Best time to fish in Fairhope
Today, Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · local time (CDT) · Alabama, United States Today, Wed, Oct 28 · CDT- High tides
- 12:37 am
- Major periods
- 1:29–3:29 am and 2:00–4:00 pm
- Solunar activity
- Medium
- Sun
- 7:03 am–6:07 pm
Today, Wednesday, October 28, the best time to fish in Fairhope is 10:10 am to 12:10 pm, with the 11:09 am low tide and moonset. It's an average day (6/10). The best day this week is Sunday, November 1, at 7/10.
Your day in Fairhope at a glance
The strip runs from midnight to midnight, local time. Night in gray, daylight in yellow; the blue curve is the tide; below, the solunar periods and the best windows.
Fishing forecast for the next 7 days
| Day | Rating | Best times | High tides | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 6average day | 10:10 am–12:10 pm12:00–1:40 am | ▲ 12:37 am | Waning gibbous |
| Thu 29 | 6average day | 11:10 am–1:10 pm12:10–2:10 am | ▲ 1:11 am | Waning gibbous |
| Fri 30 | 6average day | 5:30–6:10 pm12:40–2:40 pm | ▲ 1:51 am | Waning gibbous |
| Sat 31 | 6average day | 5:30–6:30 pm1:40–3:40 pm | ▲ 2:41 am | Waning gibbous |
| Sun 1 | 7good day | 5:40–6:40 am1:20–3:20 pm | ▲ 2:39 am | Last quarter |
| Mon 2 | 6average day | 5:40–6:40 am2:00–4:00 pm | ▲ 3:26 am | Waning crescent |
| Tue 3 | 5average day | 6:20–8:20 am6:40–8:40 pm | ▲ 4:02 am | Waning crescent |
Each day's rating comes from the tide, the solunar periods, the light and, when we have the forecast, the weather.
What can you catch in Fairhope?
Sport fishing species with the most records within about 19 mi of Fairhope: Atlantic croaker, spot, southern flounder and southern kingfish. October is one of the months when these are seen most: southern kingfish.
- Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus · fish · 30,931 records Photo: Carvalho-Souza, Gómez & González-Ortegón (2024) · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Spot Leiostomus xanthurus · fish · 18,692 records Photo: NOAA's Fisheries Collection; Collection of Brandi Noble · public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma · fish · 914 records Photo: SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC · public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
- Southern kingfish Menticirrhus americanus · fish · 380 records Photo: Cláudio D. Timm · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- JanJ
- FebF
- MarM
- AprA
- MayM
- JunJ
- JulJ
- AugA
- SepS
- OctO
- NovN
- DecD
These are sightings and catches recorded since 1970 (reports from divers and anglers, scientific surveys and museum collections), not a promise that you will catch them. The months come from sightings only, adjusted for how many there are each month; hatched months have too few to tell.
Source: GBIF.org, which also gathers OBIS data. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY 4.0, from 1,130 datasets (retrieved October 24, 2026). Where the data comes from
Photos: each species' image on Wikidata (Wikimedia Commons) or, if there isn't one, one from GBIF; only licences that allow this use, each with its author and licence.
What anglers catch most in Alabama
Recreational saltwater catch across the whole state in September and October (2021–2025 average), from NOAA's recreational fishing survey (MRIP). It counts fish kept and fish released; bait fish are left out.
From shore
Beaches, piers, jetties and rocks
- Atlantic Spanish mackerel 600,000 55% released
- Pinfish 510,000 90% released
- Atlantic croaker 470,000 85% released
- Ladyfish 390,000 * 95% released
- Hardhead catfish 390,000 100% released
Private or rental boat
Private boats and rentals without a captain
- Sand seatrout 420,000 35% released
- Hardhead catfish 350,000 100% released
- Red snapper 340,000 80% released
- Atlantic croaker 190,000 70% released
- Spotted seatrout 130,000 90% released
Charter or party boat
Charters and party (head) boats
- Red snapper 32,000 90% released
- Vermilion snapper 29,000
- Gray triggerfish 10,000 80% released
- Gray snapper 8,600 60% released
- Tomtate 6,600 60% released
Fish a year · * Less precise figure: use with caution
All year: the top three every two months
| Months | Species |
|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | Atlantic croaker, Pinfish, Sheepshead |
| Mar–Apr | Pinfish, Atlantic Spanish mackerel, Atlantic croaker |
| May–Jun | Atlantic croaker, Hardhead catfish, Atlantic Spanish mackerel |
| Jul–Aug | Pinfish, Hardhead catfish, Atlantic croaker |
| Sep–Oct | Atlantic Spanish mackerel, Pinfish, Atlantic croaker |
| Nov–Dec | Atlantic croaker, Pinfish, Gulf kingfish |
| Months | Species |
|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | Sheepshead, Spotted seatrout, Red snapper |
| Mar–Apr | Atlantic croaker, Spotted seatrout, Sheepshead |
| May–Jun | Red snapper, Atlantic croaker, Hardhead catfish |
| Jul–Aug | Red snapper, Sand seatrout, Hardhead catfish |
| Sep–Oct | Sand seatrout, Hardhead catfish, Red snapper |
| Nov–Dec | Sand seatrout, Spotted seatrout, Red snapper |
| Months | Species |
|---|---|
| Jan–Feb | Vermilion snapper, Red snapper, Gray triggerfish |
| Mar–Apr | Vermilion snapper, Red snapper, Sheepshead |
| May–Jun | Red snapper, Vermilion snapper, Spotted seatrout |
| Jul–Aug | Red snapper, Vermilion snapper, Sand seatrout |
| Sep–Oct | Red snapper, Vermilion snapper, Gray triggerfish |
| Nov–Dec | Vermilion snapper, Spotted seatrout, Red drum |
These are estimates from a survey of anglers, not a count, and they cover the whole state, not this exact spot. Each figure is the average for one year in those two months, rounded. Only species with a relative standard error of up to 50% are shown, NOAA's standard; those marked * are between 30% and 50%, and NOAA advises using them with caution.
