The Barefoot Fisherman Guide to the Emerald Coast by Gregory Dew covers the area of the Gulf Coast that runs from Gulf Shores, Alabama, east to Apalachicola, Florida. (If you're reading this silently, try saying "Apalachicola" out loud. It's one of those fun words to say.) Since the portion of shoreline covered in the book is relatively small, the author is able to be pretty thorough in his coverage.
The book is one of those "everything you always wanted to know" books that starts out general and basic, and moves on to become specific. Are you a novice at saltwater fishing? Chapter 1 should help, with its information on how to select and purchase a rod and reel, what to put in your tackle box, and who needs a fishing license. The author is very detailed, even reminding the reader to take along some rags or towels for cleanup-rags that can be disposed of later. He warns, "You will not want them for showering purposes once they have spent the day on the beach or the boat."
On using live bait, he advises, "When using bait fish in calm waters, place the hook through the top of head just behind and above the eyes. This hooking technique causes the fish to thrash at the surface (as it fights away from the pressure of the hook) and draws game fish to the top waters."
An editorial comment: If that advice causes you to clutch your stomach and run from the room, maybe fishing is not your sport. It tends to be pretty nasty.
Perhaps the most valuable part of the book is the middle section, in which the author details 40 Hot Spots for fishing. I turned first to one that I know personally, as sort of a check on his veracity. He passed my test, describing the setting and the fishing at Alabama Point accurately, down to the types of fish reeled in there.
Other spots in the book include Gulf Shores State Park Pier, Navarre Beach Pier, and St. Andrews State Park. Good choices, all. And all clearly and accurately described.
There is a chapter devoted to types of fish you're likely to encounter when fishing along the Emerald Coast. For each fish, the author includes a drawing, a description, information about its habitat, angling techniques to use, and an edibility rating on a 0-10 scale. He cautions that the edibility rating is based on his personal preference-as opposed, I guess, to a scientific study or a Gallup Poll. Anyway, I'll take his word for it.
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