Weeks Bay Reserve Fishing Pier

The Weeks Bay Reserve Fishing Pier is a short, quiet pier at the mouth of the Fish River, set in a protected estuary rather than on a busy waterfront. It is a fine place to learn how a brackish river works, with saltwater and freshwater fish taking turns as the salt comes and goes.

• A daylight fishing pier beside the reserve's Resource Center
• Flounder, redfish and speckled trout when the water is salty
• Decks and pavilions with picnic tables next to the pier
• Nature trails and a visitor center just up the highway

The pier is beside the Weeks Bay Resource Center at 11525 US 98, on the west bank of the Fish River just south of the highway bridge between Fairhope and Foley. The reserve's Visitor Center, with exhibits and trailheads, is a little to the west at 11300 US 98.

• Hours: the Resource Center's outside area, pier included, is open to visitors in daylight hours
• Buildings: off limits unless you are attending a scheduled event
• Visitor Center: Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on state and federal holidays
• Fees: none listed for the pier or the outside area
• Boat ramp: the state's Bay Watch public ramp sits next to the bridge, with a paved lot for trailers and cars

Salinity in the lower Fish River changes with the tide and the rain, so the same pier can hold redfish one week and bream the next.

• Spring (Mar-May): speckled trout and redfish move up from Weeks Bay as the water warms; live shrimp under a cork is popular
• Summer (Jun-Aug): flounder on the bottom, croaker on shrimp, mullet along the banks and trout at dawn
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best of the year for flounder and redfish as they feed before winter
• Winter (Dec-Feb): trout settle into the deeper river channel; after heavy rain the pier gives way to bass, bream and crappie

Light tackle suits the pier: a 7-foot spinning rod with 8 to 12 lb line and a 20 lb fluorocarbon leader.

• Flounder: a live bull minnow on a Carolina rig, fished slowly along the bottom
• Redfish and speckled trout: flashy spinnerbaits and soft plastics, or live shrimp under a popping cork in winter and spring
• Croaker: small pieces of shrimp on a bottom rig
• Black drum: a piece of shrimp or crab on the bottom near the pilings
• Freshwater fish after rain: crickets for bream and small minnows for crappie

Weeks Bay has one high and one low tide on most days, with a range of only one to two feet, and some days in each fortnight barely move. Check the tide for the Mobile Bay area, then think about rain and wind.

• After dry spells salt water pushes up the river and the saltwater fish follow it
• Heavy rain upstream freshens the river quickly and sends trout and reds back toward the bay
• North winds behind winter fronts drain Weeks Bay and pull fish into the deeper river channel
• Strong south winds push water and bait up into the river mouth
• Early mornings are best in summer, before the heat and the weekend boat traffic

The pier is short and easy to reach from the Resource Center's decks, with no scrambling.

• Keep lines clear of boats heading to and from the public ramp by the bridge
• Use is limited to daylight hours, so do not plan a night session here
• Summer lightning builds quickly over the bay; head for your car at the first thunder
• Bring insect repellent; the marsh breeds mosquitoes and biting flies
• This is a reserve: take your line, hooks and trash home with you

Facilities are those of a research reserve, not a marina.

• The fishing pier, decks and pavilions with picnic tables at the Resource Center
• The Weeks Bay Visitor Center nearby, with exhibits, live animal displays and plant collections
• Self-guided nature trails through wetlands, marshes, forests and a pitcher plant bog
• A public boat ramp beside the bridge
• No bait or tackle sales at the reserve that we could confirm; bring bait

• Fish here after a dry week; that is when the salt and the flounder come up the river
• After a big rain upstate, swap the shrimp for crickets, because the bream move in
• Combine a morning on the pier with the visitor center and the pitcher plant bog trail
• Watch the boats coming back to the ramp; when they come in with trout, the fish are out in the bay rather than the river
• Arrive early on weekends, when the ramp lot and the river are at their busiest

The pier is part of the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources within NOAA's National Estuarine Research Reserve System.

• The Resource Center's outside area and pier are for daylight use; its buildings open only for scheduled events
• The reserve is protected land: leave plants and wildlife undisturbed
• 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
• If you head upriver, check ADCNR's license boundary map to see where freshwater rules take over
• Check current Marine Resources Division rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything