Blankenship Eco-Tourism Area, Dauphin Island Fishing

Blankenship Eco-Tourism Area is the newest public waterfront on Dauphin Island, a marsh-edged park on Aloe Bay named for Chris Blankenship, who grew up on the island. It is an easy, peaceful place to fish the island's back side without a boat.

• A shoreline and pocket beach on Aloe Bay, just off the Mississippi Sound
• Speckled trout, redfish and flounder along the marsh edges
• Two observation boardwalks, picnic tables and restrooms
• A car-top kayak launch for exploring the wider bay
• Herons and ospreys nest on the property

The park sits on El Dorado Avenue at the north end of Dauphin Island, across from Dauphin Island Marina and a short way south of where the bridge lands. The Town of Dauphin Island hosted its dedication in July 2025.

• Getting there: come off the Dauphin Island Bridge onto Le Moyne Drive and turn right onto El Dorado Avenue, opposite the marina
• Parking: about 35 spaces, with room for single vehicles and for cars towing kayak trailers
• Entry: no fee is listed
• The walk: short and level; the shoreline, boardwalks and launch are close to the parking
• Hours: not published; read the signs at the entrance
• Lighting: none, according to the state's boating access listing

Aloe Bay is shallow, grassy and shielded from the Gulf by the island itself, so it warms early in the year and holds bait for months.

• Spring (Mar-May): speckled trout and redfish push onto the flats as the water warms
• Summer (Jun-Aug): trout at first light, with white trout, croaker and hardhead catfish taking bottom baits
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best season, as redfish and flounder feed along the marsh edges before winter
• Winter (Dec-Feb): slow and often low water; black drum, sheepshead and the odd redfish on calm, sunny afternoons

Keep it light: a 7-foot spinning rod with 10 lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader covers everything here.

• Speckled trout: a live shrimp under a popping cork, or a paddle-tail soft plastic on a light jig head
• Redfish: a gold spoon, or a shrimp on a Carolina rig thrown along the grass edges
• Flounder: a mud minnow on a light jig, worked slowly over sandy patches in the fall
• White trout and croaker: a two-hook bottom rig with fresh shrimp
• Black drum: a chunk of blue crab or a whole shrimp on the bottom in winter
• Wading: the bay has a gradual, sandy entry by the pocket beach, so a short wade in warm weather reaches more water; shuffle your feet

Water level in Aloe Bay follows the north-central Gulf's slow daily rhythm: usually one high and one low, a foot or two apart, plus a few near-still days each fortnight. Check the Dauphin Island area predictions, but watch the wind first.

• A rising or falling tide moves bait along the marsh edge; still water is slow
• Cold-front north winds empty the bay and can leave the shallow flats almost dry
• South winds fill it back up and often muddy it
• After big rains upstate the Sound freshens, and trout drift toward the Gulf passes
• Early mornings and the hour before sunset fish best, and the sunsets over the bay are worth staying for

The park is new, flat and easy to get around, and the water in front of it is sheltered.

• Get off the open shoreline when a thunderstorm builds; there is little cover
• Watch for kayaks and paddleboards near the launch and cast away from them
• Shuffle your feet when wading; stingrays bury themselves in the sand
• Bring insect repellent, as marsh mosquitoes and no-see-ums bite at dusk
• Stay off the marsh and away from nesting birds
• Access: parking, restrooms and boardwalks sit close together on level ground

The town built the area for a quiet day beside the water.

• Two observation boardwalks with views over the bay
• A pocket beach and a car-top kayak launch
• Picnic tables
• A restroom building
• About 35 parking spaces, including room for kayak trailers
• No lights, bait or food listed for the park, so bring supplies

• The boardwalks are described as observation boardwalks, so fish from the shoreline unless signs say otherwise
• Fall evenings with a light breeze are prime for redfish along the grass
• A kayak opens up the rest of Aloe Bay and the edge of the Mississippi Sound within minutes
• Bring live shrimp; lures are harder to fish in the murky water after a blow
• The osprey nest on the tower is busy in spring, so give it a wide berth
• Arrive early on summer weekends, when kayak trailers can fill the lot

The Town of Dauphin Island runs the park; the state notes it does not maintain the site. The town has not published fishing rules for it, so read the signs at the entrance.

• Keep the kayak launch clear for paddlers
• Stay off the marsh and leave nesting birds alone
• 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. Under-16s are exempt.
• Check current Marine Resources Division rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything