Tanner Takes Over: Flounder, Cobia, and Triple Tail — Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report

This week's Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report features Capt. Tanner Deas of Dauphin Island Fishing Charters filling in for Butch Thierry, with reports covering an outstanding October bite for flounder, red snapper, cobia, triple tail, sheepshead, and more. With cooler weather finally arriving along the Alabama Gulf Coast, Tanner and his guests break down some of the best fishing opportunities of the fall season, from land-based trips around Dauphin Island to nearshore structure and offshore reefs.

Capt. Branden Collier of Capt. Collier's Charters kicks things off with a fishing trip that went completely off-script. After engine trouble derailed their original king mackerel plans, Tanner, Branden, and their crew found themselves catching quality flounder while battling aggressive jack crevalle. They eventually switched boats and headed offshore, where they quickly put together a box of big red snapper, triggerfish, and vermilion snapper. Branden also shares an excellent cobia report from a recent University of South Alabama tagging trip, including schools of fish around nearshore structure, live-bait preferences, artificial lure tactics, and the three rod setups he recommends for targeting fall cobia.

Tanner then turns the tables and calls Butch for a beach-fishing interview. He explains how falling tides, water clarity, sandbar cuts, and deeper troughs have shaped his recent Dauphin Island trips. While whiting have been biting well on small Carolina rigs and shrimp, the real highlight has been an excellent flounder bite around deeper pockets, seawalls, rocks, and docks. Tanner shares why fish have been concentrating in deeper water during low tides and how bright pink and purple soft plastics have been producing quality flounder, including several fish over 20 inches. He also looks ahead to improving sheepshead opportunities as fall progresses.

Capt. Richard Rutland of Cold Blooded Fishing closes the show with an inshore report focused on the developing fall trout and redfish bite around Mobile Bay, the Causeway, and nearby tidal rivers. Richard explains why speckled trout are beginning to stage near river mouths, how anglers can find productive water before the fish push farther north, and why redfish, sheepshead, and flounder provide plenty of options even when windy weather keeps boats off the open bay. He also discusses his work with the University of South Alabama studying public fishing access and fish populations, then shares an outstanding triple tail report built around sight-fishing floating debris, tide lines, and free-swimming fish. With cobia still around, triple tail feeding aggressively, and fall fishing just getting started, there is plenty to look forward to along the Alabama coast.