Summer Fishing on Lake Eufaula
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Early summer drought had the lake down 2 feet. This eliminated lots of shallow water for anglers to decipher with Lake Eufaula naturally being a shallow lake with expanded flats. It also eliminated a lot of fishable water as well. Anglers expecting to fish there favorite weedbeds in that 1- 3 feet of water had to look elsewhere as summer began. Some places normally shallow at full pool were even hard to get the boat in.
What many anglers fail to recognize is that many bass are heading for the security of thick, shallow cover or the comfort of deep water for the summer. They are not stacked up in the shallows like a few months back, when bedding bass were everywhere and post spawn activity had bass blasting topwater lures on every cast. Don’t get me wrong, there are some bass that do remain in shallow water year round on Lake Eufaula. There are also some very catchable bass in what shallow water cover that now currently exists with the lake level unseasonably low.
Lake Eufaula still has lots of aquatic weeds for bass to seek shelter in. Wood cover and rock cover can still be found lake wide. So as water temps heat up bass either seek the shelter and cooler water in the shallows around wood, rock and weed cover or they head for deeper water.
In deep water, schools of bass either suspend at a preferred depth or they are found laying on or near the lakes bottom deep along ledges, drop-offs and any other sudden depth change. Keep in mind, for their comfort these bass are always in cooler water. Moving water or current is best in summer.
Like the bass, the summertime bass angler has to search out these favorite, summertime haunts. Finding these likely, summertime holding spots always involves lots of searching and fishing Lake Eufaula from shallow to deep water. Of course this does not come easy. It can get downright frustrating going without a bite for hours while sitting in the hot, midday sun.
Patience is needed during the hot, summer months as much as it is when fishing during the dead of winter. Don’t expect a lot of bites after the typical, early morning, crack of dawn, summertime bite ceases. Any bites you do get after sunup, be glad you did.
Many anglers often leave Lake Eufaula (early in the day), disappointed in the results of their fishing. Especially discouraged after hearing from anglers from all over the United States about how good of a lake it is. Some anglers travel miles, spending lots of hard earned dollars on preparation, meals, motels, etc., while often visiting the Lake a few days…all in hopes of landing one of Lake Eufaula’s famed, trophy largemouth
bass.
So heres some tips for summertime fishing for largemouth bass on Lake Eufaula this summer. From June - September finding these bass in these likely looking spots will assure their return – when you return them to the water you found them in. Please Practice Catch and Release. Let these bass go (of course after taking a few pictures of them), right where you caught them. Unless you are in a bass tournament there is no reason to ride them all over the lake in that hot livewell, submitting them to unnecessary abuse and often, death.
Deep bass on Lake Eufaula can be deep when the temperature soars. They can be found holding along10-30 foot break lines on both creek and main river channel drop-offs. When these deep bass are found, locating them again, means marking the spot on a map or GPS to help you in returning to on later trips. Most deep water bass can be found in the same locations all summer.
So having many deep water spots shows moving around on some days, which in turn also cools you down with a boat ride. Having many previously marked deep water locations will help. If you are a first timer to massive, Lake Eufaula you can narrow your search in finding good drop-offs.
This simply means fishing around red and green river channel markers or white creek channel markers. These places are always right on the deepest drop. So are fish attractors, brush piles planted and marked by man, which are found lake wide. Rip-rap rocks found around bridges, causeways and the dam are also good day and night.
Lures for deep bass can be heavy 1/2 ounce to 2 ounce size spinnerbaits, either slow rolled or dropped along deep drop-offs. Deep diving crankbaits and Carolina rigged lizards or big, 10 inch Texas rigged plastic worms can be fished on 1/4 ounce to 1 ounce sinkers or jig heads. Tube baits, jig combos, crayfish imitations, creature baits or even small, finesse worms will also fool these deep water bass.
On cloudy days, late evenings or early mornings bass will even hit topwaters fished on shallow flats that border these drop-offs. Other lures? Rattling lipless lures in the half to 3/4 of an ounce size, shallow to deep diving crankbaits, floating and suspending jerkbaits and even jigging spoons or tailspinners will all work. So having many rods already rigged is advised to give these bass a variety of choices until you see which one works best!
