This week on the Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report, host Butch Thierry is joined by co-host Angelo DePaola – The Coastal Connection, along with reports from top contributors including Captain King Marchand of Captain Mike’s Fishing, Tom Hilton of Hilton’s Realtime Navigator, William Strickland of Mobile Baykeeper, and Captain Bobby Crawley of Making Plans Charters. From chandelier-island wade fishing to tuna, Wahoo, bait, water quality, and pelagics pushing the beach, the fishing is outstanding across the entire coast. This was one of the most wide-open November weeks anyone can remember.
Conditions Recap
November continues to deliver a rare stretch of calm seas, warm air, and clean water. Nighttime lows have been mild, and days have reached the 60s–70s with long runs of slick-calm weather. Salinity is high everywhere thanks to a very dry fall, and virtually no freshwater runoff has entered Mobile Bay or the Mississippi Sound. From Perdido Pass to the Chandeleur Islands, anglers are reporting crystal-clear water, abundant bait, and thriving grass beds. It is one of the best “Indian Summer” fall bites locals have seen in years.
Offshore Report – Pelagics on the Beach
Pelagic fishing remains exceptional. Tom Hilton reports that satellite conditions are aligning perfectly: strong altimetry pushing north, excellent temperature breaks, stable Loop Current influence, and no hurricanes disrupting patterns. Blue water is stacked tight to the coast, with some of the strongest nutrient upwellings in years.
Yellowfin tuna are being caught as close as the Florida Panhandle’s fishing piers—an unprecedented phenomenon. If you have ever wanted to troll the edge in a bay boat, this is the year to do it. A 70–75 degree surface temperature line is sitting right near the 150–350 foot depths, intersecting bottom relief and creating prime zones for tuna, Wahoo, mahi, and sailfish.
Gear Highlight: Anglers relying on Hilton’s Realtime Navigator are able to match altimetry, color breaks, and temperature overlays to consistently find fish even when conditions shift overnight.
Captain King Marchand – Tuna, Wahoo, Triggers and Deepwater Action
Captain King Marchand has been living offshore thanks to the long stretch of good weather, and the action remains steady. Good water and strong bait concentrations have kept tuna close, with King marking clouds of fish under the boat—sometimes the best marks he has ever seen.
The challenge this week was getting them to feed heavily every drop. Even with massive yellowfin marks at 40 feet, the fish were extremely selective at times, likely due to being keyed in on tiny fry. Live bait remains the difference maker, especially hardy baits like goggle-eyes and hardtails. Sardines are plentiful but more fragile.
King continues to pick off incidental Wahoo without targeting them—just putting out big marlin lures, Nomad trolling plugs, and purple Islanders on long runs between rigs. Bottom fishing is strong too, with scamp, snowy grouper and large beeliners coming across the rails.
Inshore & Nearshore Report – Trout, Reds and Barrier Island Action
Every inshore system is producing. Trout and redfish are thick in the rivers, the Sound, the west end of Dauphin Island, and anywhere salinity is high. Bait remains abundant—mullets, pogies, and needlefish are everywhere.
The pompano bite remains excellent along area beaches. Clear water is the theme across the entire coastline, and anglers report being able to sight-fish reds and trout in many areas normally too turbid this time of year.
Special Segment – Mobile Baykeeper Water Quality Update
William Strickland joined the show to update listeners on the status of dredge material disposal in Mobile Bay. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers paused disposal in June, and the goal is a permanent ban in the next Water Resources Development Act. Dry conditions have dramatically improved clarity this fall, but William noted that we need long-term solutions: better dredge practices, better stormwater controls, better wetland protection, and restoration of historic grassbeds.
Anglers wanting to support the effort can visit SaveMobileBay.com for action updates.
Feature Report – Chandeleur Wade Fishing with Captain Bobby Crawley
Captain Bobby Crawley joined Butch to recap a phenomenal day wade-fishing the Chandeleur Islands. Launching out of Pascagoula, a crew made the 36-mile run and experienced textbook conditions: gin-clear water, knee-deep grass, mullet schools, needlefish, and explosive predatory fish everywhere.
The crew caught an estimated **250 fish**, including more than **100+ redfish** (slots and overs), dozens of speckled trout, puppy drum, and even a bull red pushing 50 inches. Grass was so thick that topwaters were nearly impossible to throw, so the team relied on:
Gear Highlights:
• **Coastal Brew Deceiver paddletails** (Orange Crush and Watermelon Red)
• **Slick Lures** – the bite was nonstop on the Slick Purrsickle
• **Quarter-ounce jigheads** fished fast to stay above the grass
• **Grundéns and Simms waders**, Wade belts, floating fish bags, and Boga grips for safe handling
• **Garmin inReach** for off-grid safety
With crystal clear water, predator wakes, and fish exploding out of grassbeds, Bobby called it “a special day” and a prime example of what late-fall Chandeleur fishing can be.
Real Estate Market Update with Angelo DePaola – The Coastal Connection
Angelo provided a year-end breakdown of the coastal real estate market. High interest rates suppressed activity early in 2024, but the Fed’s late-summer signal of upcoming cuts created a surge of pent-up demand. Waterfront inventory has been rapidly absorbed, and even homes listed since January are now selling near full price.
The strongest opportunities heading into year-end include:
• New construction buyers leveraging builder incentives
• Off-market deals identified through Angelo’s network
• Condos entering a new upswing as single-family supply tightens
