Early Easter, and now it’s April. Great month on the Gulf Coast of Alabama. This month you can catch red fish, specks, sheepshead, flounder, white trout, ground mullet, bull red fish, Spanish, black fish and kings. All of this is between the Dixey Bar and the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay.

First, the kings and bull red fish will be cruising the Dixey Bar looking for the pogies that should be riding the falling tide to the Gulf. The sand bar causes the pogies to ball up and those larger fish can’t resist all the easy feeding. Use some 30 pound plus and around a 60 pound test leader with a 7/0 kahle hook with a 2- or 3- ounce egg sinker to keep your bait on the bottom. Keep a good large net and a sharp gaff in the boat.

If you don’t like to eat the large red fish then please put them back. Lings are great eating and the gaff on them usually makes it a given that you’re going to cook them.

As you move towards Gulf Shores Marina you’ll see the many inshore gas rigs that will be holding some great sheepshead numbers. Small crabs, fidler crabs, or live shrimp on the near bottom will do the trick. These fish are great to eat and so far there are no restrictions with them. Going to be soon, I think. That’s most likely a good idea as you can catch a boat load this time of the year.

Flounder will also be in the lower end of the Bay. Fish all the rocks, piers, gas rigs, and oyster bars. I use a 1/0 circle hook with a one-half-ounce slip sinker and either live shrimp or bull minnows for bait. Gulp baits will work as well. Also, fish any boat ramp you may come across. A lot of bait fish hang near the ramps to eat the green stuff growing on the ramp and near by rocks.

Moving farther east, you’ll come across the inshore reefs built by the state. Specks will be moving out of the deeper water around the bay and feeding on the bait fish and shrimp holding on the reef. While you’re moving east, look to the bank of the Bay and fish all the little stump fields in the shallow water. Flounder and red fish will be feeding there, as well.

After you hit the mouth of Bon Secour River, turn north and look for Fish River Reef, the Weeks Bay Pass, the Upper Wreck and Zundel Reef. All these places hold some really good trout. I always use a 2 or 4/0 kahle with one-fourth-ounce slip sinker and a clip-on egg shape float. These also come weighted. They “pop” very well and are easy to adjust the depth on and take off if the conditions require that you fish a tight line.

When you leave the Grand Hotel area headed back to Ft Morgan, be sure to hit the large channel markers and the Mid Bay Light House. Top water for trout should be on fire this month. Again, all these places will hold some trout and flounder. As you move about the Bay, look for floating logs and boards. Fish these with live shrimp about 5 feet down for some early black fish.

All and all, this month will be a great month on the Bay. Get some salt spray in your face and enjoy what Alabama has to offer. Some rules will change this year so be sure to read the information provided by the Marine Police. Be nature wise with the fish, know the fishing rules; know the boating rules, as well. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been waked by a real careless boater.

Remember that the Alabama Marine Resources Division is the people that keep our red fish population is such good shape. Help them when you can. Stay safe, stay dry and watch your wake. Call me anytime you think I can help you or provide you with any information, Capt. Don Holloway at 251-550-5418.

Capt. Don