One of the tastiest fish in the Gulf of Mexico is accessible to everybody who can cast a rod in the surf along Alabama’s beautiful beaches. A decent-sized whiting of about a pound will yield a couple of nice fillets, and with no bag limit in Alabama, anglers sometimes catch plenty for a fish fry.
Surf Fishing for Whiting
Most surf anglers look for areas in the surf where the first sandbar is within casting distance. You can cast to the close edge of the sandbar and gradually move toward the shore until you find out where the fish are hanging out. Most anglers use a double-hook rig with the lightest pyramid weight allowed, depending on the surf and current conditions. If you can get by with a one-ounce sinker, go with that as long as the sinker remains stationary. Increase the sinker size if it starts rolling around in the surf. Whiting rarely exceed two pounds, so use a lighter tackle when the whiting bite is on. I like small circle or Kahle hooks for whiting.
Best Spots to catch whiting
Whiting (Gulf kingfish) favor higher energy areas, such as sand bars, with wave action. The breaking waves suspend shrimp, mole crabs (sand fleas), ghost shrimp, and other crustaceans that the whiting feed on. The whiting wait just beyond the breakers to ambush their prey.
How to Look for Whiting
Scouting is essential for surf fishing. Clearer water allows the fish to spot a meal in the surf easily. Also, look for the darker water, which indicates more depth, and look for any irregular features in the sandbar where the predator fish like to ambush their prey. And while you’re fishing for whiting, don’t be surprised if you hook a pompano or two. Flounder and redfish are also species that can be caught in that shallow water near the shoreline.
Best Time to Catch Whiting
Although you can often catch fish all day, the best fishing is usually during low-light conditions in the early morning and as the sun starts to set. During those times, the beach will be less crowded as well.
Best Baits to catch Whiting
The area is home to several tackle shops that stock all the equipment you need to fish for whiting, including fresh dead or frozen shrimp, frozen squid, and possibly frozen sand fleas. Pinch off a piece of shrimp, peel it and stab it onto the hook. Adding a little square of Fish Bites after the shrimp adds another element of enticement and helps keep the shrimp on the hook. Squid is much tougher and stays on the hook better, but I always carry shrimp just in case the fish are finicky. If you want to relax in your beach chair and let your fishing rig do the work, get a PVC rod holder so that you can stick deep in the sand. If you’re more hands-on, just hold the rod, but don’t set the hook too quickly. Make sure the fish has inhaled the bait. If you’re using circle hooks, just start reeling and don’t set the hook, or you might pull it out of the fish’s mouth.
Whiting Fishing Regulations
The good thing about whiting is that Alabama has no size or bag limit, and the fish can be caught year-round. A whopper whiting would be a two-pounder, so whatever you keep, ensure the fish will yield decent fillets for your fish fry.
If you happen to catch some other fish species that can hang around in the surf, Alabama’s length limit on flounder is 12 inches, with a daily bag limit of 10 fish per person. The pompano length limit is also 12 inches, and the daily bag limit is three fish per person. The redfish limit is three per person with a slot limit of 16 to 26 inches, with the exception that one fish larger than 26 inches is allowed.
Don't forget! You’ll need a saltwater fishing license or saltwater registry designation to catch whiting in the Gulf.
