on this guide. We check each one before it posts.

Checking for reports.

Run a shop or charter here? Send a report

20 ft, what is biting

What is biting, month by month

When each fish is at its best around Navarre. This month is marked.

What is biting by month around Navarre. Peak, good and slow months for each species.
Species	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Redfish	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Good	Good
Speckled trout	Good	Slow	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Good	Good
Flounder	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Good	Slow	Slow
Florida pompano	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Good
Spanish mackerel	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Slow
Sheepshead	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Good	Peak	Good
Mangrove snapper	Good	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Jack crevalle	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Slow

Redfish
Peak: April, May, June, September, October
Reds cruise shallow shorelines and grass in Santa Rosa Sound early in the morning, and surf anglers catch them at first and last light in the troughs and sandbar cuts.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Speckled trout
Peak: April, May, June, September, October
Work deeper grass edges and drop-offs in the Sound with soft plastics, twitchbaits or live shrimp, and remember Panhandle trout harvest is closed in February.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Flounder
Peak: May, June
Flounder are a summer and fall target in the Sound, but Florida closes harvest every year from Oct. 15 through Nov. 30.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Florida pompano
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August
Fish sand fleas, Fishbites or fresh shrimp in the surf troughs and cuts, and keep moving when the bite is spotty.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Spanish mackerel
Peak: May, June, July, August
A pier staple, caught on Got-Cha plugs, small spoons and bubble rigs retrieved fast at different depths.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Sheepshead
Peak: March, April, May, September, November
Sheepshead are in play all year off Navarre, with March through May, September and November the best months.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Mangrove snapper
Peak: May, June, July
Kayak anglers find nice mangroves on the nearshore reefs, and bridges and pilings in Pensacola Bay hold them in late summer.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Jack crevalle
Peak: June, July, August
Jack crevalle are one of the most targeted fish on Navarre charters, best from June through August.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)

30 ft, seasons and rules

Seasons and rules

Open and close dates we could confirm from official sources, plus where to check limits before you keep a fish.

Red snapper, private recreational, Gulf state and federal waters off Florida
Open May 22 to July 31 daily; Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 daily; Oct. 9 to 22 daily; then weekends and holidays: Oct. 23 to 25, Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, Nov. 7 to 8, 14 to 15 and 21 to 22, Nov. 26 to 29, Dec. 5 to 6, 12 to 13 and 19 to 20, Dec. 25 to 27, and Jan. 1 to 4, 2027. Also applies to charter boats without a federal permit fishing Gulf state waters.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, federal for-hire (charter boats with a federal reef fish permit)
Opened 12:01 a.m. June 1, 2026, and closed 12:01 a.m. October 26, 2026.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, Gulf state waters
Open Sept. 1 to 30, 2026; harvest closed Oct. 1 for the rest of the year.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, federal waters
Open 12:01 a.m. Sept. 1, 2026, to 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1, 2026.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red, black and scamp grouper, Gulf
Open year-round in state waters; in federal waters closed Feb. 1 to March 31 seaward of 20 fathoms.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, Gulf state waters
Open Sept. 1 through Oct. 13, 2026; closed at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 14.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, federal waters
Open Sept. 1, 2026, to 12:01 a.m. Oct. 14, 2026, then closed until the next season starts Sept. 1, 2027.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gray triggerfish, Gulf state and federal waters
Open March 1 to May 31 and Aug. 1 to Dec. 31.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Flounder, state and federal waters off Florida
Closed every year Oct. 15 through Nov. 30.
FWC, annual, applies to 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout, Panhandle Region
Closed in February; open March 1 through Jan. 31.
FWC, annual, applies to 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)

Rules change. Check before you go.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

Anglers 16 and older fishing for certain reef fish from a private vessel need the free State Reef Fish Angler designation, renewed every year, with no exemptions.
Shore-based shark fishing, including from piers and bridges, requires a free permit on top of a saltwater license, earned by completing an online course.
Florida manages spotted seatrout by region, and the Panhandle Region running from the Alabama line to near Alligator Point is closed in February.
FWC set a new lane snapper size and bag limit for Gulf state waters effective April 1, 2026. See https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/snappers/
Navarre Beach Pier admission includes your fishing license while on the pier. See https://www.santarosa.fl.gov/249/Pier-Admission

