Perdido pass fishing access

I saw a news item last night where The city of Auburn is hosting a large State of Alabama Tourism meeting this week. The state director of Tourism is Mr. Lee Sentell. I have spoken with him about the loss of fishing access at Perdido Pass and it's impact on Tourism. I emphasized the fact that it was by far the best access in the State for handicapped fisherman before it was fenced off and closed to the public because of the ability to drive right up to the wall and park just 15 feet away and roll up to the rail in a wheelchair and fish. This area has now been closed several years and it used to get a tremendous amount of use by tourists and locals alike. I have met and talked with people from all over the country and the world at that location in past years.
I would like to suggest that everyone try to contact Mr Sentell and see if enough of us can get his attention focused on the matter. In the past I was told that the real problem is that the Alabama State Department of Transportation is the department responsible for that site and they have no motivation to do anything about the problem. Maybe if enough people will write Mr. Sentell or email him about the matter he will realize the significance of the access. His email address is; leesentell@tourism.alabama.gov. His mailing address is Alabama Department of Tourism, 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 126, Montgomery, Al. 36104.

I think you hit on the key to getting it repaired in your statement and that is that it used to be used by people from all over THAT WERE HANDICAPPED ,so in closing this it has limited the places that a handicapped person can safely fish.

My brother in-law is coming again this trip(in a wheel chair) and wanted to fish, that sure would be more suitable then the pier and amount of people sometimes there to get around ....most likely it won't be open for his trip

I had my brother-in-law fishing at the pass shortly before his death and we hit the blues running strong. He was quite ill even then but enjoyed himself greatly. He told anyone who would listen about the trip. His mobility issues and lack of strength made it ideal. I know there are many others with similar health limitations who could use the site if it was reopened.

I was at the pass today and no work being done nor been done.
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Originally Posted by oldfisherman

I saw a news item last night where The city of Auburn is hosting a large State of Alabama Tourism meeting this week. The state director of Tourism is Mr. Lee Sentell. I have spoken with him about the loss of fishing access at Perdido Pass and it's impact on Tourism. I emphasized the fact that it was by far the best access in the State for handicapped fisherman before it was fenced off and closed to the public because of the ability to drive right up to the wall and park just 15 feet away and roll up to the rail in a wheelchair and fish. This area has now been closed several years and it used to get a tremendous amount of use by tourists and locals alike. I have met and talked with people from all over the country and the world at that location in past years.
I would like to suggest that everyone try to contact Mr Sentell and see if enough of us can get his attention focused on the matter. In the past I was told that the real problem is that the Alabama State Department of Transportation is the department responsible for that site and they have no motivation to do anything about the problem. Maybe if enough people will write Mr. Sentell or email him about the matter he will realize the significance of the access. His email address is; leesentell@tourism.alabama.gov. His mailing address is Alabama Department of Tourism, 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 126, Montgomery, Al. 36104.

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I did my part a couple months ago by emailing my concerns to Mr. Sentell about access to the pass . Hope others have and will do the same.

"In the past I was told that the real problem is that the Alabama State Department of Transportation is the department responsible for that site and they have no motivation to do anything"

This is slightly inaccurate, ALDOT is responsible for the site. But its not that they have no motivation, the problem is that they have no money for this project. Doesn't matter how much they care or not, if a state agency isn't appropriated funds to fix a problem, they can't fix it. And appropriating funds is a job of the legislature, not state employees.

I stop by this site ever week to look at the pass and watch the seagulls play conga line, and dream of the days of the past when this was a great fishing spot. My daughter is in no way physically incapable but the fact is her casting on spanish from the pass compared to the pier is a major difference to the point where she isnt even interested in pier casting. And not to mention the eye sore! When people come to visit me and they see this they are dumb founded with questions I cannot answer."why is this beautiful site closed with fence? ""Are they going to repair?" "Is it because the pier is not privately owned so they dont want to repair a fishing spot that will cause the pier to lose revenue? " I just always say I dunno lets just back the van up to the fence and cast off the roof.

"Is it because the pier is not privately owned so they dont want to repair a fishing spot that will cause the pier to lose revenue? "

That has absolutely nothing to do with it, how do people come up with such BS???

I can see how the pier would miss out on revenue since more people might prefer to fish the pass for free vs paying at the pier. I would probably fish there instead of the pier a few days of each week that I come down. It's possible that some families go elsewhere on vacation in the absence of free fishing opportunities.

To be clear, there is no "free fishing opportunity" in Alabama (or anywhere else unless you are a kid), since the out of state license is a little pricey. The pier fee plus the $11 pier license is not free either, however. If you visit for a bit over a week, avoiding the pier starts to look like a better cost.

To be clear there are plenty of "free fishing opportunities" in Alabama. Under 16, over 65 and nonresident disabled are not required to purchase(free) a fishing license. There is no fee(free) to fish the surf, Perdido Pass, Orange Beach Waterfront Pier, Fort Morgan Pier, Little Lagoon, Boggy Point, or the ICW. At least that's what the law reads.

Saltwater Recreational Licenses | Outdoor Alabama

I would certainly like to know if that s true because it looks like to me the law says anyone over 16 and under 65 who fishes in salt water has to have a license That would certainly include the surf and the areas mentioned

Chillin,
To bad that Perdido Pass, West Beach Pass, and the Fort Morgan Pier all have opportunity issues at this time. They have been popular destinations for many fisherpeeps for a long time.
I look forward to the day when they are all back usable again.

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Originally Posted by chillinfish

To be clear there are plenty of "free fishing opportunities" in Alabama. Under 16, over 65 and nonresident disabled are not required to purchase(free) a fishing license. There is no fee(free) to fish the surf, Perdido Pass, Orange Beach Waterfront Pier, Fort Morgan Pier, Little Lagoon, Boggy Point, or the ICW. At least that's what the law reads.

Saltwater Recreational Licenses | Outdoor Alabama

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Disabled resident ,Cost : $1.00 . There is no disabled Nonresident License available in AL . Nonresident disabled fisherpersons are subject to the regular Nonresident license fee. That's the way I read it . Also no exemption for disabled Veterans .

Disabled

1.00

N/A

N/A

N/A

You are correct.

duplicate, sorry

I did not mean to stir the soup, I just wanted to remind folks that a license is required if you are not under 16. I would never have been able to fish on a vacation out of state if that had not been true. However, I had seen that out-of-state over 65 do need the saltwater license. I would be very pleased if this were not true, assuming I can live that long.
A Saltwater Fishing License is required for all persons fishing or possessing fish in saltwater areas of Alabama. (Saltwater Areas Map)

• RESIDENTS AND NONRESIDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 16 ARE EXEMPT. RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 65 ARE EXEMPT.
• Annual and seven-day trip licenses are available for residents and non-residents
• This license is also required for cast netting, flounder gigging and recreational crab traps
• RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
• SALTWATER ANGLER REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED for residents who are not required to purchase an annual saltwater license such as those 65 or older, have a lifetime saltwater license, or fish exclusively on a pier that has purchased a pier fishing license. Registration is free.

SALTWATER LICENSE FEES - EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2013

License	Alabama	Louisiana	Florida	All Other States
Annual	22.40	90.05	47.95	47.95
Trip	9.50	26.60	30.00	26.60
Pier	6.00	11.00	11.00	11.00
Spear Fishing	6.00	8.50	8.50	8.50
Disabled	1.00	N/A	N/A	N/A