Best monthsSeptember–October run; spring–summer steady
Go-to baitsbull minnows on a Carolina rig, white grubs, live shrimp dragged slow
Local waterLittle Lagoon Pass · Gulf State Park Pier
State rulesOutdoor Alabama
The local pattern
Bon Secour is the flounder heart of Gulf Shores: river-mouth drains, dock lines, and channel edges. Little Lagoon Pass funnels fish on the fall run, and the pier's inshore side gives walk-up anglers a real chance.
Flounder stack where falling water drops bait over an edge: drains, cuts, channel edges, and the down-current side of pilings. October's run pours fish toward the Gulf, and both states protect the tail of it, so plan harvest trips for September into mid-October.
Common questions
When is the flounder run at Gulf Shores?
October is the classic run month as fish leave the bays for the Gulf. Florida closes flounder harvest October 15–November 30 and Alabama closes all of November, so the harvest window is September to mid-October.
Why do I miss flounder bites at Gulf Shores?
Flounder grab the bait crossways and turn it before swallowing. Feel the thump, drop the rod tip, count to three, then lean in — an instant hookset pulls the bait away.
Plan the trip
Conditions decide more than tackle. The live dashboard scores each Gulf Shores morning from NOAA tide swing, wind, and sky, with solunar windows and marine alerts, and Hooked Up Bait & Tackle and Beach Bum Outdoors keep live bait through the season.