General Information Alabama is a 50,766-square-mile state located in the southeastern part of the U.S. due west of Georgia and east of Mississippi, extending to the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida border to the south. With a relatively mild climate and average annual rainfall of 53 inches, there is an abundance of water within the state. The Appalachian mountains in the northeastern part of the state create the highest areas of Alabama, while the remainder of the state is composed of hills, pine forests, and plains for the most part until one reaches the sandy coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. Capital City: Montgomery Largest City: Birmingham National Parks and Forests: Bankhead National Forest Conecuh National Forest Talladega National Forest Tuskegee National Forest Sport Fishing Alabama's vast freshwater resource of nearly 50 rivers, 250 streams, 25 reservoirs, and 21,000 farm ponds and small lakes, man-made and natural, offer some rewarding fishing opportunity for visitors to the state. The most important game fish to anglers in Alabama are of the warmwater variety although trout have been successfully introduced to some of the many freshwater lakes and impoundments. Largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, striped, yellow, white and redeye bass are common species found in Alabama waters. Walleye, sauger, crappie, catfish and pickerel are also important to many anglers. The 60-mile Gulf Coast in Alabama also offers the angler opportunities for cobia, spotted sea trout, channel bass, tarpon, sailfish, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, grouper and snapper, both inshore and offshore. Hunting The state of Alabama is rich in hunting tradition and offers some rewarding hunts in wildlife managament areas and on private ranches and preserves. White-tailed deer, wild turkey, mourning dove, bobwhite quail, rabbit, squirrel, raccoon, opossum, fox, bobcat, coyote, beaver, nutria, groundhog, feral hog, woodcock, snipe, moorhen, rail, gallinule, ducks and geese are all legal game in Alabama. For information on licensing, seasons, limits, rules and regulations, please visit the Alabama Department of Game and Fish website.