Summertime Fishing on the Gulf Coast
Do It All in June on Alabama’s Gulf Coast with Captain Chip Day
 Editor’s Note: From catching marlin at the Nipple, the Spur and the Elbow to catching king mackerel and Spanish mackerel within sight of the pearly-white beaches and the breaking waves of Orange Beach, Alabama, you can do it all on a six-passenger boat. Today Charles “Chip” Day, captain of the “Chipper’s Clipper” charter boat, based at Zeke’s Marina in Orange Beach, will tell us the advantages of booking a trip on a six-passenger boat.
Question: What is a six-pack boat?
Day: It’s a six-passenger vessel that can carry from one to six family members, business associates, long-time fishing partners or people who’ve just met at the dock at Zeke’s while fishing.
Question: What type of trips do you take on a six-pack boat?
Day: We take a variety of trips from a 4-hour trolling trip to a 12-hour offshore big-game fishing trip.
Question: Chip, what is included in a 4-hour trolling trip?
Day: We’ll troll mainly for king mackerel and Spanish mackerel, but we’ll also catch bonita and dolphin.
Question: Where do you troll?
Day: We troll from right off the beach for Spanish mackerel to further out for king mackerel.  Alabama’s Marine Resources Division has built some trolling alleys that consist of small reefs in a line that go out about 8 or 9 miles. Baitfish gather and hold on these small reefs, and the king mackerel concentrate above them, providing a great spot to troll for king mackerel. We also have bridge rubble that’s been deployed to make an artificial reef we can troll over, and it’s a really good place to find king mackerel.This month, our Spanish mackerel will run from 1- to 4-pounds each and our king mackerel from 7- to 15-pounds each. Occasionally, we’ll catch a 30- to a 40-pound monster king. Most days in June, we’ll catch our limit of king mackerel and Spanish mackerel. We usually start catching the Spanish mackerel early and then move out to deeper water to catch king mackerel.
Question: Do you also run 6- and 8-hour trips?
Day: Yes, we do. On the 6-hour trips, we catch king mackerel first and then bottom fish for snapper and grouper. We usually can catch a limit of two snapper per person on the 6-hour trips, as well as catch triggerfish and vermilion snapper. Snapper season began June 1 and lasts until August 15th, and when we fish for snapper, we not only catch red snapper, but we also catch vermilion snapper, white snapper and an occasional grouper.
To fish with Captain Charles “Chip” Day on the “Chipper’s Clipper,” call him at 251-981-1943 or 251-952-8247. . For more information about restaurants, lodging, amenities and places to go and see, visit www.gulfshores.com, and call 800-745-SAND.
Tomorrow: Deep Water and Big-Game Trips with Captain Chip Day |
