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Does anybody have experience with the Carl Gray Park in Panama City? I am going to that area next weekend and wanted to find a place to launch the boat. Any other tips for fishing and sight seeing are appreciated as well.

If going to Panama City beach get ready to enjoy some traffic. It has been terrible this year.
If taking your boat you need to check out east end of shell island bay side. Several restaurants waterside in the bay that you can get there by boat and enjoy a good meal.

Thanks for the info! I'll be staying on the east side of the Hathaway Bridge so I plan on checking out the bay side. If the water is calm I might go out a few miles to scout for fish.

That’s my side away from all the tourist.
Ramps at the college, st Andrews and there are several ramps back towards Calloway and Parker.

You may want to check out crooked Island. Look up research road on Tyndale Air Force base. Dirt ramp but last time I used it was in good shape but it’s been a while since I was there.

If your in east bay and just sight seeing go under draw bridge and check out bayou joes for lunch.

I second Bayou Joe's in Massilina bayou for lunch if you don't mind running that far from the bridge. Highly recommend the draft beer, fish tacos or trash burger. Smack bayou is within a rock's throw from there and on high tides I've done well on the trout in there in the past.
There's a great little single concrete ramp on Shoreline Cir. inside Pretty bayou on the east side of the bridge but get there early, if you want to park next to the ramp. If you happen to be prior service, the ramp at the Naval Station on the west side of the bridge is awesome and they even have an outside bar. As already stated, the ramp at the college is the closest to the park but it's unprotected and you launch directly into the bay where the others are protected and have docks to tie up to.
All are good. If you don't want to run too far, and launch near the bridge, I'd head north across West Bay to Burnt Mill Creek (There's a ramp there too) or NE from the bridge to Johnson bayou. Both are good trout spots.
Good luck.
btw: You might be okay but I wouldn't use the dirt ramp at the end of Research Rd. without a 4 wheel drive. I almost never got out of there the last time I used that ramp.

Whoops! just noticed this thread was a couple months old... not going to delete it now after all that typing.

Juan wrote: ↑September 24th, 2022, 2:50 pmWhoops! just noticed this thread was a couple months old... not going to delete it now after all that typing.

Great info! I'll be going back at the end of October so I'll try to check out some spots you mention.