Dauphin Island Public Beach fishing conditions · Alabama

Now until 6 amSouthern flounder

The bite peaks at 81. Water is 69°, close to the 70° southern flounder like best.

Rip Current Statement until Monday 6 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 81 for southern flounder, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Southern flounder, 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. 812 am
  2. 81
  3. 81
  4. 815 am
  5. 71
  6. 75
  7. 758 am
  8. 71
  9. 71
  10. 7111 am
  11. 75
  12. 75
  13. 712 pm
  14. 71
  15. 71
  16. 715 pm
  17. 75
  18. 71
  19. 718 pm
  20. 71
  21. 71
  22. 7111 pm
  23. 71Tue
  24. 75
  25. 752 am
  26. 71
  27. 71
  28. 715 am
  29. 71
  30. 71
  31. 718 am
  32. 75
  33. 71
  34. 7111 am
  35. 71
  36. 75
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
69°F

Southern flounder range 58–82°

Wind
15 mph

From the northeast

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:01 am

Sky
Partly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
67°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

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.

Southern Flounder

Southern flounder

Paralichthys lethostigma

81Worth the tripNow until 6 am

Water

69°
48°58–82° · ideal 70°92°

Why

Right in southern flounder's ideal range. Southern flounder prefers outgoing tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 1–20 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 14" minimum, 5/person/day. Closed Nov 1–30.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Alabama

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on southern flounder

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

65MarginalNow until 6 am

Water

69°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Right in spotted seatrout's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. 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

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

65MarginalNow until 6 am

Water

69°
50°60–82° · ideal 72°92°

Why

Right in sheepshead's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. 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

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

65MarginalNow until 6 am

Water

69°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Right in black drum's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. 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

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

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

53Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

69°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside red drum's active range. 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

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

The water

  • Water temperature69°F
  • Barometer30.24 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:01 am
  • Sunset today6:10 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:00 am–8:00 am
  • Major solunarToday 11:50 am–1:50 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:50 pm–6:50 pm

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 6 am
90Go
Gulf Shores Public Beach25 mi · AlabamaBest now until 6 amRip Current Statement
73Worth the trip
Orange Beach33 mi · AlabamaBest now until 6 am
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.