Fishing in Alabama

The U.S. state of Alabama has a diversity of freshwater and saltwater sport fishing within its extensive rivers systems, farm ponds and the inshore and offshore saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico.Official Web site of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources The Bass Angler's Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), a promoter of competitive bass fishing, was founded by Ray Scott in 1967 in Montgomery, Alabama.About B.A.S.S. Alabama hosts numerous local, regional and national fishing tournaments every year. According to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the state supports 11 million angler fishing days with expenditures of three-quarters of a billion dollars.

Alabama hosts 47 reservoirs larger than that cover , 23 Alabama State Public Fishing Lakes, and of perennial rivers, streams and the Mobile Delta as well as over of shoreline along the Gulf Coast that provide fresh and saltwater fishing opportunity.

Freshwater fishing

The Official Freshwater Fish of Alabama is the Largemouth Bass.Official Freshwater Fish of Alabama In general, Alabama freshwater fishing is a warm-water fishery, although stocked trout are available in several locations. The most targeted species are largemouth and smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, brim (bluegill, shellcracker, etc.), stripe (white bass, striped bass and hybrids) as well as catfish. There are limited fisheries for shoal bass, walleye and sauger. Big rivers and reservoirs dominate the freshwater fishing landscape in Alabama but there is also an abundance of small streams, creeks and ponds available. The Tennessee Valley Authority, US Army Corps of Engineers, Alabama Power, and the Alabama Department of Natural Resources all maintain and promote freshwater fishing access on the waters they oversee.

State Freshwater Records Below is a table of state freshwater fishing records. SpeciesWeightDateLocationBass, Largemouth16 lb 8 oz11/3/1987Mtn. View Lake, Shelby CoBass, Redeye (b)3 lb 2 oz3/8/2000Choccolocco CreekBass, Rock1 lb 6 oz5/6/1995Paint Rock RiverBass, Shoal (now protected in Alabama, release when captured)6 lb 11 oz2/25/1996Halawakee CreekBass, Smallmouth (c)10 lb 8 oz10/8/1950Wheeler Dam tailwaterBass, Spotted (b)8 lb 15 oz3/18/1978Lewis SmithBass, Striped55 lb1955Tallapoosa RiverBass, Striped Hybrid25 lb 15 oz9/13/1996Sipsey ForkBass, White4 lb 9 oz2/14/1987Warrior RiverBass, Yellow (a)2 lb 8 oz4/12/2000Guntersville Reservoir, Jackson Co.Bowfin 7/31/2005Lake TuscaloosaBuffalo57 lb4/13/1990Guntersville ReservoirBullhead3 lb 13 oz4/8/1984Private Pond, Montgomery. Co.Carp, Common35 lb4/19/1980Bear Creek, Colbert CountyCarp, Grass73 lb4/10/2012Guntersville ReservoirCatfish, Blue (b)120 lb 4 oz3/9/2012Holt ReservoirCatfish, Channel40 lb6/17/1967Inland LakeCatfish, Flathead80 lb6/22/1986Alabama River, SelmaCatfish, White10 lb 5 oz4/3/1981Chambers Co. Public LakeCrappie, Black (tie)4 lb 5 oz6/2/1997private pond in Jefferson Co.Crappie, White4 lb 9 oz5/8/2000Lake Martin, Tallapoosa Co.Drum, Freshwater (b)41 lb 8 oz7/24/1949Wilson ReservoirEel, American5 lb 8 oz5/11/1989Lake Shechi, Chilton Co.Gar, Alligator151 lb 5 oz8/13/2004Tensaw RiverGar, Longnose32 lb 14oz4/18/1985Jordan ReservoirGar, Spotted8 lb 12 oz8/26/1987Cotaco CreekHerring, Skipjack3 lb 4 oz5/2/2012Mulberry ForkMuskellunge19 lb 8 oz12/31/1972Wilson Dam tailwaterPaddlefish52 lb 12 oz3/18/1982Wilson Dam tailwaterPerch, Yellow1 lb 15 oz2/26/2000Wheeler Reservoir, Limestone Co.Pickerel, Chain6 lb 6 oz6/24/1976Dyas Creek, Baldwin CountyPickerel, Redfin0 lb 11 oz8/24/2010Armstrong Creek, Wash. Co.Redhorse, Silver (a)14 lb 14 oz4/24/1995Wilson Dam tailwaterSauger5 lb 2 oz3/5/1972Wilson Dam tailwaterSunfish, Bluegill (a)4 lb 12 oz4/9/1950Ketona Lake, BirminghamSunfish, Green1 lb 9 oz8/10/2005McLamore Pond, Walker CountySunfish, Longear8 oz5/12/1990Yellow RiverSunfish, Redbreast1 lb 4 oz6/12/2010Choctawhatchee RiverSunfish, Redear (b)4 lb 4 oz5/5/1962Chattahoochee State ParkTrout, Rainbow9 lb 1 oz4/22/2006Mud Creek, Tannehill State ParkWalleye10 lb 14 oz6/24/1980Weiss ReservoirWarmouth1 lb 12 oz4/25/1986Farm Pond(a) World Record, Rod And Reel (b) Previous World Record, Rod and Reel (c) Previous World Record, Any Method

