# Need help with Gulf Shores area fishing



## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

I will be staying at the Beach Club on Fort Morgan Road the latter part of next week for a conference. I'm thinking of dragging the boat down for some inshore fishing if the weather cooperates. I have never fished this area so I would like some pointers on where to fish and what boat ramps would be best for access. I will be in a 19' Key West and interested in inshore bay fishing. Not needing any honey holes, just general areas and information. For instance, should I try the reefs in Mobile Bay? If so, which boat ramp, etc. I don't mind driving a bit to get to a place, so Mobile Bay is not the only area I would be interested in. Lost boy looking for advice. Thanks.


----------



## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

Outdooralabama.com has an inshore map of mobile bay. It has coordinates for a handful of public numbers.
The rigs in mobile bay by fort Morgan would bean spot to try. You could work the bank in the intercostal water, and fish it just like you would for bass.


----------



## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

Chapman5011 said:


> Outdooralabama.com has an inshore map of mobile bay. It has coordinates for a handful of public numbers.
> The rigs in mobile bay by fort Morgan would bean spot to try. You could work the bank in the intercostal water, and fish it just like you would for bass.


I'll check that sit out. I've seen the map of the artificial reefs of Mobile bay. What boat ramps would be best for accessing the bay and the ICW? I assume the boat ramp on 59 would be ripping depending on the tide. Is that a public ramp by the Ferry at Ft. Morgan?


----------



## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

There is a ramp on 180. Parking sucks.


----------



## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

The fort Morgan ramp is public and is completely protected from the current. 
To launch in the intercostal, most convenient to you would be under the bridge on 59 as you come into gulf shores. Directly under the big bridge. About a quarter mile from tacky jacks. Same street under the bridge


----------



## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

If you launch under the bridge , head towards west toward the bay and about a mile or two down you will be at the mouth of the Bon secour river. You may like the Bon secour river. It's brackish water. You can catch a bass on one cast and a trout or red fish on the next. Lots of fishy water up in the river. Stay in the channel when traveling . The river isn't longer than maybe a few miles long. My place is in the boggy branch part of the river, and in my crab traps , I'll have blue crab and blue gill bream in the same trap. 
You may be able to find some good info using the search function in this forum about the Bon secour river.


----------



## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

Chapman5011 said:


> If you launch under the bridge , head towards west toward the bay and about a mile or two down you will be at the mouth of the Bon secour river. You may like the Bon secour river. It's brackish water. You can catch a bass on one cast and a trout or red fish on the next. Lots of fishy water up in the river. Stay in the channel when traveling . The river isn't longer than maybe a few miles long. My place is in the boggy branch part of the river, and in my crab traps , I'll have blue crab and blue gill bream in the same trap.
> You may be able to find some good info using the search function in this forum about the Bon secour river.


The Bon Secour sounds interesting. Is the better fishing up river or around the mouth? Fishing structure, banks? Thanks for the input!


----------



## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

All up and down the river can be good. I see a lot of guides around half way up the river. River isn't but a few miles long. They use bobbers with live squid. 
Research will go along way, as I am kind of just getting into inshore fishing. I mainly fish in the gulf. 
Last month we caught a bunch of large blue crabs on hook and line at the mouth of the river where it flows into the bay. We used Bonita strips of meat that we caught the day before trolling in the gulf . 
Which made for a hell of a boil after I bought some jumbo shrimp to go with it


----------



## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

Thanks Chapman. I've searched for Bon Secour posts on here. Most, however, are posts from fall and winter fishing the area. I'll keep digging. Read some reports from the ICW around the area. Maybe Wolf Bay? I definitively plan on stopping by and see Chris V at Sam's.


----------



## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

bamacpa said:


> Thanks Chapman. I've searched for Bon Secour posts on here. Most, however, are posts from fall and winter fishing the area. I'll keep digging. Read some reports from the ICW around the area. Maybe Wolf Bay? I definitively plan on stopping by and see Chris V at Sam's.


Little Lagoon might be an option. I've never fished it, but check with Chris.


----------



## SteveH (Oct 3, 2007)

If you are staying on Fort Morgan road, you can launch right at the fort. This will put you real close to the platforms in the bay. You can see them from the launch. They should be holding speckled trout this time of the year. It also puts you close to Dixie Bar, which runs south from the fort, along the east side of the ship channel, just outside the bay. This can be a good spot for redfish. By launching at the fort, you avoid the crowds/traffic in Gulf Shores.