Source: NOAA Fisheries, Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), wave-level catch estimates for 2021–2025. Courtesy: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Where the data comes from
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Weeks Bay Reserve fishing pier 8.8 mi
- Manatee Park fishing pier 8.8 mi
- Fairhope Municipal Pier 0.7 mi
- Orange Avenue Pier 1.0 mi
- Pier Avenue Boat Launch 0.8 mi
- Boat ramp 4.7 mi
- Boone's Landing 6.0 mi
- Fly Creek Marina 1.3 mi
- Grand Hotel Marina 3.1 mi
- Fisherman's Discount 7.2 mi
- Fish River 7.7 mi
- Fuel dock 3.1 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Artificial reefs and wrecks to fish from a boat
Artificial reefs and wrecks draw fish, so they make good spots to fish from a boat. The nearest ones, within 16 mi.
- Battles Wharf Reef 2.6 mi
- Zundel Landing 3.8 mi
- P. Grey Cane, Jr. Reef 4.8 mi
- Buddy Beiser Reef 5.2 mi
- Point Clear Reef 5.2 mi
- Dell Williamson Reef 5.6 mi
Check the rules before you go: some have closed seasons, protected zones or banned gear. Wreck and reef positions are approximate and not for navigation; a wreck’s depth runs from the top of the hull to the seabed.
Artificial reefs: NOAA and BOEM (MarineCadastre.gov), a U.S. Government work.
How we work out the best time
We score every moment of the day, every 10 minutes, with simple rules anglers have used for decades:
- Tide: 2 to 3.5 points in the hour before and the hour after each high and low tide. Spring tides (high coefficient) score more, because the water moves faster.
- Solunar: 2.5 points in the major periods (moon overhead or underfoot) and 1.5 in the minor ones (moonrise and moonset).
- Light: 2 points at dawn and dusk, from first light to the end of the morning golden hour and from the evening golden hour to the end of twilight.
- Weather: falling pressure adds 1 point and rising pressure takes 1 away; wind takes points away from force 4 (about 12 mph), up to 5 points in a gale; waves of 1.6 ft to 4.9 ft add half a point (they stir up the water) and from 8.2 ft they take points away (up to 4).
- Best windows: the stretches of 40 minutes to 3 hours with the most points, at least an hour apart.
- Day's rating out of 10: the best window (up to 5), the moon (up to 2, near new or full moon), the tide coefficient (up to 2) and whether a solunar period lines up with sunrise or sunset (1). Without a tide, we score out of 8 and scale it to 10. Good weather adds up to 1 point and bad weather pulls it down.
Today: best window 2.7 of 5, moon 1 of 2, coefficient 2 of 2 and lineup 0 of 1.
It's a guide, not a guarantee: fish don't read tide tables. Always check the sea conditions and local fishing rules before you go.
Learn more
Fishing rules in Fairhope
Licenses, size limits, bag limits and closed seasons are set by the authorities and change often. We don't copy them here: check the official website before you go.
Questions about fishing in Fairhope
What's the best time to fish in Fairhope today?
10:10 am to 12:10 pm, with the 11:09 am low tide and moonset. Also 12:00 am to 1:40 am and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Today's rating: 6/10 (average day).
What about tomorrow? When's the best time to fish in Fairhope?
Tomorrow, Thursday, October 29: 11:10 am to 1:10 pm, with a rating of 6/10.
Which day this week is best for fishing in Fairhope?
Sunday, November 1, at 7/10. Its best window is 5:40 am to 6:40 am.
What can you catch in Fairhope?
Sport fishing species with the most records within about 19 mi of Fairhope: Atlantic croaker, spot, southern flounder and southern kingfish. October is one of the months when these are seen most: southern kingfish. These are sightings and catches recorded in GBIF and OBIS, not a promise that you will catch them.
When are the solunar periods in Fairhope today?
Major: 1:29–3:29 am and 2:00–4:00 pm. Minor: 9:25–10:25 am and 7:33–8:33 pm. Solunar activity today: medium.
Does the tide affect fishing in Fairhope?
Yes. Today high tide is at 12:37 am and low tide at 11:09 am, with a tide coefficient of 105 (big spring tides). The hours around each tide change tend to fish best, because moving water carries food.
How is the rating worked out?
From the tide, the solunar periods, the light at dawn and dusk, the moon phase and, when we have the forecast, the pressure, the wind and the waves. Each factor gives a fixed number of points and the rating sums them up out of 10.
Does it take the weather into account?
Yes. During today's best window: steady pressure (30.21 inHg), light offshore wind (6 mph) and calm sea (0.8 ft waves). Strong wind and big waves lower the rating; falling pressure raises it a little.
What are the fishing rules in Fairhope?
Recreational fishing rules in Fairhope (licenses, size limits, bag limits and closed seasons) are set by the authorities: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Marine Resources Division; offshore, NOAA Fisheries. They change often: check the official website before you go.
More about Fairhope today
Our own calculation: tide from Fly Creek (NOAA), sun and moon with astronomy-engine and, when available, weather and sea from Open-Meteo (ECMWF, NOAA GFS and Copernicus Marine, CC BY 4.0). Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database)