Alabama Saltwater Fishing Areas

Saltwater fishing off Alabama's Atlantic coast is some of the sweetest and most productive on the East coast. Part of the reason for this is the diversity of species commonly caught. Another bonus for the locals or anglers who choose Alabama as an angling vacation destination is the fact that the southern climes allow for a long and comfortable warm season.

Alabama has long been known for its Southern charm and hospitality so rest assured that you will find plenty of people to help you and point you in the right direction for any questions you might have, whether fishing or other activities you might be involved in while there.

A Diversity of Species to be Found

Are you an aficionado of night angling? Be prepared for some serious Flounder action. The tasty "flatfish" are bountiful on the sandbars of Mobile Bay. You can wade or approach quietly in a shallow draft vessel. The only other things you need are a lighting system and a gig. These rascals are experts at
camouflaging themselves with the sand, so look for the telltale hump with an eye.

There aren't too many fishing sights as exhilarating as watching a well-hooked Dolphin (also known in the restaurant as Mahi-Mahi or Dorado because exotic names warrant higher prices) leaping from the water displaying a rainbow of colors.

You can land the smaller ones, up to about ten pounds, close to shore from early May through October. The larger ones can be found farther out. The best way to locate Dolphin is to first locate a driftline (otherwise known as a "rip"). The driftline serves as structure for smaller bait fish and this is what the Dolphin prey on.

Once you've found one, look for action in the water and cast into it. This is where the real fishing begins. The trick is to leave that first fish on a stringer in the water. This will attract more of them and you can cast at your leisure.

More Shallow Water Angling

Do you like to fish shallow water? Alabama flats offer ample opportunity to land Redfish. These Reds like going shallow where they can feast on some of their favorite treats - small crustaceans.

To get up front and personal with this tasty fish wading is a good option, and the best way to get to the hot spots are by kayak or Florida flats-boats. Either way once you get there you'll have to find the fish.

Look for Reds that are "tailing", that is, swimming in water that is so shallow that their dorsal fins are out of the water waving around. This is a sure sign that they are feeding on small crabs and the like.

If you like a spinning reel, a gold spoon works well. If the flats are weedy, use a weedless rig or bait a hook with a live shrimp and toss it into the weeds. The Reds can find it by scent. But since Reds can be skittish, fly fishing is very effective. A low impact delivery armed with a small crab fly generally brings good results

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Deep Sea Fishing Tips

Just as with any other type of fishing, deep sea saltwater fishing techniques are largely dependent on what specifically you are trying to catch. However, the good news is that there are particular tips and techniques that can help you have a better chance of landing your fish of choice while you're out on your deep sea expedition. Though there are a host of targets for deep sea fishermen, a few of the common ones are the albacore, yellowtail, white sea bass, and barracuda. Each one of these requires a specific knowledge and approach to make your deep sea expedition a success.

The albacore tuna can be found in temperate deep seas across the globe. It is distinguished from other tunas by the elongated pectoral fins. The albacore eats primarily small fish, but squid crab and shrimp play an important part as well. When you set out to go deep sea fishing, keep in mind that they are located and caught most often by trolling through an area that offers prime diet and temperature conditions for the fish.

Most often, the environment in the waters off of California and Mexico present an ideal place for the albacore. As a result, most albacore deep sea fishing success comes when they are sought after in those waters. Most deep sea sport fishing boats supply trolling rigs for albacore, but if you prefer to use your own rod, you need to make sure that it is between five and a half to six and a half feet long with a sixty to eighty pound test.

The majority of troll caught albacore are caught on feather jigs with colors depending on the condition. If you decide to use bait when fishing for albacore, the most effective kinds are anchovies or sardines. One of the key things to remember when deep sea fishing is to always be alert and prepared - from the very first cast on. It is often the first baits into the water that are bit. Also, when your boat has stopped, make sure that your line is straight out in front of you - this will prevent tangles.

Another popular target of deep sea fishermen is the yellowtail. Typically found in more tropical waters, there are a number of ways to fish yellowtail. They will take a variety of baits and lures, with squid, sardines, mackerels, and anchovies being the most preferred. One thing to keep in mind when dealing with yellowtail is that they are extremely fast.

You will most likely want to use a kind of jig fishing, which allows you to fish with much heavier line. A thirty to fifty pound test works pretty well. However, when the yellowtail are feeding on or near the surface, they sometimes will take surface iron. Squid is certainly the most effective bait of all when dealing with yellowtail. The specific type of hook and jig that will work best is most accurately determined by certain conditions - such as current, depth, and the typical size of yellowtail in the area.

