Gulf Shores, Alabama Sight Fishing Charters
Saltwater sight fishing in Gulf Shores, Alabama is a specialty fishing trip that is for those who like to fish in the saltwater by using their sight as a primary means of seeing and catching fish. Fishing with your eyes can be challenging and requires patience. Sight fishing is a saltwater fishing charter designed for an individual or a small group that wants do do something different than traditional reef fishing or family fishing charter like a trolling fishing trip. Sight fishing charters are also great for those corporate anglers that just want to have a peaceful day away from the office. Alabama has some good sight fishing trips that are available to fishermen visiting Gulf Shores during the summer and winter charter fishing seasons.
The way we sight fish in saltwater off Alabama, is we put you and another angler in the tuna tower and ride along, looking for fish on the surface of the saltwater or just under the surface like the cobia. We also use binoculars to spot birds diving into the water to help find a school of mackerel or Redfish. We drive the boat toward the fish hitting the bait on top water and we allow you to cast into school of fish with either traditional tackle, light tackle or by using your fly fishing tackle.
Sight fishing for Cobia and Redfish in Gulf Shores
Some common sight fishing species we fish for is the spring Cobia and the winter Redfish. Cobia fishing is the ultimate fishing trip and can be extremely boring or extremely exciting. For more information about cobia fishing, please visit our cobia fishing page. Another species of sight fishing species is the Bull Redfish. This extreme Alabama saltwater sight fish offers even the most experienced first time fishermen and corporate fishing anglers a chance to catch a big fish while using your sight as your primary guide.
Using sight fishing as your primary means of searching for Redfish and Cobia can be very challenging if the fish are not on top of the water. Most of the time, these two species of saltwater fish can be caught using sight fishing methods. If you are relying on this type of fishing to produce fish and you get impatient, you can always have the mate put out some trolling fishing lines to see if you can hook up on the fish that are on the bottom or are simply just not on the surface of the gulf. You also have a choice to head offshore and do some chumming fishing on some Alabama artificial reefs. This type of fishing will bring most of the fish species on the reef to the surface so you may cast your light tackle or fly fishing gear at them and try to get a bite. You may also want to experience jigging fishing for Amberjacks, Snapper and Grouper.
Bull Redfish Fishing Charter
Winter Redfish Charters offers first time anglers and fly-fishermen some of the best deep sea fishing in all of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The winter charter season begins the first week of November each year along the gulf shores. These monster Red Fish are called Bull Reds and have been a favorite of Alabama sport fishermen for decades.
Most corporate anglers and family anglers love these 4 hour trolling charters. If the fish are biting good, most anglers extend their winter charter so their kids can catch a few more.
Late Fall and Winter Are Best
The best time to go Redfishing is during the winter months of November, December, January and February of each year. The water temperature starts in November in the high 60’s and drops to the low to mid 50’s during the peak winter charter season. The Bullreds usually show up the last week of October or during the fall charter season. The daytime temperatures are still in the 70’s and nights are down in the high 40’s to low 50’s.
Frontal Passage Brings Redfish Up To The Top
The best time to catch a Bullred is just after a cold front passes and the winds shift out of the north to northwest during the winter charter season. There is something about that northerly breeze that pushes the warm water out to sea and those big Redfish school up.
Redfish are very common in the Gulf Shores, Alabama saltwaters. The common name for them depends on where you find them and catch them. Most of them out in the Gulf of Mexico are called Bull Reds. That is what we specialize in.
Trolling and Sightfishing For Winter Redfish
We use trolling fishing to catch them and when they break the surface as a school, we sightfish for them. They are a true game fish and cannot be harvested by commercial fishermen ever again. Scientists call them Sciaenops ocellatus. We call them rat reds, slot reds, bull reds, red drum. They have a long body that is colored by bronze to gold looking scales. They have a white belly. They have a distinctive black spot on their tail to confuse predators that feed on them. They are a wonderful, hard fighting fish.
Booking Your Bull Redfishing Charter
Be sure to contact us directly by filling out our online fishing reservations page after you have chosen the best fishing charter for you on our rates and pricing page.
After you have submitted your request online, you may call us direct at 251.975.8111 and give us a credit card number to secure your trip.
Remember, we do not require a deposit. You may pay the day of your fishing charter.
Chumming Fishing In Gulf Shores, Alabama
Alabama has large areas of salt water with artificial reefs and natural reefs that are great for chumming fishing. There are many ways to enjoy trying to catch fish while family charter fishing in Gulf Shores. There is nothing more exciting than actually seeing the fish, first time fishermen are trying to catch. Chumming fishing brings your fish to the top and you can see them swimming on the water beside and underneath your charter fishing boat.
