It’s a fishing day

Dauphin Island Public Beach fishing conditions · Alabama

Now until 7 pmRed drum

The bite peaks at 94. Water is 75°, close to the 75° red drum like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 94 for red drum, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Red drum, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 943 pm
  2. 94
  3. 94
  4. 946 pm
  5. 80
  6. 80
  7. 809 pm
  8. 80
  9. 80
  10. 80Sun
  11. 80
  12. 80
  13. 803 am
  14. 80
  15. 80
  16. 806 am
  17. 80
  18. 80
  19. 809 am
  20. 80
  21. 80
  22. 8012 pm
  23. 80
  24. 80
  25. 803 pm
  26. 80
  27. 80
  28. 806 pm
  29. 80
  30. 80
  31. 809 pm
  32. 80
  33. 80
  34. 80Mon
  35. 80
  36. 80
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
75°F

Red drum range 65–85°

Wind
10 mph

From the north

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:00 pm

Sky
Partly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
69°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Alabama regulations for these waters.

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

94GoNow until 7 pm

Water

75°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Right in red drum's ideal range. Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

16" minimum · 26" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 16–26" slot, 3/person/day.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Alabama

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on red drum

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

94GoNow until 7 pm

Water

75°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Right in spotted seatrout's ideal range. Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 22" maximum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 15–22" slot, 6/person/day (one over 22" allowed).

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Alabama

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes an incoming tide. More on spotted seatrout

Sheepshead

Sheepshead

Archosargus probatocephalus

94GoNow until 7 pm

Water

75°
50°60–82° · ideal 72°92°

Why

Right in sheepshead's ideal range. Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–40 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 8 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 12" minimum, 8/person/day.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Alabama

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. Likes slack water. More on sheepshead

Black Drum

Black drum

Pogonias cromis

94GoNow until 7 pm

Water

75°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Right in black drum's ideal range. Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 2–40 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Alabama: no size or bag limit on black drum; it is not on the state saltwater creel and size list.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Alabama

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Sep–May. Likes an incoming tide. More on black drum

Southern Flounder

Southern flounder

Paralichthys lethostigma

–Not scoredOut of season

Out of seasonOut of season here today. Check the agency before fishing.

Water

75°
48°58–82° · ideal 70°92°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Southern flounder prefers outgoing tide. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 1–20 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. 14" minimum, 5/person/day. Closed Nov 1–30.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Alabama

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on southern flounder

The water

  • Water temperature75°F
  • Barometer30.02 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:00 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:12 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:30 pm–4:30 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 9:50 pm–11:50 pm
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:20 am–6:20 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Outdoor Alabama (ADCNR) has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

Gulf beach at the west end of Dauphin Island, between Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound. Speckled trout and red drum in the surf, sheepshead and black drum, and southern flounder (Alabama closes flounder in November).

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Mobile Bay21 mi · AlabamaBest now until 7 pm
94Go
Gulf Shores Public Beach25 mi · AlabamaBest now until 7 pm
98Go
Orange Beach33 mi · AlabamaBest now until 7 pm
98Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Dauphin Island Public Beach?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Dauphin Island Public Beach you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Dauphin Island Public Beach?

Dauphin Island Public Beach is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Red Drum, Spotted Seatrout, Southern Flounder, Sheepshead, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Dauphin Island Public Beach?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Dauphin Island Public Beach against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Dauphin Island Public Beach have?

Dauphin Island Public Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Dauphin Island Public Beach?

state agency regulations apply at Dauphin Island Public Beach. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Dauphin Island Public Beach tidal water?

Yes. Dauphin Island Public Beach sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.