Do you want to go fishing in Alabama? Whether you're a resident or a non-resident, you need to purchase a fishing license to protect and improve the state's aquatic resources. But what type of license do you need to fish on the Alabama coast?If you're fishing in the waters off Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, you'll need a saltwater fishing license. This includes the Intracoastal Canal and the rear bays. Residents and non-residents under 16 years old are exempt from this requirement, as are residents aged 65 or older.
If you're going fishing on a rental boat, the rental company will provide you with everything you need, including the license. Residents aged 16 to 65 must have a recreational license to fish in public waters with rod and reel, hook and line, or from a boat. This license is not required if you're fishing with a normal hook and line from the county bank of your legal residence. If you're planning to fish offshore in the Gulf or freshwater fish with hooks in the Tennessee River, it's important to know what species your license covers. You don't need to buy a license if you're going fishing with an Alabama saltwater guide or charter.
However, if you're going fishing with a freshwater guide, you'll need to purchase a fishing license beforehand. A saltwater fishing license is also required if you're fishing in saltwater using any artificial bait, fly, lure, launch net, bow, crab trap (five or less) or spear. You can legally fish with your Alabama fishing license up to the Mississippi or Grand Bay state border in the west, and the Florida or Perdido Bay state border to the east. Keep in mind that there is no individual license for brackish water fishing, so if you plan to fish somewhere where it's possible to catch both freshwater and saltwater fish, it's probably best to buy both types of licenses. If your fishing license is lost or stolen, you'll need to replace it in order to continue fishing legally.
