Carrabelle is also the home of the Yamaha Marine Big Bend Saltwater Classic, the largest non-profit saltwater fishing tournament in the Panhandle of Florida, which raises money for The Florida Wildlife Federation, the Organization for Artificial Reefs, and the Dick Howser Center for Cerebral Palsy. Numerous other fishing tournaments and events round out the calendar, culminating in December with the Parade of Lights where local boaters deck out their craft with lights and join the procession down the Carrabelle River. Sun worshipers will find Carrabelle Beach a wonderful spot to set up shop for the afternoon. With its covered picnic tables, parking, and rest facilities, you'll find Carrabelle Beach one of the most enjoyable ways to spend the day at the beach. Or you can take the ferry service and spend a day away on nearby Dog Island exploring the natural beauty and looking for seashells or fishing the surf.
Fishing is one of the most enjoyable and varied activities to be found in the area.
Whether you are deep sea fishing on a charter boat, trying your luck in the local bays, rivers or lakes, or just dropping a line into the surf, you will find a plentiful and varied catch. The Carrabelle area, and all along Florida's Forgotten Coast, are rapidly becoming a birding destination. Bird watchers from all over the world make their way to the Carrabelle area for the incredible variety of birds that either make the Forgotten Coast their permanent home, or pass through during migration. It is said that the majority of bird species in North America, from eagles to terns, can be found in our area. In October, however, the birds take a back seat as hundreds of thousands of beautiful Monarch butterflies arrive in the area on their way to winter in Mexico.