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Crappie Fishing Tips for theToledo Bend Lake Area

When it comes to crappie fishing, Toledo Bend Lake, Crappie fishing requires only a little knowledge and a few tips to maximize your catch! This reservoir is well known for its great crappie fishing.

It is located on the Sabine River, which falls in Sabine, Newton, and Shelby counties, and falls on the Louisiana-Texas line. It does not matter if you are a resident of Texas or Louisiana, as long as you hold a valid fishing license from either state or are exempt because of age, you are allowed to fish legally on either side of the lake.

There are a few state specific regulations for crappie fishing in Lake Toledo Bend, though. In the Texas side of the lake, the daily fishing limit is fifty black or white crappie, or any combination of both. You can have no more than fifty crappie in your possession. There is a minimum length of ten inches each for crappie if you are fishing anywhere from March to November, but the months of December through February, there is no minimum length for crappie and all of them caught must be kept.

If, however, you are fishing for crappie on the lake with a Louisiana license, the regulations will differ. It is important to remember that if you are in possession of fish on the Texas side of the lake, no matter which state license you hold, your catch much conform to Texas regulations no matter on which side the fish were caught.

When fishing for crappie on Lake Toledo Bend, you will find the fishing good year round, but for peak times, are always during the spawn, which occurs during the spring. During this time of year, pay special attention to the shallows where there are plenty of brushy vegetated areas. Jigs and minnows will be great choices for bait during this time.

At other times of the year, before or after spawning, pay close attention to deeper water areas that offer lots of brushy areas in which the crappie can shelter and feed. Look also near creek channels.

As always, the time of year in which you are fishing will determine so much about how and where you fish. The following break down of seasonal differences in where you will be able to locate the prime crappie rich areas on Toledo Bend Lake will help you maximize your catch potential.

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Finding the Best Location for Crappie Ice Fishing

I suggest you have a good knowledge of the waters you are fishing. If you are looking a body of water the simple answer is to look at where you caught them in the spring. Reservoirs that have many coves off of the main channel seem to be popular spots. Chose lakes that have deep areas where the fish rest but have shallow areas with active plant life all year round.

Crappies are going to look for bait fish and those bait fish are going to be found eating what they eat - plants. I know its winter, but as long as the water holds nutrients and there is some light plant life will continue to grow and this is where the crappie will be looking for food. The ice that has the thinnest layer of snow will let the most light through and this is where the plant life will be found. Don't forget that when the light shines through the ice it melts from the underneath and will be deceptive on how thick it is. Compare these areas to the known ledges of the lake and fish the areas where there are ledges with plant life and fish right on the shadow edges and right at the entrance to the plant life.

Now that you know where to put your holes, Let us cover a couple other things depth finders, temperature gauges and even cameras. There are many depth finders out there you can find some that need to be in the water and some that will slide along the ice and these all range in price just as their functionality does. Some of the lower priced depth finders need their sensors submersed in water so drill small holes and test the depth. I've used large wood auger type bits with extensions and a cordless drill to have a quick method to test the depth it leaves the ice in good condition if you don't like the spot. After you got a test hole you can quickly drop a temperature probe down and look for warm waters.

Warm waters are good to find because this is where the fish will want to hang out. Also warmer waters mean that the fish will be more active. Granted these waters are still cold so they are not going to be really active. Good news though these fish are still hungry. But remember that everything is going to be moving slow down there, bait fish included so avoid quick movements.

Finding the right spot still can be hard to locate. Here is a trick I learned a while ago, although you might get a good beating for it, I show up early and look at previous holes. You can tell how successful a hole was by how the snow and ice is arranged around it. Crappie will tend to roam around the lake some so don't drill where other holes were but follow a line that may be evident. Remember to stick to the ledges in the water structure or edges of plant patches.

One area I found successful year after year was a cove that had shallow waters that gradually sloped to a depth of 18 to 20 feet in the center. This is where we always sunk a few bales of hay or Christmas trees every fall. The plant life seemed to cut off at about 6 feet of water. This was a great spot for crappie throughout the year.

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Santee Cooper Crappie Fishing Advice

Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie are where crappie, largemouth, striper and monster catfish are hunted by anglers in the know when they take to the water in South Carolina. There is plenty of room for all comers; Marion covers 110,000 acres while Moultrie weighs in at 60,400 acres.

