Fall Fishing on Lay Lake
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Yes, Lay Lake has again been selected as the site of the Bassmasters Classic. In February, 2007 the worlds best bass anglers will launch out of Paradise Point Marina (205) 669-1515 as they again (this is the third Classic on Lay Lake) compete for this prestigious world title and attempt to figure out Lay Lake’s weed dwelling largemouth bass and a very worthy adversary … the Coosa River Spotted bass.
Lay Lake is a challenge no matter what time of the year you fish it. When you do, if your fishing a bass tournament on Lay Lake, you can count on fishing up against Alabama’s best bass anglers. But even the best anglers struggled this past Summer season when the mercury reached 100 degrees several times. Throughout the entire month of August mid to upper ninety degree days were common. The water temperatures in Lay Lakes shallow backwaters were constantly bathed in an all day sunshine with little rain to help cool things down. Water temps were close to ninety degrees by late Summer. Ah, but in comes the cool down period of Fall. Month by month, you will see fishing only gets better as Fall progresses and bass go on a feeding spree lakewide.
September
Looking back, before you look ahead, will tell you what the bass want on your next fishing trip to Lay Lake in September. The weather plays a huge role in September as it influences bass to move from their Summertime haunts to the feeding grounds of Fall. So check back a few days prior to your trip and see what role the weather has played in early September. Rainy fronts turn them on and cold fronts turn them off. Muddy water following a few days of heavy rain should be avoided. The lakes headwaters and small incoming feeder creeks are affected the most by heavy rains. Some creeks will clear up fast, while others will stay muddy for a few days.
Search out the lakes mid to lower end if your trip follows several days of rain. Other than Waxahatchee Creek (that always muddies following heavy rains), most feeders on the lakes lower end will be lightly stained. Spring Creek and Paint Creek on the lakes lower end offer loads of weedy cover, piers, boathouses, rip-rap rocks, wood cover and bottom irregularities such as humps, submerged islands and old roadbeds for anglers to explore. Heavy rains can occur at any time, but they are more frequent during October and November.
Basically the largemouth bass will be around weeds. On Lay Lake that gives an angler more than 50 miles of greenery to decipher where the bass will be. Likely locations will be close to the schools of baitfish that the bass have followed all Summer and they will always be nearby when baitfish are evident. This can mean fishing the weed edges with lures such as buzzbaits, prop baits, pop-r’s, zara spooks, sammies and other walking, jerking, popping type topwaters. Topwaters fished right up in the weeds are different from these aforementioned weed grabbing treble hook lures.
Frogs and rats are weedless lures and they now come in all shapes, sizes and colors due their recent popularity with bass anglers nationwide. Buzzbaits can be fished right up in the weeds, but you must keep these irritating lures moving to avoid them rolling over and hanging up. Fish heavy 17-20 pound test line or heavy braided line with these lures to get those big bass out of the weeds fast. As waters cool there is more action ahead for both spotted bass and largemouth bass on Lay Lake.
October
Although there are some big bass caught on Alabama’s Lay Lake year round, Fall is my favorite time to fish this lake for some big largemouth bass and trophy sized spotted bass. The cooler it gets the more foolish these big bass get. Without their temperamental attitude (like when spawning) these bass have one thing on their mind before it gets cold. Eating. Fattening up and grabbing every little morsel in sight, these bass will hit a variety of lures this Fall period. Although cool nights and days drop the water temps bass will continue to feed on hapless meals just like the past Summer.
Frogs and small mice hopping and running along Lay Lakes weedy mats have contributed to the days meal for the last 4 months. So the bass down below are used to seeing them and used to eating them. Lures that simulate these frogs and rats are deadly in the weeds in the Fall.
By October the largemouth bass of Lay Lake have dined on a variety of meals. So keep this in mind when deciding on what lures it takes to fool them. Snakes, small worms, lizards, freshwater eels, slugs and leeches have been consumed all summer long. So fishing a variety of lures in various shapes, sizes, colors and lengths, should be experimented with until you get a big bass bite or two. These slithering meals have grown to sizable proportions by the end of Summer so fishing with worms, creature type plastics or lizards, all in lengths of 8-12 inches, may really bring out the big bass from hiding.
