Best Times & Seasons to Fish near Gulf Shores (Full Guide)
Gulf Shores, Alabama is one of the best fishing destinations along the Gulf of Mexico and abound with huge numbers of gamefish. Knowing the best time of year and of the day to fish these waters can make a huge difference for you and lead to more fun fishing.
The best time to fish near Gulf Shores, Alabama is summer for tarpon, mackerel, grouper, speckled trout, and flounder. For snapper, the best fishing is actual over the winter months in Gulf Shores-area waters.
| Fish Species | Best Times to Fish in Gulf Shores-area Waters |
| Redfish | Year-round availability. Best action around rising and falling tides. |
| Tarpon | May through September is the best fishing window. |
| Mackerel | Fish the oil rigs May through November for the best mackerel fishing. |
| Cobia | March through April is the best season for cobia in these waters. |
| Grouper | Year-round availability. Mornings and late afternoons will offer the best results. |
| Speckled Trout | Fish early evenings July through September for the best results. |
| Snapper | October through March is best. Fish early mornings and late afternoons. |
| Flounder | March through November will offer the best flounder fishing in Gulf Shores. |
Starting as a small fishing community, Gulf Shores has grown to be one of the best towns to fish in Alabama which is home to some great fishing. Gulf Shores is located on the southernmost part of Alabama, on the Gulf of Mexico, only a 20 minute drive away from Florida.
The area has a complex system of waterways inland and a very healthy fishery out in the ocean. The most sought out species here are redfish, with other popular species being sharks, speckled trout, cobia, and red snappers.
Best Time to Fish Gulf Shores
The best time of year to fish Gulf Shores would depend on what species you are targeting, but if you’re looking for the best bang for your buck and want to catch as many fish as possible, planning your trip during July wouldn’t be a bad idea.
The bigger redfish will start moving in, along with red snapper fishing picking up and cobia and kingfish fishing still going strong. The main downside of going during this time is the weather. July is in the middle of tropical storm season and gets hot, so just keep those things in mind while planning a trip here.
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 to create your combo.
Species of Gulf Shores: Best Times to Fish
Redfish
Redfish can be caught year-round in Gulf Shores, but are most active during early to mid-summer. If you are looking to catch bigger fish while possibly sacrificing numbers, you can expect to catch bull reds in the fall.
Redfish will feed during most of the day, but dawn and dusk are your best options. As for tides, you’ll want to fish for redfish during the times leading up to high tide and during high tide for the best results.
Redfish like a variety of different foods. Some of the most popular baits to use for them include poppers, plastics, and fresh squid or shrimp.
With the fresh bait and plastics, using a float, jig, or Carolina rig will give you the best results, depending on the type of spot you are fishing
Redfish mainly stick to inshore, grassy flats areas. You can look for them by docks, patches of grass, or deeper currents running through a flat.
Usually, you’ll want to save your jigs and Carolina rigs for those deeper currents and use poppers and floats while fishing shallower or near the grass.
Red Snapper
Red snapper are a very popular fish in Gulf Shores. They get very big in this area and have a healthy population. The season opens at the end of May and closes in November. The best time of year to go for them would be June and July, the snapper will become more active as the water warms up and they will travel from deeper in the gulf to the Gulf Shores area.
As for the time of day, anytime without a high sun will work well, but if high tide reaches its peak during that time, the fishing will still be good.
The most effective way to catch red snapper is to use live bait, with pinfish being the most popular choice by anglers in the area.
Dead bait will work as well, but most snappers will bite fresh bait a lot quicker than they will dead bait. You’ll want to make sure that you have plenty of bait to get to the depth where the fish are at as well.
Red snappers can live in water anywhere from 30-200 feet deep, making deep, offshore wrecks and reefs the most popular spots for them. Your charter will work out the details with the spots, so there’s no need to stress about it if you are planning on taking a charter.
Cobia
Cobia are also a very popular species in Gulf Shores, they put up a good fight and can get up to 6 feet and 100 pounds.
