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Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report for August 28 – September 3, 2026

August 28, 2026

On this week’s Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report, host Butch Thierry is joined by co-host Angelo DePaola of The Coastal Connection with eXp Realty for a late-August look at fishing from Orange Beach and the Mississippi Sound to the offshore grounds. The episode features Capt. Ben Knight of Great Southern Fishing Charters, Capt. Bobby Abruscato of A-Team Fishing, Daniel and Ed Bejrowski of SlipSki, and Capt. Kendall Annan of Gulf Rebel Charters.

Angelo opens the show with a strong offshore billfish report after fishing the BNT Marine White Marlin Shootout, where improved sonar, teaser, dredge, and circle-hook techniques helped boats generate repeated opportunities at white marlin and sailfish. Ben reports a dependable mangrove snapper bite around deep current-swept structure near Orange Beach, with flounder, redfish, and jack crevalle mixed in. Bobby says the Mississippi Sound remains productive for speckled trout, white trout, flounder, and redfish, particularly when anglers key on hard bottom, shrimp activity, and stealth. The SlipSki segment looks at aluminum dock-cover systems built for Gulf Coast conditions, while Kendall closes with red snapper, triggerfish, beeliners, amberjack, mackerel, tuna prospects, and improving offshore visibility heading into September.

Conditions Recap

Late August is giving Alabama anglers a classic transition toward early fall. Mornings have often been calm with relatively light wind, while the heat becomes much more noticeable by late morning. Inshore, the biggest common denominator is bait. Pogies are exceptionally abundant around Orange Beach, Fort Morgan, and the lower bay, while shrimp, mullet, croakers, spots, LYs, and other forage are also concentrating fish. Bobby Abruscato says the shrimp migration remains one of the most important patterns to follow in the Mississippi Sound, especially as trout and white trout continue feeding heavily.

Water clarity has been uneven but is showing signs of improvement. Ben Knight says lingering west current and dirty water have limited some front-beach mackerel opportunities, while Bobby has found that calm periods allow deeper Mississippi Sound structure to clear enough to fish effectively. Offshore, Kendall Annan reports visibility improving from roughly four to six feet a couple weeks earlier to around 10 to 18 feet in areas he recently dove. He expects visibility to continue improving into September.

Current remains a major factor in nearly every report. Ben is adjusting weight to match the current around docks, rocks, jetties, and Perdido Pass, while Bobby emphasizes that fish on deeper structure can be extremely sensitive to boat noise, hull slap, and a trolling motor working hard in chop. Offshore, Kendall is watching thermoclines, bottom composition, bait distribution, current, and oxygen conditions to understand why neighboring reefs can fish very differently.

The next several weeks should expand the number of available targets. Flounder are beginning their fall transition, amberjack season opens September 1, and Kendall expects fall shrimping to begin around mid-September with larger shrimp becoming more common closer to October. Angelo also expects white marlin, sailfish, wahoo, and other pelagics to remain strong as bait continues to stack up offshore.

Orange Beach Mangrove Snapper, Redfish, Flounder, and Jack Crevalle Report With Capt. Ben Knight of Great Southern Fishing Charters

Capt. Ben Knight of Great Southern Fishing Charters says the mangrove snapper bite has been one of the most consistent inshore fisheries of the past month. As summer begins winding down, the fish are gathering into tighter groups around docks close to Perdido Pass, rock structure, jetties, broken pilings, and other areas that combine depth with moving water.

Ben recommends concentrating on water at least around 10 feet deep when possible and choosing spots based on how the tide positions fish around the structure. Both incoming and outgoing tides can produce, but some locations fish much better on one direction of current than the other. His approach is to use only enough weight to reach the strike zone without unnecessarily crashing a heavy rig into the structure.

Live shrimp will catch mangroves, but pinfish, grunts, and pigfish can make it difficult to keep shrimp in the water long enough to reach quality fish. Ben has had better success with small croakers, spots, LYs, and smaller pogies. Croakers and spots in the three- to four-inch range have been especially good because they tend to discourage smaller bait stealers and often draw larger mangroves in the 14- to 15-inch class.

His preferred setup is a Carolina rig with a fluorocarbon leader, generally around 15 to 20 pounds, and a circle hook. In clearer incoming water, dropping leader size can help, while around heavy structure he prefers enough leader strength to turn fish before they reach pilings or rocks. He also reminds recreational anglers that mangrove snapper are reef fish and require the appropriate reef-fish endorsement to retain them.

The same areas have been producing flounder and redfish as bycatch. Ben says flounder are becoming more common as the fall transition starts, and both flounder and redfish readily eat the same croakers and spots being used for mangroves. He also recommends checking the nearshore snorkel reefs off the Caribe, Romar Beach Access, and Gulf State Park Pavilion as flounder fishing continues to improve.

For anglers looking for a bigger pull, a residential school of redfish continues to hold around the Perdido Pass bridge. Ben has done best recently on a falling tide by positioning up-current and soaking live or dead pogies with enough weight to hold near the bridge. He is not afraid to use approximately 40-pound mono around the structure because these fish are aggressive and the heavier leader helps prevent breakoffs.

Jack crevalle are another reliable late-summer option in Terry Cove and around the bridge. When jacks erupt on the surface, Ben recommends fast-moving topwaters or swimbaits ripped aggressively across the surface rather than an overly precise retrieve.

Products and gear discussed in this report included Carolina rigs, 15- to 20-pound fluorocarbon leaders, circle hooks, live shrimp, croakers, spots, LYs, pogies, topwater lures, and swimbaits.

Mississippi Sound Speckled Trout, White Trout, Flounder, Redfish, and Wade Fishing Report With Capt. Bobby Abruscato of A-Team Fishing

Capt. Bobby Abruscato of A-Team Fishing has spent most of his recent time along the north side of the Mississippi Sound, from the Dauphin Island Bridge toward the Mississippi line. Wade fishing has been particularly productive, with several trips finishing very early in the morning before the August heat becomes oppressive.

Bobby says hard bottom is the first thing he wants when choosing a wading area. Speckled trout are still spawning, and shell, rock, grass, and other firm bottom give eggs a place to adhere while also making the area easier and safer to wade. Bait is the next key. Shrimp are abundant, and visible bait activity or fish slicks can quickly identify a productive stretch.

Artificial presentations continue to produce. Bobby has been especially impressed with the Pure Flats SLICK Jr on a light jighead, while the full-size SLICK remains part of the rotation. From the boat, shrimp imitations under a popping cork have been putting up strong numbers of trout, including quality fish. He specifically mentioned Gulf shrimp-style artificials and small Vudu Shrimp as productive cork presentations.

Bobby also gave a strong recommendation for AFTCO Strike Swim Shorts for wade fishing because they remain comfortable in the water, dry quickly, and stay comfortable during the walk back to the boat. He also praised AFTCO Original Fishing Shorts and AFTCO Swiftwater Shorts as dependable Gulf Coast fishing gear.

When calm weather allows him to fish deeper Mississippi Sound structure, Bobby has found excellent groups of fish around sunken shrimp boats and other reefs in roughly eight to 10 feet of water. One important observation is that fish may be concentrated on only one side or one corner of a wreck, sometimes surprisingly far from the structure itself. He recommends thoroughly covering the full area before deciding a reef is unproductive.

Boat positioning is critical on those spots. Bobby prefers to minimize trolling-motor use whenever possible because a spot-lock motor working hard in wind or current can produce vibration, cavitation, and hull slap that shut down a bite. When conditions allow, he would rather drift, anchor, tie off where legal and appropriate, or use shallow-water anchors. In very shallow water, he says the stealth advantage of wade fishing can be dramatic.

Flounder numbers have been encouraging even though Bobby is not specifically targeting them most days. Redfish have also been available, including upper-slot fish that recently preferred topwater lures over soft plastics or cork rigs. White trout have become especially abundant over the past month, often mixed with speckled trout, and Bobby recommends keeping white trout for anglers who want fish for the table while releasing more specks.

For anglers willing to fish live bait, Bobby says late summer is one of the times when croakers can create a real advantage for larger trout. With water temperatures extremely warm and natural bait everywhere, trophy-class trout can become selective, and a live croaker can be difficult for them to ignore.

Products and gear discussed in this report included the Pure Flats SLICK Jr, full-size Pure Flats SLICK, Gulf shrimp-style artificials, Vudu Shrimp, popping corks, topwater lures, live croakers, wade boots, AFTCO Strike Swim Shorts, AFTCO Original Fishing Shorts, and AFTCO Swiftwater Shorts.

SlipSki Dock Covers, Dorado Oasis, and Gulf Coast Dock Protection With Daniel and Ed Bejrowski

Joe Baya joins Butch for a special conversation with Daniel and Ed Bejrowski of SlipSki, a father-and-son team producing aluminum dock-cover systems and other waterfront products designed for marine environments. The company began after the family installed a galvanized boat canopy and decided they could build a stronger, more durable system.