Saltwater fishing

Alabama has excellent access to the offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico from Mobile and Perdio Bays. Inshore and estuarial fishing opportunities are extensive in both upper and lower Mobile Bay, but extend from Grand Bay in the Mississippi Sound on the West to the western shores of Peridio Bay near Orange Beach, Alabama.

The Official Saltwater Fish of Alabama is the Tarpon.

State Saltwater Records SpeciesWeightDateAmberjack, Greater127 lb12oz06/19/81Angelfish, Blue2 lb3z04/29/01Barracuda, Great52 lb4oz07/15/05Barrelfish12 lb 0 Oz07/07/06Bass, Longtail5 lb 10 Oz07/15/06Bass, Striped55 lb 0 Oz06/22/76Bigeye3 lb 2 Oz06/28/06Bluefish17 lb 4 Oz06/05/04Bonito, Atlantic5 lb 5 Oz12/31/94Brotula, Bearded19 lb 8 Oz08/09/97Catfish, Gafftopsail8 lb 13 Oz07/11/92Catfish, Sea3 lb 1 oz5/2/2012Chub, Bermuda10 lb 5 Oz6/17/2006Chub, Yellow7 lb 4 Oz10/22/2002Cobia117 lb 7 Oz4/18/1995Creolefish0 lb 13 Oz1/28/2004Crevalle Jack39 lb 4 Oz8/20/1994Cubbyhu2 lb 3 oz7/13/2013Croaker, Atlantic4 lb 0 Oz9/3/1994Doctorfish1 lb 4 Oz9/13/2007Dolphinfish, Common60 lb 0 Oz5/27/1989Dolphinfish, Pompano4 lb 2 oz6/30/2012Drum, Black61 lb 0 Oz4/20/2002Drum, Red45 lb 9 oz7/9/2013Escolar62 lb 7 Oz04/27/03Filefish8 lb 8 Oz10/12/1991Flounder, Southern13 lb 3 Oz10/15/1975Grouper, Black106 lb 3.2 Oz8/11/2012Grouper, Gag74 lb 8 Oz1963Grouper, Red34 lb 10 Oz3/23/2002Grouper, Scamp29 lb 10 Oz07/22/00Grouper, Snowy52 lb 9 Oz07/07/06Grouper, Warsaw226 lb 0 Oz07/18/88Grouper, Yellowedge 6/30/2012Hake, Southern 4/23/2006Hind, Red2 lb 14 Oz07/17/87Hind, Rock3 lb 7.2 oz7/17/2012Hind, Speckled39 lb 13 oz5/28/2011Jack, Almaco47 lb 8 Oz05/11/02Jack, Horse-eye15 lb 5 oz7/10/2007Kingfish, Gulf/Southern2 lb 15 Oz09/04/01Ladyfish4 lb 8 Oz07/28/06Little Tunny21 lb 0 Oz1956Lookdown2 lb 2 Oz08/24/97Mackerel, King69 lb 10 oz5/6/2012Mackerel, Spanish8 lb 12 Oz10/19/93Marlin, Blue845 lb 13 oz7/12/2013Marlin, White98 