Any Day Spent Fishing is a Good Day! Plan ahead of your next family fishing vacation to make sure you get access to all of the fish you're looking for. Get insight into the best time of the year to visit depending on the fishing season and where you plan on fishing, whether it be inshore, offshore, or nearshore. Fishing in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach won't disappoint, as you get access to a variety of different fish from king mackerels and Spanish mackerels to red snappers and groupers, depending on the season. Several area restaurants will complete your Gulf Coast fishing experience by preparing your fresh catch for you. It just doesn't get any fresher than that!
Don't forget to make things easier on yourself by booking a fishing charter and get access to local experts and captains to ensure your catch is plentiful when you visit.
2023 Red Snapper Season
Private and state-licensed charter vessel anglers
Known as “Red Snapper capital of the World,” Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are the best place to find these remarkable fish.
The Marine Resources Division (MRD) of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announces the 2023 private angler red snapper fishing season will reopen at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, September 29, for four-day weekends until the remaining federal quota is met.
Alabama’s 2023 federal allocation of red snapper is 591,185 pounds. The 2023 red snapper season initially closed on September 4. A review of landing data by MRD has revealed that 15,671 pounds of Alabama’s federal red snapper quota remains available for harvest.
Federally permitted for-hire vessels
The season for anglers fishing from federally permitted for-hire vessels opens on June 1, 2023, and closed on August 25, 2023.
The bag limit for snapper is two per person.
2023 Amberjack & Triggerfish Seasons
We anticipate the recreational harvest of greater amberjack in federal and Alabama state waters will open for May and close on June 1. The season will reopen on August 1 and remain open until August 25, 2023. The bag limit for greater amberjack is one per person.
We anticipate the recreational harvest of gray triggerfish in federal and Alabama state waters to open on March 1, 2023 and stay open through May 31, 2023. Harvest will close on June 1 and remain closed through July 31. Fall and winter seasons will open on August 1, 2023, until the annual target is met. The bag limit for triggerfish is one per person.
From pier fishing at the Gulf State Park Pier to spending the day at Little Lagoon, there is somewhere for both novice and experienced anglers to cast their line. Details may be found on the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website.
Fishing is a year-round sport along the shores of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Here's a list of what's biting and what's in season.