The best time of year to fish for them is in the early spring when the season opens up. Even just the slight temperature change will make them much more active than they were in the winter.
Some of the most used baits for cobia are crabs, shrimp, eels, and mullet. You can rig them with a jig, troll, drift, or let it sit close to the bottom, any of those tactics will produce fish.
Cobia are generally found in deeper inshore waters, usually near channels and underwater currents. They are found close to shore as well, making pier fishing for them a very popular pastime in the area.
If you’re fishing from shore, look for areas where a channel or river expands into the ocean or a deep area.
Kingfish
Kingfish are a very popular offshore species found in Gulf Shores. They can get pretty big and put up a good fight out in the open ocean.
The best time of year to target them is from May through September, they will be more active as the water warms and will generally bite the most during the morning.
Kingfish like live bait that is presented naturally. The bait will also work better if you can attempt to match the hatch.
This means to match your bait with the most common baitfish in the area during the time you are fishing. Trolling and drifting are popular methods for catching kingfish.
Kingfish are found in offshore waters, they can be found in open water but are harder to pinpoint while they are there, so most anglers try to find structures such as reefs or wrecks.
Reefs and wrecks will hold plenty of other species, but you will have a better chance of getting a few kings here as compared to in less structured areas.
Speckled Trout
Speckled trout are a very popular fish all throughout the south. They give a decent fight and have plenty of numbers and are all-around fun to fish for.
Speckled trout are available year-round, but are mainly targeted during the warmer months of the summer. Dusk and dawn are the best time of day to catch them as they will be feeding a lot more compared to other times of the day.
Speckled trout like poppers live bait and plastics that imitate baitfish. You should try changing your retrieve by going fast, slower and different movements until you find a pattern that works.
As for living bait, a rig with some weight above the hook will work well, make sure that there will be plenty of slack line to create a more natural look.
Speckled trout are inshore fish, commonly found in channels, rivers, and flats. You can find them around docks, other structures, and areas with a strong weedline of grass.
You should target areas around drop-offs, putting your bait right on the edge of it because the trout will move up to feed.
Recommended Fishing Charters Near Gulf Shores
These Gulf Shores-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 | Type of Fishing Offered |
| Sure Shot Fishing Charters | Inshore, Offshore, Billfish |
| Lost Bay Guide Service | Inshore & Offshore |
| Emerald “C” Fishing Charters | Inshore & Offshore |
| Jus Cuz Fishing Charters | Inshore, Offshore, Billfish |
| Off The Hook Charters | Inshore & Offshore |
For a list of the best times to fish in the state of Alabama, please check out this helpful guide.
Best Time of Day to Fish Gulf Shores
Dusk and dawn are going to be your best options for the best time of day. Almost every fish in the area will be feeding and will be closer to shore than normal.
Tides have a role in whether these times are good or great, but you can expect to catch fish during these times, no matter the tide.
Tidal Impacts on Gulf Shores Fishing
As with any other saltwater fishing trip, you’ll want to pay attention to the tides. Tides can affect the water level, quality, and movements of baitfish, all of those can have big impacts on the game fish you are targeting.
If you’re on the flats, the times leading up to high tide are very good, and stay good until the tide starts to recede. High tide brings in clean water and makes fishing from shore or surf much easier as you can reach the deeper spots with less effort.
As for deep-sea and deeper inshore fishing, the same applies, but you’ll be more likely to catch fish offshore during low tide compared to if you were shore or surf fishing.
There are plenty of free resources online that track the tides and will let you know what time of day will be the best for the day you are planning on fishing.
Affect of Rain and Tropical Storms on Fishing in Gulf Shores
The Gulf Shores area and Louisiana have had their fair share of tropical storms. The tropical storm season in Louisiana runs from June to the end of November, which happens to be good times to fish the area as well. If there is a tropical storm expected to hit the area when you’re planning on going, it’s best to avoid it at all costs.