SlipSki builds its canopy frames from aluminum rather than galvanized steel, with the goal of reducing long-term corrosion in marine environments. Daniel says the company fully welds its structural joints and continually updates designs based on real-world customer feedback. One of the major design advantages is that the fabric cover can be removed before a named storm, leaving the structural frame in place without the large wind-catching surface of a traditional roof.

The company’s warranty guidance is straightforward: if a named storm is approaching, SlipSki recommends removing the fabric cover. Daniel says a typical cover can be removed by a homeowner and a couple of helpers in roughly two hours, giving waterfront property owners a practical way to reduce storm exposure without dismantling the frame.

The most popular product is the SlipSki Dorado Oasis, which extends shade beyond the boat slip and can cover much more of the dock. That turns the dock into a more usable outdoor living area for fishing, cleaning the boat, relaxing, or entertaining. The standard Dorado focuses more directly on boat protection, while the Dorado Oasis is intended to create a larger shaded space.

SlipSki systems are custom-sized rather than treated as a one-size-fits-all product. The company can work with existing docks, floating docks, new docks, and a variety of piling configurations, although the mounting structure itself still needs to be sound. Daniel recommends building to the greatest height allowed by local rules or HOA specifications so future boats, towers, and changing needs are less likely to outgrow the cover.

Joe’s own dock uses EcoPile composite pilings from Shoreline Plastics. SlipSki worked with the piling manufacturer on a mounting solution that uses internal aluminum tubing plus exterior straps and through-bolts. Daniel says the goal is to follow the piling manufacturer’s structural recommendations rather than compromising the dock to fit the canopy.

Beyond dock covers, SlipSki also offers fish-cleaning tables, kayak racks, and a newer line of aluminum dock stairs.

Products discussed in this segment included the SlipSki Dorado Oasis, SlipSki Dorado, SlipSki fish-cleaning tables, SlipSki kayak racks, SlipSki aluminum dock stairs, and EcoPile composite pilings.

Orange Beach Offshore Red Snhttps://www.slipski.com/apper, Triggerfish, Amberjack, Tuna, Mackerel, and Reef Report With Capt. Kendall Annan of Gulf Rebel Charters

Capt. Kendall Annan of Gulf Rebel Charters has used the late-August stretch of calmer weather to mix charter fishing with diving and scouting. Red snapper remain steady heading into September, while triggerfish and beeliners provide additional bottom-fishing options. Amberjack have also been showing in good numbers ahead of the September 1 season opening.

Diving gives Kendall a direct look at details that sonar alone cannot fully explain. He pays attention to the thermocline, water temperature, bait, bottom composition, reef growth, fish size, oxygen conditions, and whether a particular spot appears to be receiving fishing pressure. He keeps notes throughout the season so he can identify reefs that continue holding quality fish late in the year rather than simply relying on areas that were productive early in the season.

Visibility has improved noticeably. Kendall estimates recent visibility around 10 to 18 feet in places, compared with roughly four to six feet a couple of weeks earlier. He has also seen sheepshead, triggerfish, beeliners, grouper, Spanish mackerel, and small king mackerel while diving, sometimes with surprisingly different conditions on reefs less than a mile apart.

Tuna fishing remains more of a calculated gamble than a dependable charter option right now. Kendall has heard of some yellowfin and blackfin being caught, but when red snapper, triggerfish, and amberjack are available he prefers to keep many trips within roughly 100 miles so the crew can fall back on dependable bottom fishing if the tuna bite does not develop. Live bait remains especially important for tuna and grouper, although quality dead cigar minnows have continued producing red snapper without making live bait absolutely necessary.

Nearshore, king and Spanish mackerel have been inconsistent from day to day. Kendall has seen plenty of fish while diving, but they can be finicky. His adjustment is to scale down leader and tackle and fish lighter presentations, especially early in the morning. Cobia, wahoo, dolphin, and even sailfish remain possibilities, particularly where flying fish, ballyhoo, and other surface bait are present.

Kendall recommends keeping trolling lures in the water while traveling and maintaining a drift line on bottom spots whenever current allows. The offshore water has not always looked perfect from the surface, but the amount of bait and pelagic activity has been encouraging enough that surprise bites remain very possible.

Products and gear discussed in this report included live cigar minnows, quality frozen cigar minnows, bottom-fishing rigs, lighter mackerel leaders, trolling lures, drift-line rigs, dive gear, and reef-fishing tackle.