Bayou Saint John Fishing
A bayou of the Alabama coast in Baldwin County.
Pick for redfishPiscifun Alloy S inshore spinning reelCheck price at PiscifunPhoto of Perdido Pass: Chris Palmer, CC BY-SA 2.0
The short version on Bayou Saint John for salt water
In Baldwin County, Bayou Saint John is a bayou on the Alabama coast. Plan on near 4 miles to Orange Beach.
Crews built 4 inshore reefs within 12 miles.
USGS GNIS domestic names (feature class and primary point), read November 1, 2026; ADCNR coastal layers; Census 2023 places.
Coastal ramps that reach Bayou Saint John
ADCNR lists no ramp on Bayou Saint John; the closest are mapped.
More ADCNR ramps close to Bayou Saint John
- Boggy Point Boat Ramp on Terry CoveTerry Cove, 2 miles west
- Pirate's Cove boat ramp on Roberts BayouRoberts Bayou, 2 miles north
- Josephine Park on Roberts BayouRoberts Bayou, 2 miles north
- Palmetto Creek Boat Ramp on Roberts BayouRoberts Bayou, 4 miles north
- Cotton Bayou boat rampCotton Bayou, 4 miles southwest
- The Launch on Wolf BayWolf Bay, 7 miles west
ADCNR coastal boating access pages and public access site layer (ADCNR GIS), read November 1, 2026; ADCNR WFF public boat ramp list (list), read November 1, 2026.
Walk-out fishing on Bayou Saint John
Places to fish on foot near Bayou Saint John
- Gulf State Park Pier on Oyster Bayfishing pier, salt water, 9 miles
- Little Lagoon Pierfishing pier, salt water, 13 miles
- Magnolia Springs Public Pierfishing pier, salt water, 17 miles
- Weeks Bay Boat Ramp and Pierfishing pier, salt water, 20 miles
- The Pines Fishing Pier and Boat Launch on Bon Secour Bayfishing pier, salt water, 22 miles
ADCNR coastal boating access pages and public access site layer (ADCNR GIS), read November 1, 2026.
Reefs an easy run from Bayou Saint John
4 inshore reefs lie within 12 miles of Bayou Saint John; each row gives year, material and listed depth.
| Reef | Placed | Material | Listed depth | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayou St. John Reef | 2005 | Concrete pilings and Rubble and 3" X 6" limestone aggregate | 11 ft listed depth | under a mile west |
| Ono island Reef | 2005 | Concrete piling and rubble-Red claybrick from NAS Pensacola; roadway culverts (18") … | 11 ft listed depth | 2 miles east |
| Ross Point Reef | 2005 | Concrete pilings, bridge rubble and bridge spans | 13 ft listed depth | 2 miles north |
| Rockpile | 2011 | Limestone rip rap in single row along northern boundary; roadway culverts (18" … | 9 ft listed depth | 3 miles northeast |
ADCNR Marine Resources Division public reef master list 2025 (KMZ; reef layer), read November 1, 2026. Coordinates are for information only, not for navigation.
Watching the tide on Bayou Saint John
- Arnica Bay, Mill Pointtide predictions, 1 mile
- Alabama Pointtide predictions, 2 miles
- Wolf Baytide predictions, 6 miles
- Gulf State Park Piertide predictions, 9 miles
Predictions for Bayou Saint John are a guide; wind and runoff set the real level.
NOAA CO-OPS water level and tide prediction stations; read November 1, 2026.
Harbors that serve Bayou Saint John
- Gulf ShoresBaldwin County, 11 miles
- Orange BeachBaldwin County, 3 miles
- ElbertaBaldwin County, 9 miles
- LillianBaldwin County, 10 miles
- Perdido BeachBaldwin County, 4 miles
USGS GNIS domestic names (feature class and primary point), read November 1, 2026.
Inshore creel and size rules at Bayou Saint John
| Species | Daily limit and size | Waters |
|---|---|---|
| Sheepshead | 8 per person; 12" min. FL | state waters |
| Spotted Seatrout | 6 per person – one fish is allowed to be over; 15" min. TL – 22" max TL | state waters |
| Red Drum (Redfish) | 3 per person; 16" min. – 26" max TL | state waters |
| Cobia (Ling) | 1 per person, not to exceed 2 per vessel; 36" min. FL | state waters |
| Spanish Mackerel | 15 per person; no size limit | state waters |
| Florida Pompano | 3 per person; 12" min. TL | state waters |
| Striped Bass | 2 per person; 16" min TL | state waters |
| Flounder | 5 per person (Closed Season for the month of November); 14" min TL | state waters |
| Tripletail (Blackfish) | 3 per person; 18" min TL | state waters |
| Mullet | Oct. 24-Dec. 31, 25 mullet per person from the shoreline or 25 per boat. No mullet by cast net or snagging in Theodore Industrial Canal, Dog River, Fowl River, and their tributaries.; no siz | state waters |
Redfish, speckled trout and flounder rules for Bayou Saint John come first.
Which license applies follows the ADCNR line, printed on the saltwater page.
Saltwater anglers 16 and older carry an Alabama saltwater license ($30.90 resident, $66.80 nonresident for 2026-27), plus the $10 Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement to keep reef fish such as red snapper.
Limits as printed by the ADCNR Marine Resources Division recreational size, creel and possession limits for state waters (MRD limits page), read November 1, 2026.
For the redfish herePiscifun NautiX saltwater spinning reel14% OFFSale $94.99 Where Bayou Saint John ranks along the Alabama coast
By access count, Roberts Bayou tops the table at 14.
| Water | Distance | Type | Ramps | Piers and banks | Access sites | Inshore reefs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayou Saint John | bayou | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| Arnica Bay | 2 miles north | bay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Terry Cove | 2 miles west | cove | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Perdido Pass | 2 miles southwest | pass | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Roberts Bayou | 2 miles north | bayou | 3 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| Bayou La Launch | 2 miles northwest | bayou | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
ADCNR ramp, access and reef layers, USGS GNIS; read November 1, 2026.
Inland Alabama options behind Bayou Saint John
Neighbouring Alabama lakes to Bayou Saint John
- Shelby Lakes9 miles
- Dead Lake50 miles
Alabama rivers within easy reach of Bayou Saint John
- Styx River26 miles
- Fish River29 miles
Tackle counters that serve Bayou Saint John
- Flora-Bama Marina & Watersportsmarina, Orange Beach, under a mile
- Bear Point Marinamarina, Orange Beach, 1 mile
- Safe Harbor Sportsmanmarina, Orange Beach, 1 mile
- Hudson Marinamarina, Orange Beach, 2 miles
- Orange Beach Marinamarina, Orange Beach, 2 miles
- San Roc Cay Marinamarina, Orange Beach, 2 miles
Paid trips on Bayou Saint John from our list
- Fish Orange Beach (Intimidator)charter, Orange Beach, 251-747-2872
- Orange Beach Fishing Associationcharter, Orange Beach, (251) 981-2300
- Orange Beach Sailing Charters and Sunset Cruisescharter, Orange Beach, (251) 981-7245
Alabama towns within a drive of Bayou Saint John
- Orange Beach4 miles
- Elberta7 miles
- Gulf Shores11 miles
- Foley11 miles
Which county pages list Bayou Saint John
- Baldwin Countyseat: Bay Minette
Piscifun rods and reels lined up for Bayou Saint John
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Telling the Bayou Saint John fish apart, by photo
Photo: Louisiana Sea Grant College Program Louisiana State University, CC BY 2.0
Photo: bluecrab, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Watts, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Totti, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bayou Saint John: answers for an Alabama fishing day
Where is Bayou Saint John?
Its named point falls in Baldwin County, about 4 miles from Orange Beach.
Which license covers Bayou Saint John?
Saltwater anglers 16 and older carry an Alabama saltwater license ($30.90 resident, $66.80 nonresident for 2026-27), plus the $10 Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement to keep reef fish such as red snapper. The license line is quoted on the saltwater page.
How many ADCNR ramps reach Bayou Saint John?
Closest ramp: Boggy Point Boat Ramp on Terry Cove, 2 miles.
How many speckled trout may come home from Bayou Saint John?
Red Drum (Redfish): 3 per person; 16" min. – 26" max TL.
Where are tide predictions for Bayou Saint John?
Tide tables: Arnica Bay, Mill Point.
Can I wade Bayou Saint John?
Nearest on file: Gulf State Park Pier on Oyster Bay, 9 miles.
Which bait counter on our Alabama list serves Bayou Saint John?
Closest on our list: Flora-Bama Marina & Watersports, under a mile away,.
Has ADCNR built reefs around Bayou Saint John?
4 inshore reefs, starting with Bayou St. John Reef.
Plan a Gulf Coast run to Bayou Saint John
Get the Alabama saltwater license squared away online ahead of launch day.