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A typical bait shop, found throughout the state near fishable waters

Alabama has a rich history and diversity of freshwater and saltwater sport fishing opportunities within its extensive rivers systems, farm ponds and the inshore and offshore saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico.,[1][2] The Bass Angler's Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), the leading promoter of competitive bass fishing was founded by Ray Scott in 1967 in Montgomery, Alabama.[3] Alabama hosts numerous local, regional and national fishing tournaments every year.

Alabama supports 11 million angler fishing days with expenditures of three-quarters of a billion dollars, so join in the fun![2]

Alabama hosts 47 reservoirs larger than 500 acres (2.0 km2) that cover 551,220 acres (2,230.7 km2), 23 Alabama State Public Fishing Lakes, and 77,000 miles (124,000 km) of perennial rivers, streams and the Mobile Delta as well as over 60 miles (97 km) of shoreline along the Gulf Coast that provide fresh and saltwater fishing opportunity.

Freshwater fishing

The Official Freshwater Fish of Alabama is the Largemouth Bass.[4] In general, Alabama freshwater fishing is a warmwater fishery, although stocked trout are available in several locations. The most targeted species are largemouth and smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, brim (bluegill, shellcracker, etc.), stripe (white bass, striped bass and hybrids) as well as catfish. There are limited fisheries for shoal bass, walleye and sauger. Big rivers and reservoirs dominate the freshwater fishing landscape in Alabama[5] but there is also an abundance of small streams, creeks and ponds available. The Tennessee Valley Authority, US Army Corps of Engineers, Alabama Power, and the Alabama Department of Natural Resources all maintain and promote freshwater fishing access on the waters they oversee.

State Freshwater Records

Below is a table of state freshwater fishing records.[6]

Species Weight Date Location
Bass, Largemouth 16 lb 8 oz 11/3/1987 Mtn. View Lake, Shelby Co
Bass, Redeye (b) 3 lb 2 oz 3/8/2000 Choccolocco Creek
Bass, Rock 1 lb 6 oz 5/6/1995 Paint Rock River
Bass, Shoal (now protected in Alabama, release when captured) 6 lb 11 oz 2/25/1996 Halawakee Creek
Bass, Smallmouth (c) 10 lb 8 oz 10/8/1950 Wheeler Dam tailwater
Bass, Spotted (b) 8 lb 15 oz 3/18/1978 Lewis Smith
Bass, Striped 55 lb 1955 Tallapoosa River
Bass, Striped Hybrid 25 lb 15 oz 9/13/1996 Sipsey Fork
Bass, White 4 lb 9 oz 2/14/1987 Warrior River
Bass, Yellow (a) 2 lb 8 oz 4/12/2000 Guntersville Reservoir, Jackson Co.
Bowfin 18 lb 6 oz (8.3 kg) 7/31/2005 Lake Tuscaloosa
Buffalo 57 lb 4/13/1990 Guntersville Reservoir
Bullhead 3 lb 13 oz 4/8/1984 Private Pond, Montgomery. Co.
Carp, Common 35 lb 4/19/1980 Bear Creek, Colbert County
Carp, Grass 73 lb 4/10/2012 Guntersville Reservoir
Catfish, Blue (b) 120 lb 4 oz 3/9/2012 Holt Reservoir
Catfish, Channel 40 lb 6/17/1967 Inland Lake
Catfish, Flathead 80 lb 6/22/1986 Alabama River, Selma
Catfish, White 10 lb 5 oz 4/3/1981 Chambers Co. Public Lake
Crappie, Black (tie) 4 lb 5 oz 6/2/1997 private pond in Jefferson Co.
Crappie, White 4 lb 9 oz 5/8/2000 Lake Martin, Tallapoosa Co.
Drum, Freshwater (b) 41 lb 8 oz 7/24/1949 Wilson Reservoir
Eel, American 5 lb 8 oz 5/11/1989 Lake Shechi, Chilton Co.
Gar, Alligator 151 lb 5 oz 8/13/2004 Tensaw River
Gar, Longnose 32 lb 14oz 4/18/1985 Jordan Reservoir
Gar, Spotted 8 lb 12 oz 8/26/1987 Cotaco Creek
Herring, Skipjack 3 lb 4 oz 5/2/2012 Mulberry Fork
Muskellunge 19 lb 8 oz 12/31/1972 Wilson Dam tailwater
Paddlefish 52 lb 12 oz 3/18/1982 Wilson Dam tailwater
Perch, Yellow 1 lb 15 oz 2/26/2000 Wheeler Reservoir, Limestone Co.
Pickerel, Chain 6 lb 6 oz 6/24/1976 Dyas Creek, Baldwin County
Pickerel, Redfin 0 lb 11 oz 8/24/2010 Armstrong Creek, Wash. Co.
Redhorse, Silver (a) 14 lb 14 oz 4/24/1995 Wilson Dam tailwater
Sauger 5 lb 2 oz 3/5/1972 Wilson Dam tailwater
Sunfish, Bluegill (a) 4 lb 12 oz 4/9/1950 Ketona Lake, Birmingham
Sunfish, Green 1 lb 9 oz 8/10/2005 McLamore Pond, Walker County
Sunfish, Longear 8 oz 5/12/1990 Yellow River
Sunfish, Redbreast 1 lb 4 oz 6/12/2010 Choctawhatchee River
Sunfish, Redear (b) 4 lb 4 oz 5/5/1962 Chattahoochee State Park
Trout, Rainbow 9 lb 1 oz 4/22/2006 Mud Creek, Tannehill State Park
Walleye 10 lb 14 oz 6/24/1980 Weiss Reservoir
Warmouth 1 lb 12 oz 4/25/1986 Farm Pond
(a) World Record, Rod And Reel (b) Previous World Record, Rod and Reel (c) Previous World Record, Any Method

