From Rivers to the Sound: Cracking the Spring Pattern on the Gulf Coast

This week's Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report is packed with on-the-water intel as spring patterns start to take shape across the Gulf Coast. Captain Brandon Collier breaks down how he's finding fish despite relentless wind, leaning heavily on wade fishing to read bottom structure, dial in lure profiles, and stay on moving schools of trout, redfish, and flounder. He shares a simple but effective system for narrowing down lure color and profile, along with what to look for before ever making a cast—mullet movement, bird activity, and that gut-level "fishy" feeling that tells you whether to stay or move. Captain Bobby Abruscato adds another layer, explaining why fish are still holding in the rivers longer than expected thanks to low rainfall and stable salinity, and how that's creating opportunities both upriver and out in the Sound. He walks through how to read mullet behavior to locate feeding fish, why a popping cork and shrimp setup is still one of the most effective tools this time of year, and how subtle changes in water clarity can dictate everything from lure color to location. The episode wraps with a look at the Gulf Coast Outboard Challenge, a long-format, angler-friendly tournament designed to give everyday fishermen a real shot at meaningful prize money without being limited by weather or boat size. SPONSORS AFTCO Deep South Cranes Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Dixie Building Supply KillerDock Foster Contracting Gulf Coast Shows Black Buffalo Stayput Anchor Slip Ski Solutions Coastal Connection Fiber Plastics Inc Hilton's Offshore Charts McCoy Outdoors Ricciardone Dentistry Coastal Brew Baits Pure Flats ADCNR Marine Resources Division Sea Tow Shoreline Plastics Camper City Mobile Destin Boat Show