| Species |
Bait
Types |
Where
and How to Catch |
Season |
Size Range |
State
Record |
| Amberjack,
Greater |
Live bait (pinfish,
blue runners); Cigar minnows or cut bait, artificial lures (spoons, jigs,
bucktails, plastic squids) |
Gulf waters. Drifting
and slow trolling live bait over and around obstructions (wrecks, reefs,
gas platforms); casting and trolling artificial lures over and around high
profile artificial reefs wrecks and obstructions. When an amberjack takes
the bait, count to 5 before setting the hook. If you are using light tackle
it's best to chum the fish to the boat to keep them out of line cutting
structure. |
All
Year, Peak: May - mid-September |
20
-80 pounds |
127
lbs. 12 oz. |
| Bluefish |
Artificial lures (small
spoons, feather lures, metal spoons and squids, surface plugs) and cut bait.
|
Trolling or casting
to schools of fish with artificial lures; surfcasting and bottom fishing
with cut bait; surfcasting with artificial lures Lower Mobile and Perdido
Bays, coastal Gulf waters, Gulf surf, and around passes. |
March
- November |
1
-5 pounds |
17
lbs. 4 oz. |
| Cobia (Ling) |
Live bait (pinfish,
mullet, silver eels); artificial lures (large spoons, white bucktails, plastic
eels, swimming plugs); cut bait (menhaden or cigar minnows) |
Cast, drift or slow
troll live baits around buoys, floating and underwater obstructions and
schools of fish swimming on the surface; anchor, chum and fish live baits,
fresh dead baits and cut bait in chum slick; cast and troll lures around
buoys, floating obstructions and to schools, pods or individual cobia swimming
on surface. Offshore reefs and caught along Gulf beaches in the surf zone
when migrating, usually mid-March. Many fish are caught by sighting the
fish on the surface and casting to them. |
March
- October, Peak: mid May - mid- September |
20
- 80 pounds |
117
lbs. 7 oz. |
| Croaker, Atlantic |
Cut bait, squid,
dead shrimp |
Bottom fishing with
dead or cut bait, anchored or drifting from boats. Also caught from piers,
docks, shore in Mobile Bay, tributary rivers, coastal bays, coastal Gulf
waters, inlets. |
April
- October |
1/2
- 2 pounds |
4
lbs. 0 oz. |
| Crevalle Jack
(Cavalla) |
Live bait (mullet,
pogies); artificial lures (spoons, plugs, jigs, bucktails) |
Large jacks prefer
big, active baits, like 7- to 10-inch mullet or hand-size pogies, fished
on a float or a flat line. Use 15 or 20-pound line; Thread on a bead, tie
on the float and attach 36 inches of 30-pound-test leader with a wide gap
hook. Lip-hook baits for bottom fishing and tail-hook the floating baits.
Tail-hooked baits swim more erratically, which entices the larger jacks.
Catch and release since crevalles are poor table fare. |
May
- November |
15
- 25 pounds |
39
lbs 4 oz |
| Dolphinfish
(Dolphin, Dorado, Mahi-mahi) |
Artificial lures
(offshore trolling lures), balao, squid, cut bait |
Trolling with lures,
balao and squid or casting to schools of "chicken" dolphin around
sargassum lines and floating debris with cut bait (fish or squid) and lures
(bucktails, surface plugs, streamer flies). Offshore Gulf waters. Dolphin
get excited when they see another of their kin struggling on a hook, so
don't pull that fish in until another angler has hooked up. Then wait for
the next hook up before bringing that one aboard. |
June
- October |
2
- 50 pounds |
60
lbs. 0 oz. |
| Drum, Black |
Blue crabs (quartered),
hermit crabs, or bucktails and leadhead jigs when water is clear. |
Bottom fishing with
running tides in late afternoons and evenings are best. Use a strong single
hook with line and leader of appropriate strength. Mobile Bay oyster reefs