Saltwater fishing

Deep Sea Fishing In Gulf of Mexico

Alabama has excellent access to the offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico from Mobile and Perdio Bays. Inshore and estuarial fishing opportunities are extensive in both upper and lower Mobile Bay, but extend from Grand Bay in the Mississippi Sound on the West to the western shores of Peridio Bay near Orange Beach, Alabama.

The Official Saltwater Fish of Alabama is the Tarpon.[7]

State Saltwater Records

Species[8] Weight Date
Amberjack, Greater 127 lb12oz 06/19/81
Angelfish, Blue 2 lb3z 04/29/01
Barracuda, Great 52 lb4oz 07/15/05
Barrelfish 12 lb 0 Oz 07/07/06
Bass, Longtail 5 lb 10 Oz 07/15/06
Bass, Striped 55 lb 0 Oz 06/22/76
Bigeye 3 lb 2 Oz 06/28/06
Bluefish 17 lb 4 Oz 06/05/04
Bonito, Atlantic 5 lb 5 Oz 12/31/94
Brotula, Bearded 19 lb 8 Oz 08/09/97
Catfish, Gafftopsail 8 lb 13 Oz 07/11/92
Catfish, Sea 3 lb 1 oz 5/2/2012
Chub, Bermuda 10 lb 5 Oz 6/17/2006
Chub, Yellow 7 lb 4 Oz 10/22/2002
Cobia 117 lb 7 Oz 4/18/1995
Creolefish 0 lb 13 Oz 1/28/2004
Crevalle Jack 39 lb 4 Oz 8/20/1994
Cubbyhu 2 lb 3 oz 7/13/2013
Croaker, Atlantic 4 lb 0 Oz 9/3/1994
Doctorfish 1 lb 4 Oz 9/13/2007
Dolphinfish, Common 60 lb 0 Oz 5/27/1989
Dolphinfish, Pompano 4 lb 2 oz 6/30/2012
Drum, Black 61 lb 0 Oz 4/20/2002
Drum, Red 45 lb 9 oz 7/9/2013
Escolar 62 lb 7 Oz 04/27/03
Filefish 8 lb 8 Oz 10/12/1991
Flounder, Southern 13 lb 3 Oz 10/15/1975
Grouper, Black 106 lb 3.2 Oz 8/11/2012
Grouper, Gag 74 lb 8 Oz 1963
Grouper, Red 34 lb 10 Oz 3/23/2002
Grouper, Scamp 29 lb 10 Oz 07/22/00
Grouper, Snowy 52 lb 9 Oz 07/07/06
Grouper, Warsaw 226 lb 0 Oz 07/18/88
Grouper, Yellowedge 46 lb 9.2 oz (21.13 kg) 6/30/2012
Hake, Southern 3 lb 4.5 oz (1.49 kg) 4/23/2006
Hind, Red 2 lb 14 Oz 07/17/87
Hind, Rock 3 lb 7.2 oz 7/17/2012
Hind, Speckled 39 lb 13 oz 5/28/2011
Jack, Almaco 47 lb 8 Oz 05/11/02
Jack, Horse-eye 15 lb 5 oz 7/10/2007
Kingfish, Gulf/Southern 2 lb 15 Oz 09/04/01
Ladyfish 4 lb 8 Oz 07/28/06
Little Tunny 21 lb 0 Oz 1956
Lookdown 2 lb 2 Oz 08/24/97
Mackerel, King 69 lb 10 oz 5/6/2012
Mackerel, Spanish 8 lb 12 Oz 10/19/93
Marlin, Blue 845 lb 13 oz 7/12/2013
Marlin, White 98 lb 13 Oz 05/24/97
Moonfish, Atlantic 1 lb 0 Oz 08/12/03
Mullet, Striped 1 lb 2 Oz 06/14/03
Pinfish 3 lb 2 Oz 05/15/01
Pompano, African 39 lb 7 Oz 09/09/89
Pompano, Florida (Tie) 5 lb 8 Oz 11/11/99 & 10/21/03
Porgy, Red 7 lb 6 Oz 06/16/91
Porgy, Whitebone 5 lb 10 oz 7/17/2011
Puffer, Smooth 10 lb 3 oz 4/2/2013
Rosefish, Blackbelly 4 lb 13 Oz 07/13/12
Runner, Rainbow 19 lb 9 Oz 09/10/06
Runner, Blue 11 lb 2 Oz 06/28/97
Sailfish, Atlantic 81 lb 0 Oz 1974
Seabass, Black 3 lb 2 Oz 07/31/00
Searobin, Blackwing 1 lb (0.45 kg) 13 Oz 04/24/05
