Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report

Memorial Day weekend is here, summer patterns are starting to settle in, and the Alabama Gulf Coast fishery is wide open from the surf to the pier to Mobile Bay and the offshore tournament scene. This week, Butch Thierry checks in with Angelo DePaola of The Coastal Connection for an update on Orange Beach real estate, the Abaco development, marina access, and the early action in the Gulf Coast Outboard Challenge. Captain Patric Garmeson of Ugly Fishing breaks down a changing inshore bite across Mobile Bay, with speckled trout spread from shallow slicks to deeper structure, live shrimp still producing, soft plastics playing a role, and Spanish mackerel, redfish, puppy drum, and other species moving through the system as water temperatures rise. Jim Cox joins the show to recap the Orange Beach Billfish Classic, including long runs, big money, blue marlin releases, bluefin tuna battles, and the start of the Gulf Coast Triple Crown season. David Thornton, the Pier Pounder, returns with a surf and pier report covering Spanish mackerel, pompano, whiting, trout, clean water, snobbling dead bait, and what anglers can expect as beach traffic picks up. To close it out, Blakeley Ellis of CCA Alabama previews the 2026 STAR Tournament and explains how registered anglers have a shot at winning a Skeeter bay boat by catching one of the blue-tagged redfish released along the Alabama coast.

SPONSORS

Make Wake Marine

Deep South Cranes

CCA Alabama

Dixie Building Supply / Baker Metal Works

Foster Contracting

Black Buffalo

Slip Ski Solutions

Admiral Shellfish Company

Coastal Connection

Fiber Plastics Inc

Hilton's Offshore Charts / Realtime-Navigator

McCoy Outdoor Company

Ricciardone Dentistry

Midway Lumber Sales

Coastal Brew Baits

Pure Flats

EMS / Endeck

Camper City Mobile

Fishing is heating up across the Alabama Gulf Coast, and this week's report has a little bit of everything, from nearshore reef fish to Eastern Shore trout to surf-zone fly fishing. Capt. Spencer Kight with D.I. Reef Monster breaks down the strong vermilion snapper bite, how he is fishing efficiently with fuel prices in mind, what he is seeing on triggerfish, and why he is watching for mahi, cobia, and the start of snapper season. Capt. Lyons Bousson with Fairhope Charters gives a strong Eastern Shore report, with speckled trout, redfish, and flounder showing up around piers, plus some encouraging signs for the trout and flounder fisheries. Sam Sumlin with Community Fly Shop in Gulf Shores shares a detailed surf fly fishing report, including how to find productive beach structure, what flies and lines he is using, and why anglers may be overlooking fish right at their feet. Blakeley Ellis with CCA Alabama also joins the show to preview the 2026 STAR Tournament, including the tagged redfish division and the chance for a registered angler to win a Skeeter bay boat.

SPONSORS

Make Wake Marine

Deep South Cranes

CCA Alabama

Dixie Building Supply / Baker Metal Works

Foster Contracting

Black Buffalo

Slip Ski Solutions

Admiral Shellfish Company

Coastal Connection

Fiber Plastics Inc

Hilton's Offshore Charts / Realtime-Navigator

McCoy Outdoor Company

Ricciardone Dentistry

Midway Lumber Sales

Coastal Brew Baits

Pure Flats

EMS / Endeck

Camper City Mobile

This week on the Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report, Butch Thierry is joined by Riley Ludlam, Captain Richard Rutland of Cold Blooded Fishing, and Captain Tanner Deas of Dauphin Island Fishing Charters. Riley kicks things off with a beach report from Dauphin Island, where low early water made the usual spots too shallow, but a rising tide opened up the bite around deeper cuts, drop-offs, and roadside flounder spots. Small live shrimp on Carolina rigs and popping corks produced flounder, trout, puppy drum, and a strong mixed bag once the water got right.

Captain Richard Rutland then breaks down an offshore swordfish trip that turned into a huge first swordfish for Riley. The crew dealt with a slow bite, tricky nighttime drift conditions, changing current, and a last-minute daytime drop that produced the fish just before they planned to head in. Richard also explains how he adjusted weight, bait, and presentation to deal with faster drift speeds, and he shares how the trip contributed to ongoing swordfish research with the University of South Alabama and Dauphin Island Sea Lab, including age, growth, mercury, and tagging work.

Captain Tanner Deas closes the show with an inshore report built around "anything fishing" near Dauphin Island, where trout, redfish, flounder, puppy drum, pompano, Spanish mackerel, and big whiting are all in the mix. Tanner explains how he has been starting with trout early, then shifting into ledges, drop-offs, Carolina rigs, slip corks, free-lined shrimp, and mid-strolled soft plastics as the day develops. His biggest takeaway is that anglers should not get too locked in on one species or one bait right now. The better approach is to fish good water, stay patient through the bycatch, and keep adjusting until the right fish shows up.

SPONSORS

AFTCO

Make Wake

Eastern Metal Supply

Deep South Cranes

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

Dixie Building Supply

KillerDock

Foster Contracting

Black Buffalo

Stayput Anchor

Slip Ski Solutions

Coastal Connection

Fiber Plastics Inc

Hilton's Offshore Charts

McCoy Outdoors

Ricciardone Dentistry

Coastal Brew Baits

Pure Flats

ADCNR Marine Resources Division

Shoreline Plastics

Camper City Mobile

Destin Boat Show

On this week's Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report, Butch Thierry checks in with Capt. Richard Rutland, Capt. Branden Collier, and McCoy Outdoor's Chip Duepree for a packed report on a coast that seems ready to bust loose.

Capt. Richard Rutland breaks down a strong inshore bite from the north end of Mobile Bay to the barrier islands, with speckled trout, redfish, and flounder showing up around bait, grass, beaches, ledges, rocks, and marsh edges.

Capt. Branden Collier reports trout scattered from shallow rock lines in the bay to the barrier islands, big flounder mixed in, redfish and trout on rigs, Spanish mackerel nearshore, and an offshore bite loaded with beeliners, triggerfish, red snapper, red grouper, and other bottom fish.

The episode wraps up with Chip Duepree from McCoy Outdoor, one of the show's newest sponsors, talking about McCoy's long history in Mobile and how the shop is staying stocked with the saltwater tackle, fly gear, local lures, and fishing knowledge Gulf Coast anglers need right now.

SPONSORS

AFTCO

Make Wake

Deep South Cranes

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

Dixie Building Supply

KillerDock

Foster Contracting

Gulf Coast Shows

Black Buffalo

Stayput Anchor

Slip Ski Solutions

Coastal Connection

Fiber Plastics Inc

Hilton's Offshore Charts

McCoy Outdoors

Ricciardone Dentistry

Coastal Brew Baits

Pure Flats

ADCNR Marine Resources Division

Sea Tow

Shoreline Plastics

Camper City Mobile

Destin Boat Show

On this week's Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report, Butch Thierry and Angelo DePaola cover a strong spring bite across the Alabama Gulf Coast, from deep-drop swordfish and offshore bottom fishing to the changing surf bite along Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan.

This week, Chris Vecsey breaks down how he uses electronics, structure, bait, sacrificial weights, and quick drops to target daytime swordfish, including what worked during a four-for-four Mud Marlin tournament trip.

Next up, Tony Emmons with South Alabama Surf Fishing gives an honest surf report, where pompano have been hit-or-miss, but whiting, quality flounder, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks, and a few other beach species are giving anglers plenty to chase.

Finally, Capt. King Marchand checks in from Dauphin Island with an offshore report centered on scamp, beeliners, live bait, tuna that were marked but stubborn, and why the current bottom fishing may be too good to leave.

SPONSORS

AFTCO

Make Wake

Deep South Cranes

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

Dixie Building Supply

KillerDock

Foster Contracting

Gulf Coast Shows

Black Buffalo

Stayput Anchor

Slip Ski Solutions

Coastal Connection

Fiber Plastics Inc

Hilton's Offshore Charts

McCoy Outdoors

Ricciardone Dentistry

Coastal Brew Baits

Pure Flats

ADCNR Marine Resources Division

Sea Tow

Shoreline Plastics

Camper City Mobile

Destin Boat Show

This week, we sit down with Chris Vecsey from J&M Tackle to break down how to actually target wahoo—not just catch them by accident.

If you've ever picked one up trolling between spots and wondered if you could do it on purpose, this episode is for you. Chris walks through a simple, effective trolling setup that works for everyday anglers running center consoles, not just big sportfish boats.

