Surf Fishing in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, AL

A monster bull red drum cruises down the beach looking for meandering crabs, pompano jet in and out of sandbar cuts, spanish mackerel school along slashing tiny bait fish, blue fish look for anything they can shred with their teeth, and a lone fisherman anxiously awaits the coming action. Thanks to careful preparation, the fisherman's heart races as the 12' foot surf rod bows over as the quarry snags the bait. This kind of action can be found along the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, AL. With over 35 miles of white sand beaches and many miles of undisturbed Gulf State Park and Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge beaches, there are virtually endless sites for the surf angler to try.

Surf fishing requires a different sort of fishing mindset than coastal boat and pier fishing. Setting up on a good spot can mean walks of over a mile or more to get to the perfect spot, carrying not only long rods designed to hurl heavy lead hundreds of yards into the surf but also bait, tackle bucket, sand stakes, and more. Many experienced surf fishermen invest in specially designed aluminum beach carts with pneumatic tires to make the burden lighter.

The first element in surf fishing, like any other fishing, is finding a spot. Irregular beach shapes such as points and cuts often provide structure where bait fish try to hide and game fish like to hunt. A beach covered with scattered and crushed sea shells usually indicates a deep hole off the surf that will hold fish. Visible sand bars always have an inside (front) or outside (back) cut. Schooling fish such as pompano, trout, red drum, and spanish mackerel love to hunt the edges of these bars and the depths of these cuts for prey.

The second consideration in surf fishing is bait. Like other coastal fishing, anything in the surf will eat a live shrimp. However, live shrimp are difficult to keep on the hook when casting long distances. Individually flash frozen (IFF) bait shrimp are available at many bait & tackle shops and are better for threading onto bait keeper hooks. Also, brining dead shrimp over night in salt solution will make them tougher on the hook and they will remain just as appetizing to your catch. Squid is very good for surf fishing because it has a strong odor and is pretty tough on the hook. Cut bait (mullet and ladyfish) provide a hearty temptation to schooling red drum (look out for sail cats and rays). Sand fleas are ideal for pompano but can be hard to find. Some bait stores have live sand fleas seasonally and IFF sand fleas can also be purchased. Berkley Gulp makes a very realistic sand flea with their patented scent and seem to work quite well.

The third and perhaps most important element in surf fishing is getting your bait to the fish. Veteran surf anglers carry surf rods in excess of 9 feet up to as much as 15 feet. Novice surf anglers will find wielding anything longer than 9 feet difficult and can usually do pretty well with an 8-9' surf rod. Look for something that is stout enough to handle heavy lead and baits but still has good flex to really fling the bait across the waves.

Using the appropriate amount of weight (lead) is very important. Pyramid sinkers are very popular and do a very good job of flying through the wind. However, when currents are really moving the pyramids will roll across the sand instead of staying where you intended. Going too large with your weight can cause difficulty in casting. Anchor lead, a piece of lead with strands of protruding heavy copper wire, is good when currents are strong and a stationary bait is desired.

Sand stakes are a necessity. They are plastic sleeves that push into the sand to hold your rods. You can buy them or make them with PVC. Make sure it its long enough to push into the sand and be anchored and also long enough to hold the butt of the rod securely. A 3 foot stake should be long enough for anything up to 7.5 feet, go up to 4 feet for anything 8' and longer.

The fun part of course is the fishing. Find your spot, bait your hooks, cast into the surf, set your rod into the sand stake, sit down, sip on your favorite cold beverage and wait for the action.