----------



## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

SteveH said:


> If you are staying on Fort Morgan road, you can launch right at the fort. This will put you real close to the platforms in the bay. You can see them from the launch. They should be holding speckled trout this time of the year. It also puts you close to Dixie Bar, which runs south from the fort, along the east side of the ship channel, just outside the bay. This can be a good spot for redfish. By launching at the fort, you avoid the crowds/traffic in Gulf Shores.


I certainly wouldn't mind getting out in the bay on some of the rigs. I'll have to keep an eye on the wind. I get a little antsy on my 19 footer in big bay chop. Just my comfort level. I prefer a little bigger boat for these areas.


----------



## SteveH (Oct 3, 2007)

Unless it is really windy, the bay is usually pretty nice/calm. Most of the boats that fish the rigs in Mobile Bay are small bay boats.


----------



## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

SteveH said:


> Unless it is really windy, the bay is usually pretty nice/calm. Most of the boats that fish the rigs in Mobile Bay are small bay boats.


That's good to hear. Hope for me after all.


----------



## markbxr400 (Jul 23, 2013)

I'd second Little Lagoon. It's usually a sure bet for trout. Rigs in Mobile Bay also.


----------



## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

Speaking of the mobile bay rigs, how do you actually fish them? How close do you get, what baits, how rigged? I would assume you would get close enough to toss a shrimp or other live bait on a Carolina rig toward the legs of the rig? Or can you stay off the rigs a good ways? How deep is the water on the closer ones? Sorry for all the darn questions.


----------



## markbxr400 (Jul 23, 2013)

bamacpa said:


> Speaking of the mobile bay rigs, how do you actually fish them? How close do you get, what baits, how rigged? I would assume you would get close enough to toss a shrimp or other live bait on a Carolina rig toward the legs of the rig? Or can you stay off the rigs a good ways? How deep is the water on the closer ones? Sorry for all the darn questions.


Some of the rigs have had shells poured around certain sides of them. 

Anyway, here's how I fish them - I use live croakers this time of the year, but big shrimp should also work. I use a 4000 series reel on a medium heavy fast action rod and 30# braid. I rig a medium sized slip cork on this setup so I can set my depth about 3' off the bottom or other depths if my bottom machine shows fish at another depth. I use a no. 2 kahle hook, 25# leader about 3' long and a 1/2oz to 3/4oz swivel weight. I tend to try to drift my float up close and just past the mooring pilings, where trout sit in the eddy from the usual strong current waiting for bait to drift by. Be ready, when the cork goes under, set the hook and wrestle the trout back to your side of the piling else expect your line to get cut on the barnacles around the piling.

So, you'll want to anchor in a position that allows you to drift your cork toward the pilings. Sometimes I do catch trout away from the pilings, but probably 75% of the time they hit around the pilings.

You can get by with smaller tackle, but as the summer wears on the trout get bigger. I like the beef of the heavier tackle to be able to wrestle the trout away from structure before I get broken off.

You can also fish the sunken barge near the ferry landing. Just be careful to stay away from the barge as you can actually hit it with your boat. The barge kind of lays in a north-south direction toward the north east side of the circle of pilings. You can usually see the outline of it on a calm day. It is nowhere near the orange floating buoy, but rather across the series of pilings from it.

Good luck!


----------



## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

Wow! Mark I really appreciate all that detailed information. Makes me want to give it a shot. Where would be the best place to buy live bait (croakers and shrimp)?


----------



## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

As long as it's not storming and Real windy, then you should be fine with your boat. 
If you post a report at the end of next week, we will all know you survived and caught fish.


----------



## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

Most any bait shop at the beach or bay will have live shrimp


----------



## bamacpa (Nov 8, 2013)

Thanks so much for all the help and suggestions! I'm still trying to decide if I want to haul my boat that far. I have considered hiring a guide, but probably too late for that.


----------



## markbxr400 (Jul 23, 2013)

bamacpa said:


> Wow! Mark I really appreciate all that detailed information. Makes me want to give it a shot. Where would be the best place to buy live bait (croakers and shrimp)?


There is a Gulf Shores Marina next door to Tacky Jacks at Ft Morgan that sells shrimp. They may have bull minnows as well. I've not found any place over here selling live croakers, so usually just catch my own.

I do know an excellent guide that fishes everything I've described. I'll PM you with his contact info in case you are interested.

Good luck.


----------



## Aggieangler (Jul 10, 2014)

Hey MarkBXR400...can I get that guide info also? I am looking for something similar. I would love to fish the Lagoon for trout and reds this year.


----------



## markbxr400 (Jul 23, 2013)

Aggieangler said:


> Hey MarkBXR400...can I get that guide info also? I am looking for something similar. I would love to fish the Lagoon for trout and reds this year.


No problem. Check your PM's.


----------