We dig into where to find wahoo closer to shore than most people think, how to read conditions like current, structure, and bait, and why slow trolling is often more effective than high-speed spreads. Chris also lays out a practical four-rod spread, gear recommendations, and small adjustments that can make a big difference in getting bites and actually landing fish.

If you've ever wanted to dedicate a trip to wahoo and do it right, this episode gives you a clear starting point.

SPONSORS

AFTCO

Deep South Cranes

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

Dixie Building Supply

KillerDock

Foster Contracting

Gulf Coast Shows

Black Buffalo

Stayput Anchor

Slip Ski Solutions

Coastal Connection

Fiber Plastics Inc

Hilton's Offshore Charts

McCoy Outdoors

Ricciardone Dentistry

Coastal Brew Baits

Pure Flats

ADCNR Marine Resources Division

Sea Tow

Shoreline Plastics

Camper City Mobile

Destin Boat Show

This episode of the Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report covers the full spring transition across the Alabama coast, from boat fishing the jetties to working the surf and even what's happening off the water.

Captain Ben Knight kicks things off with one of the hottest bites on the coast right now—pompano stacked up around the jetties. He walks through exactly how he's targeting them from a boat, from dialing in tide direction and current seams to using smaller live shrimp on Carolina rigs to match their bite. It's a really practical breakdown of how to fish moving schools, how to adjust between incoming and outgoing tides, and why this might be one of the best pompano runs he's seen in years. He also touches on flounder showing up as quality bycatch and trout starting to stage up in the grass, giving a pretty complete picture of what's happening in the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach zone.

Then the perspective shifts to the beach with Cooper Garmeson, who gives a boots-on-the-sand report from Fort Morgan. The surf bite has been steady, with whiting leading the charge and a mix of trout, flounder, and even Spanish mackerel mixed in. What stands out here is how simple the approach is—basic bottom rigs tipped with shrimp and Fishbites, fishing the trough for numbers and reaching past the sandbar for bigger fish. It's a good reminder that you don't need anything complicated to have a really productive day from the beach right now.

The episode wraps with Jim Cox, who talks through the upcoming Destin Boat and Yacht Show and what it says about the Gulf Coast boating scene right now. From hybrid boats that can run offshore to sandbar-friendly setups, the conversation highlights just how versatile the fishery—and the lifestyle—has become, and why this region continues to grow as a boating and fishing destination.

Taken together, it's a snapshot of a coast that's heating up in a big way. Whether you're fishing jetties, soaking baits in the surf, or just thinking about getting on the water, there's a lot happening—and it's only getting better.

SPONSORS

AFTCO

Deep South Cranes

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

Dixie Building Supply

KillerDock

Foster Contracting

Gulf Coast Shows

Black Buffalo

Stayput Anchor

Slip Ski Solutions

Coastal Connection

Fiber Plastics Inc

Hilton's Offshore Charts

McCoy Outdoors

Ricciardone Dentistry

Coastal Brew Baits

Pure Flats

ADCNR Marine Resources Division

Sea Tow

Shoreline Plastics

Camper City Mobile

Destin Boat Show

This week's Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report is packed with on-the-water intel as spring patterns start to take shape across the Gulf Coast. Captain Brandon Collier breaks down how he's finding fish despite relentless wind, leaning heavily on wade fishing to read bottom structure, dial in lure profiles, and stay on moving schools of trout, redfish, and flounder. He shares a simple but effective system for narrowing down lure color and profile, along with what to look for before ever making a cast—mullet movement, bird activity, and that gut-level "fishy" feeling that tells you whether to stay or move.

Captain Bobby Abruscato adds another layer, explaining why fish are still holding in the rivers longer than expected thanks to low rainfall and stable salinity, and how that's creating opportunities both upriver and out in the Sound. He walks through how to read mullet behavior to locate feeding fish, why a popping cork and shrimp setup is still one of the most effective tools this time of year, and how subtle changes in water clarity can dictate everything from lure color to location.

The episode wraps with a look at the Gulf Coast Outboard Challenge, a long-format, angler-friendly tournament designed to give everyday fishermen a real shot at meaningful prize money without being limited by weather or boat size.

