Ready for a fishing trip to the Alabama coast? Of course, you are! We’ve got a few tips to make your trip a successful one.

1.) Have a fishing license. Don’t have one yet? The Gulf State Park pier makes them available for purchase. Or come prepared by buying it online before your trip. A license can be purchased for a week, a day trip or a year. If you are taking a charter fishing trip, the license is likely covered by your charter boat fee, but be sure to check when you book your adventure.

2.) Know what’s biting. Fall and winter fishing on the Alabama coast can produce a good catch. Fish that are plentiful include amberjack, Spanish mackerel, flounder, mullet, grouper, redfish and more. As waters cool, trout, reds and flounder move closer to shore, swimming around pilings of docks and piers. Flounder can be hooked on sandbars and drop-offs or along jetties.

3.) Use the right bait. For trout and reds good for cooking, use shrimp, live finger mullet or a topwater plug to skim along the surface of the water. Use bull minnows or artificial lure to catch flounder, but be sure to get it right down on the bottom. Live small mullet are great for Spanish mackerel.

4.) Kick back and enjoy. With cooler temperatures in the fall, it’s a great time to enjoy the great outdoors.