New to GS/FM Fishing

We've been coming to Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan for years. Invariably, we attempt to fish every time we're down there, but we've had very little success. We used to always fish on the old Fort Morgan pier before it was closed. We'd catch a few whiting and a few hundred catfish. We've tried fishing in Little Lagoon and around, but only caught a fish every now and again. We try to avoid the state pier because of the cost and the crowds. We're looking for somewhere we can go for free and just do some fishing. A couple of places I'm considering is the pass at Little Lagoon and the small pier on the right about halfway down Fort Morgan road. I'd love to catch some flounder, but I'm open for anything as long as I catch something I can eat. We mostly fish for the enjoyment of getting out and doing it, so we're looking for somewhere that we can have a good time fishing. I think our biggest problem is we don't know when to go, or how to fish in saltwater. I see all the types of cutbait, and I have no idea what will bite what. Any suggestions/tips would be appreciated.

Flounder should be around in the surf and bay. Check out John skinner's videos on youtube. I'd never seen a retrieval quite like that, but oddly enough I caught a flounder doing just that. His same techniques will work in the gulf, I've seen several on another forum doing it the same way with great success.

Cut mullet tossed out as cut bait bait would be excellent for big redfish on fort Morgan. Shrimp would catch a little of everything, but it has to be extremely fresh or you will catch mostly cats.

Fishing with a simple silver/gold spoon is a lot of fun as well. Wade out to a bar and cast it around. Vary your retrieval, jerking it sometimes or nice and steady other times.

#1 spot for flounder accessible by foot is west of the old Fort Morgan pier, especially at the old pipe foundations. Good reds and sharks (keeper sharpnose) on around towards the channel.

Lots of undersized flounder can be had wading the lagoon, but hard to come by a keeper.

To catch specs in the surf scout the beach for holes at low tide and come back near high tide to fish them, best if high tide is near dawn.

Navy Cove is shallow and holds fish, but I've never waded it. I've seen others doing it and we've caught fish there from a boat. I'd wade that before I waded at the little pier on the right (at the bird sanctuary) which I have waded without any luck.

If you don't mind a little drive, Perdido Pass over in Orange Beach holds some fish. I was down 2 weeks ago and found a seawall behind a restaurant named The Gulf just before the bridge on the right. I think the proper name for it is Alabama Point. I fished there 1 hr. before sunrise to 1 hr. after. I used a sabiki rig first and instantly caught some live bait. I rigged that bait and caught some decent jacks toward the channel. Then a school of big mullet came through and I started casting a spoon and had loads of fun with them C/R. I'm sure there is a lot I don't know about this spot...I'm definitely coming back to learn more! Tight Lines