September Fishing Report by Capt. Randy Boggs

Inshore the trout are being caught with shrimp and a popping cork. Red fish are biting cut or live bait around Perdido Pass.

King mackerel are being caught off the Gulf State Pier as well as trolling with planers and spoons in the Gulf.

Flounder fishing is getting better everyday. We are waiting for the first hard north winds to drop the air and water temperatures and hasten the migration of the fish.

Off shore there a lot of red snapper to catch and release. They are on almost any structure and will bite live or cut bait readily. Vermillion snapper are being caught on the rocks and larger wrecks in over 100’ of water on cut squid and small pieces of cigar minnows.

Trigger fish have shown up in large numbers on most all reefs. The fish large enough to keep have generally been found on reefs that hold larger fish as a general rule. Trigger fish readily bite cut squid, minnow pieces, shrimp, and we have discovered they have quiet a taste for the new Berkley Gulp! ® baits.

Quite a few grouper and scamp are being caught in 200’-300’ of water on large live baits or larger size dead bait. Amberjack have showed up this month on the off shore rigs and the larger wrecks. They are being caught jigging or with live bait with a blue runner/hard tail being much preferred.

Black fins have made a big showing around the oil rigs this fall. Good catches are being reported with quite a few fish over the 20 pound mark. The Mobile Big Game Fishing Club’s Labor Day Invitational brought great catches of yellow fin tuna. These fish were being caught in over 1,000 feet of water at most rigs trolling with small ballyhoo and dusters.

Wahoo have made a good showing off shore. Most of these fish have been between 20 and 50 pounds and are biting almost anything you troll.

Dolphin are a very scattered catch with not many reported.

To sum it all up, there are fish in the water, and if you put a put bait on a hook, and put it in the water, you will most likely catch one.

Capt Randy Boggs
Reel Surprise
gonefishn@gulftel.com
Reel Surprise Charters

The Hot Shop

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Sunday on the Coast

Beachin' Bob's friend Luanne is stepping up and providing blogs while BB suffers an extended case of writers block.

Sunday is one of my favorite days of the week on the Alabama Gulf Coast. There is something about the day that brings a sense of peace. After a hectic Saturday, Sunday is a day for relaxing.

For those lucky enough to stay through a Sunday, it can be the best day of your Brett/Robinson vacation. While most visitors are traveling north and back to their everyday lives, you can be sitting on the beach, enjoying the sun, sand and surf. There are also churches of most denominations in the area that have contemporary services where shorts and flip flops are not only welcome, but considered normal dress for visitors and locals. Traditional services are also offered for those that prefer a more formal worship.

Ok, so what is it I think is so great about Sundays? It is the day I spend with my grandchildren. We make the early contemporary service at church and then head to one of our favorite restaurants on the beach for lunch. I love to eat and Gulf Shores and Orange Beach offer a variety of great restaurants in all price ranges. If Sunday brunch is your cup of tea, some of the best brunches can be found on our little island.

After lunch, we decide what the rest of the day will hold. It could be a trip to the beach, swimming in the pool, a movie, cooking dinner for the rest of the family or driving up to the Tanger Outlet in Foley for a little shopping spree. No matter what we decide to do, our time together is what matters. Of course, every day is special on the Alabama Gulf Coast, but there is just something about a Sunday.

Girlfriend Getaway

A note from Ms. Beachin':

Early Saturday morning, I gently slid the glass door open, stepped out on the eighth-floor balcony at Phoenix West and took in the view. Just before sunrise, the blue of the lazy river with the golden glow of the artificial lighting on the deck offered a surprisingly pleasant contrast. The concrete was cool under my bare feet but the slight breeze off the Gulf of Mexico felt warm on my face. It was a beautiful start to a beautiful day.

“What a great idea,” I thought to myself while I was trying to decide if making coffee would wake my friends.

Just a few days before, I was at my desk when a co-worker/friend asked if I wanted to stay the weekend at a condo on the beach with two other friends. Of course, I am always ready for an adventure, so the answer didn’t require any thought. The four of us finalized our plans and took the plunge, so to speak.

Our weekend home was a 1958 square-foot premium unit at Brett/Robinson’s newest property. We had three bedrooms and four baths. The master bedroom was furnished with a king-size bed; my bedroom had a queen-size bed; and the other room, two double beds. The unit was perfect for four women.

It wasn’t too long before everyone else was awake and discussing breakfast and plans for the day. We decided to allow children and grandchildren to visit during the day, as long as they were gone before the sun went down. Nights were for adults only.

After a morning walk on the beach, the pools and lazy river beckoned. The lazy river was wonderful. Floating between palm trees with the sun on my face and talking to my friends was a great way to spend a Saturday. So far, the weekend was everything we had imagined it being. Little did I know, the best was yet to come.

After a fun day of hanging out on the pool decks and floating the river, we were all pretty hungry. The spacious, well equipped kitchen in the condo was perfect for preparing a meal. After dinner, it was time for a movie on the 42-inch flat panel television. It was almost like being at the movie theater, only much more comfortable. We ended the evening together on the balcony listening to the waves and watching the beams of flashlights dance around on the sand at the water’s edge.

Sunday morning was as beautiful as Saturday. As I sat on the balcony with my camera in hand, the western sky held my attention. The white fluffy clouds had taken on the color of a summer sunrise. As the sun’s light touched the clouds tops, the reflection in the gulf waters painted a coral-colored path to the horizon.

This was our last morning to spend in the luxury of Phoenix West, so we decided to make the best of it and hit the lazy river early. There were only a handful of people in the pool area when we made our way through the gate. I grabbed a tube and started floating on the river. As I floated around the eastern turn, I realized there weren’t any kids on the water slide. I quickly changed my course and headed towards the ladder. I haven’t been on a water slide of any kind in more years than I care to mention. I have to admit, I was a little nervous climbing the steps to this one. When I reached the top, I took a deep breath, sat down and let go. I came out of the water with a big smile on my face and headed back up the ladder again, a little more confident than before. I sat down, but this time when I started to slide I lay all the way down and held my nose. To coin a phrase from my teen years, “what a rush!” By then, my friends had made their way around and we were all lined up on the steps of the slide. One after the other, we were zipping down the slide and laughing so hard at ourselves and each other, we almost couldn’t get our breath. It was the best ending imaginable to a great weekend. Sadly, we had to pack our stuff and get back to our regular routine.

It was only the second girlfriend getaway I had ever been on, but I assure you, there will be plenty more. Splitting the costs four ways made the stay very affordable. But, being able to get away from everyday life and spend time with great friends is priceless. The four of us will be talking about our girlfriend getaway for years to come, especially the waterslide.

Perdido Bay Golf

The Beachin' Foursome headed just across the state line Saturday for a round at the Perdido Bay Golf Course. For starters, it's only a 10 - 15 minute drive from Phoenix 10. They have a complete practice facility featuring a large driving range, putting green, chipping green, greenside bunker, and a fairway bunker. The course is well maintained and the greens roll true. A full set of tees will offer a challenge to golfers of all skill levels. It's a well bunkered course and water comes into play frequently, but with forced carries at a minimum. The rates are very reasonable all day and you can play a full 18 holes after 3:00 PM for only $29.
The Legends Bar & Grill is perfect for an after round meal and beverages, as well as a complete menu for fine dining in the evening. The French Dip sandwich is one the best anywhere.

We'll definitely be returning for another round with our new friends at the Perdido Bay Golf course.