West 6th Street Beach Access, Gulf Shores Fishing

West 6th Street Beach Access is a convenient city beach stop a short walk west of the busy Highway 59 strip. It is a good place for a quick surf session before breakfast or at the end of a beach day.

• Gulf kingfish and pompano in the near trough, redfish in fall
• A boardwalk, accessible restroom and outdoor shower
• The nearest spot west of Gulf Place, where fishing is not allowed
• Condos and beach houses behind, open Gulf in front

The access is at 699 West Beach Boulevard (Highway 182), west of the Highway 59 intersection in Gulf Shores. The City of Gulf Shores runs it.

• Parking: a small paved lot, metered and paid by the hour; Gulf Shores residents with the hurricane re-entry and beach parking decal park free
• More paid parking at West 4th and 5th streets, a block east
• Access: a boardwalk over the dunes to the beach
• Overnight parking is restricted at city lots, so read the posted signs

Expect the usual Alabama surf mix, with the best action in the shoulder seasons.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano and Gulf kingfish as the water climbs into the 70s
• Summer (Jun-Aug): Gulf kingfish, ladyfish and catfish, plus Spanish mackerel and bluefish around bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): pompano again, and redfish working the beach on cooling water
• Winter (Dec-Feb): a few Gulf kingfish and redfish on calm, sunny days

Two rods are plenty: a surf rod on the bottom and a spinning rod ready for surface fish.

• Bottom: a two-hook pompano rig with 15 to 20 lb line, a 3 oz sinker and fresh shrimp or Fishbites
• Redfish: cut mullet or menhaden on a fish-finder rig in the deeper trough
• Mackerel and bluefish: a silver spoon or a Gotcha plug thrown into feeding fish
• Flounder: a soft plastic on a jig head hopped slowly along the bottom near the bar

The Gulf rises and falls only a foot or two here, usually with one high and one low a day, and on some days it barely changes at all.

• Fish whenever the water is moving and the surf is not too rough to hold bottom
• Calm, clear green water is best for pompano and mackerel
• Murky, stirred-up surf after a blow is better for redfish
• Strong south winds push up big waves; north winds after a front calm and clear the beach
• Use the Gulf Shores area tide tables

The beach is busy in summer, and swimmers come first.

• Seasonal lifeguards watch this access; fish well away from the guarded swimming area
• Learn the beach flag colors and respect red flags and rip currents
• Shuffle your feet when you wade, for stingrays
• Go in early on summer afternoons when storms build
• Accessibility: the restroom is wheelchair accessible and a boardwalk crosses the dunes; the beach itself is soft sand

This is one of the city's better-equipped small accesses.

• An accessible restroom
• An outdoor rinse shower
• A boardwalk to the beach
• A small paved, metered parking lot
• Restaurants and tackle shops a short drive away in Gulf Shores; no bait at the access

• The city does not allow fishing at Gulf Place, so this is the place to go instead when you are staying near Highway 59
• Fish before 9 a.m. in summer, before the swimmers and lifeguards arrive
• Rinse your reels at the outdoor shower after a session
• Pick up fresh shrimp in town on the way; it beats frozen for Gulf kingfish
• Take every bit of gear home: the city removes anything left on the beach an hour after sunset

The City of Gulf Shores manages its public beaches and the West 6th Street access.

• No fishing at Gulf Place, the main public beach just east
• No glass on the beach
• Tents and shelters over the city's size limit are not allowed, and gear left on the sand an hour after sunset is removed
• 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