Orange Beach and Gulf Shores fishing report for the week of September 24, 2026. Late September is a great time on the Alabama coast. The crowds have thinned, the weather is starting to cool, and the fish are feeding. The full moon on Saturday has Perdido Pass moving a lot of water.
What’s Hitting
What’s hitting this week is king mackerel, which are on the nearshore reefs and bait pods. Bull redfish are at Perdido Pass and along the beaches, and speckled trout are active in the back bays. Offshore, vermilion snapper, triggerfish, and amberjack are on Alabama’s artificial reefs. Spanish mackerel are along the beaches, and flounder are starting to stage for the fall run.
Where to Find Them
Kings are on the nearshore artificial reefs and around the bait pods in 40 to 80 feet. Bull reds are at the Perdido Pass jetties and along the beaches. Speckled trout are in Wolf Bay, Perdido Bay, and Bon Secour Bay. Reef fish are on the extensive artificial reef zones offshore.
Tides & Conditions
The full moon on Saturday is bringing strong tides, and the bull red bite at the pass has been best on the outgoing. Water temps are in the low 80s. Weather has been good, but keep an eye on the tropics.
Tackle & Tactics
For kings, slow-troll live cigar minnows or menhaden on a stinger rig. For bull reds at the pass, a live croaker or cut bait on a heavy setup with a circle hook. For speckled trout, a live shrimp under a popping cork or a soft plastic. For reef fish, use a two-hook bottom rig with cut squid or cigar minnows, and scale your tackle to the species you are targeting.
Local Intel This Week
The Cotton Bayou public boat launch in Orange Beach provides quick access to Perdido Pass. The Gulf State Park Pier in Gulf Shores is one of the best piers on the Gulf for kings and Spanish. Shore anglers can also fish the Perdido Pass jetties from Alabama Point. Fish are concentrating at the pass and on the reefs. Red snapper and other reef fish seasons are set by Alabama and federal managers and change year to year, so check current Alabama Marine Resources and NOAA Fisheries regulations before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
When fishing the artificial reefs, drop your bait to different depths. Triggerfish and vermilion snapper often hold higher in the water column than you might think, especially on a strong current.
More Orange Beach / Gulf Shores Resources
All Orange Beach / Gulf Shores fishing reports · Seasonal fishing calendars · Submit your own report
Planning a trip to Orange Beach / Gulf Shores AL?
This report tells you what happened. ReelAI tells you what to do about it — a briefing for your date, your target species and how you're fishing, built from our reports plus live NOAA and USGS data.
Powered by ReelAI — fishing.digital's intelligence layer. Answers are generated from fishing.digital reports and public NOAA, NWS and USGS data, and may be incomplete or out of date. Regulations and marine safety information are summaries only; always confirm with the responsible authority before you fish.