# Orange Beach/Cotton Bayou



## Bryan (May 20, 2019)

Going to the Orange Beach area in about a month for the first time staying on Cotton Bayou.We are taking the boat how’s the fishing any advice?Thanks Bryan!


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## bilgerat (May 20, 2019)

Following, My sister and BIL, just bought a place down there and I would like to learn a little [or a lot] about fishing there also


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## Hunter/Mason (May 20, 2019)

Fish the dock lights after dark. Use the day to hang out on Robinson island can’t miss it it’s where all the boats are. It’s gotten really crowded down there now. I have a place on wolf bay off canal Rd next to docs seafood. Use the day to ride around and learn the water ways etc. To put fish in the boat fish the lights and if you pull up on 1 and you can’t see fish keep moving. After you catch a few they usually quit biting then go find another. Once you find a few lights with fish you can bounce back and fourth and keep catching them. I only use braid because the reds will break you off when they run back under the docks and I free line live or really fresh shrimp. If the tide is slack they will hardly bite but be swimming in the light. Also I’ve found the later at night the better. We’re leaving Wednesday and will be down for about 2 weeks. I’ll try and update but we’ll also be snapper fishing when it opens. Hope this helps I’ve been fishing the docks there for about 15yrs now and it’s almost too easy some nights.


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## Bryan (May 21, 2019)

Thanks Hunter/Mason and yea keep me posted if you will!


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## Hunter/Mason (May 21, 2019)

Will do


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## Hunter/Mason (May 28, 2019)

Friday we caught some trout and 1 keeper red.
Saturday played at the island and waded around the grass flats and we caught 10 keeper reds.
Sunday we pulled the shrimp net and caught a 2 boat limit of real big shrimp.
Today we trolled a little off the beach for Spanish but never caught any. We did catch several 2-3lb bluefish we kept em for my dads neighbor. This evening me and my wife fish some shallow grass beds and caught some big trout 1 on shrimp and the rest on a pink Yamamoto sinko


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## Bryan (May 30, 2019)

Hunter/Mason,Good deal sounds like y’all are having fun and catching some fish


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## Hunter/Mason (May 31, 2019)

Really haven’t fished for the last few days we’ve just played and I had a few things to take care of on my boat. But it’s loaded and ready to run out 10-15 miles in the am to see if we can get a limit of snapper


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 1, 2019)

We got up early and eased my bay boat it to around 14 miles and caught a nice limit of 10 snapper on a patch of hard bottom. My wife also caught a keeper gag grouper. Gonna do it again tomorrow


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## Rabun (Jun 3, 2019)

That sure sounds good!  Gongrats on that grouper!  No pics?


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## Bryan (Jun 3, 2019)

Nice hope we can get on a few fish in a couple more weeks


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 3, 2019)

This snapper weighed 22lbs


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 3, 2019)




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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 3, 2019)




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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 3, 2019)




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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 3, 2019)

Saturday and Sunday we limited out with 10 snapper a day couldn’t ask for any better weather and seas. I hate to even guess how many we released that we’re in the 20” range.


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 3, 2019)




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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 3, 2019)

Today we went out with my dad mom, brother and sister in law and niece and nephew On a party boat just to be able to fish together. We had a great trip being a party boat. It was a full boat and we brought in 108 snapper most in the 18” range but we did catch several around 10lbs. Mostly because we took our own rods w lighter weight and lighter flouro leaders . The boat rods all had 10 ounce weights and big leaders.


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 3, 2019)

I didn’t take many pics as I was still having to deck hand for my 7 yr old daughter funny thing is she caught over 15 snapper. Most men on the boat didn’t catch a thing. Talk about hurt feelings when the same little girl kept hollering fish on fish on.


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 3, 2019)

This pic was last year in the same from the same area. My 2 boys with big snapper and 1 of there friends that usually goes everywhere w us.


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## Rabun (Jun 4, 2019)

Thanks for sharing!  Great pics and some seriously nice snapper!  Smiles all the way around


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## Bryan (Jun 4, 2019)

How far do you have to go out down there to catch some snapper ?


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## Bryan (Jun 4, 2019)

Dang nice fish!


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 4, 2019)

We went 12-14 miles and I’m in my 24’ Sea Pro bay boat. But my neighbor went out 7 miles and limited every day on public #s. There’s tons of public stuff to fish out there and it’s pretty easy to find em online. I’ll see what I can pull up. What kind of boat do you have.


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 4, 2019)

Bryan said:


> Dang nice fish!


Thanks man


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## Bryan (Jun 5, 2019)

Hunter/Mason it’s a 20’ Aluminum Triton 8’ wide with a 90 hp motor so can’t go out real far


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 5, 2019)

If it’s smooth you can easily make the 7 mile trolling corridor which is loaded with sunken army tanks and they hold some good fish. If you have a spot lock trolling motor you can set up right on top of em and stay on em.


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 5, 2019)

https://www.outdooralabama.com/artificial-reefs/nearshore-reef-zone


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## Bryan (Jun 5, 2019)

Thanks for the info !


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## Hunter/Mason (Jun 5, 2019)

No problem I hope y’all catch em and have good weather. We’re probably gonna head in Friday am. I’ve got to come back and get caught up on some jobs. It’s been a great trip and I’ll be headed back with almost 75lbs of snapper filets.


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