Port guide / Mississippi and Alabama / Alabama

Bayou La Batre fishing guide

Bayou La Batre is a working seafood town on the Alabama side of the Mississippi Sound, west of Dauphin Island and Mobile Bay. The public ramp at the end of Shellbelt Road puts you right at the mouth of the bayou, and from there anglers spread out over the Sound's grass flats, oyster reefs and bars for trout, reds and flounder, and run the crab pot lines and channel markers for tripletail. The launches at Coden and on Fowl River are close by, and Dauphin Island and the mouth of Mobile Bay are a short run east.

Conditions now
Chart and depths
Fishing reports
What is biting
Seasons and rules
Where to fish
Ramps and piers
Bait and charters
Events
Questions

10 ft, conditions now

Conditions now

Live from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Times show in your own time zone.

Today’s bite

A forecast built from live data and the calendar below. Not a catch report.

Working out today from the tides, water and calendar.

Tides

Loading the next highs and lows from NOAA.

On the water now

Water: Checking
Wind: Checking

Marine forecast

Loading the National Weather Service forecast.

7 day forecast

National Weather Service, for Bayou La Batre. Updates through the day.

Loading the 7 day forecast.

NOAA tides, Bayou La Batre Bridge, AL (opens in a new tab) NOAA station Dauphin Island, AL (opens in a new tab) NWS 7 day forecast (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Mississippi Sound (opens in a new tab)

12 ft, the chart

Chart and depths

The official NOAA chart, centered on Bayou La Batre. Depths, channels, reefs and markers, live from NOAA.

The NOAA chart loads when you scroll here.

NOAA electronic navigational chart: soundings, depth contours, channels, markers and hazards. Zoom in to see more soundings. Not for navigation. Open NOAA ENC Online

15 ft, fishing reports

Fishing reports

What people are catching, on what, and where. Every report links to whoever wrote it. We do not write these ourselves.

Latest reports

From local captains, shops and outdoor writers. Newest first, last 14 days.

Checking the latest reports.

Report sources: Great Days Outdoors Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report (opens in a new tab)

Straight from the dock

Reports sent to us by shops and captains on this guide. We check each one before it posts.

Checking for reports.

Run a shop or charter here? Send a report

20 ft, what is biting

What is biting, month by month

When each fish is at its best around Bayou La Batre. This month is marked.

What is biting by month around Bayou La Batre. Peak, good and slow months for each species.
Species	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Speckled trout	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good
Redfish	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Slow	Slow	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good
Flounder	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Slow	Good
Sheepshead	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
Tripletail	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Good	Slow	Slow	Slow	Peak	Peak	Peak	Slow
Spanish mackerel	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Slow	Slow	Slow

Speckled trout
Peak: June, July, August, September
Trout are here all year and most consistent in summer and early fall, on the Mississippi Sound grass flats, bar edges, drop-offs and oyster reefs.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Redfish
Peak: August, September, October
Winter and spring are good on the Sound's grass flats and marsh edges, and from late summer into fall schools gather ahead of the spawn.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Flounder
Peak: March, April, May, September, October
Flounder bite all year with peaks in spring and fall, but Alabama closes flounder harvest for the whole month of November.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Sheepshead
Peak: February, March, April
They live on oyster bars, rock piles and dock pilings just about all year, and the spring spawn brings the most and biggest fish.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Tripletail
Peak: September, October, November
Look around crab pots, poles, marker buoys and tide lines in the Sound, and in fall 2026 a local captain was catching small pogies for them near the mouth of Bayou La Batre.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Spanish mackerel
Peak: June, July, August
Summer fish run the surf and estuary waters and hit just about any small lure retrieved fast.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)

30 ft, seasons and rules

Seasons and rules

Open and close dates we could confirm from official sources, plus where to check limits before you keep a fish.

