Burgoyne Road Beach, Bon Secour Refuge Fishing

Burgoyne Road Beach is the wildest-feeling surf spot on the Fort Morgan peninsula: protected refuge dunes at your back, no beach houses in view and the mouth of Mobile Bay about a mile to the west. It rewards anglers who are happy to carry their gear and fish without facilities.

• Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge land, where the refuge invites surf fishing in daylight
• Redfish, pompano and Gulf kingfish in the troughs
• Close to the bay mouth, where fish pass in and out of Mobile Bay
• The old fort and the free Fort Morgan Fishing Pier are a few minutes away

Burgoyne Road leaves the Gulf side of Fort Morgan Road (Highway 180) about 19.8 miles west of Highway 59, where the refuge's Fort Morgan Unit meets the eastern edge of the Fort Morgan State Historic Site grounds. It runs straight south through the refuge to the dunes, roughly a quarter mile.

• Manager: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as part of Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
• Hours: the refuge's beach accesses are open sunrise to sunset, seven days a week
• Parking: there is no developed lot; cars park along the road, often near the highway end, so be ready to carry your gear up to a quarter mile, follow any posted signs and keep off the dunes
• Fees: none listed
• A short sandy path crosses the dune at the end of the road

So close to the bay mouth, this beach sees fish moving between Mobile Bay and the Gulf in every season.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano and redfish work the beach as it warms, and Gulf kingfish bite steadily
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Spanish mackerel, bluefish and ladyfish chase bait in clear water, with speckled trout at first light
• Fall (Sep-Nov): peak redfish season, including big bull reds along the bars, plus a second pompano run and flounder heading out of the bay
• Winter (Dec-Feb): slower, with redfish, black drum and kingfish on calm days between fronts

Bring surf tackle that will hold the bottom in a current.

• A 10 to 12 foot surf rod with 20 to 30 lb line and 3 to 5 oz pyramid sinkers for redfish
• Pompano and Gulf kingfish: a two-hook pompano rig baited with pieces of shrimp, cast into the first trough
• Redfish: a fish-finder rig with cut mullet or a quartered blue crab, left in a sand spike
• Speckled trout: a soft plastic or a topwater plug worked along the edge of the bar at dawn
• Mackerel and bluefish: a small silver spoon on a short, heavy leader
• Bring or buy your bait; do not plan on digging sand fleas here

Tides are small, usually one high and one low a day about a foot or two apart, but the outflow from Mobile Bay sets up a current along this end of the beach.

• A falling tide pulls bait out of the bay toward the bars and is the time to be here
• Calm, clear surf suits pompano and trout; a little color and chop suits redfish
• Strong south winds build a heavy shore break that makes it hard to hold the bottom
• After heavy rain, brown bay water can spread along this beach; walk east for cleaner water
• Check the tide forecast for the Dauphin Island area

This is a remote beach with no lifeguards, no warning flags and few people, so look after yourself.

• Rip currents form along the bars; fish beside them if you like, but never wade into one
• Do not wade deep; local rescuers say rips here pull harder on a falling tide, with Mobile Bay so close
• Bertha's swell led to at least 22 rip-current rescues on Fort Morgan in one day in July 2026
• Shuffle your feet in the shallows to warn off stingrays
• Summer storms build quickly over the Gulf; leave at the first thunder
• Carry plenty of water and sun protection, as there is no shade
• If you call 911, say you are at the end of Burgoyne Road; Fort Morgan's beaches are long and hard to describe
• Accessibility: a level paved road, then soft sand over the dune; not suitable for wheelchairs

Nothing is provided at the beach itself.

• No restrooms, drinking water, showers or shade
• No lifeguards
• No bait or tackle; buy it in Gulf Shores before the long drive out
• The nearest restrooms are at the Mobile Bay Ferry landing and the fort's museum at the end of the highway; the ferry landing has a snack bar, and the fort charges admission
• The free Fort Morgan Fishing Pier sits on the bay side a few minutes to the west

• Plan a fall trip around a falling tide, when redfish gather along the bars toward the bay mouth
• Walk a few hundred yards along the sand from the end of the road and you will usually have the beach to yourself
• Watch for diving birds and nervous bait; mackerel and bluefish are usually underneath
• A beach cart with wide tires makes the soft dune crossing much easier
• When the surf is too rough, fish the Fort Morgan Fishing Pier on the calmer bay side instead
• Pack up before sunset; the refuge beach closes at dark

The beach is part of Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which invites surf fishing from its beach but does not name this access on its pages.

• Refuge rules allow fishing only in designated areas and only from sunrise to sunset; read the signs at the end of the road
• Keep to the path over the dunes, which are protected refuge habitat
• The refuge says a valid Alabama saltwater fishing license is required
• An Alabama saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt; Alabama residents who are exempt (and anglers fishing only from a pier that holds a pier license) must still complete the free Saltwater Angler Registration
• Check current Marine Resources Division rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything