Alabama fishing reports
194 reports for Alabama — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Full Moon Opens Crappie Spawn Window on Tennessee & Coosa Rivers
USGS gauge 02339500 recorded a moderate flow of 1,120 cfs on the Coosa system early this morning, and today's full moon marks the traditional peak of the crappie spawn window for Alabama's river lakes. No direct on-water reports from the Tennessee or Coosa corridors reached our feeds this cycle, but Outdoor Hub and Wired 2 Fish both documented a 4.10-pound white crappie pulled from Mississippi's Grenada Lake on April 24 — guide Trent Goss noted fish staging hard for the spawn, with heavyweight-limit catches becoming common on that 35,000-acre Southern reservoir. That regional signal translates well to comparable Alabama impoundments on the Coosa and Tennessee systems. Expect crappie stacked in 6–12 feet near submerged timber and brush piles through the weekend. Largemouth and spotted bass are likely in late-spawn or immediate post-spawn mode; shallow flats and protected cove pockets traditionally hold bedding fish through the full-moon window.
73-Degree Gulf, Light Winds: AL Saltwater Conditions Late April
NOAA buoy 42012 recorded 73°F water temperature early this evening, with light winds around 5 knots and pleasant air temperatures near 73°F across the central Alabama Gulf. This warm-water setup is typical for late April and signals prime conditions for the season's transition species — tarpon staging their spring run into bays and estuaries, cobia beginning their northbound migration, and redfish holding strong in shallow flats and coastal structure. Calm seas and clear water make sight-casting conditions favorable this week. Plan your trips around the light-wind window while it holds, and watch for early-season red snapper openers as May approaches.