But Bay St. Louis is often a good reason to stay home. The northern reaches of the bay hold the small but beautiful Jourdan River marshes, a classical coastal marsh system, featuring winding bayous, shallow ponds, and lagoons-the kind of habitat that attracts reds. The fall and winter months can be excellent with reds feeding along grassy shorelines of the river or the Catfish Bayou. Bring medium or light tackle and cast gold weedless spoons, topwater baits such as the Top Dog and Jumpin Minnow, and plastic touts such as the cockahoe or sparkle beetle. Alabama Redfishing in Alabama can be a pretty dependable thing-as long as the wind is down, and you can get to the Dixey Bar.
Most anglers simply drift with the tide over the bar, floating live croakers behind the boat.
Gold spoons, cut baits, fresh shrimp, and plastic touts will also work. If the south wind kicks up, fish the Dauphine Island bridge. Just anchor off one of the bridge supports, then drop the live croaker, fresh shrimp, or minnow to the bottom-and hold on. The only part of this state's coastline that has very few redfish is the east coast from Palm Beach to Key West. Like the rest of the Sunshine State, the fishing is good all year except during extreme cold spells.