Red snapper, Alabama private anglers and state-licensed charters
Opened Friday, May 22, 2026, in state and federal waters, open seven days a week until the end of the year or until Alabama's quota is met, with MRD announcing any closure ahead of time.
Alabama Marine Resources Division (ADCNR), 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, federally permitted for-hire vessels
Opened 12:01 a.m. June 1, 2026, and closed 12:01 a.m. October 26, 2026.
NOAA Fisheries (as reported by Alabama Marine Resources Division), 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Flounder, Alabama waters
Flounder harvest is closed for the month of November every year.
Alabama Marine Resources Division (ADCNR), annual, current regulation as of 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gray triggerfish, Alabama and federal waters
Open when federal waters are open, and closed every year in January and February and again in June and July.
Alabama Marine Resources Division (ADCNR), 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, federal waters
Recreational season ran from 12:01 a.m. September 1, 2026, to 12:01 a.m. October 1, 2026, and Alabama is open when federal waters are open.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, federal waters
Recreational season ran from September 1, 2026, to 12:01 a.m. October 14, 2026, and Alabama is open when federal waters are open.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)

40 ft, where to fish

Where to fish

Channel
Mouth of Bayou La Batre
In October 2026 a local captain was catching three to four inch pogies for tripletail bait at the mouths of Bayou La Batre, West Fowl River and Dog River.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Flats
Mississippi Sound grass flats and oyster reefs
Seagrass flats, oyster reefs, sand bars and drop-offs in the Sound hold trout, reds and flounder much of the year.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Pier
Delta Port Marina fishing pier, Coden
The marina off Highway 188 has a free fishing pier next to its launch.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Bay
Mouth of Mobile Bay
The deep water and structure between Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan hold a wide range of fish and are a short run east.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Channel
Poles, buoys and tide lines in the Sound
Tripletail move between Mobile Bay and the Mississippi Sound, so cover water along poles, buoys and tide lines until you find a productive zone.
Source (opens in a new tab)

50 ft, launch and piers

Ramps and piers

Public launches and fishing piers. Fees and hours change, so check the link before you tow.

Public boat ramps and fishing piers around Bayou La Batre
Name	Type	Fee	Where
Bayou La Batre Public Boat Launch (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	End of Shellbelt Road at the mouth of the Bayou La Batre channel, Bayou La Batre, AL
Delta Port Marina launch and fishing pier (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Free	5080 Green Drive, Coden, AL
Jemison's Boat Launch (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	16871 Dauphin Island Parkway, Coden, AL
Fowl River Marina (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	State Highway 193, north side of the Fowl River Bridge, AL
Memories Fishing Camp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	4901 Fowl River Road, Theodore, AL

60 ft, bait, tackle and charters

Bait, tackle and charters

Where to get live and fresh bait, tackle and a guide. We are not paid to list anyone here.

Bait and tackle (1)

Bait and tackle
Jemison's Bait & Tackle
16871 Dauphin Island Parkway, Coden, AL
Bait shop on the east side of Dauphin Island Parkway just north of Heron Bay, across the road from its two-lane boat launch with restrooms and about 30 parking spots.
Directions (opens Google Maps)
Source (opens in a new tab)

Live bait comes and goes with the weather and the season. Call before you drive.

70 ft, on the calendar

Tournaments and events

Annual events on this water. Dates move, so confirm with the organiser.

Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo (opens in a new tab)
usually mid July, on Dauphin Island
2027: July 16 to 18 (94th ADSFR)
Roy Martin Young Anglers Tournament (opens in a new tab)
usually July, run alongside the Rodeo
2027: July 10 (69th RMYAT)

80 ft, asked and answered

Fishing Bayou La Batre, asked and answered

Where can I launch a boat near Bayou La Batre?

The public launch is at the end of Shellbelt Road at the mouth of the Bayou La Batre channel. Close by in Coden are Delta Port Marina, which has a free launch and fishing pier, and Jemison's Boat Launch on Dauphin Island Parkway. Fowl River Marina and Memories Fishing Camp charge a launch fee.

Can I keep flounder in November in Alabama?

No. Alabama closes flounder harvest for the whole month of November every year.

When is the best time for speckled trout around Bayou La Batre?

Trout are here all year, but summer and early fall are the most consistent. Work the grass flats, bar edges, drop-offs and oyster reefs in the Mississippi Sound.

Do I need to report red snapper in Alabama?

Yes. Red snapper landings must be reported through Snapper Check before the fish come off the boat, and anglers need the Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement to keep reef fish.

Which NOAA stations cover Bayou La Batre?

Use Bayou La Batre Bridge, station 8739803, for tide predictions. It does not report water temperature or wind, so check Dauphin Island, station 8735180, and the NWS Mississippi Sound forecast, GMZ632.

90 ft, the kit