# Advice for Gulf Shores



## Frosty66 (May 25, 2009)

I rented a house off Ft Morgan Rd on the bay side and We've never been to Gulf Shores. What is the best bet for a family without a boat to catch fish. There is a small private dock on the bay but I've done that enough to know I might not catch any eating size fish. We are going down the week of the 20th in June. I guess renting a boat is a possibility. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.


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## fred (Dec 28, 2008)

One good bet for fish without a boat is to get a light to put in/on/over the water at your dock and fish for specks and white trout at night. You will have best luck when the water is clear, but you have to be really quiet to avoid spooking them. We rent a house on the bay side pretty often and find it pretty entertaining at night. I go to the extreme of taking off my shoes to walk out on the dock - any vibration will spook them but they will come back after 20 - 30 minutes. You will see shadows moving in the light. Use 2" gulps and smaller jigs (crappie jig size) with light jig heads on light line. Sometimes on cloudy days or in the rain specks will move in to the docks during the day, but mostly at night.

You should also buy a couple of crab traps. Keep the water well chummed and your traps baited and you can get a dozen ortwo a day if you don't let them sit there full all day. Be sure to empty them at sunset andearly morningat least. If you filet your fish the backs and heads will make great crab bait.

If you want a big red or two go down to the fort and fish the point. There is also a small pier there where people do OK on flounder. If nothing else you will catch bait for your crab traps.

Other than that your best bet without a boat is the pass at Perdido early in the morning. When the surf is right you can catch whiting from the beach. You will also catch hardtails and ladyfish there which make good crab bait.

Ask around and find out if the specks are on the beach. You can catch some nice ones there sometimes, especially at dawnif the tide is high.

I just looked at the satellite picture and the bay looks pretty murky. If it does not clear up that will not bode well for nights off the dock, but you've got a few weeks.


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## cert-315 (Apr 13, 2009)

I think Fred said just about everything I would have.....one other spot worth checking is at the west pass area of little lagoon. Wade out to the sandbar inside the 'goon and throw bull minnows or Gulp.....plenty of trout and flounder in the evening!


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## Jighead (Feb 11, 2009)

Fred knows what he's talking about. The only thing I would add or change about Fred's post is to live shrimp off the dock at night. You can get a 12v floating halogen light atAcademy,bps or some walmarts. It's worthdragging a batterydown with you. 

Fred mentioned going to the fort and you do have a good chance to hook something big there. Go to walmart or a better yet a local bait store and by some frozen bait fish up to 6 inches pogy. On an outgoing tide cast out and allow bait to float in current. Fish with a very loose drag or you'll break off. Use wire leader because chances are good of hooking up on sharks and BIG redfish. Watch out for the catfish, have a glove or towel on hand while removing the hook. The cat's have a poison on the fins that feels like a wasp times 10 and hurts for days. 

Another good idea is to wade the edge of the bay early in the morning or at sunset throwing top water plugs. A zara spook with do fine. I've never tried a buzz bait but it could work. 

If the home your renting is west of Navy Cove Condos you've got a good chance of catching a lot of fish. Last July we pulled up on a dock with a single light and caught over 30 trout under one dock. Most were around 18 inches.


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## fred (Dec 28, 2008)

Jighead is right that the shrimp will definitely produce more, but Lordy, the pinfish and cats drive me nuts. I'm like Larry the Cable Guy, too cheap, just can't see using $8/lb shrimp to catch $4/lb fish. Maybe that's just a matter of the water at "our" dock though.

I do want to emphasize again though, you MUST be quiet to catch speck off a dock.

Whatever you do, just git 'er done!


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