Josephine Park Public Access Fishing

Josephine Park Public Access is a neighborhood launch and bank spot on the quiet north side of Arnica Bay, far from the crowds at Perdido Pass. It rewards an angler who likes calm water and a short, simple session.

• Brackish bayou water opening into Arnica Bay and Perdido Bay
• Speckled trout, redfish, flounder, croaker and black drum
• A small public park with two ramps and a courtesy dock
• Listed by Marine Resources as a public saltwater fishing access

The park is on Josephine Drive, off Old County Road 95, in Josephine near Elberta. Baldwin County lists it among its boat launches; the state does not maintain it.

• Parking: a small lot shared with boat trailers, with a few accessible spaces
• Two ramps and one courtesy dock; boaters have priority on both
• Fish from the bank of the park away from the ramp
• No lights, so plan to leave by dark
• The county charges nothing to launch; boats may launch at any hour, but the park's other amenities are open dawn to dusk

The water here is brackish and the fish follow the salinity, which drops after heavy rain and climbs in a dry spell.

• Spring (Mar-May): speckled trout and redfish moving into the bayou as the water warms
• Summer (Jun-Aug): croaker, white trout and pinfish on small baits, with trout at first and last light
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best season, with redfish, trout and flounder feeding before winter
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum and the odd redfish in the deeper water, and trout on mild afternoons

Light spinning tackle with 8 to 12 lb line is all you need on this sheltered water.

• Speckled trout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic on a 1/8 oz jig head along the edges
• Redfish: shrimp or a chunk of mullet on a light Carolina rig near the channel
• Flounder: a bull minnow fished slowly on the bottom in fall
• Croaker and white trout: a two-hook bottom rig with small pieces of shrimp
• Black drum: shrimp or crab on the bottom in winter

Arnica Bay has a small tide, usually a single high and low a day, and on some days the water barely moves, so wind and rain matter more than the tide table.

• Fish when the water is moving, either way
• Strong north winds after winter fronts blow water out of the bayou and push fish to the deeper channel
• South winds raise the water and bring fish up onto the edges
• After heavy rain upriver the water turns fresher and browner; the fish move toward the open bay
• Calm evenings and mornings are the most pleasant and productive times
• Use tide tables for the Perdido Bay and Orange Beach area

This is a calm, sheltered spot with few hazards beyond the boat ramp.

• Keep clear of boats launching and trailers backing down the ramp
• There are no lights; carry a flashlight if you stay to dusk
• Banks can be soft and slippery near the water's edge
• Hardhead catfish spines are sharp and venomous; handle with care
• Mosquitoes and biting flies are common on still evenings, so bring repellent
• Access: a short walk from the lot; the bank is uneven

Facilities are minimal.

• Two boat ramps and one courtesy dock
• A small parking lot with accessible spaces
• No restrooms listed by the state, so do not count on one
• No lights
• No bait shop at the park; bring bait from Elberta, Foley or Orange Beach

• Go on a weekday, when the ramp is quiet and you have the bank to yourself
• A live shrimp under a popping cork is the most reliable bait for trout here
• Watch for mullet flipping and birds working over the bayou mouth; trout and reds feed under them
• Fall evenings after the first cool front are the best time for redfish and flounder
• Bring everything you need, including drinking water; there are no facilities

Josephine Park is a county and local public access, which Marine Resources lists as a saltwater fishing access; the state does not maintain the ramp.

• Leave the ramp and courtesy dock free for boaters
• Park amenities other than the ramps are open dawn to dusk
• Obey any signs posted at the park
• 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
• Anglers under 16 are exempt from the license
• Check current Marine Resources Division rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything