Mobile Point, Fort Morgan Fishing

Mobile Point is where the whole of Mobile Bay meets the Gulf, and the fish know it. The beach below Fort Morgan faces the main ship channel and Dauphin Island across the pass.

• Bull redfish off Dixey Bar, on the east side of the channel
• Speckled trout along the beach, black drum and Gulf kingfish on the bottom
• Navy Cove, just north of the fort, for redfish and trout in calmer water
• Huge sky, passing ships and a 19th-century fort behind you

The point is at the western end of Highway 180, 22 miles west of Highway 59 in Gulf Shores, within Fort Morgan State Historic Site, which the Alabama Historical Commission runs.

• The fort charges admission; ask at the entrance where anglers may park and walk to the beach and whether a fee applies
• The free Fort Morgan Fishing Pier and the boat ramp are on the bay side, a short distance north
• The Mobile Bay Ferry from Dauphin Island lands nearby
• Expect a walk on soft sand to reach the tip with your gear

Bay water and Gulf water meet at the point, so fish move through all year.

• Spring (Mar-May): a peak for redfish around Dixey Bar; trout move onto the beach as the water warms
• Summer (Jun-Aug): speckled trout at dawn along the beach, Gulf kingfish and catfish on the bottom, Spanish mackerel and bluefish when bait floods the pass
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the other redfish peak, with big spawning fish at the mouth, schools of big jack crevalle, and flounder heading out of the bay
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum and redfish in the deeper water on calm days

Heavy surf tackle is the rule at the point.

• A 10 to 12 foot surf rod with 20 to 30 lb line, a circle hook and a 4 to 6 oz sinker to hold in the current
• Bull redfish: half a mullet, a chunk of menhaden or a live croaker on a fish-finder rig
• Speckled trout: a live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic on a jig, along the beach at first light
• Black drum: fresh crab or shrimp on the bottom
• Gulf kingfish: small pieces of shrimp on a dropper rig in the surf
• A long-handled net or a firm beach to drag fish onto helps with big reds

Tides here are diurnal, one high and one low most days with a range of about a foot or two, but the bay mouth funnels enormous volumes of water, so currents run strongly.

• The falling tide carries bait out of Mobile Bay and draws redfish to the point
• After heavy rain upstate, fresh water floods the bay and pushes trout and redfish toward the pass
• North winds behind winter fronts drain the bay faster and stack fish in the channel edges
• Strong south winds bring rough, dirty surf
• Check the tide for the Mobile Bay entrance near Fort Morgan

This is one of the most dangerous stretches of water on the Alabama coast.

• Strong currents and sudden drop-offs at the point; do not wade beyond your knees
• Large ships use the channel close by, and their wakes can surge up the beach without warning
• Keep gear well above the waterline
• Lightning storms build fast in summer; there is no shelter on the beach
• Stingrays lie in the shallows; shuffle your feet
• Accessibility: limited, with a walk over soft sand

The point itself is undeveloped.

• No facilities on the beach that we could confirm
• Fort Morgan State Historic Site has a gift shop and an administration office
• The Fort Morgan Fishing Pier and boat ramp are nearby on the bay side
• No bait for sale at the point; bring it from Gulf Shores or the stores along Fort Morgan Road

• Release big breeding redfish and big jacks quickly: circle hooks, a short fight and a fish kept in the water; check Alabama's redfish rules before keeping any
• Fish the first hours of the falling tide for the best redfish bite
• If the point is too rough, Navy Cove just north of the fort offers calmer water for trout and reds
• Watch the channel and step back from the water when a big ship passes
• Pair a morning on the beach with a visit to the fort, which guarded this channel during the Battle of Mobile Bay

Mobile Point lies within Fort Morgan State Historic Site, managed by the Alabama Historical Commission; ask the site about access, hours and fees.

• Fishing rules on the beach are not published by the site; read the posted signs
• 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