Where to Get Live Bait
in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
If you're planning a fishing trip to Alabama's Beaches, you'll want to pick up some live bait before you hit the water!. Whether you're fishing inshore, offshore, or on the surf, you'll find just what you need to catch a variety of species at nearby bait and tackle shops in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan.
Best Live Bait for Gulf Fish
Because Alabama’s coastal waters are so fertile, an abundance of food is available for the trout and reds and other prominent inshore species. That means that you’ll likely have to toss a tasty live bait in front of the fish to get it to eat. Now that brown shrimp have grown enough to make a decent gulp for the predators, it’s time to forgo the artificial lures in favor of the live variety.
Live shrimp is by far the most common bait available and used by anglers in coastal waters. Problem is every fish and assorted creatures that live in our coastal waters love shrimp as well. If live shrimp is the only bait you can get, get plenty of it before you head out.
Bait & Tackle Shops on Alabama's Beaches
Gulf State Park Pier
Gulf State Park Pier
Gulf State Park Pier sells bait and tackle, but it's best you call to find out if they have live bait available. Bait goes fast when the fishing is good, like it is now. If the pier is out of live shrimp, you can purchase a Sabiki rig or bait ribbon and catch your own menhaden and alewives. If you’ve never done that before, ask for help from the pier veterans, who are very good about helping newcomers learn successful fishing techniques. However, don’t barge into the middle of a fish-feeding frenzy. Wait for the action to slow and then ask for help.
Hooked Up Bait & Tackle
Hooked Up Bait & Tackle
Hooked Up Bait and Tackle at the south end of the Intracoastal Bridge in Gulf Shores is a great spot to pick up live shrimp as well as lures, lines, weights, and other fishing gear.
J&M Tackle
J&M Tackle
In the Orange Beach area, live shrimp can be picked up at J&M Tackle on Canal Rd. This expansive shop also has weights, jigs, rigs, lures, hook, and just about anything else you may need for a day of fishing on Alabama's Beaches.
Fort Morgan Marina
Fort Morgan Marina
If you're launching in Fort Morgan, the dock store Fort Morgan Marina is the best spot for live bait. This location is the furthest marina on the west side of the island, so be sure to call ahead to make sure they have the live bait you need. If they’re out, you’ll have to pick up the shrimp in Gulf Shores before you head the 20 miles down the Fort Morgan Peninsula.
Catching Your Own Live Bait
If you can find a bait shop with live croakers, that will likely be the best bait you can find to catch big speckled trout. Of course, nice redfish will also chow down on croakers, too. For those with a shrimp net, you can drag for 15-20 minutes and likely scoop up enough shrimp and croakers for a day’s fishing. Keep the croakers that are 3 to 4 inches long and toss the rest back.
Free line that croaker behind the boat with just a split shot or no weight at all. If there’s a trout or redfish anywhere close, they’ll find it and the fight will be on!
David Rainer
David Rainer has written about the great outdoors on the Alabama Gulf Coast for more than 20 years. For 14 of those years, he covered the many fishing opportunities on the Gulf Coast as outdoors editor at the Mobile Press-Register. He is past president of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and currently serves on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council's Outreach and Education Advisory Panel and the Alabama Gulf Coast Reef & Restoration Foundation board.
