Fishing in Alabama

Alabama has a rich history and diversity of freshwater and saltwater sport fishing opportunities within its extensive rivers systems, farm ponds and the inshore and offshore saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico., The Bass Angler's Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), the leading promoter of competitive bass fishing was founded by Ray Scott in 1967 in Montgomery, Alabama. Alabama hosts numerous local, regional and national fishing tournaments every year.

Alabama supports 11 million angler fishing days with expenditures of three-quarters of a billion dollars, so join in the fun!

Alabama hosts 47 reservoirs larger than 500 acre that cover 551220 acre, 23 Alabama State Public Fishing Lakes, and 77000 mi of perennial rivers, streams and the Mobile Delta as well as over 60 mi of shoreline along the Gulf Coast that provide fresh and saltwater fishing opportunity.

Freshwater fishing
The Official Freshwater Fish of Alabama is the Largemouth Bass. In general, Alabama freshwater fishing is a warmwater fishery, although stocked trout are available in several locations. The most targeted species are largemouth and smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, brim (bluegill, shellcracker, etc.), stripe (white bass, striped bass and hybrids) as well as catfish. There are limited fisheries for shoal bass, walleye and sauger. Big rivers and reservoirs dominate the freshwater fishing landscape in Alabama but there is also an abundance of small streams, creeks and ponds available. The Tennessee Valley Authority, US Army Corps of Engineers, Alabama Power, and the Alabama Department of Natural Resources all maintain and promote freshwater fishing access on the waters they oversee.

State Freshwater Records
Below is a table of state freshwater fishing records.

Saltwater fishing
Alabama has excellent access to the offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico from Mobile and Perdio Bays. Inshore and estuarial fishing opportunities are extensive in both upper and lower Mobile Bay, but extend from Grand Bay in the Mississippi Sound on the West to the western shores of Peridio Bay near Orange Beach, Alabama.

The Official Saltwater Fish of Alabama is the Tarpon.