Thread: Perdido pass fishing access

I saw a news item last night where The city of Auburn is hosting a large State of Alabama Tourism meeting this week. The state director of Tourism is Mr. Lee Sentell. I have spoken with him about the loss of fishing access at Perdido Pass and it's impact on Tourism. I emphasized the fact that it was by far the best access in the State for handicapped fisherman before it was fenced off and closed to the public because of the ability to drive right up to the wall and park just 15 feet away and roll up to the rail in a wheelchair and fish. This area has now been closed several years and it used to get a tremendous amount of use by tourists and locals alike. I have met and talked with people from all over the country and the world at that location in past years.
I would like to suggest that everyone try to contact Mr Sentell and see if enough of us can get his attention focused on the matter. In the past I was told that the real problem is that the Alabama State Department of Transportation is the department responsible for that site and they have no motivation to do anything about the problem. Maybe if enough people will write Mr. Sentell or email him about the matter he will realize the significance of the access. His email address is; leesentell@tourism.alabama.gov. His mailing address is Alabama Department of Tourism, 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 126, Montgomery, Al. 36104.

I think you hit on the key to getting it repaired in your statement and that is that it used to be used by people from all over THAT WERE HANDICAPPED ,so in closing this it has limited the places that a handicapped person can safely fish.

My brother in-law is coming again this trip(in a wheel chair) and wanted to fish, that sure would be more suitable then the pier and amount of people sometimes there to get around ....most likely it won't be open for his trip

I had my brother-in-law fishing at the pass shortly before his death and we hit the blues running strong. He was quite ill even then but enjoyed himself greatly. He told anyone who would listen about the trip. His mobility issues and lack of strength made it ideal. I know there are many others with similar health limitations who could use the site if it was reopened.

I was at the pass today and no work being done nor been done.

Originally Posted by oldfisherman

I saw a news item last night where The city of Auburn is hosting a large State of Alabama Tourism meeting this week. The state director of Tourism is Mr. Lee Sentell. I have spoken with him about the loss of fishing access at Perdido Pass and it's impact on Tourism. I emphasized the fact that it was by far the best access in the State for handicapped fisherman before it was fenced off and closed to the public because of the ability to drive right up to the wall and park just 15 feet away and roll up to the rail in a wheelchair and fish. This area has now been closed several years and it used to get a tremendous amount of use by tourists and locals alike. I have met and talked with people from all over the country and the world at that location in past years.
I would like to suggest that everyone try to contact Mr Sentell and see if enough of us can get his attention focused on the matter. In the past I was told that the real problem is that the Alabama State Department of Transportation is the department responsible for that site and they have no motivation to do anything about the problem. Maybe if enough people will write Mr. Sentell or email him about the matter he will realize the significance of the access. His email address is; leesentell@tourism.alabama.gov. His mailing address is Alabama Department of Tourism, 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 126, Montgomery, Al. 36104.

I did my part a couple months ago by emailing my concerns to Mr. Sentell about access to the pass . Hope others have and will do the same.

"In the past I was told that the real problem is that the Alabama State Department of Transportation is the department responsible for that site and they have no motivation to do anything"

This is slightly inaccurate, ALDOT is responsible for the site. But its not that they have no motivation, the problem is that they have no money for this project. Doesn't matter how much they care or not, if a state agency isn't appropriated funds to fix a problem, they can't fix it. And appropriating funds is a job of the legislature, not state employees.

I stop by this site ever week to look at the pass and watch the seagulls play conga line, and dream of the days of the past when this was a great fishing spot. My daughter is in no way physically incapable but the fact is her casting on spanish from the pass compared to the pier is a major difference to the point where she isnt even interested in pier casting. And not to mention the eye sore! When people come to visit me and they see this they are dumb founded with questions I cannot answer."why is this beautiful site closed with fence? ""Are they going to repair?" "Is it because the pier is not privately owned so they dont want to repair a fishing spot that will cause the pier to lose revenue? " I just always say I dunno lets just back the van up to the fence and cast off the roof.

"Is it because the pier is not privately owned so they dont want to repair a fishing spot that will cause the pier to lose revenue? "

That has absolutely nothing to do with it, how do people come up with such BS???

I can see how the pier would miss out on revenue since more people might prefer to fish the pass for free vs paying at the pier. I would probably fish there instead of the pier a few days of each week that I come down. It's possible that some families go elsewhere on vacation in the absence of free fishing opportunities.