Alabama Fishing Calendar
What's biting month by month, and how many Alabama charters on Unreel target each fish.
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Redfish77 charters · March to April and August to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Snapper62 charters · June to August | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Grouper46 charters · April to June and September to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Flounder42 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Sheepshead42 charters · January to April | January: peak | February: peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Speckled Trout40 charters · April to June and September to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 King Mackerel22 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Mahi-Mahi20 charters · May to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Amberjack19 charters · August to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Shark19 charters · May to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Cobia14 charters · April to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Black Drum13 charters · February to May | January: off peak | February: peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Marlin13 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Spanish Mackerel13 charters · April to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Wahoo11 charters · November to March | January: peak | February: peak | March: peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Tarpon8 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Catfish5 charters · April to June | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Largemouth Bass5 charters · March to May | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Sailfish5 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Striped Bass5 charters · February to June | January: off peak | February: peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Tripletail4 charters · April to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Crappie3 charters · February to April | January: off peak | February: peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Pompano3 charters · March to May and October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.
Alabama fishing, month by month
- January
- Sheepshead, Wahoo
- February
- Sheepshead, Black Drum, Wahoo, Striped Bass, Crappie
- March
- Redfish, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Wahoo, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Crappie, Pompano
- April
- Redfish, Grouper, Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Cobia, Black Drum, Spanish Mackerel, Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Tripletail, Crappie, Pompano
- May
- Grouper, Flounder, Speckled Trout, King Mackerel, Mahi-Mahi, Shark, Cobia, Black Drum, Spanish Mackerel, Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Tripletail, Pompano
- June
- Snapper, Grouper, Flounder, Speckled Trout, King Mackerel, Mahi-Mahi, Shark, Cobia, Marlin, Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon, Catfish, Sailfish, Striped Bass, Tripletail
- July
- Snapper, Flounder, King Mackerel, Mahi-Mahi, Shark, Cobia, Marlin, Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon, Sailfish, Tripletail
- August
- Redfish, Snapper, Flounder, King Mackerel, Mahi-Mahi, Amberjack, Shark, Cobia, Marlin, Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon, Sailfish, Tripletail
- September
- Redfish, Grouper, Flounder, Speckled Trout, King Mackerel, Mahi-Mahi, Amberjack, Shark, Cobia, Marlin, Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon, Sailfish, Tripletail
- October
- Redfish, Grouper, Flounder, Speckled Trout, King Mackerel, Amberjack, Spanish Mackerel, Tripletail, Pompano
- November
- Redfish, Grouper, Speckled Trout, Wahoo
- December
- Wahoo
Before you book
- Snapper: Red snapper seasons are set by each state and change yearly.
- Flounder: Flounder harvest closes in fall: Oct 15 to Nov 30 in Louisiana, all of November in Alabama, and Nov 1 to Dec 14 in Texas.
- Amberjack: Recreational greater amberjack is closed in Gulf federal waters in June and July.
- Tarpon: Tarpon are mostly catch and release. Keeping one needs a state tag and a very large fish (85 inches in Texas, 60 in Alabama).
How this calendar is built
The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a Alabama charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.
The shaded months are general peak windows for the Gulf Coast, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check Alabama's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.