One of the best ways to see the Red Snapper, Mangrove Snapper,Amberjack, Triggerfish and Mackerel is to get them to the surface of the saltwater. The only way to get them there is by chumming. Chumming is the act of using a fish attractant in the water that puts the smell and taste of the fish’s natural bait in front of them. There are a few ways to chum. Some anglers use the Berkley chum buckets. They last a long time and do work. Some anglers use the messy chum churn made out of pvc pipe with slats that allows the plunger in the center to mash out bits and pieces of chum into the water. Most Gulf Shores charter boats, simply chop bait into chunks and throw them in the water so they sink. Don’t go crazy with chumming. Throw a few pieces in at a time.
Ideal Conditions For Chumming
Chumming has been a long time secret of many Alabama saltwater fishing guides in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Most charter boats do not offer chumming because it takes time to prepare the concoction of fish parts, oil and special scents that make up the chum. Our deep sea fishing charter uses this method of fishing when the weather and gulf current allow it. Our fly fishing anglers and our light tackle customers love chumming because it allows them to pick out the fish they want.
To use chumming as a means of attracting fish to the surface of the water requires perfect weather. You do not want to put out a chum line when the current is moving the water away from your reef at a fast speed. The ideal time to use chumming or to throw chum in the gulf shores waters is when the winds are calm and the current is not moving very fast.
Pick The Fish You Want to Catch When Chumming
The best time to use chumming is when you want to be selective of the fish you are targeting. Chumming works on any species of fish and during any charter fishing season we are in. It works for first time fishermen and family fishermen that want to go shark fishing, snapper fishing, cobia fishing and mackerel fishing.
Chumming is a part of sight fishing because it allows you to see the fish you are trying to catch. Fly fishing while chumming is exhaustively fun. Anglers can simply pick out and catch the reef fish you want and watch them eat your bait. The hardest thing you will have to do is be patient enough to let the fish get hooked before you jerk your pole and set the fishing hook. We see people jerk too soon and pull the bait fish and or the fishing lure right out of the fishes mouth.
Let us know if you are interested in a 6 hour bottom and reef fishing charter that will allow chumming. You and your family will enjoy watching those nice, big fish come to the surface and swim around the charter boat. Your Gulf Shores family fishing vacation will certainly be one to remember.
Alabama Jigging, Jig Fishing Charters
Gulf Shores saltwater, deep sea fishing has changed over the past twenty years. Newer technology has taken the place of traditional lead head jigs. Now don’t get me wrong, you can still catch some nice fish on traditional jig heads. We are talking about using the butterfly style jigs along with traditional jigs. Gulf Shores salt water fishing offers some of the best jig and jigging saltwater guided fishing charters in Alabama. Jigging is best described at the most intensive methods of saltwater fishing. It requires family anglers to use technique, agility and timing in order to make the jig dance properly and cause a Red Snapper, Grouper or Amberjack to strike.
You Get To Use The Best Fishing Jigs
Our charter guides take time to educate you and demonstrate how to use different jigs and teach you how to catch fish by using proper jigging fishing techniques. Sure we are going to lose some jigs. We don’t like to lose a jig, but that is the cost associated with specialty fishing. We don’t get mad or fuss about it. Most charter fishing boats do not use the nicer jigs because they are expensive and they have a fear of letting inexperienced, first time fishermen and family anglers lose them. They are afraid of getting the jigs hung up on the artificial reefs below the boat. We simply tie another jig on there and help you do it again. Your saltwater fishing guides are patient and want to watch you learn how to catch Red Snapper, Grouper and Amberjack by using a jig.
Reef Fishing Using Jigging Techniques Is Fun
Jig fishing is primarily done while reef fishing on natural reefs and artificial fishing spots that are located south of Gulf Shores. Almost every game fish that lives on these reefs can be stimulated and made to bite a jig. There is an art to jig fishing. Jig fishing is more than just using a jig to catch fish. Part of jig fishing is knowing how to use the jig when deep sea fishing. Depending on the species and the charter fishing season you are in, most of fish you’re jigging for, you can use jigs that are small as 1 oz and can be as heavy as 9.5 ounces each.
Our Jigging Tackle Is Top Of The Line
The rods you use while jig fishing have to be compatible with the line and the jig weight you are planning on using. There are some really good rods for jigging and jig fishing. Our first time and family anglers use the Trevala rods made by Shimano. They are expensive but they offer the best action and are light enough that even the smallest angler can handle. We use Penn 8500 and 9500 spinning reels as well as Shimano Calcutta’s with a 6:1 gear ratio for a fast retrieval of the jig. Your family will enjoy using high quality, top of the line jig fishing tackle.
Booking A Jigging Fishing Charter in Gulf Shores
Be sure to contact us directly by filling out our online reservations page after you have chosen the best fishing charter for you on our rates and pricing page. After you have submitted your request online, you may call us direct at 251.975.8111 and give us a credit card number to secure your trip.
Remember, we do not require a deposit. You may pay the day of your fishing charter. We look forward to serving you and your family on your fishing charter that uses jigging.