If you’ve ever heard someone from Alabama mention jubilee fishing, you must’ve wondered what’s being celebrated. However, despite the name, we’re not talking about a celebration but a fishing phenomenon. During a jubilee, Mobile Bay‘s waters offer some of the most unique fishing of the entire year.
If you’d like to find out what this unusual phenomenon entails, as well as when your best chance to experience it is, stick with us. This article will cover everything you need to know about jubilee fishing in Mobile Bay.
What is the jubilee fishing phenomenon?
A jubilee is a rare natural occurrence where deep, low-oxygen layers of water get forced ashore. With them, bottom-dwelling fish and crustaceans get swept along towards land. This makes it possible for anglers to catch them in mere inches of shoreline water.
In Alabama, this phenomenon results from a combination of weather conditions and the salty waters of the Gulf mixing with the more brackish waters of the bay, creating those low-oxygen pockets we mentioned previously. When conditions align, various creatures wash up in a dazed-like state, and catching them is as easy as going to a fishmonger’s!
When does jubilee fishing occur?
Jubilees are so rare that they only happen in two places on Earth. One is in Tokyo Bay, Japan, while the other is along the eastern shores of Mobile Bay, Alabama. However, although they’re rare in terms of where they occur, they can happen more than once a year. The exact dates are hard to predict, but we know that jubilees take place during summertime, from June through September.
A jubilee requires the perfect storm of weather conditions combining to produce the effect. First, as mentioned, it needs to be summer. Then, you need a mild easterly or northeasterly wind and overcast or rainy conditions the day before the event. Finally, a rising tide needs to push those low-oxygen layers of water, ultimately resulting in a jubilee. Most of the time, this happens in the early morning hours. Sometimes, jubilees occur on a single beach, while other times they stretch across a long section of Mobile Bay’s shoreline.
What can I catch fishing during a jubilee?
We’ve already mentioned that the creatures that get brought up from the Mobile Bay bottom end up in a state of confusion when a jubilee happens. This means you won’t really need to bring a fishing rod. Instead, bring a gig because there’ll be hundreds of Flounder waiting. They’re the main target species when fishing during jubilees and spearing them in inches of water is plenty of fun.
Besides a gig, you’ll need a bucket and a cast net. Along with Flounder, jubilees are the ideal time to catch your limits of Crabs and Shrimp. In fact, depending on what turns up ashore, sometimes you’ll only get one of these during a jubilee, while other times, all three will be in the mix.
No matter what you end up going for, though, you’ll need to adhere to the fishing regulations. This includes, first of all, getting an Alabama fishing license. One exception to getting a license is if you’re only harvesting with a handheld dip net or your hands.
You’ll also need to pay attention to fish and crustacean size and bag limits. For Flounder, the bag limit is five fish with a 14-inch minimum length. When it comes to Crabs, they’ll need to measure at least 5 inches (carapace length) and you can keep one 5 lb bucket’s worth of them. The one-bucket limit is the same for Shrimp, except you won’t need to worry about size.
How do I know when a jubilee occurs in Mobile Bay?
To get in on the fishing, you’ll need to find out when a jubilee starts happening. The news of the event spread by word-of-mouth and through social media groups – and those two are typically the quickest ways to learn about it.
Local news networks and radio stations may report on it as well, but usually later than folks who monitor beach conditions. The sooner you find out about a jubilee, the better. So if you’re really keen on witnessing the phenomenon and you’re not from the area, try finding an acquaintance or a local Facebook page that reports when it happens.
Jubilee Fishing: Nature’s Reward
From the times these shores were settled, jubilees have been an important part of Mobile Bay’s history and tradition – and a valuable boon for the families lucky enough to witness them. These days, they remain a lucky event for both the locals and visitors.
If you happen to be in the area during summer, you too might get the chance to take part in this unique phenomenon. Otherwise, consider hopping on a charter and you’ll get to experience the full extent of Alabama’s amazing fishing!
How did you enjoy our piece on jubilee fishing in Mobile Bay, Alabama? Have you ever experienced the event? Let us know in the comments below!
