Gulf Shores Inshore Fishing | 4-Hour Adventure

Published Date: July 18, 2025
Fishing

Gulf Shores
Updated Date: January 23, 2026

Summary

Join Captain In Too Deep Charters for a solid 4-hour inshore fishing adventure in Gulf Shores. We'll target speckled trout, redfish, and white trout in the productive shallow waters where these fish love to feed. Your $550 trip covers everything - quality rods and reels, fishing licenses, bait, and we'll clean your catch at the end of the day. Perfect for couples or small groups up to 4 people. We practice catch and release on out-of-season fish to keep these waters healthy for future trips. The inshore waters around Gulf Shores offer consistent action and beautiful scenery.

Gulf Shores Inshore Fishing | 4-Hour Adventure

Gulf Shores Action

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Three people fishing on the waters of Gulf Shores

Red Snapper catch on the Alabama coast

Reeled in a tasty Spanish mackerel with some tricky deep sea fishing techniques in Gulf Shores, AL!

A gang of hardcore anglers tackle the deep waters off Alabama's coast.

4 Hours - Inshore Gulf Shores Fishing

You've found yourself looking at one of the best inshore fishing opportunities on the Gulf Coast. This 4-hour trip with In Too Deep Charters puts you right in the heart of Gulf Shores' most productive back bays and nearshore waters. At $550 for two anglers, with room to add up to two more friends for just $50 each, this trip delivers serious bang for your buck. Your captain handles everything - gear, licenses, bait, and even cleans your catch at the end of the day. All you need to bring is sunscreen, snacks, and maybe a cooler for drinks.

What to Expect on the Water

Gulf Shores inshore fishing is all about reading the water and knowing where the fish are holding. You'll be working the grass flats, oyster bars, and creek mouths where redfish and speckled trout love to hang out. The beauty of a 4-hour trip is you get enough time to hit multiple spots without feeling rushed. Your captain will start early to beat the heat and find the most active bite. Expect to cover some serious ground - from shallow flats where you can sight-fish for tailing reds to deeper grass beds where specs stack up. The boat stays in protected waters, so even if it's a little breezy outside, you'll still have fishable conditions most days.

Techniques and Tackle

This isn't your typical chuck-and-duck fishing. Inshore fishing here requires finesse and the right presentation. You'll be working live bait under popping corks, throwing soft plastics on jig heads, and maybe even some topwater action when the conditions are right. The captain provides all the gear - medium-action spinning rods spooled with 15-20 pound braid, and a tackle box full of proven local favorites. Gulp shrimp, live shrimp under corks, and paddle tail plastics in chartreuse and white are staples. When the water's calm and the fish are aggressive, nothing beats the surface blow-up on a topwater plug. Your guide will teach you how to work each bait properly and when to switch tactics based on what the fish are telling you.

Species You'll Want to Hook

Speckled trout are the bread and butter of Gulf Shores inshore fishing. These spotted beauties love the grass flats and drop-offs around structure. A good spec runs 14-18 inches, with the occasional "gator trout" pushing 20-plus inches and several pounds. They're most active during cooler parts of the day and bite best on live or fresh dead shrimp. Spring and fall offer the most consistent action, but summer early morning trips can produce some fantastic catches. Specs fight with quick runs and head shakes, and they're absolutely delicious on the table - flaky white meat that's perfect for the grill or fryer.

Redfish are the ultimate inshore prize and Gulf Shores has some of the most consistent red fishing on the coast. These copper-colored bruisers range from schoolie-sized 16-inchers up to bull reds over 30 inches. The slot-size fish (16-26 inches) are perfect for eating, while the big bulls provide world-class fights before being released. Reds are structure-oriented fish, hanging around oyster bars, docks, and grass edges. They'll eat cut bait, live shrimp, and soft plastics with equal enthusiasm. Summer months see schools of reds cruising the flats where you can sight-cast to them - one of the most exciting ways to fish. These fish pull hard and long, using their broad tails to make blistering runs toward whatever structure they can find.

Time to Book Your Spot

This 4-hour inshore trip gives you everything you need for a top-rated Gulf Shores fishing experience. You're getting a customer favorite that combines productive fishing with reasonable pricing and all-inclusive service. The captain's local knowledge of seasonal patterns and daily conditions means you're fishing the right spots with the right techniques. Whether you're a seasoned angler looking to learn new water or someone wanting to get into inshore fishing, this trip sets you up for success. The boat handles beautifully in the back bays, the gear is maintained and ready to go, and the fish cleaning service means you head home with ready-to-cook fillets. Don't wait too long to book - the best fishing days fill up fast, especially during peak season when the bite is hot.

Learn more about the species

Redfish

Redfish are the crown jewel of our inshore waters - bronze-backed beauties with distinctive black spots near their tails. Most we catch run 20-30 inches, but the shallow flats around Gulf Shores can produce real bruisers pushing 40+ inches. These fish love water so skinny their backs show above the surface, cruising oyster bars, grass beds, and marsh edges hunting crabs and shrimp. Year-round fishing is solid, but fall brings the best action when they school up. What gets anglers hooked is their bulldogging fight - they'll strip line and test your drag like few other inshore species. Plus, slot-sized reds make fantastic eating with sweet, firm meat. The key here is staying quiet and watching for wakes or tailing fish. Once you spot one, cast a gold spoon past them and work it back slowly - they can't resist it.

Sea Trout

Around Gulf Shores, we call these "speckled trout" or just "specks" - they're the bread and butter of our inshore trips. These silvery fish with black spots typically run 14-24 inches and about 1-5 pounds, though we occasionally see bigger ones. You'll find them cruising grass flats in 2-8 feet of water, especially around dawn and dusk when they're actively feeding on shrimp and small baitfish. Spring through fall offers the best action, with cooler months pushing them into deeper holes. What makes specks special is their willingness to hit topwater lures - nothing beats that explosive strike on a calm morning. They're also excellent table fare with white, flaky meat that's perfect for the grill. Pro tip: when you see diving birds or bait jumping, work a soft plastic under a popping cork right through that commotion.

About the In Too Deep Charters – 21’

Vehicle Guest Capacity: 4

Manufacturer Name: Yamaha

Maximum Cruising Speed: 17

Number of Engines: 1

Horsepower per Engine: 200

Get ready for some serious Gulf Shores inshore action! Our 4-hour fishing trip takes you after the Gulf Coast's best – speckled trout, redfish, white trout, and whatever else is biting. Starting at $550 for 2 anglers, with room for up to 4 total guests ($50 each additional). Your captain handles everything so you can focus on fishing: premium gear, licenses, and we'll clean your catch too. We practice catch-and-release for anything out of season, keeping these waters healthy for future trips. Perfect for couples or small groups looking to experience authentic Gulf Coast fishing without the hassle of planning every detail.

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