and along the shallow portions of channel ledges and the mouths of tidal
rivers are preferred locations. Smaller black drum good eating, but the
larger fish (over 15 pounds) have a very coarse flesh. If you catch a large
fish you do not plan to eat, it should be released |
March
- October; Peak: May - early June |
20
- 50 pounds |
61
lbs. 0 oz. |
| Drum, Red
(Redfish) |
Cut bait (fresh mullet,
croaker, menhaden), crabs, artificial lures (spoons, large plugs, jigs) |
Bottom fishing, trolling
and casting spoons, plugs and jigs. Surfcasting with bait on barrier island
beaches and bait fishing along interior seaside marshes; bait fishing in Mobile
Bay along Eastern Shore and oyster reefs and shoal areas at the mouth of
the Bay; trolling and casting artificial lures on Dixey Bar area for large
"bull" reds |
All
Year |
2
- 35 pounds |
43
lbs. 0 oz. |
| Flounder (Gulf,
Southern) |
Live bait (bull minnows
and small croakers), artificial lures (bucktails); big strip baits and live
croaker or small mullet or croakers often used for big fish in lower Mobile
Bay. |
Drift fishing with
live or dead natural baits fished on the bottom; slow trolling natural baits
on bottom; jigging with live bait along jetties, casting from beaches and
piers; trolling small bucktails dressed with strip baits (especially for
big fish in lower Mobile Bay); and gigging along all coastal shorelines
on dark moon in calm waters. Coastal bays and inlets; Mobile Bay area; lower
Mobile Bay; |
April
- October; peak May-July on Eastern Shore, Peak June - October in Mobile
Bay |
1
-8 pounds |
13 lbs. 3 oz. |
| Groupers,
(Gag, Scamp & Red) |
Cut bait on single-hook
rigs fished on the bottom around natural structure or artificial reefs are
effective for smaller groupers, and a favorite rig for large red grouper
is a single 7/0 hook fastened to a 5-foot dropper off the main leader, which
ends with an 8 to 12 ounce sinker. |
Selection of bait
is important. Squid with long tentacles, whole cigar minnows, and fresh
strips of bonito, or live fish such as pinfish or tomtates catch the big
groupers. |
All
Year |
2
- 50 pounds |
Gag:
74 lbs. 8 oz., Red: 34 lbs. 10 oz., Scamp: 29 lbs. 10 oz. |
| Kingfish,
Gulf and Southern (Whiting and Ground Mullet) |
Dead shrimp, small
pieces of cut bait, squid fished on bottom. |
Whiting (Gulf Kingfish)
are caught in the Gulf surf zone of coastal waters and off Gulf piers and
lower portions of the bays, including lower bay piers. Ground mullet (Southern
Kingfish) are caught on the inshore artificial reefs and around oyster reefs
and tidal river mouths. Night fishing is productive. |
May
- September |
1/2
- 2 pounds |
2 lbs. 15 oz. |
| Mackerel,
King |
Cigar minnows; artificial
lures (spoons, feather lures, nylon jigs) Slow trolling, drifting or anchoring
with live bait (mullet, pinfish, menhaden), trolling with artificial lures,
strip bait and balao |
Coastal and offshore
Gulf waters, particularly around wrecks, rigs, obstructions, ledges, lumps
and other "structure"; and off Gulf inlets. drifting live or cut
bait, sometimes around shrimp boats or gas platforms or by trolling. Both
natural and artificial baits can be used for trolling |
May
- October; peak August - middle September |
5
- 50 pounds |
67
lbs. 15 oz. |
| Mackerel,
Spanish |
Small artificial lures
(spoons, metal lures, feather and nylon lures), small live baits (scaled
sardines, mullet). |
Trolling; casting
to schools of fish. Coastal Gulf waters, particularly off inlets, along
tide lines, and over coastal wrecks; lower Mobile Bay – fish under
feeding birds. Lures for Spanish mackerel work best with a high speed retrieve.