Now, these lakes weren't always what they are now. As a matter of fact, they were not there at all. They were created when the Santee River and the Cooper River were dammed. This occurred in the 1940s and as little as twenty years later the lakes had already gained a reputation as a crappie fishing hot spot.

Types of Fish in the Santee Cooper Arena

Of course it's become a haven for trophy Crappie, or "papermouths", as they are commonly referred to. But don't be surprised if you reel in a monster catfish. These range from five pounders up to fifty pounds, rivaling anything caught in the Mississippi or anywhere else for that matter. Try putting one of those babies in your pan.

But crappies are what we are talking about and the best way to fill the boat with keepers. This won't be hard to do in these two lakes if you can just find them.

How to find Keeper Crappie

Crappie like to hang out in and around underwater structure. If you are not familiar with the Santee Cooper lakes, consider using a fish finder to reveal underwater structure. The lakes are fairly dense with it. In the first place, the damming of the rivers and subsequent flooding left plenty of growth underwater. In addition to that, since the 40s, guides and local anglers have sunk their own structure to create their personal honey holes. Consequently, it only takes a short run by boat to find productive water.

If you hire a guide you can expect to pay for it. Unless you've got very deep pockets you might want to consider using a guide the first day to get a feel for the lay of the water and then take it from there for the rest of your trip.

For two people you can expect to pony up $150 to $280 depending on if you furnish your own bait/lures and tackle or leave that up to the guide. Accordingly, the fee for 6 people can be as steep as $480. So you see, how much you rely on the guide service or your own adventuresome spirit determines how you structure your trip.

When and Where to Fish for Crappie

Although crappie can be caught year round, the most productive time starts in early March and ends in mid December. Crappie have their temperature comfort zone and they try to stick to it while staying in structure. This has them moving deeper and the temperatures fall and then moving back closer to shore as spring approaches.

As the weather warms, crappie start getting ready for spawning. They spawn in structure in the shallow water, depositing eggs in structure for the safety of the eggs and the subsequent minnows. After depositing the eggs they will move back into slightly deeper water.

Once they begin spawning, the best place to fish is where permanent grass might be found.

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Florida's Best Saltwater Fishing

Florida is often viewed as a saltwater fisherman's paradise. Hundreds of miles of coastline offer a wide variety of available fishing experiences and locations. The state's unique make-up offers access to the Gulf Stream, reefs, wrecks, estuaries, bays, inlets, and rivers - enough variety to keep an eager fisherman busy for a long while. There's an opportunity to land everything from marlin to bonefish, depending on where you choose to look.

Undoubtedly, one of the most popular and oft caught fish in Florida is the snook. With its tremendous force and resilience, the snook has proven to be a worthy opponent sought after by many a fisherman. Other popular Florida species of fish include the sailfish and bass. However, with Florida's varied geography, the opportunity to exists to catch a wide variety of fish, depending simply on where you choose to fish.

The Gulf Stream is one of the most popular fishing destinations in the country. It boasts a wide variety of gamefish, including blue marlin, wahoo, sailfish, dolphin, kingfish, swordfish, yellowfin and blackfin tuna, and sharks. Trolling lures and live baits will be your best shot at landing one of these fish, though according to reports, offshore fly fishing has increased in popularity in recent years.

Rivers also provide a good amount of opportunity for a saltwater fisherman seeking to do a little recreational fishing. The overhanging trees and shrubbery covered shorelines allow fish to avoid contact with direct sunlight, thus encouraging them to flock to such locations. Though when you are fishing a Florida river, it's best to remember to avoid dead trees limbs or any other obstructions that might be in your path. Also, it's a good idea to cast up current.

Another great fishing spot in Florida is the flats, which are basically the trademark of the Florida Keys. People employ a number of methods when fishing in the flats - from wading to casting from the shoreline to fishing from a boat being silently navigated by a guide. Many fishermen choose the wading technique because the readily available snook or redfish usually reside in shallow waters (specifically those that are less than two feet in depth). If you're interested in a little night fishing, you may want to look into fishing from one of Florida's many bridges.

One good method is to cast a jig tipped with a shrimp up current and hop it back to the piling. Though you'll likely lose a few rigs in the rocks, you'll also stand a good chance of catching snook or tarpon. Most ideal fishing bridges are located in the Keys There are also a couple of good ones in Tampa (such as the Sunshine Skyway). Because fishing from bridges is relatively popular in Florida, some bridges actually offer catwalks and other facilities conducive to fishing. However, some bridges don't allow fishing either, so you need to make sure to be aware of posted regulations.

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