Gulf Coast - New to fishing the area (AL coast) need help!

I am new to fishing the area and was looking for some input on how and where to find some fish. I am interested in pretty much anything that swims, and will appreciate any input! A couple of areas I am interested in learning more about is fishing for mahi offshore. I have a 22 foot boat that is equipped with a good GPS machine ( now I only have to learn how to use it!) so I think i am able to run off enough to get into some deep water fish. Like I said, any input on where to fish, inshore and offshore will be greatly appreciated, I am looking forward to seeing what you all have to say, thanks a lot!

I fish out of destin which is a few miles to your east so I can't comment on the exact area near shore but offshore it's pretty much the same. I'm in a similar situation with a 22 ft boat so days are limited to make the runs your going to need to make to find a consistant mahi bite. Look up the charts for the nipple which is the 100 fathom mark and that is your tipical starting point. some days the wind will be calm from the south for a few days and you can find sargassum blown up to the 50 fathom mark and if you find large sargassum patches you'll find dolphin but be prepared to run somewhere between 30 to 60 miles offshore if that is your target.

Where do you put in ? if you put in at the end of Ft Morgan Rd. you can hit a lot of rigs out to 50 miles, if you put in at at Cotton Bayou in Orange Beach you can get to deep water pretty quick to SE, the edge and the nipple are about 30 miles S of P'cola. get yourself a Hilton book and go to outdooralabama.com it has more gps #'s than you will care to put in. If you go to the ESE be carefull coming back, you need to remember that Fla. state waters are out to 9 miles, if you cut the corner coming back and get stoped and you dont have Fla. liscence $$$$$$$$$ I hope this sheds a little light on the subject for you, and good luck

Lee

The last few times we have been out, we have made the trip to Dauphin Island to put in. If it's calm enough Monday we plan on getting out early and fishing the west cut of the island to see if we can produce some trout per a recommendation from a friend.