Best color lures are silver, white, and gold. Spanish readily take live
shrimp or bait fish. Short wire leaders will prevent these toothy fish from
cutting your line. Black swivels should be used or the mackerel will strike
at the swivel and cut your line. |
May
- September, Peak: July - August |
1
- 8 pounds |
8
lbs. 12 oz |
| Pompano, Florida
(Pompano) |
Mole Crabs ("sand
fleas"), small bucktails, plastic tail jigs. |
Pompano frequent the
surf zone right where the waves break in "suds" on the beach.
feeding on the sand fleas that live in this high energy area.Live sand fleas
fished on bottom in surf zone with a #1 or #2 hook weighted with a very
small split shot along Gulf beaches. Flip the baited hook in this area and
allow it to be carried with the current. |
May
- October; Peak: July – August |
1
– 3 pounds |
5
lbs. 8 oz |
| Sailfish,
Atlantic |
Whole dead fish (balao,
small mullet), strip baits, squid, artificial lures (small offshore trolling
lures, live bait (small fish). |
Trolling with outriggers,
also, sailfish seem to be attracted to slow trolled live baits fished in
similar method as used to slow troll for king mackerel. Offshore Gulf waters |
May
- October; Peak: July - August |
25
- 75 pounds |
81
lbs. 0 oz. |
| Seatrout,
Sand & Silver (White Trout) |
Small pieces of cut
bait, dead shrimp or squid fished on bottom. |
White trout are caught
throughout the bays, including bay piers and on the inshore artificial reefs,
around oyster reefs and coastal river mouths and around near shore Gulf rigs
and platforms for large, "yellowmouth" trout. Often, night fishing
is most productive. |
May
- November - Peak: June and July. |
1
- 5 pounds |
6 lbs. 11 oz. |
| Seatrout,
Spotted (Speckled Trout) |
Artificial lures
(mirror-sided plugs, bucktails, plastic tail jigs), live bait fish (croakers,
mullet, menhaden); live shrimp |
Along Gulf beaches
in March. Spring method: live shrimp or croakers fished near shore of marshy
or grassy areas and around oyster reefs, inshore artificial reefs, rock
jetties and shoal areas on flooding tides; Late Fall/Winter method in rivers
and above Mobile Bay Causeway (deep holes, drop-offs, channels): casting
artificial lures and also live bait fishing, trolling and jigging Spring:
estuaries; submerged grass flats and inshore artificial reefs. |
All
Year |
2
- 10 pounds |
12
lbs. 4 oz. |
| Sharks |
Whole dead fish and
cut fish; live bait (fish) |
Anchor, chum and fish
dead and live fish baits in chum slick and on bottom. Offshore and coastal
Gulf waters, particularly around and over obstructions (wrecks, reefs, rigs
and also behind anchored shrimp boats); Eastern Shore, seaside coastal waters
and around passes and inlets. |
March
- November |
5
- 500 pounds |
988
lbs. 8 oz. |
| Sheepshead |
Live shrimp, hermit
crabs or fiddler crabs, fished on the bottom or with a float. |
Fish around oyster
reefs, bridge pilings, inshore artificial reefs, rock jetties and oyster
reef areas on flooding tides. A 1/0 hook is just about right. Move from
place to place along jetties to find the fish. |
All
Year |
2
– 10 pounds |
12
lbs. 15 oz |
| Snapper, Red |
Cut bait on multiple-hook
rigs is effective for smaller snappers, and a favorite rig for large red
snapper is a single 7/0 hook. The hook is fastened to a 4 to 5-foot dropper
off the main leader, which ends with an 8 to 12 ounce sinker. |
Offshore around natural
structure or artificial reefs. Selection of bait is important. Squid with
long tentacles, whole cigar minnows, and fresh strips of bonito or amberjack
or live fish such as pinfish or tomtates catch the big red snapper. Fish
different depths until you catch the size snapper you're looking for, then
fish at that depth to catch snapper of similar size. |
April
21 - October 31 of each year |
2
- 30 pounds |
44
lbs -12 oz. |
| Snapper, Gray
(Mangrove, Black) |
Same as for Red snapper |
Smaller gray snappers
are often caught in inshore tidal rivers, creeks and channels and around
inshore gas rigs. Gray snapper are usually caught on the bottom. |
