MB Miller County Fishing Pier (Huge Guide!)

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MB Miller County Fishing Pier in Panama City Beach, Florida.

If you are looking for the closest fishing pier to Panama City or Laguna Beach, Florida – the MB Miller County Pier is it! It’s also called the Panama City Beach Pier.

This pier is over 1,500 feet long up in the Florida panhandle – you know, that horizontal part that goes under Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi? It’s close to Tyndall Air Force Base.

This pier is so long that it never gets crowded. You’re not going to find more than a hundred people on it fishing during the weekdays usually. On the weekends – 200? Still, there is plenty of room and it won’t be crowded except on a holiday or 3-day weekend.

Let’s have a CLOSER LOOK!

Fishing Hours?

Open all the time – anytime you want to fish – go fish! We love the 24-hour fishing piers and there aren’t that many of them in Florida. Not enough anyway!

What Fish Can You Catch?

The Panhandle area of Florida has a lot of fish. It is on the Gulf of Mexico, so the same fish you’ll catch further down the coast as in Fort Myers or the at the Sunshine Skyway Pier in St. Pete is about what you’ll catch here in Panama City.

There are so many fish to catch all over Florida. Let’s see what species you might catch here.

Fish Commonly Caught at the MB Miller County Fishing Pier

Fishing on the bottom will get you sharks, cats, stingrays, and puffers. Just a lot of stuff you don’t want to catch. But you will catch the occasional redfish and flounder. You might try picking your bait up off the bottom – even fishing near the top. You may then get jacks, tarpon, bluefish, or even one of the really fun PERMIT fish! That’s one of the ultimate fish in my book.

How Big Is the MB Miller County Fishing Pier?

MB Miller County Fishing Pier in Panama City, Florida in the panhandle.
There are a couple of fishing piers in Panama City. This is the BIG one.

The reason you’ll probably go to the MB County Pier is because it’s 1,525 feet long, the longest pier in the area. About 1,320 of the pier is over water and fishable, depending on the tides.

The water here is super clear and the sand is white. This entire area of the panhandle of Florida is a paradise with small waves usually and perfect beach conditions. Many people plan their vacations to end up here as it’s convenient to Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi as well as most of northern Florida.

The width of the pier is 21 feet across. That is a lot of room for fishing on both sides. This is a massive pier than will never get crowded. I’m not sure why they made it so big. The population of the area is not that big. I think they wanted an excellent tourist attraction. I’m glad they built, it, don’t get me wrong.

Fees

The fees are very reasonable for fishing at just $6 per adult angler. For anyone else it’s $3 which is a little higher than other piers we’ve reviewed. There are discounts for seniors, military, and kids get in free if under 6 years old.

Is a Fishing License Necessary?

No, a day pass is included if you pay the $6 fee to fish. If you need a license, you can get one online here – Florida saltwater fishing license before you arrive to fish. You can also do it online or visit Walmart Sporting Goods section.

Restrooms?

Yes, the park and the restaurant have public restrooms right at the pier and further down the beach.

Shade on the Pier?

No, there is no building with a roof for shade but they do have a lot of benches. Bring your own umbrella if you want, I don’t think they’re prohibited.

Does the Pier Have a Bait Shop?

Yes, there is a small bait shop before you get out on the pier. You can buy frozen bait (shrimp and squid) and sometimes frozen baitfish. There are cold drinks and soda, and huge hot dogs. They have some basic gear you can buy and some you can rent. See below.

Is Rental Gear (Rod and Reel) Available?

Yes, when the bait shop is open during the park’s regular hours, you can rent gear from the bait shop like rod and reel for $10 for the day ($40 deposit) and buy bait frozen and sometimes live bait.

If you want, you can catch live pilchards under the pier in the early morning. These bait fish are excellent for tarpon, snook, and some of the other bigger fish.

Restaurants?

The closest restaurants to the fishing pier are listed below.

