Lake Eufaula Fall Fishing
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Lake Eufaula has been unseasonably low for the entire summer. Drought for over three months and a scorching three weeks of 100 plus degree days in August, showed this lake and its fish inhabitants really suffer and so did the anglers that come from all over to fish this huge, man made impoundment usually fishing for largemouth bass. The Lake has been down 3-4 feet all summer and until recently when evening thunderstorms and some all day rains occurred it actually brought the lake back up a foot.
Lake Eufaula could remain low (possibly down even lower) right on into the upcoming winter season and it traditionally stays that way until spring. Or if this fall season is like most fall seasons on Lake Eufaula more heavy rains could suddenly swell the lake back to full pool. So as of this writing during the first week of September, its really hard to say. Not much has really changed…except for a slow, gradual change in the weather as September shows the real beginning of the fall season. Which can only get better creating better fishing conditions for the remainder of fall in October and November and on into the upcoming winter season.
This lake features over 70 miles of navigable water. Even when down 3-4 feet there is still plenty of fish holding waters to explore, but with caution. From Lakepoint Resort (which is situated in the mouth of Cowikee creek) - to the lakes headwaters, you will immediately notice the lake gradually narrows and then returns to more of a River channel. Most bass tournaments are held out of this very popular Lakepoint resort park that features a resort, motel, cabins, boat launch and restaurant.
From the bridge that crosses Cowikee Creek, all the way out to the main river channel, is over a mile of twisting, turning (and well marked) creek channel. It is advised not to take any short cuts in this area. Stay within the red and green channel markers when navigating the boat here and within the red and green channel marker buoys on the main lake as well. If you just happen to stray to far from these deeper creek and river channel depths you will quickly see what I mean, with 1-2 feet of water very evident nearby most every channel marker.
Fishing for the lakes so well noted largemouth bass involves either targeting shallow water bass around wood cover and whatever aquatic weeds still exists or going deep. The fall season has bass in both shallow water and deeper water to be found lake wide by the angler that is willing to do a little research, map study (and in deep water), spend some quality time with some type of depthfinder or just spend years of fishing and exploring this huge lake…like I have.
I’ve fished and guided all over Lake Eufaula for over 30 years. My dad and uncle fished in the earlier years of its impoundment when it first opened in 1963 over 45 years ago. The lake has changed in many ways over the past 30-40 years. But one thing remains common knowledge even today by the many regulars that frequent Lake Eufaula. As its waters begin to cool fall and early winter may show some of the years biggest bass in shallow water for a longer period of time, more than any other time of the entire year. Reasons being they are eating.
These bass have seen a lot of lures and although its been said a bass does not remember more than a few weeks and it does not really think just reason, they can respond. These bass are pounded with lures of all kinds all throughout the early spring prespawn season, during spring when bedding, all summer long both day and night and now, during the fall season. You can bet one of those many unfortunate bass you may catch has been caught before. This is usually quite evident by its hook torn mouth or healed up and often scarred and deformed mouth, or a missing eye or hazy looking blind eyes, or even a hook still in its mouth from the last angler that left it there or got broke off! So choose your lures wisely.
Sure both the bass of fall in shallow water and those bass in deeper water may still hit a 10 inch worm. But they may really scrutinize the lure before striking it too. Or they could just follow it and suddenly appear right at the boat, as you lift the fake offering over board. So slow down, working the worm very painstakingly slow and see if you can get bites other anglers fishing way to fast fail to entice. This goes for fishing deep within any weeds, wood cover, rocks or rip-rip rap rocks or other shallow water cover with worms, lizards, tube baits, creature baits or jig combos. Think slow, fish slow, and set the hook fast when you do get a bite and you will be rewarded.
Many anglers simply spend an entire day just dragging soft plastics or jig combos along the lakes bottom hoping to get a bite. And on some days this tactic works very well. Texas rigged plastics, Carolina rigged lures and even small finesse lures fished on light tackle outfits have worked very well in fooling Lake Eufaula’s often very skittish bass into biting. Some anglers even approach these bass in a very quite manner as they get the boat in tight to bank cover and flip, pitch and swim their lures in and around weeds, rocks and wood cover.
But there are many other ways to fool these largemouth bass, many techniques, various types of lures and loads of places to explore on Lake Eufaula this fall and early winter season. Like said, “fishing slow always has its rewards” and when bottom dragging lures or punching into thick cover, slow is always better. “Fast fishing” comes with other lures.
When I was young we trolled lures for bass on Lake Eufaula. This technique involved letting out lures (and lots of line) such as deep diving crankbaits far behind the boat, as we slowly idled the boat down the bank, along a flat featuring a drop-off, or we trolled our deep diving hellbenders, mud bugs or other deep diving crankbaits (plugs) near a river channel or deep creek channel drop-off. If you can relate and have tried trolling for bass you surely lost some lures as we did back then.
Something interesting always entered my mind as we started each day trolling. How could these bass chase down these very fast trolled lures and then catch them, often getting hooked right in the wake of that bold looking 25 horsepower outboard motor? Even during the winter! So never think you can out reel a bass, if they can chase down a lure trolled behind a boat. So fast retrieved lures such as crankbaits fished in all depths, rattling lipless lures (like Rattletraps, Cordell Spots, etc.) in all sizes and weights, even floating and suspending jerkbaits can be attacked when retrieved very fast and with very erratic actions. This can be good this fall and winter as well with just casting your lures!
Not only crankbaits, but spinnerbaits, jigging spoons and fast retrieved jig combos can often generate those reaction strikes from bass that are actually tricked into hitting your fast retrieved lures. Bass (on the other hand) that are missed by anglers fishing to slow on Lake Eufaula this fall season….
