Orange Beach Fishing Report for August 2023*
Welcome back Gulf Coast Sportsman to another fishing report for August 2023 in beautiful Orange Beach, AL. Red Snapper is open until August 19th on for hire vessels with a federal license, and amberjack has re-opened. Taking that into account makes the month of August very exciting for excellent fishing in Orange Beach Alabama.
Inshore
In Orange Beach Alabama redfish and trout have been consistent in the bays. Using a mixture of live shrimp, mullet or soft plastics around dock and bridge structure has been effective for anglers. There also have been reports of black drum running in the area, some of which grow rather large. Chunks of crab drifting on the bottom with a weight is near irresistible to these giants. Larger black drum also congregate around the bridges and will bite either crab or shrimp as well. If a big one takes your bait, be prepared for a fight. Be sure to book an inshore charter guide to catch some fish if you are visiting the area or don’t have easy access to all the great areas in the bay.
Nearshore and Offshore
As mentioned in the intro, Red Snapper and Amberjack are available offshore and nearshore in Orange Beach Alabama. Deep dropping live cigar minnows and other live baits will produce a bite. If necessary, frozen can work as well. Wahoo and king mackerel have been biting on deep diving trolling lures. Be sure to troll a lure when you move spot to spot and have a free line out with a live minnow while you are on your spots. Lots of wahoo are caught while bottom fishing with this technique. Additionally, there have been a good amount of mahi mahi in the area that will also hit the trolling lures, but a better bet is if you find floating grass or debris. Try not to have too many baits in the water but throwing a large popping lure convince these fish to leave their cover. With enough work, these fish like to frenzy.
Beaches and Piers
Orange Beach, AL beaches and piers have seen the tarpon retreating and will continue to do so the rest of the month as they move on from the area. Pompano have been dwindling but are still in some areas. Using pompano rigs or pompano jigs can entice these fish to bite as well as ladyfish and some Spanish mackerel. Also, there have been some of the larger black drum patrolling the areas around the sandbars and will bite on live shrimp and chunks of crab like our tactics for the bay. Be sure to use an anchored weight to keep your bait from moving too much in the surf. The heat has been high, so make sure you are prepared for a hot day if you decide to tackle the fish in the surf in Orange Beach.