All
Year |
1 – 12 pounds |
15
lbs. 11 oz. |
| Snapper, Vermilion
(Beeliner) |
Cut bait on multiple-hook
rigs. State Record: |
Offshore around natural
structure or artificial reefs. Beeliners, unlike red snappers, are a mid-water-column
fish. For larger vermilion snapper try using bait such as cigar minnows
or Spanish sardines. The rule for vermilion snapper is that the larger fish
always school, hold and feed over the smaller ones. |
All
Year |
1
– 5 pounds |
7
lbs. 3 oz. |
| Spadefish,
Atlantic |
Pieces of peeled
fresh shrimp and squid; or try small pieces of jellyfish with small (#5
or #6) double strength hooks. |
Fish visible schools
of fish around obstructions (reefs, buoys, rigs, etc.) Coastal Gulf waters
around reefs, natural bottom and rigs |
All
year |
1
- 4 pounds |
6
lbs. 12 oz. |
| Spot |
Cut bait, squid,
dead shrimp, fished on bottom. |
Anchored or drifting
from boats, also caught from docks, piers, shore and surf; big runs of fish
in the fall in lower Mobile Bay and in surf and piers off Alabama beaches,
Mobile Bay and Bay tributary rivers, coastal Gulf waters, inlets - all inshore
coastal waters. |
May
- November; Peak: June |
8
- 12 ounces |
State
Record: Open |
| Tarpon |
Whole dead fish (spot,
croaker, menhaden); live bait (large pinfish, menhaden, mullet); whole squid;
artificial lures (plugs and weighted streamer flies - tarpon like white) |
Anchor and fish live
bait (pinfish) under floats, or on the bottom and at various depths using
a 9/0 circle hook; cast artificial lures to rolling fish. Inlets, interior
marsh areas, and Gulf waters along the beaches of Eastern Shore in upper
Mobile Bay, seaside barrier islands; fish deep holes on low tides and shallow
areas on high tides |
Late
May to early October; Peak: July - August - $50 tarpon tag required for
each fish taken. |
30
- 150 pounds |
203
lbs. 0 oz. |
| Triggerfish,
Gray |
Cut bait on multiple-hook
with small pieces of peeled fresh shrimp or squid. |
Gulf waters around
reefs, natural bottom and rigs.The best bait is a piece of squid hooked
on a very sharp, double-strength 1/0 or 2/0 hook. Note: If you get your
fingers too close to the mouth, you will lose a nice chunk of your finger!
The triggerfish three stiff dorsal spines and can lock them in an upright
position. The only way to get them down is to push down on the third spine.
It acts as a "trigger" and the other two spines will flatten into
a groove in the fish's back. |
All
Year |
1
- 5 pounds |
13
lbs. 8 oz. |
| Tripletail
(Blackfish) |
Large, live shrimp,
or artificial lures |
Usually caught around
buoys, channel markers and other floating obstructions. Tripletail can be
quite shy and slow to strike so slow sinking jigs or bait below a cork are
the best baits for tripletails. A long, calcutta cane pole with large, live
shrimp is a most effective method. |
Mid-May
- October Peak: July |
5
- 20 pounds |
37
lbs. 4 oz. |
| Tuna, Blackfin |
Whole fish (balao),
squid, artificial lures (feather lures, large plugs, offshore trolling lures)
|
Trolling, jigging
- Offshore Gulf waters |
May
- December, peak: late June - July |
10-
20 pounds |
32
lbs. 12 oz. |
| Tuna, Yellowfin |
Whole dead fish (balao),
squid, artificial lures (feather lures, offshore trolling lures, large plugs). |
Slow-trolling live
blue runners (6" - 8" are perfect size), chunking and chumming
or jigging diamondhead jigs when fish are down deep. Offshore Gulf waters. |
April
- December, Peak: June - July |
50
- 150 pounds |
204
lbs. 2 oz. |
| Tunny, Little
(Bonito) |
Artificial lures
(small feather and nylon lures, metal spoons), strip baits. |
Trolling, can cast
small metal lures to schools of fish on surface. Offshore and coastal Gulf
waters; occasionally in lower Mobile Bay. |
April
- November |
4
- 12 pounds |
21
lbs. 0 oz. |
| Wahoo |
Artificial lures
- plastic trolling lures (kona heads, etc.), feather lures, spoons, large
plugs, small dead fish (balao). |
Trolling - Offshore
Gulf waters |
May
- October |
25
- 75 pounds |
117
lbs. 6 oz. |