Even if the storm is hitting the east side of Florida or anywhere else in the gulf, it will affect the weather in Gulf Shores. There will be high winds and rain, making fishing difficult, but not impossible.
If you manage to find yourself in the area before a storm hits, fishing inshore and inland are the way to go as off-shore conditions will not be good.
Night Fishing in Gulf Shores
The night fishing in Gulf Shores is great. With plenty of options for well-lit piers, you can be sure to have enough light to catch fish. If you are planning on doing surf fishing at night, you will need a headlamp, which is a small price to pay for the amount of fish you can get.
Trout, cobia, and redfish are all very active at night, and if you can time the moon cycle and tide right, you can do much better at night than you would during the day at those times.
Fishing near the town offers good night fishing as well, because of all of the artificial light on the water, allowing the fish to feed all night long. If you are using live bait, it’s important to use something smelly, like a herring and if you are going to use artificial bait, smelly plastics and loud lures are the way to go.
Shore and Surf Fishing in Gulf Shores
Gulf Shores offers great fishing spots from shore and surf. The area is home to plenty of beaches, piers, and docks and a wide variety of species are available from shore. Most of the spots are easily accessible and free, making them a great option to get some extra fishing during your trip.
Best Fishing Spots in Gulf Shores
-Surf/Shore Fishing
Gulf State Park Pier
This pier is well lit, open 24/7, and has a bait and tackle shop open from 7 AM-5 PM. There are fees for both fishing and parking, and they also offer rod and reel rentals. This spot most commonly offers redfish, mackerel, flounder, and sheepshead. The most commonly used bait here is live bait, including shrimp and pinfish.
Little Lagoon
Little Lagoon is actually a decent-sized lake mainly offering redfish and speckled trout. There are countless fishing spots on the lagoon, including creeks and channels, offering some of the best brackish water fishing in the area.
Ft. Morgan Fishing Beach
Fort Morgan is a historical site, just across from Fort Gaines, on a small spit of land jutting out from Gulf Shores. This spot has limitless potential as you are in the middle of the ocean.
You can catch almost any species at this spot including redfish, shark, kingfish, cobia, and many others. There are plenty of piers scattered around this area, which means there will be plenty of space for you to fish.
-In Shore
Bon Secour Bay
Bon Secour Bay is located just west of Gulf Shores, connecting with Mobile Bay. This bay has great redfish and trout fishing from the flats and you can catch red snapper, kingfish, and cobia closer to the mouth of the bay, which is in between Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan. The best spots within this bay are around the flats and drop-offs.
Wolf Bay and Bay La Launch
These bays are located east of Gulf Shores, near the Florida border. These bays have a very healthy population of redfish and trout and are less fished when compared to other spots in the area.
There are quite a few creeks that dump into the bays, which are great spots for trout and redfish if the creek is near a grassy flat.
Perdido Bay
This bay is the border between Florida and Alabama, the main species caught here are also redfish and trout, with some red snapper mixed in as you get into deeper water. The best approach to fishing in this area is to fish around structures and inlets for trout and grassy flats for redfish. Near the mouth of the bay also has great fishing, the outer parts of the bay act as a waterway for fish.
-Offshore
When you are planning on going off-shore, a charter will be your best bet as they know productive spots, have all the gear you will need for the day and take away the stress of transporting or renting a boat. The main off-shore species include tuna, mahi-mahi, marlin, sailfish, and wahoo. Popular offshore spots in the area are off the coast of Dauphin Island and a variety of reefs and wrecks off the coast of Gulf Shores.
Best Seasons to Book a Charter
The best times to book a charter are around late spring and early fall. During the summer is also good, but charters may be very busy during this time. During late spring and early fall, you can expect to find plenty of fish including redfish, red snapper, kingfish, and speckled trout.
The weather should also be decent during these times, with the exception of tropical storms, which are unpredictable and have a chance to show up during early fall.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Dauphin Island, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Mobile, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Orange Beach, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Gulf Shores, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch redfish in Alabama, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best charters in Gulf Shores, check out this guide.
