Fishing in Mobile delta

The vast 400-square-mile Mobile Delta of southern Alabama offers a distinctly different type of fishing, albeit for the same popular species of largemouth bass, crappie, and sunfish. Anglers here, however, can also catch channel bass (redfish), flounder, or speckled trout in the lower portions of the delta, where its freshwater mixes with incoming saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico.

The delta extends approximately 40 miles northward of the Interstate Highway 10 Causeway Bridge. Several major rivers drain into this huge basin, along with numerous smaller streams. The result is a bewildering collection of look-alike waterways, shallow bays, and cypress- and gum-filled swamps. In addition, anglers here must contend with tidal fluctuations that will quickly turn a shallow bay into a mud flat.

Bass anglers in the delta use the same lures and techniques as elsewhere in the state. Notable hotspots include areas with such names as Big Lizard Creek, Twelve Mile Island, Negro Lake, Six Bits Creek, and Squirrel Bayou. Good delta maps are a must for any serious angler.