Size and bag limits Fishing licenses

Last checked 2026-10-27

40 ft, where to fish

Where to fish

Pier
Navarre Beach Pier
At 1,545 feet and 30 feet above the water it reaches Spanish and king mackerel, ladyfish, hardtails and sometimes mahi, with sabiki rigs banned on the octagon.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Bay
Santa Rosa Sound
Trout hold on deeper grass edges in four to six feet of water while reds work the shallow shorelines early in the morning.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Beach
Navarre Beach surf
Fish the deeper troughs and cuts in the sandbar at first and last light for reds, bluefish and pompano.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Reef
Navarre nearshore kayak reefs
Kayak anglers fish live or cut bait tight to the reefs for red and mangrove snapper and keep a rod ready for mahi and kings above them.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Bridge
Pensacola Bay bridges and pilings
West of Navarre, the bridges, pilings and rock in Pensacola Bay hold mangrove snapper on small live baits, shrimp and cut bait.
Source (opens in a new tab)

50 ft, launch and piers

Ramps and piers

Public launches and fishing piers. Fees and hours change, so check the link before you tow.

Public boat ramps and fishing piers around Navarre
Name	Type	Fee	Where
Navarre Beach Public Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	1451 Navarre Beach Causeway, Navarre, FL 32566
Woodlawn Beach Public Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	5305 Mermaid Way, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563
Navarre Beach Marine Park kayak launches (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	8739 Gulf Boulevard, Navarre, FL 32566
Navarre Beach Pier (opens in a new tab)	Pier	Paid	8579 Gulf Boulevard, Navarre Beach, FL 32566

60 ft, bait, tackle and charters

Bait, tackle and charters

Where to get live and fresh bait, tackle and a guide. We are not paid to list anyone here.

Bait and tackle (2)

Tackle shop
Half Hitch Tackle Navarre
8711 Navarre Pkwy., Navarre, FL 32566
Open since 2007 a few blocks from the Navarre Beach Causeway, with surf and pier tackle and regular Navarre fishing reports.
Call (850) 939-9885 Directions (opens Google Maps)
Source (opens in a new tab)
Pier shop
Navarre Beach Fishing Pier store
8579 Gulf Boulevard, Navarre Beach, FL 32566
Sells pier passes, rents rods and sells bait, and pier admission covers your fishing license.
Call (850) 710-3239 Directions (opens Google Maps)
Website (opens in a new tab) Source (opens in a new tab)

Live bait comes and goes with the weather and the season. Call before you drive.

Charters and guides

Fishing charters and guides around Navarre
Charter	Fishing
Navarre Beach Fishing Charters (opens in a new tab)	Inshore
Navarre Beach Inshore Fly Fishing (opens in a new tab)	Fly
Emerald Waters Kayak Charters (opens in a new tab)	Offshore

70 ft, on the calendar

Tournaments and events

Annual events on this water. Dates move, so confirm with the organiser.

Navarre Fishing Rodeo (opens in a new tab)
usually early October, on Navarre Beach
2026: October 3 to 4
Take a Kid Fishing at Navarre Beach Fishing Pier (opens in a new tab)
usually early October
2026: October 3
Busch Light Fishing Rodeo (Pensacola Beach) (opens in a new tab)
usually June
2026: June 19 to 22

80 ft, asked and answered

Fishing Navarre, asked and answered

How long is the Navarre Beach Pier and what does it cost to fish?

It is 1,545 feet long and 30 feet above the water, billed as the longest pier in Florida and the Gulf. Fishing admission is sold at the pier store, and it covers your fishing license while you are on the pier.

What can I catch off the Navarre pier?

Spanish mackerel are a staple on Got-Cha plugs, small spoons and bubble rigs, and king mackerel, ladyfish, hardtails and even mahi show up depending on the season.

Can I keep flounder in the fall?

Not from Oct. 15 through Nov. 30. Florida closes flounder harvest in state and federal waters every year during that window.

When is red snapper season off Navarre in 2026?

For private boats, FWC set May 22 to July 31 daily, Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 and Oct. 9 to 22 daily, then set weekends and holidays through Jan. 4, 2027. Charter boats with a federal permit fished June 1 to Oct. 26. Private boaters need the free State Reef Fish Angler designation.

What tide station should I use for Navarre?

Use NOAA station 8729678, Navarre Beach, for tide predictions. It does not report water temperature or wind, so check the Pensacola station, 8729840, and the NWS forecast for zone GMZ655.

90 ft, the kit