  • Shrimp Basket Seafood Restaurant – Open from 10 am. to 9 pm. nightly and an extra hour on Friday and Saturday nights. This restaurant is located just west of the pier so come off the pier and make a left up Front Beach Road and it’s on your right. They have outdoor seating, an oyster bar, and a lot of seafood dishes to try. Located at 12390 Front Beach Rd, Panama City Beach, Florida 32407. Phone – +1 850 563-7836. Website. GPS

Pier Restrictions

As is the norm for piers in Florida, the official city website lists very little information about the pier and what is available and what restrictions there are for using the pier. The rules of the pier are probably just like the rest of them.

Prohibited on the MB Miller Fishing Pier

  • Feeding birds, manatees, fish
  • Pets – dogs are allowed on a leash, and all service dogs allowed
  • Littering
  • Alcohol
  • Glass bottles
  • Smoking
  • Fishing with more than 3 poles per person and 1 bait rod.
  • Skateboards, scooters, roller skates, rollerblades, surfboards, bikes
  • Jumping or diving, and sitting on the railing
  • Casting nets
  • Loud music

Does the Pier have a Live Web Cam?

Yes, it shows mostly the beach and the water, but the pier isn’t very clear. Here it is on YouTube. If you know of a better pier cam for this fishing pier, do let us know.

Where Is the Pier Located in the Panhandle?

Map of MB Miller County Fishing Pier in Panama City, Florida in the panhandle area close to Laguna Beach and Tyndall AFB.

This pier can be found between Laguna Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base.

See the map image above, or use the GPS data below to see the pier location in your favorite map application.

The address is: 12213 Front Beach Rd, Panama City Beach, Florida 32407. The GPS coordinates of the end of the pier are 30.1866036078894 N, -85.83392122227608 W.

Remember, the other name for it is the Panama City Beach Fishing Pier.

Where’s Parking?

There are 228 parking spaces right beside the MB Miller County Fishing Pier. Parking is FREE!

The piers are ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant and there are handicapped parking spots available in the main parking lot and ramps to get up onto the pier.

Cautions

Big birds like seagulls and egrets eating your bait or grabbing it in mid-air and hooking themselves can make for a real bad day of fishing. Take extra care that birds don’t get hooked as you cast and when your bait hits the water.

If you do hook a bird, put a shirt, towel, or blanket over it and remove the hook if it looks like it’s easy to do. You may need to take the bird to a veterinarian. See our guide for removing hooks from birds here.

Short Video Overview of the MB Miller County Fishing Pier

I found this video showing the guy catching Spanish mackerel, pompano, and seeing a kid being sucked out into the Gulf on a floating tube. Shows the pier and atmosphere of the place.

I Got The PIER Fish I’ve been After! (Catch, Clean, & Cook)

Pier Social Media

  • Call them at this phone number: +1 850 236-3035.
  • The city has a pier page with a bit of info.
  • Their Facebook page is private, but you could try to join.
  • An Instagram search turns up just over 400 photos but some of them are really nice!

Where’s the Closest Fishing Pier to Me?

If you live in or are visiting Laguna Beach, Tyndall AFB, or Panama City, Florida then the best pier to visit is this one or the Navarre Fishing Pier (see below for link). These are both huge piers with a variety of fish species you can catch year round.

If you need help with catching specific fish, we have HUGE Guides for each of the Top Gamefish in Florida.

Piers Close to Laguna Beach, Tyndall, and Panama City

[Image credits: Map image from Maps.google.com. Featured image from unsplahs.]

About the Author

My name is Vern Lovic. I grew up in Pennsylvania fishing for trout in the streams and bass in the lakes. I’ve fished both coasts of Florida for more than a decade, but I’ve been primarily on the West Coast around St. Petersburg. I fish mostly from a Kayak and pier along with wade-fishing and shore fishing but I occasionally will go out on a boat with one of my friends.

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