Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Alabama (Complete Guide)
Alabama offers some of the best seatrout, flounder, and redfish angling on the Gulf Coast but it is home to great bass, catfish, crappie, and snapper fishing too. Knowing the best time & seasons to fish in Alabama can really amp up your catch rates.
The best time to fish in the state of Alabama for redfish, flounder, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, bluegill, weakfish, and snapper is from March through June & from August through late October.
In this article, we will discuss the best times and seasons to fish in Alabama. We will also talk about where some of the best fishing in Alabama is on a species-by-species basis.
Best Times to Fish in Alabama: Fish Species
Largemouth
Largemouth bass can be found in practically every type of aquatic environment in Alabama. spawning takes place from April to late May. Bass fishing is good year-round but especially good in spring and fall.
Bluegill
Bluegills can be found in springs and tiny streams all the way up to big rivers, reservoirs, wetlands, and private ponds in Alabama. Great fishing can be done year-round in Alabama.
Crappie
There are two species of crappie: black crappie and white crappie, with hybrids of the two occurring naturally in some lakes like Weiss Lake. You can catch crappie year-round. Winter and spring are the best months.
Redfish
Alabama is home to a large population of redfish, which are actually red drums but are more commonly referred to as redfish. Great fishing can be had year-round but late fall through early spring can be especially good in Alabama.
Amberjack
The months of May and August to October are the busiest. The months of January to April, June to July, and November to December are closed.
Snapper
The fishing for red snapper in Alabama varies slightly throughout the year. The summer months of June and July are the busiest. January through May and August to December are the low seasons.
Flathead Catfish
Anglers can capture prize fish weighing more than 40 pounds as well as large numbers of these tasty fish while flathead catfishing in Alabama. Great fishing year-round but late summer into mid-fall is best.
Channel Catfish
Anglers will disagree over the greatest time of year to catch channel catfish, but it is widely acknowledged that early spring is the optimum period.
I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.
Recommended Alabama Fishing Guides/Charters
These Alabama-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Location |
| Sure Shot Fishing Charters | Orange Beach, AL |
| Lost Bay Guide Service | Gulf Shores, AL |
| Emerald “C” Fishing Charters | Orange Beach, AL |
| Another Fish Charters – Gulf Shores | Gulf Shores, AL |
| Off The Hook Charters | Gulf Shores, AL |
| Jus Cuz Fishing Charters | Orange Beach, AL |
| Riptide Fishing Charters | Orange Beach, AL |
| Angler Management Fishing Charters | Orange Beach, AL |
| Eagle Express Charters | Orange Beach, AL |
Best Time to Fish Alabama
Alabama boasts a diverse range of fish species to chase, from the Tennessee River to the Gulf of Mexico. This year’s fishing calendar features everything from small bluegill to monster catfish in freshwater, as well as 5-pound sheepshead to 60-pound amberjack in saltwater.
January
Blue Catfish | Wheeler Lake
We know Wheeler Lake for producing prize fish over 50 pounds, with the uncommon 90-pound monster catfish. Evening and night fishing are active times at wheeler.
February
Spotted Bass | Jordan Lake
Anglers can catch a 4-pound spotted bass from one end to the other all throughout February. Early morning and late afternoon, the bass are feeding aggressively.
March
Flathead | Alabama River
March is the hot month for flatheads. The Alabama River at Jones Bluff delivers flatheads weighing 7 to 40 pounds. Sunrise the big flatheads are most abundant.
April
Largemouths | Lake Eufaula
Also known as Walter F George Lake, is a bass angler’s dream with almost 600 miles of shoreline to fish. Head to cover early morning for the most hits.
May
Bluegills | Duck River Lake
May is the best month for bluegills on Duck lake. Evenings have proven effective in landing these delicious pan fryers.
June
Red Snapper | Orange Beach
Because of the brief seasons in recent years, anglers are catching larger fish. At the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo in July, the top three red snapper taken were all above 25 pounds.
July
Flathead Catfish | Choctawhatchee River
Flatheads are not native to the Choctawhatchee River, but they have lately expanded their range upstream to Newton. Reports locating flatheads weighing 2 to 38 pounds. Late afternoons and night-fishing have yielded significant results.
August
Greater Amberjack | Orange Beach
With the start of the amberjack season on Aug. 1, offshore anglers should expect to hook up with 20-pound AJs, with 40- to 50-pound fish being common. Anglers have caught 60-pounders occasionally. Get an early start for the best results.
September
Channel Catfish | Lake Martin
Anglers report catching 30 to 40 fish weighing 1 1/2 to 3 pounds on a good day, with a few fish weighing over 5 pounds. Targeting sunrise and sunset is an excellent tactic.
October
Smallmouths | Pickwick Lake
The abundance and size of smallmouth bass make this a world-class area. On a good fall day, anglers can catch 20 to 40 fish, several of which weigh over 4 pounds. On rare occasions, maybe a trophy 8-pounder.
November
Crappies | Weiss Lake
Anglers catch bigger fish and the numbers are fantastic in November when water temps drop to about 75 degrees. Start early to bag your limit.
December
Redfish | Fort Morgan
The Dixie Bar located off the peninsula’s western point offers world-class bull redfish fishing throughout the month of December. evening into dusk the big reds come out to hunt.
Best Time of Day to Fish Alabama
Depending on the species you are targeting the ideal times will vary. A good rule of thumb is later in the winter and earlier in the summer.
In warmer months, fish will seek the most comfortable times of day to bite which is early morning and later in the afternoon until dusk. In colder months, the heat of the day is likely the better time to fish.
Best Fishing Spots in Alabama
Alabama River
The Lower Alabama River is home to largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, catfish, striped bass, and white bass.
This river can be a great place to capture alligator gar, paddlefish, Alabama darter, and Alabama sturgeon, besides the normal Alabama fish. The best fishing season is from March through June & September through November.
Lake Lewis Smith
Lewis Smith Lake, in Cullman, is one of the most prolific lakes in the state for several fish species. Fish the Ryan Creek arm if you prefer to catch largemouth bass because it is flatter than the Rock Creek and Spivey sections. The best fishing season is from March through June & September through November.
Lake Neely Henry
Near Gadsden, Neely Henry Lake is good for largemouth and spotted bass fishing. In the spring, go striped bass fishing in the headwaters below Weiss Dam.
While summer fishing might be difficult in many Alabama lakes, that isn’t the case here, thanks to the spring-fed rivers that feed it.
Guntersville Lake
Lake Guntersville’s excellent bass fishing makes it a popular destination on national and regional competition calendars, and the Goose Pond boat pier is a popular launch site.
Crappie can be found in the spring and fall, with some fisherman catching them at night near the bridge pilings throughout the summer. The best fishing season is from March through June & September through November.
Pickwick Lake
The average depth of this lake, produced by Wilson Dam, is 11 feet, however, there are locations where it is over 50 feet deep. Before the spring spawn, consider fishing here. When water rushes over Wilson Dam, baitfish and forage are sent downstream, causing a feeding frenzy.
This is another great time to fish in this lake. The best fishing season is from March through June & September through November.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Mobile, and Dauphin Island, please check out these helpful guides. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Georgia, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch redfish in Alabama, please check out this helpful article.
