UTERSailfish fishing in Mississippi & Alabama Coast
In Mississippi & Alabama Coast, sailfish peak July–August and are around June–September, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Sails offshore.
Not in Mississippi & Alabama Coast this month.
Sailfish in Mississippi & Alabama Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneArriving
- JulyPeakSails offshore.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberLeaving
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish sailfish near Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi
The Mississippi Sound behind Cat, Ship, Horn and Petit Bois islands, the Biloxi Marsh to the west, Mobile Bay and the Mobile–Tensaw Delta, the Dauphin Island bridge and causeway, Perdido Bay and the Alabama beaches — with the world's biggest artificial-reef zone just offshore of Orange Beach.
Fish Scouter charts 1,918 artificial reef, 44 ledge / hard bottom spots in the Mississippi Sound & Mobile Bay map area — the kinds sailfish hold on.
What to use for sailfish
- Goggle-eyesBridled through the eye sockets for sailfish and kingfish, kite-fished or slow-trolled.
- Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- BallyhooRigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 70–84°F water, best at 74–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch sailfish in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Peak season is July–August. Sailfish are in Mississippi & Alabama Coast June–September. July: Sails offshore.
Where do sailfish hold in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Look on artificial reef — around Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, Dauphin Island.
What is the best bait for sailfish in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Live bait: goggle-eyes, pilchards (whitebait), threadfin herring (greenbacks), ballyhoo. Goggle-eyes: Bridled through the eye sockets for sailfish and kingfish, kite-fished or slow-trolled. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
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All about sailfish · Mississippi Sound & Mobile Bay, the whole year