When probing weedy holes, edges, lanes and points found within these thick and matted weeds of Lay Lake, you have got to get the lure down in the weeds. Heavy weights or sinkers (1/2 ounce up to 2 ounce size) are a must, including strong hooks, stought equipment such as rods and reels and strong line are all needed for fishing Lay Lakes weeds. Anglers get broke off trying anything less than 20 pound test in the weeds. Finesse fishing may be good along weed edges, but always use the heavy equipment for fishing dead up in the weds, to avoid frustration and lost bass. Jig combos and crayfish imitations are big bass lures in and around these thick and matted weeds.
Besides the weeds there are other places to find bass on Lay Lake. When you get away from the weeds, fishing wood cover, points, rocks and bottom irregularities always mean you will encounter some of Lay Lake’s notorious Coosa River spotted bass. These spotted bass known as “spots” are a bass full of fighting fury and they will give any angler a run for his money. This is evident by observing the ones that don’t get away. Many trophy sized spotted bass you are fortunate enough to land on Lay Lake either have one eye missing or a ripped or torn mouth that has healed from the last anglers lure it ripped free.
In October fishing the lakes headwaters, just below Logan Martin Lake dam is a good place to encounter feeding spots. Some are small in the 1-2 pound range, but trophy spotted bass exceeding 5 pounds do exist here. Some anglers use small finesse worms on jig heads, or grubs and shad imitations on light tackle outfits. Other anglers target the bigger spotted bass that will often hit oversized topwaters like the Zara Super Spook topwater lure, Norman’s DD-22 deep diving crankbaits, oversized jerkbaits or spinnerbaits with gaudy oversized trailers. Spotted bass (to many anglers surprise) will be found in feeder creeks on Lay Lake in the Fall as well as main lake spots. They also prefer to hang around creek mouths, the mouths of small cuts and pockets, the upper and lower ends of islands and around rip-rap rocks found along bridges, causeways and creek culverts. Even piers hold decent sized spotted bass on Lay Lake. They especially like the deep, rocky bluff type banks and deep main river timbered points during the Fall period.
November
Like said, Fall is my favorite time of year to fish for largemouth bass and trophy sized spotted bass on Alabama’s Lay Lake. But as late Fall becomes evident, it gets even better and for many reasons. Go to my website: www.fishingalabama.com and click on the “Articles” link seen at the top of the cover page. It will take you to several articles I’ve wrote. One is called, ” 5 bass - 30 pounds on Lay Lake.” This very exceptional day all anglers dream of, took place one mid November day while fishing all alone in the rain. You should find it interesting.
There are many reasons why the really big bass of Lay Lake bite so well in November and early December, before it gets really cold. One is the lake is void of fishing pressure, of which exists almost year round on this Lake, which is now over 90 years since impoundment in 1914. Bass tournaments are held weekly on Lay Lake. But by November most tournament trails are at an end. Most anglers do not fish the colder it gets, so November shows the beginning of less anglers on the water. Football season, kids back in school, and deer hunting keeps other would be anglers off the water as well. Holidays and bad weather keep the rest away. So on many weekdays you can have the places you normally fish with lots of company…all to yourself!
Sneaking in these places without the bass detecting your presence, can now be accomplished and your fishing is not interrupted by other anglers idling their boats close by and spooking these bass. All it takes is a little stealth and you can get into the years biggest bag of bass on Lay Lake in November and early December.
So fish Lay Lake this Fall season, but be prepared for a lonely trip when the Fall period comes to an end and
Winter begins. The Lake can be void of anglers, all except for those that know, during Winter. Winter warming trends do occur and some really big bass get shallow as they are duped into thinking its time for an early spawn. Just like what might happen when the worlds best bass anglers converge on Lay Lake for the February 2007 Bassmasters Classic.
The next report for Lay Lake’s Winter fishing will feature tips and techniques for fishing Lay Lake when it gets cold, tips that may aid you or these anglers competing in this world renowned Bassmasters Classic Championship.
Need help fishing Alabama’s Lay Lake? Reed Montgomery, owner of Reeds Guide Service is Lay Lake’s most well known and oldest professional bass guide service. Reed has won more tournaments (See Reed’s biography by clicking on the “About” link on the top of the cover page on www.fishingalabama.com) and taken more big bass awards on Lay Lake, than any other Lake he fishes statewide. Give him a call or e-mail Reed at his website: www.fishingalabama.com.
Thanks and Good Fishin’
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
Birmingham, Alabama
E-mail: alabassgyd@aol.com
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
“Over 40 Years Fishing, Guiding and Exploring every Lake in Alabama for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass and some huge Striped Bass”
Originally Published (2006)
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