Redfish, Bass Mingle for Unique Fishing in the Panhandle

Tucked behind the sugar-white dunes and turquoise surf of Florida’s Emerald Coast are some of the most mysterious and unique fisheries in the state: Our coastal dune lakes. For anglers, they offer a shot at bass, redfish and speckled trout, all in the same morning.

More than a dozen dune lakes are tucked into the pine forests and winding coastal developments along Highway 30A between Destin and Panama City Beach. The lakes are a mix of salt and fresh water depending on the season and tide. Names like Western Lake, Draper Lake and Deer Lake don’t show up often on fishing reports, but ask a local with a kayak or paddleboard where they spend their Saturday mornings, and these are the places you will hear.

Coastal dune lakes are shallow, typically less than 5 feet deep, and fed by a combination of rainwater, groundwater and saltwater from the Gulf. What makes them especially unique is how they occasionally breach into the Gulf through natural outflows, called outlets or intermittent outfalls. When the lakes get high, the pressure forces open a channel through the sand, and saltwater floods in or freshwater pours out. That exchange creates a brackish blend that can support largemouth bass alongside flounder, sheepshead, and even the rare juvenile tarpon.

Growing up only an hour away, I never knew these dune lakes existed. These habitats are found in only a few other places on earth: Madagascar, New Zealand, and Australia. South Walton County, Florida, has the largest concentration in the U.S., with 15 named dune lakes stretching from Dune Allen to Inlet Beach.

In the spring and fall, you’ll catch speckled trout creeping into the lakes through high-tide breaches. Redfish stage near the outflows and hunt mullet and shrimp like they would on a grass flat. In the summer, bass go deep into the lily pads and submerged stumps in the upper parts of the lakes, hiding from the heat and crushing topwater frogs at sunrise. You can also find bream, crappie, and bluegill hanging around dock pilings and brushy edges.

You aren’t going to these lakes to catch a trophy redfish or trout, but you will find some of the most unique waterways Florida has to offer with a serene setting and a chance at catching a redfish on the same Rapala you just caught a largemouth on. The crossover from salt to fresh is a big draw on these lakes, giving folks like you and me the best of both worlds.

Kayaks, paddleboards and johnboats are the go-to vessels for these small, quiet lakes. Most dune lakes have public access but limited parking, so a lightweight craft you can drag or cart down a trail is ideal. Grayton Beach State Park, for example, has a soft launch right on Western Lake with plenty of shoreline access. Dear Lake and Camp Creek Lake have more protected shorelines with marsh edges and scattered cypress snags that hold fish in every season.

A medium light spinning setup spooled with 10- or 15-pound braid paired with a fluorocarbon leader will get it done for most species. The serenity of these lakes is awesome to experience but that also plays into the spookiness of the fish. Slow presentations around structure work best. These lakes are quiet and the fish are sensitive to pressure and noise.

Live shrimp and finger mullet under a popping cork work well near the outflows, while weedless soft plastics are perfect for probing the shallow pads and grass beds. Topwater action can be on fire right at dawn, especially on an overcast morning.

If you’re looking for a quieter, wilder kind of fishing, the dune lakes offer something rare: bass and redfish living side by side in water so calm you can see their wake long before the strike. Bring a paddle, a quiet approach, and an open mind, and you might just find your new favorite spot hidden behind the dunes.

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• This article was featured as a “Florida Gem” in the August-September issue of Florida Sportsman magazine. Click to subscribe.

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