But, it’s an exciting choice, considering you can catch anything from a beautiful tuna to a massive shark. The best part? You’ll be able to fish along the Gulf Coast all year round! Now, to make your life easier, we’ve covered some of the most popular offshore fishing spots in the Gulf of Mexico…
Alabama
Head to Orange Beach and you’ll have a variety of options. If you want some gentle angling with species such as bluefish, redfish and flounder and shrimp, you can cast your line along the sea wall boardwalk completely free of charge. Alternatively, you can set up on the Gulf State Park Pier to target more extravagant fishes for $9 a day, or $41 for the whole week. Oh, and at the end of spring, be prepared to start reeling in red snapper.
Florida
The gorgeous region of Florida is a dream for all levels of anglers. In Destin, you can venture off shore and coup shark, triggerfish, king mackerel, red snapper, grouper and bonito, and if you travel even further into deeper waters, you’ll attract mahi-mahi, sailfish and tuna. Moreover, if you head to Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, you’ll be able to fish for 24 hours per day if you wish. You’ll likely catch cobia, black sea bass and snook, with a charge of $4 per day.
Louisiana
Louisiana Gulf really does celebrate its abundance of speckled trout. The Mississippi River streams into East Bay and forges a breeding ground for crabs and shrimp, which the trout gladly feed on. Whether you set up in Grand Isle, Vermillion Bay, Marsh Island or Cypremort Point, you won’t leave feeling disappointed with your day of angling. The trout population is huge, so you should keep reeling them in.
Texas
With the Texas Gulf, you’ll have both the scorching sun and the plethora of fantastic fishing spots to smile about. One of the most popular areas in the Gulf is Port Mansfield, which has plenty of trout swimming about, some even reaching the 10-lb mark. You also have a selection of piers to cast your line from, with the Bob Hall Pier on padre Island being one of the best. For $3 per person, you’ll be able to catch kingfish, sheepshead, shark and Spanish mackerel.
Mississippi
Mississippi generally consists of natural barrier reefs, and the Katrina Key was constructed from the rubble left by the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Anglers will have a wonderful day out there, reeling in the likes of black drum, speckled trout, redfish and flounder. Further afield you’ll find Cat Island and Petit Bois Island, which boasts of the same sort of species. In addition, the barrier reefs invite even more fish during the springtime due to the shallow coastline.