lb 13 Oz05/24/97Moonfish, Atlantic1 lb 0 Oz08/12/03Mullet, Striped1 lb 2 Oz06/14/03Pinfish3 lb 2 Oz05/15/01Pompano, African39 lb 7 Oz09/09/89Pompano, Florida (Tie)5 lb 8 Oz11/11/99 & 10/21/03Porgy, Red7 lb 6 Oz06/16/91Porgy, Whitebone5 lb 10 oz7/17/2011Puffer, Smooth10 lb 3 oz4/2/2013Rosefish, Blackbelly4 lb 13 Oz07/13/12Runner, Rainbow19 lb 9 Oz09/10/06Runner, Blue11 lb 2 Oz06/28/97Sailfish, Atlantic81 lb 0 Oz1974Seabass, Black3 lb 2 Oz07/31/00Searobin, Blackwing 13 Oz04/24/05Seatrout, Sand/Silver 11 Oz07/12/97Seatrout, Spotted 4 Oz05/06/80Shark, Atl.Sharpnose 3 Oz05/12/06Shark, Bull 8 Oz8/3/2012Shark, Lemon 8 Oz07/21/95Shark, Mako 0 Oz08/20/78Shark, Tiger 8 Oz06/24/90Sharksucker 7 Oz05/12/04Sheepshead 15 Oz11/20/01Slimehead, Darwins4 lb 0 oz6/30/2012Snapper, Cubera 0 Oz05/20/88Snapper, Dog13 lb 4 Oz7/16/2004Snapper, Gray15 lb 11 Oz7/3/2003Snapper, Lane8 lb 1 oz7/15/2011Snapper, Mutton20 lb 12 Oz6/25/2006Snapper, Red44 lb 12 Oz6/1/2002Snapper, Silk6 lb 3 Oz5/27/2006Snapper, Vermilion7 lb 3 Oz6/6/1987Snapper, Yellowtail6 lb 15 oz7/5/2011Spadefish, Atlantic6 lb 12 Oz4/14/2003Spearfish, Longbill53 lb 0 Oz5/29/1905Squirrelfish1 lb 1 Oz8/4/2006Stargazer, Southern6 lb 4.5 Oz4/13/2006Stingray, Roughtail160 lb 0 Oz8/6/2000Stingray, Southern125 lb 0 Oz8/20/1998Swordfish448 lb 0 Oz9/16/2006Tarpon203 lb 0 oz8/15/1992Tilefish, Atlantic Golden5 lb 0 oz5/16/2012Tilefish, Blue Line6 lb 12 oz5/29/2006Tilefish, Great Northern29 lb 4 oz5/12/2007Tilefish, Sand2 lb 1 oz7/24/2012Triggerfish, Gray13 lb 8 oz5/31/1993Triggerfish, Ocean7 lb 10 oz8/10/2013Triggerfish, Queen7 lb 8 oz7/6/1999Tripletail37 lb 5 oz1979Tuna, Big Eye107 lb 1 oz8/2/2012Tuna, Blackfin35 lb 2 oz7/1/2008Tuna, Bluefin829 lb 6 oz6/3/2006Tuna, Skipjack32 b 6 oz8/31/2013Tuna, Yellowfin22 1b 7.2 oz6/3/2006Wahoo123 lb 6 oz5/6/2006Wreckfish68 lb 6 oz5/6/2006

Fishing in Alabama

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