Alabama fishing seasons

155 species profiles in our database list Alabama waters among their fisheries — including Largemouth Bass, Sauger, Bigmouth Buffalo, Smallmouth Buffalo. Below: what's in season month by month, where to fish, and the licence source you need. Seasons shift year to year; the official agency has the final word.

Best months to fish in Alabama

Months when the largest share of Alabama's profiled species are in season, from our database. Full calendar: What's Biting.

Alabama fishing calendar, month by month

Each month links to the species in season then, from our season windows. A month is charted when at least 3 species are in season.

Freshwater species in Alabama

Species	Season
Bantam Sunfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Bigmouth Buffalo	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Black Bullhead	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Black Redhorse	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Blacknose Dace	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Blue Sucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Bluefin Killifish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Brook Trout	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Brown Bullhead	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Butter Catfish	Varies by region and regulation
Central Stoneroller	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Creek Chub	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Dollar Sunfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Fantail Darter	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Flier	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Golden Redhorse	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Greater Redhorse	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Inland Silverside	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Jau Catfish	Varies by region and regulation
Largemouth Bass	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Logperch	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Longear Sunfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Longnose Dace	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Longnose Sucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Marble Catfish	Varies by region and regulation
Mosquitofish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Mud Sunfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Northern Hogsucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Orangespotted Sunfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Peacock Bass	Varies by region and regulation
Pirate Perch	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Rainwater Killifish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Redbreast Sunfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
River Carpsucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Rosyface Shiner	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Sacramento Perch	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Sailfin Molly	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Sauger	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Shadow Bass	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Sheepshead Minnow	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Shorthead Redhorse	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Silver Redhorse	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Skipjack Herring	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Smallmouth Buffalo	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Snail Bullhead	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Spotted Sucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Stonecat	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Tadpole Madtom	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Vundu Catfish	Varies by region and regulation
White Catfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
White Sucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Yellow Bullhead	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Yellowfin Shiner	Often most active in warm months; check local rules

Saltwater & brackish species in Alabama

Species	Season
African Pompano	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Almaco Jack	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Annular Seabream	Varies by region and regulation
Arrowtooth Flounder	Depth and open seasons vary; check current regional rules
Atlantic Bonito	Late Spring–Fall in many regions; varies by current/temperature
Atlantic Croaker	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Atlantic Halibut	Often year-round; weather windows and depth matter
Atlantic Herring	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Atlantic Lizardfish	Varies by region and regulation
Atlantic Mackerel	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug
Atlantic Menhaden	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Atlantic Threadfin	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Axillary Seabream	Varies by region and regulation
Bigeye Tuna	Late Spring–Fall in many regions; varies by current/temperature
Black Drum	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Black Grouper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Black Seabream	Varies by region and regulation
Blackfin Tuna	Highly migratory; availability varies by current, temperature, and regulation
Blackspot Seabream	Varies by region and regulation
Blue Marlin	Late Spring–Fall in many regions; varies by current/temperature
Blue Runner	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Bluefin Tuna	Late Spring–Fall in many regions; varies by current/temperature
Bull Ray	Varies by region and regulation
California Corbina	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Chilean Devil Ray	Highly migratory; availability varies by current, temperature, and regulation
Common Stingray	Varies by region and regulation
Conger Eel	Varies by region and regulation
Corb	Varies by region and regulation
Crevalle Jack	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Cubera Snapper	Varies by region and regulation
Dog Snapper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Dover Sole	Depth and open seasons vary; check current regional rules
Eagle Ray	Varies by region and regulation
Fat Snook	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Flowery Rockcod	Varies by region and regulation
Gag Grouper	Jan–Feb–Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov–Dec
Golden Grey Mullet	Varies by region and regulation
Goldenline Seabream	Varies by region and regulation
Gray Angelfish	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Gray Triggerfish	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Greater Amberjack	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Grey Mullet	Varies by region and regulation
Gulf Menhaden	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Horse-eye Jack	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Inshore Lizardfish	Varies by region and regulation
Jack Mackerel	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Lane Snapper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Lesser Amberjack	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Longfin Mako	Highly migratory; availability varies by current, temperature, and regulation
Longtail Tuna	Highly migratory; availability varies by current, temperature, and regulation
Lookdown	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Mahi-Mahi	Late Spring–Fall in many regions; varies by current/temperature
Mahogany Snapper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Malabar Grouper	Varies by region and regulation
Nassau Grouper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Pacific Bonito	Late Spring–Fall in many regions; varies by current/temperature
Pacific Chub Mackerel	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Pacific Herring	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Pacific Ocean Perch	Depth and open seasons vary; check current regional rules
Palometa	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Pelagic Stingray	Highly migratory; availability varies by current, temperature, and regulation
Pompano	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Red Drum	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Red Grouper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Red Hake	Depth and open seasons vary; check current regional rules
Red Mullet	Varies by region and regulation
Red Snapper	Jun–Jul–Aug
Reef Croaker	Varies by region and regulation
Remora	Varies by region and regulation
Rex Sole	Depth and open seasons vary; check current regional rules
Rock Sole	Depth and open seasons vary; check current regional rules
Salema Porgy	Varies by region and regulation
Scamp Grouper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Schoolmaster Snapper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Sea Raven	Varies by region and regulation
Shagreen Ray	Varies by region and regulation
Sheepshead	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Silk Snapper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Silver Hake	Depth and open seasons vary; check current regional rules
Skipjack Tuna	Late Spring–Fall in many regions; varies by current/temperature
Snapper	Mar–Apr–May–Sep–Oct–Nov
Snowy Grouper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Southern Bluefin Tuna	Highly migratory; availability varies by current, temperature, and regulation
Southern Flounder	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Spanish Flag Snapper	Varies by region and regulation
Spot	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Spotted Bay Bass	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Spotted Seatrout	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Striped Mullet	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Striped Red Mullet	Varies by region and regulation
Swordspine Snook	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Tripletail	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
Two-Banded Seabream	Varies by region and regulation
Vermilion Snapper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Warsaw Grouper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
White Hake	Depth and open seasons vary; check current regional rules
White Mullet	Varies by migration, temperature, region, and regulation
White Seabream	Varies by region and regulation
Whiting	Varies by region and regulation
Witch Flounder	Depth and open seasons vary; check current regional rules
Yellowedge Grouper	Varies by region, spawning cycle, and fishery regulation
Yellowfin Tuna	Late Spring–Fall in many regions; varies by current/temperature

Where to fish in Alabama

• Gulf coast (LA/TX)
• Southern US rivers

Fishing in the South

Florida · Texas · Louisiana · Mississippi · Georgia · South Carolina · North Carolina · Virginia · Arkansas · Oklahoma · Tennessee · Kentucky · West Virginia