Night Lights, Swordfish, and the Start of Summer Fishing

Fishing is heating up across the Alabama Gulf Coast, and this week's episode covers both sides of that summer kickoff: crowded holiday-weekend inshore waters and a serious offshore swordfish bite. Capt. Ben Knight of Great Southern Fishing Charters checks in from the Orange Beach and Gulf Shores area with a nighttime dock-light report, explaining how he's been getting away from heavy daytime boat traffic and finding redfish and speckled trout around Ono Island, Bayou St. John, Old River, and nearby dock lights. He breaks down how to drift live shrimp and bull minnows through the lights, when to use split shot, why some lights are worth leaving quickly, and why nighttime boating safety matters when traffic, dock lights, and shallow water all mix together. Then Capt. King Marchand of Capt. Mike's Fishing joins Butch Thierry and Joe Baya to recap an incredible swordfish trip out of Dauphin Island aboard the Lady Anne that produced six swordfish in a short window. King explains why he shifted away from a slow tuna bite, how he used historical patterns and electronics to pick his swordfish area, why holding the boat on the right piece of bottom mattered more than simply drifting, and how bait rigging, deep-water sonar, current, and crew communication all came together offshore. The episode also includes practical spring boat-prep advice from Clark Newsome and Royce Robertson with Make Wake Marine, making this a strong listen for anglers trying to stay safe, catch more fish, and get their boats ready before the summer season gets fully underway. Make Wake Marine Deep South Cranes CCA Alabama Dixie Building Supply / Baker Metal Works Foster Contracting Black Buffalo Slip Ski Solutions Admiral Shellfish Company Coastal Connection Fiber Plastics Inc Hilton's Offshore Charts / Realtime-Navigator McCoy Outdoor Company Ricciardone Dentistry  Midway Lumber Sales Coastal Brew Baits Pure Flats EMS / Endeck Camper City Mobile Pike Consulting Group LLC Community Fly Supply