Meet Captain James Pic

Thank you for visiting our website. I hope you enjoy learning about the incredible fishing opportunities around Panama City, Florida. I am passionate about creating unforgettable fishing experiences and sharing the waters that have shaped my life. Whether you are looking for inshore action, offshore adventure, or a unique fly fishing experience, I can customize a trip around your goals.

I have lived and fished in the Panama City area for over 40 years. Fishing can sometimes feel surreal as I pull up to spots with clients where I caught my first flounder and big trout nearly 43 years ago. These bays have been my home for almost half a century, and there are few guides who can match my knowledge of these waters, their seasonal patterns, and the fish that call them home.

I grew up in Lynn Haven, Florida, a small town bordering the northern city limits of Panama City. As a teenager, I would ride my bike to the Bailey Bridge and fish off the catwalk every chance I got. I swore I would never eat another trout as an adult because of all the trout I ate growing up, but to be honest, trout remain one of the best-eating fish in our area.

We always had a boat, and whether we were catching trout, reds, flounder, jacks, or blues, I was blessed to spend countless days on the water with my father. If I got good grades, I was rewarded with a day of "playing hooky" each semester to go fishing. I'll never forget standing on the bank on December 27, 1972, and catching my first big trout on a piece of dead shrimp. I was already hooked on fishing, but that was the moment that truly set the hook and made me realize fishing would always be a major part of my life.

Fishing has always been more than just a hobby for me. I have spent my entire life learning how to read the water, understand fish behavior, and consistently find fish. I believe I was blessed with an ability to locate fish and help others experience the excitement of catching them. There is nothing more rewarding than having families and kids on the boat and sharing the knowledge I have gained over decades on the water.

Fly fishing has also been a lifelong passion of mine. I have fly fished my entire life and was an Orvis instructor in 1995, where I developed my skills in fly casting and instruction. Fly fishing has allowed me to experience our waters in a completely different way, from sight casting in the bays to chasing powerful Gulf Coast pelagic species. One of my favorite challenges is fly fishing in the Gulf for mahi-mahi, bonito, and other pelagic fish, combining the excitement of offshore fishing with the skill and technique of fly angling. I also enjoy designing and handcrafting my own mahi-mahi lures, using decades of experience on the water to create proven lures that consistently attract offshore game fish.

Another unforgettable fishing memory was catching my first mahi-mahi off the Gulf Coast with a hand line while working in the oil field when I was 24 years old. That experience showed me just how incredible the offshore waters of our area can be and fueled my passion for pursuing everything from inshore species to offshore game fish.

There are always fish to catch in our waters, no matter what month you visit. In the summer, I may throw a cast net for live bait to target trout and redfish or set up a chum line. In the fall and spring, we often focus on casting artificial baits, while winter brings opportunities with live shrimp and artificial presentations. No matter the season, there is always an opportunity to catch fish when you know where to look.

Fishing has continued to improve throughout our area, whether you are targeting monster speckled trout, redfish, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, flounder, or offshore species. Then we have the sharks — 40- to 100-pound predators that regularly cruise our bays looking for their next meal. I can customize your fishing trip around the experience you want.

As a seasoned fly fisherman, I can teach the basics of fly fishing and help anglers experience the excitement of catching fish on the fly. If you want an easier approach, we can fish live bait. If you love topwater explosions, we can spend the morning throwing lures. Whether you are a beginner, experienced angler, or someone looking to learn fly fishing, I can create a trip that matches your goals.

For many years, I ran without electronics because I knew these bays so well that I simply did not need them for much of my inshore fishing. With today's fishing regulations and conservation efforts, the offshore bite has become incredible. I have expanded my offshore trips for grouper, snapper, kings, amberjack, and other species, and we have had amazing success.

I always recommend a 6-hour trip because it gives us enough time to fish multiple techniques and target different species. A typical six-hour trip may start with trout, reds, and flounder before moving into opportunities for big Spanish mackerel, blues, and sharks. If conditions allow us to head offshore, six hours gives us the opportunity to pursue grouper, snapper, kings, amberjack, and other offshore fish.

While you are visiting Panama City, Florida, let me show you what more than 40 years of fishing experience can do for you and your family. I get just as much enjoyment watching kids catch their first fish as I do catching fish myself. I have thousands of fishing memories—let me help you create some of your own.