INSHORE FISHING GUIDE

Check Out Our Favorite Inshore Fishing Gear

Finding Your Perfect Setup
From redfish tailing in grass flats to speckled trout prowling oyster beds, our Gulf Coast waters demand gear that can handle it all. We've curated equipment perfect for Alabama's diverse inshore conditions and stock fresh live bait daily - fiddler crabs, shrimp, and bull minnows for when artificial lures aren't getting the job done.

Reading The Water & Setting Up

SPOTTING FISH

- Structure Spots: Check oyster beds, grass flats, dock pilings

- Water Movement: Focus on tide lines and current breaks around points

- Bait Activity: Watch for mullet schools, diving birds

- Depth Changes: Target drops and channels near structure

- Shrimp Activity: Look for tiny splashes or "popcorn" action when shrimp flee predators

WORKING THE AREA

- Position uptide of target zone

- Keep boat shadow off fishing area

- Match drift speed to conditions

- Use trolling motor sparingly

- Maintain quiet approach for spooky fish

BAIT TACTICS

Spring/Summer:

- Live shrimp under popping corks
- Small soft plastics for trout
- Fiddler crabs near structure

Fall/Winter:
- Bull minnows for flounder
- Larger baits for bull reds
- Shrimp imitations in deeper water

TIME & TIDE TIPS

Spring:
- Focus on twilight hours
- Any tide with good flow

Summer:
- Early morning/late evening
- Incoming preferred for cooler water

Fall:
- All-day action possible
- Strong current periods best

Winter:
- Mid-morning to afternoon
- Outgoing moves warm water to fish

Choose Your Perfect Setup

Light Tackle Setup 
For finesse fishing our inshore waters, a 7' medium-light rod paired with a 2500-size reel and 10lb braid gives you the perfect blend of sensitivity and control. This lighter combo excels when working live shrimp under popping corks or tossing soft plastics for speckled trout, while still having enough backbone to handle slot-sized redfish when they crash your bait.

All-Around Setup 
The versatile workhorse for Gulf Coast inshore fishing is a 7'6" medium-heavy rod matched with a 3000-size reel and 20lb braid. This setup handles everything from working jigs around oyster bars to throwing topwater plugs over grass flats. With enough power to control bigger fish but still light enough for all-day casting, it's the ideal choice for targeting slot reds and gator trout.

Heavy Structure Setup 
When bull reds push inshore or you're battling big fish around docks and bridges, reach for a 7' heavy-fast rod with a 4000-size reel spooled with 30lb braid. This beefier combination gives you the stopping power needed to keep fish away from pilings and oyster bars, while still maintaining enough finesse to work bigger baits effectively around structure.