What would you recommend to anglers fishing in Gulf Shores, Alabama for the first time?

No. We had a group of 4 adults. Half had been on several charters and knew what to expect. They said this was unlike any charter they had ever been on. My husband and I had never been on one before. When we showed up to his house, he didn’t introduce himself. He just said he was getting ready and walked to the backyard. It seemed as if we were bothering him and an inconvenience. We didn’t know what to do so we eventually went to the backyard to see what he was doing. We asked about a cooler for water and a bag of sandwiches. He said we could put our waters in the cooler, but the sandwiches could be put upfront in storage (no refrigeration). We found that strange. When we got outside of the canal where he lived he asked us where we wanted to go. We told him he was the captain and we didn’t know the area. He told us that the fishing spot he usually goes to wasn’t catching fish, but he would take us anyway. He drove out there, put his pole in the water about 10 times then said yep no bites and drove us back to the spot by his house. We didn’t use any live bait. We caught the same white trout for 4 hours in the same spot. Even his daughter got bored because she laid down in the bottom of the boat and fell asleep. Even when she was awake she would moan when she had to get up and reset a hook or take a fish off. Once she fell asleep, the captain complained that he couldn’t get back there to help us because she was in the way. After awhile a member of our group just started taking them off. The charter was not what we expected. We thought we would catch a variety of fish and fish in different spots.

Absolutely recommend Captain Noah as your go-to fishing guide! His determination and expertise led us to an unforgettable trip despite challenging conditions. If you're looking for a guide with skill, tenacity, and a knack for finding the big ones, Captain Noah is your guy. Book with confidence for a fantastic fishing experience!

Red Snapper is the target fish in June off Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan. The season usually starts the beginning of June and generally lasts through August (but check the season first!). June weekend Snapper trips are in high demand, so book charters early (3-6 months in advance). Be SURE the boat you charter is Federally licensed or you will be stuck fishing within 9 miles of shore, which is over fished and not where you will find snapper of any size. I also recommend an early morning 6 hour trip (2 hours out, fish for 2 hours, 2 hours back) - the seas are generally calmer in the morning. If you can also snag a morning trip with the full moon, all the better. If you as a recreational boat (private or your friends boat), you are not required to have a Federal license, but I would recommend you buy saltwater fishing licenses. We used frozen herring easily bought at a bait shop. Live bait (cigar minnows are premium bait) As always, the hard part is knowing where to go - big ocean with lots of artificial reefs in the 15-20 mile range of shore, but if you don't know any numbers, you are fishing blind over a sandy bottom.

capn Jason is a great guy and knows right where the fish are. mackerel, red fish, pompano, angel fish, toad fish and 3 sharks. our wives loved it and we have red fish on the grill tonight. 4 hour inland fishing.

Go with off the hook charters. Both boats from the company came back with tons of fish, big fish. Other boats at the dock had small fish and less fish. If you want big ones and numbers go with off the hook charters.

Only way to go is a private charter. Don't like to bad mouth anything, but do not waste your time on the 'GS fishing pier'. It is hit or miss and overall not productive. My family wehn on two charters during the week and caught plenty of fish on both. We went in early May and the timing was so-so. A little after one of the breeding runs and prior to snapper season. Would recommend early June next year to my group.

Definitely get a charter if it’s your first time. You won’t be disappointed and you can learn quite a bit about the local waters and what rigs and techniques work the best at the time you are fishing

We booked two trips. The first was cancelled by the Captain for bad weather. The weather was great but the Captain was a complete jerk. I have saved all of the nasty emails with this captain. Unfortunately, there is no way to leave a warning "review" for other anglers to avoid this situation on FishingBooker. The other trip was fantastic and we caught our limit in two hours. We left this captain a glowing review on FishBooker. Would I use Fishbooker again knowing that poor reviews from cancelations? No.

First would be book Capt Brad, Nauti Fish Co. I would recommend checking what fish are in season. I also would recommend looking into state waters vs federal waters. I messed up and looked at seasons wrong or something i also was totally ignorant to all the regulations on state waters and federal waters. Brad thoroughly explained all this but i wish i had known all this before planning a vacation. I most likely would have came a week later or maybe even 6 weeks later.

Try to come on a better moon phase. We came Labor Day weekend because it was my birthday. I knew the fish would be biting better late at night before I came, but we caught fish despite the time & tidenot being right.

Take plenty to drink, protection from the sun, and be open minded, because the captain knows what he is doing and trying his best to give you a great fishing experience. Remember when fishin,g it is a roll of the dice if the fish will bite or not.

Figure out what you want to target. Get the charter going after that species …… and let the Captains take over. Both my charters this week got right on the fish we were going after and got our limits.

We were hoping to bring back some fish to freeze. We caught all red snapper which you are not allowed to keep because it is out of season for it. We only caught one fish to keep. Not our guides fault by any means but it was a huge disappointment.

Do not eat a big meal before you go & dont be drinking the night before if you expect to be able to stay the whole time my husband & son eat a honey bun & I eat a half of a brownie & be sure to take dramamine the night before & the day of ur trip...

If your wife wants to take all the kids to the beach. Agree, under the condition that you get to charter a fishing trip. Gulf Shores is very family friendly and renting a condo with a family friend or sibling is a great way to go.

Find a guide who’s experienced, patient, works well with inexperienced or experienced fisherman alike. I recommend Trick ‘Em Charters

Be sure to reach out to the captain in advance of the trip. We did, and it helped us to be better prepared.

Weather is the biggest limit to fishing here if weather is not optimal outshore fishing is unavailable

Understand what fish you are most likely to catch - we knew that mackerel was most likely

Bring water and snacks and get ready for a great time on the water. And plz show ur appreciation at the end of any trip you decide to take. They are professionals

Shorter trips; inshore, with reasonable expectations. Use a captain who is experienced with novice fishermen and is willing to teach.

Properly prepare for the intense sun. It can slip up on you in a hurry. Take some light snacks and drinks to enjoy while you are surrounded by the amazing Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay.

Ricochet Charters Ft. Morgan. Highly recommend. Caught lots of fish and the captain (Ricochet J) and his hand (J-Mo) were awesome.

The water is too warm for inshore fishing. I am sure the bigger boats can get out further and fish the deeper cooler water.

It's about $700 after tip for 3.5 hrs plus 30 minutes to get fish cleaned. So not the cheapest for inshore

Bring lots of water, wear long sleeves, bucket hats, Captain Brad and Tim, bring an extra cooler for fish, and if you want your fresh fish cooked to perfection go to Mikees Seafood in Gulf Shores.

Be prepared for the heat and the sudden rain showers. Depending on where you stay and where you meet the charter the dri b e can be pretty long.

Mackerel were biting well. The schools of redfish were little more difficult to find at this time of year. Still worth the expense for the experience.

I think fishing in the gulf shores would be a great experience. I would not recommend captain ronnie

You never know what the weather will be sometime trips get canceled or postponed don't take it out on the captian and charters they are doing it for your protection