Pier & Shore Fishing Outlook 10/29/25

Pier & Shore Fishing Outlook 10/29/25

By David “The Pierpounder” Thornton

The seasonal transition into fall continued in earnest through the past fortnight as a series of fronts brought cooler temperatures and dry conditions several days at a time. That influence, along with noticeably fewer sunlight hours stirred fish species to make their migrational moves. Pelagics like tarpon, ladyfish, and small jack crevelle are heading eastward in large schools just outside the surfzone. They are being seen, or caught only occasionally now.
Meanwhile, so-called bull reds (breeder sized redfish) are staging over Dixey Bar and the Point near Fort Morgan awaiting the annual move of vast menhaden schools as they drop out of the bay. At times, double digit numbers of red and black drum are being caught and released from shore there on cut fresh mullet, but mostly on hatchet jigs and large swim baits whenever the water is fairly calm and clear.
The Gulf water temperature is currently holding in the upper 70s, while that in the bays has already dipped into the lower 70s. Historically, we can expect this downward trend in water temps to continue and even accelerate through mid November when Gulf waters should average around 72 degrees. We can expect the current good fishing to continue at least until then with exceptions for bad weather events associated with fronts, and perhaps near the NEAP tide period around November 2nd. Thank goodness we have been spared any tropical events this year (so far), and can pray that continues as the Atlantic hurricane season is quickly winding down.
Dingy water from prolonged windy weather events and higher waves associated with fronts isn’t much of a hindrance to targeting redfish with bait rigs on bottom at Fort Morgan, but it can play havoc with the topwater lure bite. A similar effect may be noted around Perdido Pass, though live bait like LYs (Scaled herring) and pinfish should still be available at least intermittently through this fortnight even when the water is not calm and clear. In fact it is getting close to that time of year when schools of bull reds run back and forth along the longshore sandbar and may be caught while bottom fishing from the Gulf State Park Pier. Again, cut bait (fresh mullet, finfish, or crab) will catch redfish, but live bait is often even more effective whenever you can get it. Large drum may even be caught from the banks of the canal (Intercoastal Waterway) between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. So that is a good option to trophy fish for photo opportunities, especially when the Gulf is too rough and windy.
Dingy and rough water will however put a damper on mackerel fishing from the pier, for as long as it lasts. Still, several legal sized red snapper were caught from the Pier recently as the water was getting rough and silty, and again as it began clearing. But whenever the water was calm and clear, baitfish (LYs) returned to the pier, and the more mobile gamefish followed. Some nice kings and some of the biggest spanish mackerel of the season were caught from the pier during the past few weeks, and that should continue sporadically through early November. Spanish mackerel are typically caught from the pier through mid November, though they will not be available every day. Their appearance at the pier is usually associated with good water clarity and the presence of baitfish which tend to occur several days after a front passes through. The Bubble rigs continue to be effective for now, but will be less so as the water gets cooler and the baitfish no longer feed on the surface. When these fish are holding deeper, they may still be targeted on light tackle with jigs, like the locally produced Looney jigs in the ½ and ¾ ounce sizes. Also, on heavier tackle using spoons (like a Clarke or Krocodile) tracked several feet behind a one or two ounce trolling weight may still catch these deeper running mackerel and bluefish, when they are around. Bluefish are another species that spawns in the fall, so when they are around the pier or jetties it may be difficult to catch anything else. Fortunately they will bite a variety of artificial lures as well as dead and especially live bait, and they are better to eat than their reputation suggests.
Flounder have also been caught from the pier and beaches lately, though only about one in ten has been legal sized. Most of these are males, which never leave the Gulf, and almost never reach legal harvest size (14 inches) anyway. Of course the season is already closed in Florida (October 15th), and will close in Alabama November 1st.
Flounder season remains closed in both states through the month of November to allow pre-spawn females unencumbered egress into the Gulf.
Slot-sized redfish along with a few speckled trout are still present in the surf, feeding on small LYs whenever they are available. It has been very difficult lately to fish with live shrimp during the day near the beach around the pier or from the seawall at Perdido Pass or Little Lagoon Pass because of the hordes of ravenous pinfish infesting the shallows near these structures. They will continue to pester anglers until the Gulf water temperatures fall below 70 degrees, usually near the beginning of Dec.
Increasing numbers of keeper pompano have also been caught from area beaches, as it seems the June grass infestation may be dying off as the water has cooled. Whiting numbers and sizes are also on the increase with more of these tasty unregulated fish being caught now. Fresh shrimp with Fishbites or Fishgum is producing many of these fish, but beach ghost shrimp will quickly become the preferred bait. The morning low tides in early November are conducive to slurping ghost shrimp along the Gulf beaches, especially on the days with a north wind following the passage of cold fronts.
Additional good news is the biting flies don’t seem to have been as much a nuisance to surf fishers and beach goers with the cooler weather lately. And a bit more of good news is the dredge work at Little Lagoon Pass has restored the channel water depth to the 6 foot depth prescribed by law. There is still a bit of a sandbar shoaling the Gulf side entrance, but more frequent storms may open a trough.
For now though it appears the water depth is enough to allow mullet in and out of the pass along with some of those foot long + croakers that like to aggregate under the Gulf State Park Pier before they spawn. Apparently Little Lagoon is a fine estuary for croakers to attain maximum size (up to 16 inches) and in years past when the pass is open they utilize the hard structure of the pier to gather up for spawning. It provides them some protection from marauding sharks and dolphins – opportunistic feeders and seem to be more numerous nowadays.