Reeling in the New Year

It's a new year--time for a fresh start filled with New Year's resolutions. The typical resolutions abound in my home: lose weight, exercise more, spend less, etc. But being the fishing addict that I am, I feel the need to include a fishing-related resolution.

But what would make a good fishing resolution? Making a point to take more frequent fishing trips, maybe. But as awesome as it would be to fulfill this resolution, that's not always practical.

Someone suggested I "branch out" and try some vacation/fishing destinations other than Orange Beach. Trust me, I've done this--and still do on occasion. I don't frequent Alabama's Gulf Coast out of ignorance of what else is around, I go there because I love Gulf fishing and I love the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area. If the point of a New Year's resolution is to improve your life in some way, why would I make an effort to avoid my favorite vacation spot? Next, please.

Spending more time with family is another popular resolution. And given that my major fishing excursions last year were with friends, I think I'll strive for at least one major fishing trip with family this year (at my beloved Orange Beach, no less).

What's your New Year's resolution, fishing or otherwise?

Big Fish

I know a lot of people who think fishing is exclusively a summer activity, something you try for an hour at a nearby pier during your beach vacation so you can take some pictures and say you went fishing--and maybe actually catch something. These same people were baffled when I told them I'd be fishing along the Alabama Gulf Coast this month.

But the truth is, if you want to catch big fish, this is a good month for it. I'll be going inshore fishing in the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area, and I'm counting on finding some bull reds, which on average weigh between 15 and 20 pounds. I went on this same fishing trip this time last year, and in four hours the group I was with managed to catch more than 30 bull reds. It was the first time I was able to tell an "I caught a fish this big" story and actually had pictures to prove I was not exaggerating.

Read more about the bull reds and other fish that can be found along the Alabama Gulf Coast here: http://www.orangebeach.com/fishing/biting/.

Fishing Tournaments

There have been a couple fishing tournaments off the Alabama Gulf Coast recently, the most recent being the Inshore Fishing Association Redfish Tournament in Orange Beach. Next up is the IFA Redfish Tour Championship, where anglers will compete for the 2009 Tour Championship title. You can learn more about it at www.redfishtour.com.

I've never actually competed in a fishing tournament. But I'd like to think I have what it takes. A passion for fishing is obviously a requirement, and one that I meet hands down. A drive for competition is probably important, too. I think back to a fishing trip I took with some friends a few years back, and how some good-natured ribbing escalated into a bet on who would catch the most/biggest fish. I was into this bet--there was a good amount of cash behind it--and a couple of us went so far as to sabotage each other's fishing equipment. Not my finest moment, but it certainly demonstrates a drive for competition.

But I doubt that games of sabotage and pranks take place during serious fishing tournaments. The thrill of the chase and putting your skill to good use--not to mention the actual act of reeling in those fish--is probably enough to keep the competitive fisherman occupied.

You can check for any upcoming Orange Beach tournaments by going to www.orangebeach.com, going to "Calendar of Events" under "Things to Do" and selecting "Sports" in the dropdown box.

Fishing for Fun

I took my nephew deep sea fishing out of Orange Beach last week. He was really excited about it—it was his first fishing trip on a “big boat” with a “real captain.” But I didn’t realize he was set on catching dinner. I found this out when we caught the first fish: an eight-pound red snapper. Unfortunately, red snapper have to be released back into the water in September, and when I told my nephew this he cried, “But it’s no fun if you don’t get to eat them!” Luckily, we caught other fish that were okay to keep (and eat).

I realized that I’d have to educate this young boy on the sport of fishing. No way can I let someone who shares my blood grow up thinking that the only purpose of fishing is to catch a meal. He has to learn about the excitement of finding and catching fish and the adventure of just being out on the Gulf. I guess I’ll just have to take him out again, maybe even a few times. I feel I owe it to him.

And Orange Beach is a great place for all kinds of fishing, so it will be easy (and fun) to teach him the ropes.

You can learn more about Orange Beach fishing at http://www.orangebeach.com/fishing/.

That First Deep Sea Fishing Experience

I remember the first time I went deep sea fishing. I was twelve, and my family booked a fishing charter while we were vacationing at Orange Beach, Alabama. We arrived at the boat early in the morning and spent hours out on the water. The fishing was good—we caught mackerel and red snapper, and as I remember, everyone managed to snag something that day. It was a fun day and a great childhood memory.

It also inspired my life-long love for fishing. Ever since that day, I knew fishing would forever be part of my life.

I still love Gulf Fishing, and the Alabama Gulf Coast is the best place for it. There are so many excellent charters and captains, so many options for putting together a fun and exciting fishing trip. Whether you want inshore or offshore fishing, a four-hour trip or a fourteen-hour trip, you’ll find it at Orange Beach/Gulf Shores.

Visit www.gulffishing.net for information about specific captains and charters.

Third-Generation Charter Boat Captain Shares Insider's Tips for Orange Beach Fishing

Editor’s Note: Captain Bobby Walker, a third-generation charter-boat captain based out of Orange Beach, Alabama, along with his family, helped pioneer the charter-boat business in Orange Beach. His grandfather, Rufus Walker, was a mailman who started taking parties on weekends to troll for king mackerel and Spanish mackerel. His uncle, Roland Walker, was one of the first charter-boat fishermen to discover red snapper holding on underwater airplane wrecks and shipwrecks. Roland later carried tires and all types of old metal junk to drop in the Gulf of Mexico to create artificial reefs. He also convinced state politicians to deploy 300 wrecked-car bodies in the Gulf of Mexico, which became the first step in Alabama’s intensive artificial-reef-building program that’s today one of the largest artificial-reef programs in the world.

Read full article here.

August Offers Red Hot Bay Fishing on AL Gulf Coast

Editor’s Note: Captain Gary Davis of Tidewater Fishing Service in Foley, Alabama, has fished and guided in Mobile Bay for 35 years. As Davis explains, “This month, the bay’s red-hot around Fort Morgan. August is a very-good month for catching a wide variety of fish in Mobile Bay. Because the water’s so clear, we’ve had an influx of Spanish mackerel and small cobia that will weigh 3-5-pounds each. You can’t keep cobia this size, but they’re fun to catch and release.”

Read full article here: http://orangebeach.com/fishing/biting/

Gulf Coast Fishing

Cast your line for deep-sea adventure! With some of the best captains anywhere to guide you on your voyage, Gulf Shores / Orange Beach fishing promises some of the best fishing anywhere. Alabama’s Gulf Coast is home to one of the largest charter fishing fleets on the Gulf with more than 100 experienced captains are ready to help you reel in the catch of a lifetime. Add to that the fact that we have the only trolling alley in the Gulf, the nation’s largest artificial reef and something biting year round, and you’ll find that any time is a great time to come play “hooky”.
Learn More About Gulf Coast Fishing:
Fishing Charters & Cruises
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Gulf Fishing Information
Gulf Coast Marinas