Orange Beach Fishing Report September 2023*
Welcome back Gulf Coast Sportsman to another fishing report for August 2023 in beautiful Orange Beach, AL! It was a great season for them in the Red Snapper capital but the season for these fish is now closed in Alabama in September. However, amberjack and triggerfish are open through the month. There is plenty of consistent action in the bays around docks, bridges and the grass flats of Orange Beach waterways. Anyone down in the Orange Beach area should book a charter trip to enjoy fishing the many fish that are available during the month!
Inshore
In Orange Beach, Alabama trout, sheepshead, and flounder are active in the month of September. Trout are predominantly found on the grass flats using live shrimp on a popping cork with live or frozen shrimp under them. Trout will also hit various swim and twitch baits. Most of the trout bite has been early morning or late afternoon and around dock lights at night. Flounder can be found around the grass and dock structure. Gulp! Alive soft baits are a good choice for flounder, especially with the scent the baits come soaking in. Also, at night, you can gig for flounder as well wading with lights or if you have a boat or guide equipped for the task. Sheepshead will take small shrimp and fiddler crabs around the docks and bridge structure. Anglers who haven’t fished sheepshead should be patient when targeting Sheepshead due to the unique teeth structure they have that make them harder to hook.
Nearshore and Offshore
As mentioned, Red Snapper is closed now in the Orange Beach, AL area but Amberjack and Triggerfish are open through the month. It should be noted that there is a bag limit of one of these fish is one per person. Trigger fish will take cut squid and cut cigar minnows on two hook drop rigs. If they bite like they have been lately, be prepared to reach that one per person limit quickly and target another fish. Vermillion snapper and black snapper can be found where the triggers are as well. Amberjack will require larger live or frozen bait all the way down to the bottom around reefs and wrecks. Anglers will need at least 100 lb. leaders for the best chance of landing the big Amberjacks. Be on the lookout for sharks when fishing as they like to take struggling amberjack as they are brought in. If you notice sharks in the area, it’s best to move to another spot to keep trying for the amberjack.
Beaches and Piers
Surf and pier fishing in Orange Beach remains largely the same as last month. Less grass in the water provides more access to clean water. Pompano are still in the area but will start to move out closer to October. Pompano rigs with shrimp or sand fleas are the top choices for getting a bite. Get your bait in between and around the sand bars for a bite. There’s a good chance whiting will be mixed in and occasional bull reds patrolling the sand bars can also be caught. Additionally, the piers will see more Spanish mackerel and hard tails.
