Stage I East- Hathaway (BA0079)
Artificial reef Bay County, Florida, Gulf side. #18 H.Bridge,3 Spans,5/13/88,Concrete Decks.
The state lists this mark as low-accuracy. Use it to get close, then find the structure on your sounder before you anchor.
What bites on Stage I East- Hathaway
Structure in 96 ft on the Gulf coast usually holds: Red snapper, Gag grouper, Red grouper, Mangrove snapper, Triggerfish, Amberjack. What is actually biting changes with the season, water temperature and tide — the day's plan for this reef has the bite window and what to target that day.
Anchoring on Stage I East- Hathaway
In 96 ft, pay out about 500 ft of rode at 5:1 in calm water, or 700 ft at 7:1 when it's blowing. Drop the anchor up-drift of the structure by about the same distance and fall back onto it. Before you drop, kill the engine for 60 seconds and watch your GPS track — that's your real drift, and it beats any forecast.
Today's fishing report near Stage I East- Hathaway
Panama City Beach fishing report — today: tides, wind, seas, water temperature and the GO / NO-GO call for inshore and offshore, updated through the day. Also nearby: Destin fishing report (52 mi).
Nearby reefs
| Reef | Distance | Heading | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hathaway Span #3 - Stage 1 East BA0065 | 24 yd | NNW | 100 ft |
| Hathaway Span #3A - Stage 1 East BA0066 | 147 yd | ENE | 100 ft |
| Hathaway Span #4 - Stage 1 East BA0067 | 0.6 mi | W | 101 ft |
| BJ Putnam Reef BA0101 | 1.3 mi | SW | 106 ft |
| Chippewa BA0085 | 1.4 mi | NNE | 102 ft |
Before you go
Size limits, bag limits and seasons change — check the current Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) rules for the day you fish, and federal rules, since this reef is in federal water. Carry a descending device for reef fish you release.