Making a trip to Lake Eufaula this fall and winter season? Always call on Reeds Guide Service…first! Or make plans and book a two day, discounted instructional fishing trip, this year or next spring (discounted as well) and prepare for a day full of fishing tips, instructions, lure choice and years of compiled fishing stories and tales! Remember a guided fishing trip with Reeds Guide Service makes a great gift for Birthday’s, Father’s Day or Christmas (certificates available), for those loved ones that love to fish!
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 (2007)
Resources:
Fall Fishing on Logan Martin Lake
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Oh, if only the 2006 FLW Outdoors Championship had been held during the Fall season on Logan Martin Lake. The 48 qualifying contenders may have walked away praising the lake (as it being touted as such a good lake for bass fishing), rather than a tough lake for bass fishing like most of these anglers experienced this past Summer season. Here’s a month by month report on what to expect this Fall season, when fishing for spotted bass and largemouth bass on Logan Martin Lake.
September
Sure its still hot and fishing is rather slow for some anglers around the first week or two of September, but things can cool down quickly with Falls inevitable incoming cold fronts. Like every fishing trip its all according to the weather. In addition to the cold fronts are heavy Fall rains that can actually bring the lake back up temporarily and muddy up or heavily stain the lakes waters. Places like incoming major feeder creeks and the lakes headwaters, below upper Neely Henry Lake dam, can become stained to muddy following several days of rain. But this is more likely in October.
Fishing Logan Martin Lake this Fall season involves targeting two different bass species. Largemouth bass and spotted bass can both be found throughout the entire lake. Each species has its own specific locations they prefer. But often both bass species can be found mingling together in some of the most unlikely places. Learning to fish for both bass species, especially when they are confronted hanging around the same places together, calls for the use of a variety of lures and techniques.
September is still considered late summer in Alabama. Anglers that have fished this lake frequently during the late summer period always have success fishing the mid to lower lake region. This is the clearest water available on a consistent basis. Mostly fishing for spotted bass that feed and group near deep water drop-offs, ledges and bottom irregularities. Finesse fishing (like what it took to win the last two FLW Outdoors Championship events held here in summer) with small worms and plastics fished on jig heads and light tackle outfits seem to be the ticket to consistently getting bites.
You may catch lots of small bass in the 10-12 inch lengths when finesse fishing, but there is always some bigger bass nearby just waiting for their chance to beat these smaller bass to your lures. So thoroughly fishing out any deep water spot will show bigger bass, that is, after you seine through the smaller bass bites. You either stick a bunch of smaller bass (that won’t bite again for a while) and hope the bigger bass are still interested in your lures. Anglers have learned there is better way. If they are legal bass (12 inches or bigger), you might throw every legal bass you catch in the livewell and cull them out when you leave that spot. I thoroughly believe this is the best tactic. After all, a cut or bleeding bass (that always goes back to the school), can show other bass that its time for a move or they can completely quit biting.
Some bass can be found in shallow water early, late in the day and at night. But fishing during the late morning to early evening period is still the time of day when most anglers struggle to even get a bite. Fishing shallow on the lakes lower end calls for either targeting piers, boat houses or areas around tournament release sites like Marinas. Until the Fall rains cause the lower lake to stain this will be your best bet throughout the day.
October
The heavy rains continue and become more frequently in October, so time your trip to Logan Martin Lake accordingly. If fishing a bass tournament you cannot be so choosy, you just have to check out the previous weeks conditions and adjust. Cold fronts become more frequent and knowing if a severe front hit prior to your trip can be a tremendous factor. Most fronts in October are followed by cool mornings and bright bluebird days. If this is the conditions when you arrive (after the morning bite) expect a slow day of fishing. Moving around a lot and hitting a lot of likely looking spots can be the ticket to finding few bass in each spot. Or you can find several good piers and boathouses and good drop-offs nearby and jump back and forth from shallow piers to deep drop-offs and ledges.
November
By November there are a lot of variables to consider prior to your trip to Logan Martin Lake. Lake Levels will be down for winter pool. This lake has been as low as 6 feet down in years past. So extreme caution is advised (whether or not you are experienced) in navigating this lake. Many boats and motors have been damaged during the late Fall to Spring period in years past due to low water.
Cold fronts will not be as much of a factor as they become average and by November most anglers have adjusted. Clothing is increased. Never go out on a late Fall outing without a jumpsuit, toboggan or face mask, gloves and a heavy coat. You can always take them off if it warms up. Hats, goggles and sunglasses and plenty of hot coffee or warm drinks help too.
Colder weather plays a role in your lure selection as well. Deep diving crankbaits continue to fool bass along drop-offs. Shallow to deep diving crankbaits target bass that are suspended beneath shad schools in open water and along shallow drops. Lipless lures like Rattletraps and Cordell spots not only cover water fast but they look a lot like baitfish and they can be fished from shallow to deep water. Use heavy line in shallow water to make these lures run shallow and lighter line in deeper water to make them run deeper.
If you like fishing wood cover, rocks and more of a river type surrounding, then fishing the lakes upper reaches (above mid Lake Interstate 20 crossing) is the place to be in late Fall. Not only is there more cover than it is downriver, upriver is more likely to have stained water and show a lot less traffic than mid to lower lake regions. There are always some good largemouth bass to catch around this upper lake region. Jig combos, spinnerbaits and topwaters are great lure choices for these bass
Need help on Logan Martin Lake? Want to know the current conditions, patterns and lure selections for this lake? Or any Alabama Lake? Always feel free to call on Reeds Guide service … first! (205) 787-5133. Website: www.fishingalabama.com / E-mail ALABASSGYD@aol.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)
Resources:
