Best monthsSeptember–October run; spring–summer steady
Go-to baitsbull minnows on a Carolina rig, white grubs, live shrimp dragged slow
Local waterDixey Bar · the Causeway
State rulesOutdoor Alabama
The local pattern
Mobile Bay's causeway drains, river-mouth edges, and channel drop-offs hold flounder from spring through the run. The fall migration funnels fish down the ship channel edges toward the mouth of the bay.
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 Mobile Bay?
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 Mobile Bay?
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 Mobile Bay morning from NOAA tide swing, wind, and sky, with solunar windows and marine alerts, and Jemison's Bait & Tackle and Fisherman's Discount serve both shores.