Delta Port Marina Fishing

Delta Port Marina is a small public launch site on the West Fowl River with a fishing pier for anglers without a boat. It is a quiet backwater spot rather than a destination pier, good for a few hours with live shrimp on a falling tide.

• A fishing pier beside a public boat ramp
• Brackish tidal river water that leads to the Mississippi Sound
• Speckled trout, redfish, flounder, croaker and black drum
• Ramp, apron and parking upgraded by the Marine Resources Division, most recently in 2026

The site is at 5080 Green Drive, off Delta Port Boulevard, beside the West Fowl River in Coden, in south Mobile County. Alabama's Marine Resources Division has rebuilt and improved it.

• Parking: gravel lots, enlarged in 2021, with the accessible parking space raised in 2026
• Access: a paved lane now joins Green Drive to the concrete apron at the ramp
• Fees and hours: not published; read the signs at the site
• The pier sits beside the ramp, so expect launching traffic on weekend mornings

West Fowl River is brackish, so expect saltwater fish most of the year and a fresher mix after heavy rain.

• Spring (Mar-May): speckled trout and redfish feed along the marsh edges as the water warms; sheepshead linger on hard structure
• Summer (Jun-Aug): trout at first light, croaker and white trout on the bottom, catfish everywhere
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best months, as redfish, trout and flounder feed up and drop down the river toward the sound
• Winter (Dec-Feb): trout and redfish gather in the deeper holes; black drum take cut bait

Light spinning tackle with 8 to 12 lb line and a fluorocarbon leader suits this small river.

• Trout and redfish: live shrimp under a popping cork, drifted along the marsh edge on the tide
• Soft plastics: a paddle tail on a 1/8 to 1/4 oz jig head, bounced near the bottom in winter
• Flounder: a bull minnow on a Carolina rig, dragged slowly along the bottom in the fall
• Croaker and black drum: a bottom rig with fresh shrimp or cut bait
• Sheepshead: a fiddler crab dropped tight to pilings and riprap

The tide here follows the Mississippi Sound: one high and one low on most days, a range of a foot or two, and some days with almost no movement. The Dauphin Island area predictions are a fair guide.

• An outgoing tide pulls bait off the marsh and is often the best time
• North winds after a cold front lower the river and push fish into deeper water
• Strong south winds raise it and spread fish into the grass
• After heavy rain the river runs fresh and stained; give it a few days or fish closer to the sound
• Calm, overcast days fish well for trout

It is a working launch site first, so share it with boaters.

• Do not wade or swim near the ramp, and keep clear of launching boats and trailers
• Watch for mud, oyster shell and slippery riprap along the bank
• Leave at the first thunder; summer storms come quickly off the sound
• Carry insect repellent; mosquitoes and no-see-ums are fierce at dusk
• Access: the pier and ramp are close to the parking, with one raised accessible parking space

Facilities are basic, so arrive with everything you need for the session.

• A public fishing pier
• A public boat ramp with a lengthened concrete apron
• Gravel parking, with a raised accessible space
• Riprap along the shoreline
• Restrooms, bait and food are not confirmed on site; bring water and buy bait on the way

• Buy live shrimp before you arrive; bait on site is not confirmed
• Fish the last two hours of the falling tide, when water drains off the marsh
• After a cold front, slow down and fish soft plastics near the bottom in the deepest water you can reach
• Weekday mornings are quietest at the ramp
• After a week of heavy rain, head for Cedar Point Pier or Dauphin Island, where the water is saltier

The public launch and pier at Delta Port Marina have been improved by Alabama's Marine Resources Division, which posts project updates on its social media.

• Read the posted signs for hours and any rules at the pier and ramp
• Do not wade or swim near the ramp
• 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.
• Check current Marine Resources Division rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything