Old River Fishing
A delta channel 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
First look at Old River from the Alabama shore
Along the shore of Baldwin County sits Old River, a delta channel. Groceries and bait are likely in Orange Beach, roughly 7 miles off.
There are 4 inshore reefs inside 12 miles.
USGS GNIS domestic names (feature class and primary point), read November 1, 2026; ADCNR coastal layers; Census 2023 places.
Where Gulf boats go in for Old River
The ADCNR lists show no ramp on Old River.
If the lot is full at Old River
- Palmetto Creek Boat Ramp on Roberts BayouRoberts Bayou, 4 miles northwest
- Pirate's Cove boat ramp on Roberts BayouRoberts Bayou, 4 miles northwest
- Josephine Park on Roberts BayouRoberts Bayou, 4 miles northwest
- Boggy Point Boat Ramp on Terry CoveTerry Cove, 5 miles west
- Cotton Bayou boat rampCotton Bayou, 6 miles west
- Lillian Boat Launch and Park on Perdido BayPerdido Bay, 8 miles north
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.
Piers and shore access on Old River
Fishing from the bank around Old River
- Gulf State Park Pier on Oyster Bayfishing pier, salt water, 12 miles
- Little Lagoon Pierfishing pier, salt water, 16 miles
- Magnolia Springs Public Pierfishing pier, salt water, 19 miles
- Weeks Bay Boat Ramp and Pierfishing pier, salt water, 22 miles
- The Pines Fishing Pier and Boat Launch on Bon Secour Bayfishing pier, salt water, 25 miles
ADCNR coastal boating access pages and public access site layer (ADCNR GIS), read November 1, 2026.
Inshore reefs near Old River
Near Old River: 4 inshore reefs, with depth as ADCNR lists it.
| Reef | Placed | Material | Listed depth | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ono island Reef | 2005 | Concrete piling and rubble-Red claybrick from NAS Pensacola; roadway culverts (18") … | 11 ft listed depth | under a mile northwest |
| Ross Point Reef | 2005 | Concrete pilings, bridge rubble and bridge spans | 13 ft listed depth | 3 miles northwest |
| Rockpile | 2011 | Limestone rip rap in single row along northern boundary; roadway culverts (18" … | 9 ft listed depth | 3 miles northwest |
| Bayou St. John Reef | 2005 | Concrete pilings and Rubble and 3" X 6" limestone aggregate | 11 ft listed depth | 3 miles west |
ADCNR Marine Resources Division public reef master list 2025 (KMZ; reef layer), read November 1, 2026. Coordinates are for information only, not for navigation.
NOAA water level and tide near Old River
- Arnica Bay, Mill Pointtide predictions, 3 miles
- Alabama Pointtide predictions, 5 miles
- Wolf Baytide predictions, 8 miles
- Gulf State Park Piertide predictions, 12 miles
A front can drain the flats around Old River; read the live station, not only the prediction.
NOAA CO-OPS water level and tide prediction stations; read November 1, 2026.
Coastal towns close to Old River
- Orange BeachBaldwin County, 6 miles
- ElbertaBaldwin County, 11 miles
- LillianBaldwin County, 8 miles
- Perdido BeachBaldwin County, 4 miles
USGS GNIS domestic names (feature class and primary point), read November 1, 2026.
Saltwater limits for Old River
| 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 |
Saltwater limits head the table for Old River; freshwater fish follow the digest rows.
Up the bayous and rivers, check the ADCNR license line on the saltwater page before deciding which license to carry.
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 How Old River compares with other coastal pages
For more ways onto the water, Roberts Bayou offers 14 ramps and access sites.
| Water | Distance | Type | Ramps | Piers and banks | Access sites | Inshore reefs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old River | delta channel | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| Bayou Saint John | 3 miles west | bayou | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Arnica Bay | 3 miles northwest | bay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Roberts Bayou | 4 miles northwest | bayou | 3 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| Terry Cove | 5 miles west | cove | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Perdido Pass | 5 miles west | pass | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
ADCNR ramp, access and reef layers, USGS GNIS; read November 1, 2026.
Places near Old River worth a stop
Alabama reservoirs a short haul from Old River
- Shelby Lakes12 miles
Rivers flowing toward Old River
- Styx River27 miles
Bait and tackle stops on the way to Old River
- Flora-Bama Marina & Watersportsmarina, Orange Beach, 3 miles
- Bear Point Marinamarina, Orange Beach, 3 miles
- Safe Harbor Sportsmanmarina, Orange Beach, 4 miles
- Hudson Marinamarina, Orange Beach, 5 miles
- San Roc Cay Marinamarina, Orange Beach, 5 miles
- Triple Trouble Fishing Chartersbait and tackle shop, Orange Beach, 5 miles
Who will take you out on Old River
- 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
Where to stay for a trip to Old River
- Orange Beach7 miles
- Elberta9 miles
- Foley13 miles
- Gulf Shores13 miles
Counties around Old River with their own pages
- Baldwin Countyseat: Bay Minette
Line and reels from Piscifun before a run to Old River
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Reservoirs, rivers and bays close to Old River, pictured
Photo: Jody Claborn, Public domain
Photo: nola.agent, CC BY 2.0
Photo: blgrssby, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Public domain
Before you fish Old River, read these answers
Which part of the Alabama coast is Old River?
Drive to the coast of Baldwin County, about 7 miles from Orange Beach.
What does a visiting angler buy before fishing Old River?
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 ADCNR line decides salt or fresh for spots up the rivers.
Where does the closest ADCNR ramp sit for Old River?
Nearest on file: Palmetto Creek Boat Ramp on Roberts Bayou, 4 miles.
Which Alabama creel rows apply at Old River?
Red Drum (Redfish): 3 per person; 16" min. – 26" max TL.
Is there a NOAA station near Old River?
Predictions come from Arnica Bay, Mill Point.
Where can an angler on foot reach Old River?
Drive to Gulf State Park Pier on Oyster Bay, roughly 12 miles away.
Where do regulars on Old River buy bait?
Our list starts with Flora-Bama Marina & Watersports, about 3 miles away,.
Which ADCNR reef sits nearest Old River?
Yes; 4 inshore reefs lie within 12 miles, the closest Ono island Reef.
Give Old River a whole Gulf Coast weekend
Fees, seasons and the license line are on the saltwater page.