SPONSORS

AFTCO

Deep South Cranes

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

Dixie Building Supply

KillerDock

Foster Contracting

Gulf Coast Shows

Black Buffalo

Stayput Anchor

Slip Ski Solutions

Coastal Connection

Fiber Plastics Inc

Hilton's Offshore Charts

McCoy Outdoors

Ricciardone Dentistry

Coastal Brew Baits

Pure Flats

ADCNR Marine Resources Division

Sea Tow

Shoreline Plastics

Camper City Mobile

Destin Boat Show

This week's Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report is all about adapting to tough conditions and finding fish when the wind won't let up. Host Butch Thierry sits down with Captain Tanner Deas and Captain Patric Garmeson to break down what they're seeing across Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound, and the surrounding inshore waters—and why this stretch of windy weather might actually be making anglers better.

Captain Tanner Deas shares how heavy winds are forcing anglers to slow down, cover water more intentionally, and focus on protected areas where bait and fish are stacking up. Wade fishing has been especially productive, with solid numbers of redfish and flounder showing up and trout beginning to make a stronger push, particularly in areas closer to where they've overwintered. With live bait hard to come by, artificials are doing the heavy lifting, and subtle changes in retrieve and cadence are making a big difference in getting bites .

Captain Patric Garmeson echoes the same theme from a different angle, emphasizing how windy days force anglers to dial in their approach and learn more about specific spots. He's seeing strong redfish action on bait, a steady trout bite in select areas, and flounder showing up just about everywhere. He also shares how slowing down, working an area thoroughly, and experimenting with presentation can turn a tough day into a productive one .

Across the board, the takeaway is clear: fishing is heating up along the Alabama Gulf Coast, but success right now belongs to anglers willing to adjust. From changing retrieves to targeting protected water and paying attention to bait movement, this episode is packed with real-time insight on how to stay on fish when conditions are far from ideal.

SPONSORS

AFTCO

Deep South Cranes

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

Dixie Building Supply

KillerDock

Foster Contracting

Gulf Coast Shows

Black Buffalo

Stayput Anchor

Slip Ski Solutions

Coastal Connection

Fiber Plastics Inc

Hilton's Offshore Charts

McCoy Outdoors

Ricciardone Dentistry

Coastal Brew Baits

Pure Flats

ADCNR Marine Resources Division

Sea Tow

Shoreline Plastics

Camper City Mobile

Spring is starting to take hold along the Alabama Gulf Coast, and this week's report shows a fishery that's waking up but still shifting day to day.

Capt. Jay O'Brien reports that the sheepshead bite is tapering after a strong run, with noticeable pressure on larger fish. At the same time, speckled trout are beginning their spring transition out of the rivers and onto the flats, but they're moving with the bait and changing preferences throughout the day. Matching profile and presentation has been more important than color, and staying mobile has been the difference between slow days and steady action.

Off Dauphin Island, Capt. Spencer Knight is still putting together solid mixed bags by combining sheepshead limits with offshore runs for triggerfish and vermilion snapper. The bite has been consistent when conditions allow, though wind is starting to limit opportunities. His approach has been to avoid high-pressure structure, dial in depth carefully, and maximize efficiency with rigs that keep bait in the strike zone longer.

From the beach and pier, Chris Vecsey reports that pompano season is underway with strong early tournament weights, but conditions are a factor. Algae has been a constant challenge in the surf, and timing has mattered, with morning bites producing the best results. East-end beaches and Perdido Pass have been leading the way, with fish holding close in the troughs and even in the wash.

The episode closes with a local listener story that highlights just how much the fishery is changing. A rare snook catch along the Alabama coast underscores what more anglers have been noticing in recent years. Fish that were once considered outliers are starting to show up more often, adding another layer of intrigue to an already dynamic system.

Across the board, the common thread is adjustment. Fish are feeding, but they're not locked into a single pattern yet. Anglers who are willing to move, experiment, and pay attention to bait, depth, and conditions are finding success, while those staying static are getting left behind.

SPONSORS

AFTCO

Deep South Cranes

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

Dixie Building Supply

KillerDock

Foster Contracting

Gulf Coast Shows

Black Buffalo

Stayput Anchor

Slip Ski Solutions

Coastal Connection

Fiber Plastics Inc

Hilton's Offshore Charts

McCoy Outdoors

Ricciardone Dentistry

Coastal Brew Baits

Pure Flats

ADCNR Marine Resources Division

Sea Tow

Shoreline Plastics

Camper City Mobile