This week, guest host Tanner Deas of Dauphin Island Fishing Charters fills in for Butch Thierry on the Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report, presented by Angelo DePaola – The Coastal Connection with eXp Realty. Tanner dives into this week’s updates from the inshore, onshore, and offshore waters of coastal Alabama — featuring reports from Capt. Patric Garmeson of Ugly Fishing LLC, Tony Emmons of South Alabama Surf Fishing, and Capt. Matt “Swigs” Swiggum of Back Bay Charters.
Conditions Recap
Cooler weather has settled in along the Alabama coast, bringing ideal fall fishing conditions across inshore rivers, the surf zone, and offshore waters. Bait activity remains strong, with pogies, mullet, and shrimp drawing in plenty of trout, reds, and flounder nearshore, while calm weather windows have allowed some anglers to make deeper offshore runs for tilefish and grouper.
Inshore Report – Capt. Patric Garmeson, Ugly Fishing LLC
Capt. Patric Garmeson reports that the fall pattern is in full swing across Mobile Bay and the Delta. Speckled trout, white trout, and redfish are pushing into the rivers in growing numbers, creating a lively bite for anglers willing to move around and find active schools. Patric notes that while there are plenty of undersized fish, patient anglers are finding keepers mixed in — often at a ratio of ten to one.
He’s been relying almost entirely on artificial lures, especially shrimp imitations under popping corks. Classic favorites like the Baby Vudu Shrimp still produce, but Patric has been impressed by the larger Z-Man PrawnstarZ for drawing better bites and even enticing flounder along grassy flats. He also recommends the Slick Jr. under a popping cork when pogies are thick, as it better matches the hatch.
Patric emphasizes cork technique — don’t overwork it. Allow the bait to sink and pendulum naturally before popping again, as that pause is often when the trout strike. Leader lengths vary depending on water depth, generally between 18 inches and four feet. Shorter leaders (around two feet) can be more effective in shallow flats, while longer ones work better when chasing schooling trout under birds in the rivers.
For bigger bites, Patric suggests upsizing to a five-inch paddle tail on a 3/8-ounce jig head and swimming it steadily through schools of trout and redfish. Flounder have been showing up around ribbon grass edges, and switching to more durable baits like the PrawnstarZ helps avoid nuisance needlefish when fishing those areas.
Onshore Report – Tony Emmons, South Alabama Surf Fishing
Tony Emmons with South Alabama Surf Fishing reports that the fall bull redfish run is in full swing along the Fort Morgan beaches. Evenings have been especially productive for slot and bull reds, providing excitement for visiting anglers and families.
Tony’s been targeting these fish using both artificials and natural baits. White swim baits, JYG Pro Fishing bucktails, and gold spoons have been hot on the artificial side, while cut and live mullet remain the go-to natural options. He recommends using 9-foot medium-heavy rods paired with 5000-size reels for the distance and power needed to handle big surf reds.
When rigging live baits, Tony prefers a simple fish-finder rig with a 3-ounce egg weight, 50-pound mono leader, and a 5/0 Owner Mutu Light circle hook — perfect for a solid hookset while minimizing gut hooks on bull reds before a quick release.
Flounder action has also picked up recently, particularly around sandbar cuts and drops where small schools of baitfish gather. Tony’s been catching them on Fishbites Fight Club Dirty Boxer soft plastics in chartreuse, white, and pink, using 1/4- to 3/8-ounce jig heads. As the season winds down, he plans to transition toward pompano and whiting on set rigs through winter.
Offshore Report – Capt. Matt “Swigs” Swiggum, Back Bay Charters
Capt. Matt Swiggum (aka “Salty Swigs”) ventured solo offshore this week and put together an impressive trip targeting golden tilefish in 700 to 1,200 feet of water. Fishing deep mud bottom and soft rubble areas about 40–50 miles offshore, Matt deployed five-hook chicken rigs with whole squid on 8/0–9/0 circle hooks and 3–5 lb leads using an electric reel setup.
He emphasizes laying the rig flat on the bottom to create a commotion that draws tilefish out of their burrows. When hooked up, anglers should crank fast to lift the lead from the mud before easing off to fight the fish steadily. Most golden tiles averaged 3–6 lbs, with standout catches over 15 lbs. Matt cautions that these fish grow slowly and suggests keeping a modest number for sustainability.
After a strong tilefish bite, Matt shifted shallower to target snowy grouper, landing a solid fish before tangling with a massive sandbar shark. On his way in, he finished up with a couple of nice red snapper at a nearshore reef.
Swigs also shared valuable offshore safety tips for solo trips — checking NOAA buoy data (especially the Orange Beach buoy), maintaining an emergency ditch bag with an EPIRB and Garmin inReach, and carrying spare props, bilge pumps, and flares. His attention to preparation ensures peace of mind on deep runs.
Capt. Matt offers guided fishing, dolphin cruises, and captain-for-hire instruction for anglers looking to learn deep-drop techniques or improve their boat setup.
