This week, host Butch Thierry checks in with Capt. King Marchand for an offshore update on yellowfin tuna, swordfish, and coastal pelagics, Capt. Tanner Deas with an onshore surf report featuring speckled trout and whiting, and Capt. Bobby Abruscato with an inshore report from the Mississippi Sound and Mobile Bay. The captains share seasonal tactics, bait preferences, and transition patterns to help anglers make the most of early fall conditions.
Conditions Recap
Fishing is strong across Alabama waters, but transition signs are showing. Offshore anglers are seeing consistent tuna, wahoo, and swordfish action, though patience and bait choice remain key. On the beach, trout numbers are tapering off with shorter days, but redfish, drum, and whiting are stepping in to keep rods bent. Inshore, shrimp are still thick, and trout are keyed in on them, with fall movement patterns just starting to emerge. Expect things to pick up even more as water temperatures cool later in October.
Offshore Report with Capt. King Marchand
Capt. King Marchand of Capt. Mike’s Deep Sea Fishing reports that yellowfin tuna fishing has been outstanding out of Dauphin Island. Live bait chumming is producing limits of 80–90 lb fish before lunchtime, though the bite often shuts down once boats crowd the rigs. Pro tip: offshore-caught hardtails—bluer and prettier than inshore baits—are out-fishing rig-caught baits by a wide margin.
Swordfishing has been excellent, with both squid and freshwater eels getting bites. King notes that paying attention to buoy drift and targeting ridges holding bait increases success. His crew recently battled what may have been the biggest swordfish of his career before losing it.
Wahoo and mahi are also showing up regularly in transit, with dolphin plentiful under weedlines. Nearshore, king mackerel have fired up, with rigs and sardine-rich structures producing nonstop action on sabiki-caught live baits. King recommends single stinger rigs with short wire leaders for better hookup ratios.
Onshore Report with Capt. Tanner Deas
Capt. Tanner Deas of Dauphin Island Fishing Charters has been working the beaches, where speckled trout are still biting at first light on live croakers, shrimp, and topwater lures. However, the bite fades quickly, and trips are shifting to other species afterward.
Flounder fishing has been disappointing compared to past years, with fewer legal fish being caught despite dedicated effort. Tanner notes environmental changes and shifting bait patterns may be factors, though this weekend’s Doormat Classic tournament could shed more light on the stock.
On the positive side, whiting, redfish, black drum, and the occasional pompano are providing excellent action in the surf. Tanner highlights whiting fishing as especially strong this fall, with bigger-than-usual fish showing up. He expects surf fishing to remain productive through Thanksgiving before the first major cold snap.
Inshore Report with Capt. Bobby Abruscato
Capt. Bobby Abruscato of A Team Fishing Adventures reports that the inshore bite is still dominated by shrimp. Trout are responding best to shrimp-imitating lures under popping corks, as well as live shrimp, with slick lures and voodoo shrimp being top producers. Topwater has been hit-or-miss, with shrimp outcompeting mullet in most areas.
Trips are producing high numbers of trout mixed with white trout, flounder, and redfish, though anglers should be ready to weed through smaller fish for keepers. Abruscato notes that Mobile Bay salinity swings—sometimes influenced by upstream dam releases—can make the upper bay bite unpredictable, while the Mississippi Sound remains more stable.
Looking ahead, Bobby is eager for the mid-October cool down that will push shrimp out and trigger the true fall transition. He encourages anglers to watch for bird schools and slicks as trout follow moving shrimp schools northward.
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