Most people won't believe that you can catch big, pier-light speckled trout, weighing from 3- to 6-pounds each, when they are feeding under the lights at night on the Gulf State Park Pier in Gulf Shores, Alabama. These large trout will swim lazily on the edges of the lights, generally 2- to 20-inches below the surface. Whether you're fishing live or artificial bait, you just can't seem to catch them. But finally an angler has solved the mystery of how to catch the big speckled trout under the lights.

David Thornton of Mobile, Ala., explains, "During the fall, because the water's extremely clear, the trout can see your fishing line. I fish with 4-pound-test line, a light drag, live bait and a lot of patience to get the trout to bite. Because I'm hooking the trout in open water, rarely will they try to run under the pier to break the line. The best way to land these big trout is to let them run until they tire themselves out. Then, bring them up slowly to the edge of the light, and let down a landing net on a rope off the side of the pier. Once you lead the trout over the net, you can pull-up your catch." Thornton uses a wire-rim net that's 30-inches wide at its mouth and weighted in the bottom and has a 30-foot rope. Then he easily can let the net down off the side of the pier, net the trout and pull the trout up over the pier railings.

But light line isn't the only secret for catching those pier-light speckled trout right now. Most of the trout are taken between 3:00 am and daylight, when there are few, if any, anglers on the pier fishing for the trout. "I caught the biggest trout, weighing 6.65 pounds and measuring 27-1/2-inches long, that I've ever caught in my life using this technique," Thornton says. "I spent 15 minutes fighting the trout before I landed it, but all that effort was worthwhile to catch the trout of a lifetime."

Besides pier fishing for speckled trout, anglers at Alabama's Gulf Coast can catch and keep red snapper during the special fall weekend red snapper season that started October 1 and runs until 12:01 am on November 22. Since opening weekend, limits of snapper from 8- to 20-pounds each have come to the docks each day, as well as big amberjacks, triggerfish, vermilion snapper and white snapper. Too, the 8th Annual Thunder on the Gulf (power-boat races) is being held from October 12-17. You can learn more by visiting www.thunderonthegulf.com or calling, 251-974-4612. Now's the best time to plan your trip to the Alabama Gulf Coast this fall.

To learn more about the Gulf State Park Pier that's open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, call 251-967-FISH (3474). For more information on fishing guides and charter boats, lodging accommodations, restaurants and entertainment on Alabama's Gulf Coast, call Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism at 800-745-SAND (7263), or visit www.orangebeach.com. You also can get a fishing report three times each week by visiting the "What's Biting?" column at www.orangebeach.com/fishing/biting/.