Seatrout, Sand/Silver 6 lb (2.7 kg) 11 Oz 07/12/97
Seatrout, Spotted 12 lb (5.4 kg) 4 Oz 05/06/80
Shark, Atl.Sharpnose 16 lb (7.3 kg) 3 Oz 05/12/06
Shark, Bull 336 lb (152 kg) 8 Oz 8/3/2012
Shark, Lemon 278 lb (126 kg) 8 Oz 07/21/95
Shark, Mako 737 lb (334 kg) 0 Oz 08/20/78
Shark, Tiger 988 lb (448 kg) 8 Oz 06/24/90
Sharksucker 4 lb (1.8 kg) 7 Oz 05/12/04
Sheepshead 12 lb (5.4 kg) 15 Oz 11/20/01
Slimehead, Darwins 4 lb 0 oz 6/30/2012
Snapper, Cubera 52 lb (24 kg) 0 Oz 05/20/88
Snapper, Dog 13 lb 4 Oz 7/16/2004
Snapper, Gray 15 lb 11 Oz 7/3/2003
Snapper, Lane 8 lb 1 oz 7/15/2011
Snapper, Mutton 20 lb 12 Oz 6/25/2006
Snapper, Red 44 lb 12 Oz 6/1/2002
Snapper, Silk 6 lb 3 Oz 5/27/2006
Snapper, Vermilion 7 lb 3 Oz 6/6/1987
Snapper, Yellowtail 6 lb 15 oz 7/5/2011
Spadefish, Atlantic 6 lb 12 Oz 4/14/2003
Spearfish, Longbill 53 lb 0 Oz 5/29/1905
Squirrelfish 1 lb 1 Oz 8/4/2006
Stargazer, Southern 6 lb 4.5 Oz 4/13/2006
Stingray, Roughtail 160 lb 0 Oz 8/6/2000
Stingray, Southern 125 lb 0 Oz 8/20/1998
Swordfish 448 lb 0 Oz 9/16/2006
Tarpon 203 lb 0 oz 8/15/1992
Tilefish, Atlantic Golden 5 lb 0 oz 5/16/2012
Tilefish, Blue Line 6 lb 12 oz 5/29/2006
Tilefish, Great Northern 29 lb 4 oz 5/12/2007
Tilefish, Sand 2 lb 1 oz 7/24/2012
Triggerfish, Gray 13 lb 8 oz 5/31/1993
Triggerfish, Ocean 7 lb 10 oz 8/10/2013
Triggerfish, Queen 7 lb 8 oz 7/6/1999
Tripletail 37 lb 5 oz 1979
Tuna, Big Eye 107 lb 1 oz 8/2/2012
Tuna, Blackfin 35 lb 2 oz 7/1/2008
Tuna, Bluefin 829 lb 6 oz 6/3/2006
Tuna, Skipjack 32 b 6 oz 8/31/2013
Tuna, Yellowfin 22 1b 7.2 oz 6/3/2006
Wahoo 123 lb 6 oz 5/6/2006
Wreckfish 68 lb 6 oz 5/6/2006

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Jackson, Harvey H. III (1995). Rivers of History - Life on the Coosa, Tallapoosa, Cahaba and Alabama. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: The University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-0771-0.
  2. ^ a b Official Web site of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
  3. ^ About B.A.S.S.
  4. ^ Official Freshwater Fish of Alabama Archived February 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Rivers of Alabama". Archived from the original on 2007-05-18. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
  6. ^ "Official Web site of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources". Archived from the original on 2007-04-27. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
  7. ^ "Official Saltwater Fish of Alabama". Archived from the original on 2017-05-31. Retrieved 2007-05-18.
  8. ^ "Alabama Saltwater Records". Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2014-07-23.

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