Thread: Dauphin Island Fishing in October - Advice Needed

Hello Everyone. Live in the Washington DC area and I will be traveling to Dauphin Island with my girlfriend for a weeks vacation in October. I fish A LOT up and down the east coast and fish both fresh/salt water. I have no experience with the Dauphin Island area so I am looking to gather some information. I plan on bringing 2 12' St. Croix Mojo Surf bait casters, 2 7' MH surf rods, 2 7'2" MH inshore spinning rods, and a sabiki rod.

I hope to be doing a lot of surf fishing while I am there. Where are the best locations to surf fish?

I will be using Daiwa Saltist BG30's on my heavers w/ 20lb main line, attached to 50lb shock leader to 200 pound leader. If I get my bait 100 plus yards out from the beach - what could I anticipate to catch?

During the month of October - what species of fish are abundant?

Is it worth messing with the Gulf Shores Pier?

Would really like to hook into some larger drum - is that possible during October? If so, what is the best method?

Any advice would be appreciated. We cannot wait to come down

Welcome to the Forum, animalbarrie. We have surf fished Dauphin Island a few times in October and have had good luck at the west end. Drum should be available then. We target Flounder, Pompano, and whiting. Our rods are ML, and we use 6#, 8#, and 10# mono. Most of our target specie are near the shore, and therefore we haven't needed 12' rods, just 7' and 8'. The pier in Gulf Shores would be worth a visit, but would not suggest 12' rods for use on the pier. Use the Search feature to do some research. Any question you may have has been asked before, and answered. You will find the Northern Gulf of Mexico is unlike the eastern seaboard in many ways. Dauphin Island is a cool place; have fun and post some pics for us.

"I will be using Daiwa Saltist BG30's on my heavers w/ 20lb main line, attached to 50lb shock leader to 200 pound leader. If I get my bait 100 plus yards out from the beach - what could I anticipate to catch?"


Way over-gunned unless fishing for sharks.
And like noted most of our surf fish are from at your feet out to about 25 yards.
Unless you really want to shark fish, leave the heavy stuff home.

Originally Posted by CarlF

"I will be using Daiwa Saltist BG30's on my heavers w/ 20lb main line, attached to 50lb shock leader to 200 pound leader. If I get my bait 100 plus yards out from the beach - what could I anticipate to catch?"


Way over-gunned unless fishing for sharks.
And like noted most of our surf fish are from at your feet out to about 25 yards.
Unless you really want to shark fish, leave the heavy stuff home.

I will probably do some sharking while I am down there. My girlfriend has never caught one so I would love for her to experience it. Thanks for the advice.

Originally Posted by bodebum

Welcome to the Forum, animalbarrie. We have surf fished Dauphin Island a few times in October and have had good luck at the west end. Drum should be available then. We target Flounder, Pompano, and whiting. Our rods are ML, and we use 6#, 8#, and 10# mono. Most of our target specie are near the shore, and therefore we haven't needed 12' rods, just 7' and 8'. The pier in Gulf Shores would be worth a visit, but would not suggest 12' rods for use on the pier. Use the Search feature to do some research. Any question you may have has been asked before, and answered. You will find the Northern Gulf of Mexico is unlike the eastern seaboard in many ways. Dauphin Island is a cool place; have fun and post some pics for us.

What is the best method for catching drum from the surf? Better to catch them on the gulf side or the bay side?

In October, you are probably more likely to catch drum (black & red) of the gulf side along breaks in the sandbars where they like to feed during the outgoing tide (just one each day).
One feature our shores exhibit you do not see on the East Coast is our diurnal tides.
Check out the October tides @ http://www.outdooralabama.com/sites/...Calendar_0.pdf

There are three main public access areas on Dauphin Island open to fish for 'big game'.
The East End jetties and beach @ https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2456.../data=!3m1!1e3

IF you are up for a hike, check out the bars on the gulf side (southwest) of Pelican Spit south of the old Dauphin Island Pier @ https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2293.../data=!3m1!1e3

and West End Beach@ https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2464.../data=!3m1!1e3

The sandbar dropoffs and cuts 30-100 yards from the beach are your target areas.
Fresh cut mullet (whole live or cut whiting, pinfish or croaker) are you best bets for bigger red andblack drum and sharks as well.
The troughs near the beach are often full of 12" whiting (Gulf kingfish) that time of year, and access with typical 7' medium spinning tackle and small pieces of shrimp is all you need.
But beach ghost shrimp ('slurped' onsite at low tide) are hard to beat!
BTW, there is a decent bycatch of large drum (black and red) using this method.

Hope this helps!

Originally Posted by Pier#r

In October, you are probably more likely to catch drum (black & red) of the gulf side along breaks in the sandbars where they like to feed during the outgoing tide (just one each day).
One feature our shores exhibit you do not see on the East Coast is our diurnal tides.
Check out the October tides @ http://www.outdooralabama.com/sites/...Calendar_0.pdf

There are three main public access areas on Dauphin Island open to fish for 'big game'.
The East End jetties and beach @ https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2456.../data=!3m1!1e3

IF you are up for a hike, check out the bars on the gulf side (southwest) of Pelican Spit south of the old Dauphin Island Pier @ https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2293.../data=!3m1!1e3

and West End Beach@ https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2464.../data=!3m1!1e3

The sandbar dropoffs and cuts 30-100 yards from the beach are your target areas.
Fresh cut mullet (whole live or cut whiting, pinfish or croaker) are you best bets for bigger red andblack drum and sharks as well.
The troughs near the beach are often full of 12" whiting (Gulf kingfish) that time of year, and access with typical 7' medium spinning tackle and small pieces of shrimp is all you need.
But beach ghost shrimp ('slurped' onsite at low tide) are hard to beat!
BTW, there is a decent bycatch of large drum (black and red) using this method.

Hope this helps!

Great information - thanks for your help. I am skipping my Outer Banks trip for Dauphin Island - looking forward to it.