Shallow bass on Lake Eufaula can be caught all day. Or if its just to hot, an angler can fish only the early morning hours, late evenings or at night. If forced to fish during the daylight hours (like tournaments) fishing the lakes many types of aquatic weeds is sure to be in your game plan. Even with Lake Eufaula unseasonably down a few feet for the summer these bass are always in and around some type of weeds still growing in the water.
Lilly pads are slowly taking over the entire lake. During the spring an unseasonably warm heat wave showed early Lilly pad growth (in a lake at full pool this past spring) displaying Lilly pads growing everywhere in shallow water. Drought left many of these huge Lilly pads protruding above the waters surface like some open umbrella. They soon whither, turn brown and die in the hot summer sun.
But new growing Lilly pads soon show the shallows green and very active as lake levels stabilize and bass move right in under the security of the shade provided by Lake Eufaula’s over sized Lilly pads. Some isolated Lilly pads can grow to over 3 feet in diameter, providing cooler water, shade and security and an oxygen rich environment for these bass and the prey they dine on to relate to.
These summertime meals can be many, in and around these Lilly pads, including the many other types of aquatic weeds this massive lake displays. This means having many lure choices for anglers to employ to aid them in fooling these shallow water bass into striking. The list of summertime favorites on bottom are many and the choices can include techniques like flipping, pitching or swimming lures in and around the weeds and Lilly pads. Each style or lure choice varies among each and every angler.
Some anglers have success fishing a huge field of Lilly pads by constantly fishing hollow bodied frogs and rats. Those lures featuring a skirt and two upturned hooks or some of the rather new solid bodied plastic frogs in use today featuring only one hook, that actually sound more like a buzzbait when retrieved.
Buzzbaits are a close second, along with safety pin type spinnerbaits (or an old favorite still in production today, the Snagless Sally an inline spinner), or the name sake Chatterbait (or the many copies now on the market today), all of which are very weedless and can be retrieved in and around these Lilly pads and weeds.
Weedless spoons (in finishes of either gold, silver, smoke black or frog), with an attached pork chunk trailer, plastic chunk trailer or twin tail trailer, are all but forgotten favorites. These weedless spoons, are, “very weedless” and their wobbling action attracts strikes from bass hiding in the weeds. Bass that are not accustomed to seeing these type of old favorite lures…lures that still fool largemouth bass in the weeds on Lake Eufaula today.
* NOTE *All of these type lures mentioned should be fished on heavy, monofilament line or one of the new braided lines on the market today. There are some big, strong bass in Lake Eufaula’s weeds.
Each lure requires a correct presentation, matched equipment and on some days even the correct lure color can make a difference in whether you get bites or not. Having 10 rods already rigged with fresh line on each reel (all for shallow or deep water applications), can be very time saving while on the water. This provides an angler more time for fishing and less time rigging rods, changing lures and not fishing.
Dawn or late evening hours (during the heat of summer), actually only shows about one good hour of fishing and catching. This usually takes place out of 3-4 hours of just casting and not getting a bite. So having a lure in the water can be important during these feeding times when bass are more active. Save rigging time, eating time and other fish ignoring activities for when the bass are not as likely to be biting. A midday break in the shade does wonders.
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:
Spring Fishing on Guntersville Lake
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Just that title is refreshing. Especially since late last winter anglers fishing Guntersville Lake were struggling with nighttime lows in the 20’s and mid day highs not even reaching 50 degrees. Spring on Alabama’s largest Impoundment Guntersville Lake, is as good as it gets for fishing for largemouth bass in shallow, weedy waters.
MARCH
March will show some changes as the bass begin their annual movement along travel routes heading towards the shallows, to begin their prespawn activities. Anglers that frequent Guntersville Lake know that after years of angling experience fishing this massive lake, that the really Big prespawn bass can suddenly appear shallow in early spring and they can really bunch up in some very predictable places.
At times in March there are many Big Bass in certain prespawn holding spots. They can all be holding in one, very small preferred spot. Places that can be duplicated and found by astute anglers fishing in similar places. By looking lake wide anglers can find fish, often in spots only as big as their boat.
Or these bass can be on the move. If weather conditions call for them cruising the Lakes ledges, drop-offs, roadbeds, main lake points and creek points, visible islands and submerged islands and man made rocks found along rip-rap lined banks.
There are also some spots that are seen and some unseen. Piers and boathouses are seen by all anglers and fished by most. They do hold catchable bass. Hidden, underwater places like submerged ridges, stump rows, rock piles, submerged humps, old creek channels, ditches and other irregular bottom features found along travel routes are fished less.
Lures can be many choices, especially when fishing with lures on bottom. Just remember to fish slow and thoroughly cover all water with bottom bumping lures like worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, jig combos and creature type lures. Even finesse fishing with light tackle outfits and small worms on jig heads can be deadly on Guntersville’s often picky, prespawn bass.
APRIL
As these big, female bass (and the smaller male bass) group up, they begin pairing off and then heading towards the shallow spawning grounds, preparing beds in water depths less than 3 feet deep.
These bedding bass and cruising bass can be seen much better (with good water clarity) by anglers wearing polarized sunglasses (See: www.flyingfisherman.com) and by cruising the shallows with a slow moving trolling motor. Standing up and scanning water less 5 feet deep as far as you can see, is best for spotting bass and their beds.
Bedding bass are spooky and they can detect your boat and your presence extremely well. Stealth is important in sneaking up on these very skittish shallow water bass, some bass that have not been in the shallows in weeks.
Cutting off your outboard motor far from where you intend to fish. Drifting in quietly with the wind or using your trolling motor set on low speed. Long casts without allowing your lure to land on your target, l is very important. Always throw your lures far past where you think a bass is laying in wait.
Being very quite and not even making any sudden boat movement are very important towards helping you reach your angling goal…which is catching fish.
With the full moon in late March bass can move up to prepare their beds in early April. They be seen cruising in pairs making beds and actually spawning in upper 60 degree water temps. Its all according to the weather. Cold fronts can stall the spawning activities a few weeks until conditions stabilize and water temps begin to rise close to 70 degrees.
Lures can involve into many choices, lure colors and lure actions and size. Experiment. You may just discover that one lure that works better than any other lure in your tackle box. Bedding bass can be very picky. Often downsizing your lure choice is necessary just to even get them to bite.
MAY
If you fish Guntersville Lake in May its easy to understand why this month is dubbed, “topwater month.” By the first week of May Guntersville Lake’s recuperating female bass are on the prowl for an easy to catch meal. These are post spawn times and many big bass are fooled into striking shallow running lures and various topwaters.
Laying in water depths less than 5 feet deep most bass are scanning the waters surface for now there are many meals available, some enticingly running across the waters surface…just like your lures! Not only do the bigger female bass get real careless and attack lures they normally would not hit, but also the smaller, bed protecting male bass will attack your offerings as well.
There are many soon to be meals these bass now dine on. Fishing with lures that simulate these meals or lures that look and act like these meals is the best way to get bit. There are also many lure choices when it comes to topwaters - some good and some are not all that productive.
Some lures that always fool a few bass in mid to late spring on top are;
* Buzzbaits - I don’t know what these lures are supposed to mimic, perhaps a small duck running across the water’s surface or a fleeing shad or a skittering frog. What ever buzzbaits look like, Guntersville Lake bass love em’. Always fish strong Trilene Big Game line and sharpen all buzzbait hooks and add a trailer hook for
short striking bass. White or Chartreuse and White are good colors, but try an all black buzzbait for giving pressured bass a different looking buzzbait.
* Frogs and Rats - These lures obviously mimic frogs hopping across the waters surface and small mice that run along the waters edge or across the tops of Guntersville Lakes thick and matted weeds. Fishing with strong monofilament line in the 17-25 pound test category is very important. You sometimes have to horse these big bass out of the thick aquatic weeds such as millfoil and hydrilla. Some anglers prefer braided line and using 6 - 7 foot rods, such as flipping rods. Colors can be many with today’s array of frogs and rats. Some anglers use white, chartreuse, brown, black, dark green or often off the wall colors like purple, red, yellow or pink.
* Popping type topwaters and prop-baits - These lures fall in the same category and both are worked similar in the retrieve. For popping type topwaters the old namesake Pop-r is always good. There are many similar versions. For prop baits you just cannot beat the old reliable single prop, Baby Torpedo or The Tiny Torpedoe. The double prop topwater “the crazy shad” is also a good topwater lure. Try shad colors or mix it up. Fire tiger colors, chrome, white, etc., are also good.
* Floating worms, soft jerkbaits, swimming jig combos, Floating lizards, weightless crayfish imitations - All of these lures are weedless and they fall in the same topwater category. They can be maneuvered just under the surface of the water or reeled across the tops of the weeds.
* Floating worms or air injected worms such as Zoom’s Trick worm have fooled thousands of Guntersville Lake bass. They seem to work when other lures fail to get a strike. Bright colors may be the reason, because bass seldom see such attactive colors. Pink, white, yellow, limetreuce and other easily seen colors (like red methiolate) will work and they can easily be seen when fishing with polarized sunglasses.
* Soft jerkbaits in white pearl or shad colors are best fished with long casts and slow, erratic stop and go retrieves.
* Jig combos should include a light jig and an oversized trailer like a twin tail grub, pork chunk, plastic chunk trailer or crayfish imitation trailer. These jig combos can be slowly swam in the weeds. They can be fished on heavy line to allow them a slow fall and can be made to ride high in the weeds. On retrieve they can be manipulated to go over, under and among the weeds.
* Floating Lizards, etc., Rigged on a 4/0 to 5/0 hook and rigged weightless, are deadly on Guntersville Lake bass in spring. Fish with a slow retrieve and be ready for a fast striking bass.
* Other plastics - The same goes for crayfish imitations, grubs, creature baits and big oversized worms, all fished weightless on hooks in the 2/0 to 5/0 size. Weedless spoons as well.
Fish Guntersville Lake this Spring for some of the year’s, best bass fishing for numbers of bass and some really big bass as well. Or call on Reeds Guide Service for booking a trip to Guntersville Lake (or any Alabama Lake) year round.
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:
Lake Guntersville Fall Fishing
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Largemouth bass fishing during the Fall season on Alabama’s largest man made reservoir Guntersville Lake, is as comparable to fishing any other lake in the South, especially when it really begins to cool. Yes, it is as good as it gets. Not particularly for fooling some really trophy sized largemouth bass (although it is possible), or for catching a dozen five pound plus bass in one day’s fishing, which can happen as well, but for numbers of bass.
For anglers visiting this huge 69,100 acre reservoir situated in North Alabama, there is one thing sure they can rely on. Anglers fishing Guntersville Lake this Fall season will be noted for catching numbers of bass, with a bonus bass or two over 5 pounds expected on any trip. Something many anglers cannot honestly say about any other Alabama Lake they frequently bass fish. Why is this so? Numbers of bass. That’s why.
Guntersville Lake (67 years since impoundment) is loaded with thousands of bass, all found lake wide, no matter what season you choose to fish it. Its a lake loaded with aquatic weeds such as millfoil, hydrilla, Lilly pads and coontail moss. All of which provides loads of cover, oxygen and predator and prey habitat for these bass and the prey they feed on to survive within. This past Spring the lake went on an upswing for providing numbers of anglers with dozens bass in the 5 -10 pound range. Guntersville Lake also produced some huge, trophy sized largemouth bass, from the late winter period (prespawn bass) until late spring (post spawn bass), when even with empty bellies and weak from the rituals of the spring spawn, big bass continued to feed in the shallows.
By this past Summer things slowed (about July) on the Big G. as hot 90 degree days slowly crept in sending some bass back towards the comfort of deep water and some anglers back towards the comfort of air conditioning, T V and a nice couch. Shallow bass seemed almost non existent this past Summer when things really began to heat up, especially when they were buried up deep within weeds so thick many anglers failed to even connect with them. Many anglers found these shallow bass to be a lot more cooperative at dawn, late in the evening or some anglers resulted to fishing all night long with success. By August, hot upper 90 degree days (some days 100 degrees) and very little rain to cool things down, enticed some anglers to entirely eliminate fishing during the midday hours. But relief is in sight.
As Fall gets underway the month September will show some major relief. The first few weeks of September will seem tremendously cooler (even with low 80 degrees days), when compared with Summer’s upper 90 degree days. October will bring cooler days and nights and much more aggression to the bass, as they feed in the shallows more and more each day. November is the month of changes. Some bass anglers are home watching football, or out in the woods deer hunting. While others have parked the boat until next spring due to November’s constant incoming cold fronts.
So after over 30 seasons of consistent Fall action I have learned what to expect each month during this Fall season while fishing Guntersville Lake. This readies me for each trip as I always consider the previous conditions, current conditions, the upcoming weather and the changes to expect on each trip. Throughout the lake, each fishing excursion is always full of excitement on Alabama’s massive, 82 mile long, Guntersville Lake each month during the Fall season.
September
The Fall season does not officially get underway until September 22, a time when a new moon begins and fishing it seems, is new as well. These bass of early Fall can turn on as simple as flicking on a light switch. From one week to the next, anglers will see fishing improve in the shallows as these bass find much more comfortable surroundings, can trigger them to feed more often during the daylight hours.
Its like someone sticking us in a 90 degree room with no air conditioning or them placing us in a comfortable 70 degree room with all the comforts of home. The water temperatures will begin to cool immediately, from the uncomfortable, hot upper 80 degrees water temperatures found during late Summer period, to the low 80’s very evident during early to mid September. By the middle of the month, more changes, low to mid 70’s air temperatures can occur more frequently with noticeably cooler nights in the 60’s. By the end of September (its according to how many incoming cold fronts we have) it can cool into the 60’s.
Along with the change in the air temperatures, Fall rains and cloudy periods from passing fronts become more frequent by late September, inducing bass (and bass anglers) to head for the shallows. More changes. Heavy rains can muddy up Guntersville’s Lake headwaters and major, incoming feeder creeks during the Fall season. Falling or rising lake levels can occur as well. Although Guntersville Lake is not dropped very low for winter pool, anglers can expect it to be lowered this Fall at least 1-2 feet below normal full pool (595.0) levels, usually taking place around October. Besides cooling water temperatures, falling lake levels and bass heading back towards the shallows, anglers can expect loads of lures (more info next) to produce around Guntersville Lake’s weedy flats as the month of October shows fishing…like they say, “Is as good as it gets.”
October
Cooler nights become more frequent and cooler days become increasingly evident as each trip during October (the early Fall period in Alabama), calls for more and more clothing when fishing Guntersville Lake. Never go on a fishing trip in North Alabama during the Fall period without a rainsuit, rubber boots, jumpsuit, toboggan, gloves and a heavy coat. Including plenty of spare clothing for emergencies as well. You may need these items on any trip during the mid Fall to Winter period, so you might as well go ahead and make plans to pack these necessary items for each trip. Believe me, you will be glad you did.
Sure its cold and rainy, but October can be the beginning of more than two months of the years best bass fishing on Guntersville Lake, especially when you can pick your fishing days. But be prepared, it can be a lonely month as well with few anglers on the water. Or maybe you are already prepared with all the company you had these past few months.
Lures for Fishing Guntersville Lake this Fall
Lures for fishing Guntersville Lake are many, as are the opinions and suggestions of each outdoor writer, fishing guide, marina operator, fishing buddy or professional angler. All of which are for sure going to promote their favorite brand of lure, perfect size lure, lure color, lure type or lure cost, especially when it means sales. Cha-ching I think they call it.
Truth is most anglers know how to fish, generally what color lures to choose and when to fish certain lures that produce what we all are looking for…bites! There are even times (on most lakes) when it seems like a certain style or type of lure, certain color, exact lure size or even the way its fished…seems to get more bites than other lures. There are times when certain lures out produce others when it comes to getting bites.
But what it all boils down to is lure preference, confidence in your lure selection and experience fishing today’s wide variety of lures, many lures of which can be fished in dozens of various ways. Some anglers just have more of these three, self-made things (like it takes to build years of on the water experience), than others do. Until you do, you will still be open to suggestions and ask others for their suggestions. So here’s just a few of mine!
For one thing (and boy will I get contradicted for this one) I think every lure in your tackle box will produce largemouth bass, both in shallow water and deep water year round on Guntersville Lake. I have seen every lure type that is fished from top to bottom produce in all season’s on Guntersville Lake.
Topwaters? Yep. Just this past 2006 late Winter season in an Airport Marine’s first bass tournament of the season I had a couple of bass in the 3-4 pound range, fishing in 43 degree water, while having to constantly dip my rod in the water to keep the eyes from freezing up. Both bass came on topwaters. One on a scum frog and another (that missed a Zara Super Spook in practice on Friday), I caught Saturday in the tournament on the same Zara Spook, same spot, it missed the day before! Unbelievable! My tournament partner (that does my website: www.fishingalabama.com) can be reached by going to the cover page bottom at; Arrell Internet Services. He will attest to the fact…its true! Those are the coldest topwater bites I have ever had while fishing every lake in Alabama!
Deep diving crankbaits fished of course in deep water, work year round on Guntersville Lake. Fall is a great time (like the rest of the year) when crankbaits will produce quality catches lake wide. This is true fishing along creek and main river channel drop-offs, along rip-rap lined banks and around creek and river channel humps, bars, points, islands, submerged islands and high spots most only found with some map study or the use of a depth finder.
Colors? Stained water, fish brighter colors such as chartreuse / blue back or crayfish colors with maybe brown on the back and red or orange on the belly. Clear to lightly stained water, fish shad colors, chrome or natural colors. Or mix it up.
Lure types? Now that’s where a matter of choice comes in. I’m from the old school, so I fish a lot of old dependable lures, many of which can still be bought today. I have boxes of Norman’s DD-22 deep divers, Bagley’s DB-3’s, Tom Mann’s Loudmouth series deep divers, Deep diving Number 7 & 8 Rapala deep diving crankbaits, even some old Rebel Maxi R’s, Wee-r’s and some Mudbugs and Hellbenders! But I still shop around and there are many other deep diving crankbaits that will produce as well on Guntersville Lake this Fall, so experiment!
November
Its the last month of Fall in Alabama. To many anglers the month of November displays a feast or famine on each consecutive trip. One trip you kill em’ catching bass on all types of lures. The next trip it seems they have lock jaw and you can’t get a bite. Reason being? Many.
Like said cold fronts, heavy rains, fluctuating lake levels all take place during the late Fall period. Each one, especially when combined together, can really throw a curve ball in your fishing game plan. So, as when planing any fishing outing, timing is essential for a successful trip. I always look back a week or two to see what has taken place on Guntersville Lake and I look forward to see what’s planned for lake levels, current conditions or the upcoming weather. Like a boy scout, Be prepared.
Lure selection has not been mentioned a whole lot in this Fall Lake report for Guntersville Lake, for a good reason. They will hit any lure in the box, so writing space is limited. But like most anglers I’m full of suggestions so here are a few favorites if mine for fishing lake wide throughout this Fall season and early Winter period or like said…all year long!
Topwaters. Yes, they continue to work even in low 60’s down to 50 (or less) degree water. Frogs, rats, Zara Spooks, Sammie’s, buzzbaits, single and double bladed prop-baits, popping type topwaters like Pop-R’s, floating worms of all colors, soft jerkbaits and all other topwater types should be tried.
Spinnerbaits always fool some bass on Guntersville Lake. Small models with small blades in clear water and larger, more gaudy type spinnerbaits featuring bright colors in stained water.
Jerkbaits are excellent lures during the Fall on Guntersville Lake. Hard bodied models in floating and suspending models work lake wide. Soft bodied jerkbaits as well.
Rattling lipless lures, such as the name sake, “Rattletrap” lure, cover water fast and they get the big bass bite many anglers overlook on Guntersville Lake. Fish quarter ounce or half ounce sizes shallow and three quarter ounce sizes deep. Chrome / blue back or Chrome / black back or Red rattletraps usually get the job done…try both.
Bottom lures, like worms of all sizes, shapes and colors work during the Fall. Experiment. Don’t be afraid to fish worms in the 10-2 inch size, for big bass of Guntersville Lake feed on end of the year snakes, freshwater eels and worms that have grown to these lengths by the Fall season.
Plastic crayfish fished on a jig head, Texas rigged or weightless are great in shallow water. The jig combo that simulates crayfish take some of the years biggest bass during the fall period on Guntersville Lake. Some anglers flip and pitch crayfish or jigs around piers, boat houses and thick weeds. Others swim a jig along any available wood cover, around rocks and in and around weed cover. Adding oversized pork or plastic trailers to jigs allows them to fall slower and it presents a bigger lure profile. Tube baits of all sizes simulate crayfish, experiment with 4-8 inch sizes in various colors according to water clarity.
Plastic lizards are great lures when fished over thick, weedy mats, fished weightless. Or when fished Texas rigged and Carolina rigged fished slowly along shallow to deep water drop-offs, main creek points and around bridges, islands, around causeways and culverts lined with rip-rap rocks.
So as you see, there is a lot more to fishing Guntersville Lake this Fall season as each month progresses. Just think, Winter is ahead when the really big bass come out of hiding!
Always dress warm and be prepared for any emergency when fishing during cold weather…the life you save may be your own. Wear your life jacket and outboard motor kill switch.
Always Call on Reeds Guide Service…first! For lake conditions and lake updates or to book a trip to Guntersville Lake (or any Alabama Lake) this Fall and Winter season. Over 30 years guiding on all of Alabama’s Lakes. Several professional guides and boats available year round for multiple parties and Corporate guided trips. Instructional trips available and equipment can be provided.
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:
Winter Fishing on Jordan Lake
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Winter officially got underway in Alabama the first week of December, 2006. However you would still think it was late Fall if you were fishing the second week of January. The New Year came in with a bang on the water as well, with water temps reaching 60 degrees!
So how does the rest of the “so called winter” look for anglers here in Alabama on Jordan Lake? Very good. For the next 6 weeks these Coosa River breed of spotted bass and some big largemouth bass are all in a winter pattern and a winter state of mind. March is a prespawn month.
WINTER CONDITIONS
These bass are conditioned to move about at any time to feed during conditions that may arise during incoming cold fronts, or during rainy cloudy periods, on sunny days and week long warming trends. Various situations that involve moving water (current on the main lake from dam discharge in some areas of the lake), shows that these bass in some spots, are often biting better than in other places.
Varied conditions found lake wide can have a tremendous effect on the habits of all Jordan Lake’s bass. Conditions of many kinds take place during winter and each condition affects all bass and the meals they feed on, especially when its comes to them eating and putting on the needed fat to make it through a harsh winter.
Jordan Lake is the last lake of six lakes situated on the Coosa River System (that runs from north to south Alabama) and anything is possible for this mid Alabama impoundment created in 1928. With water temperatures currently in the low to mid 50’s and air temps close to 60 degrees constantly warming the lakes creeks and backwaters, you can see a difference 5-6 degrees water temps can make.
In various places throughout the lake, warming spots take place on every sunny day this winter. Places such as main lake flats are bathed in an all day sunshine and shielded from high winds. In addition, they are out of the constant, main lake current. Also out of the current are small cuts and pockets such as those found on main lake rock bluffs and the dozens of weed lined, timber filled pockets.
Always keep in mind, evident current found on the lake (just look at moving trot line jugs facing down river) will not heat up like the lakes still backwaters that remain calm, still and constantly bathed in water warming sunshine. Flats found in incoming feeder creeks, bathed in sunshine all day, show that from mid day to late evenings the rising water temperatures do have an effect on these bass.
Anglers may get plenty of bites from bass that become more active when water temps rise 4-5 degrees in a days time. So always return to places such as this (places you may not get a bite in during a cold morning prior to a warm sunny day) for active feeding fish. Just the opposite can occur in these areas when it is colder a few degrees. You may get a few bites early, but often no bites during very cold, cloudy days when water
temperatures do not rise significantly.
LURES AND TECHNIQUES FOR JORDAN LAKE’S BASS
Lures and the many ways to fish them can involve many choices during both cold front situations and warming trends during winter on Jordan Lake. Most anglers associate this “January and February winter fishing” with a slow, bottom dragging process utilizing various types of lures such as grubs, small worms, lizards and crayfish imitations, jig combos, tube baits, creature baits and finesse lures fished on small jig heads, etc.
Conditions always dictate the use of many different types of lures, lure colors, lure sizes, lure actions and the various ways to fish all of them. Traditionally, most anglers fish slow and think slow during late winter. This is when the winter season slowly winds down and eventually March will bring in prespawn conditions and schools of bass move shallow.
But often in this mid Alabama Lake during the January to February period, the bass will chase down a crankbait, nail a rattletrap or suspending jerkbait, or hit spinnerbaits with a rod jarring strike, even on a cold, winter day. They will even hit a topwater lure, when very active bass are affected by various conditions and at times even a cold front can turn them on!
So “Look” at the conditions prior to your trip and see what’s taking place during your planned trip to Jordan Lake. These conditions dictate lure choice. If its been raining for a week this lake can get a lot of rain run-off. There five lakes above Jordan Lake and it all comes done the Coosa River to this last of six lakes.
Spinnerbaits can be lures you throw all day when stained water and swifter current following heavy rains can swell the lake and create conditions where bass cannot see as well. This is when flash, vibration and lure colors come into the picture. Choosing spinnerbaits with gold and silver blades creates flash and more vibration the bigger the blades. Bright colors on the spinnerbaits head, skirt and trailers create various colors.
Crankbaits, rattling lipless lures, and both floating and suspending jerkbaits are all good lures on Jordan Lake during stained water conditions. These lures with rattles and lots of wiggling lure action help draw bass in for strikes in stained water conditions. Colors like chartreuse, white, yellow, lime, red and orange can be seen better and should be included on each lure. Conditions again, may show an angler fishing clear water and fishing with more subtle colored lures and natural lure colors
CURRENT, LAKE LEVELS AND WATER CLARITY
Current, Lake levels and water clarity play a huge role as well in your daily fishing on Jordan Lake. Anglers can check on Jordan Lake’s daily lake levels (normal full pool level is 252.0) and dam discharge schedules for 3 days by calling Alabama Power Company’s toll free Lake information center at 1-800-lakes-11.
Always check water generation schedules for both upper Mitchell Lake dam and lower Jordan Lake’s (2) dams. Write these water generation scheduled times down and tailor your fishing to each situation created by this current moving through the lake and its tributary creeks.
The current released by these dams affects both spotted bass and largemouth bass during the winter months just like the rest of the year. When they are feeding and water is evidently being generated there are certain places you need to be fishing and evident, current related signs to look for.
For example: If both dams are running all day bass will be tight to cover on the main lake. If the upper lake (Mitchell Lake) dam is running and the lower Jordan Lake dams are not running, then the lake fills up and bass move into flooded waters. If lower dams are running and Mitchell Lake dam is not, then the lakes water levels can fall, moving bass away from the banks and shallow flats.
Dam discharge areas are dangerous so always wear life jackets and outboard motor kill switches when fishing here or any where you fish! Hypothermia kills, so be prepared and be aware throughout your day and always play it safe! Dams are rocky and lures like grubs, small worms, jigs and jigging spoons fool bass every day. But bring plenty of lures, you will lose some in a days time in the swift current found below the dam discharge area.
Bring warm clothes and spare clothing. Have dry fire starting material (wood or paper) on board and a lighter. Always let loved ones at home know where your at and when to expect you home. Cell phones can be life savers. In winter, the life you save could just be your own!
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:
Summer Fishing on Jordan Lake
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
It’s hot and getting hotter. No, I’m not talking about the weather this time. I’m referring to the spotted bass fishing on Jordan Lake. Each year, this lake, now near 75 years old, gets better with age.
The Lakes headwaters get all the notoriety for the spotted action found here throughout the summer months. Below Mitchell Lake dam, the spots, as most anglers call them, are right at home in this perfect, spotted bass habitat.
First of all they have current. Spotted bass love current. They also have boulder strewn banks, rocky bluffs and rocky points and even some washed out holes and ledges on the lakes bottom. All “spots” love these attractions.
Baitfish, washed through the dam discharge, keeps em’ coming back for more and many huge spotted bass just spend their lives within a few miles of the dam. Spotted bass, weighing up to 8 pounds (or more) have been taken here, by the angler fortunate enough to land them. Spots, in the 4-5 pound range, are common in these Jordan Lake headwaters and some anglers catch a 5 bass, 20 pound limit, on any summer outing here.
Fooling these bass, that have seen so many lure choices, would seem to be difficult. But you never know, unless you throw. Choosing many types of lures, in a days time, will eventually show them a lure, they have not seen very much or a retrieve that triggers that reflex strike.
The old standby, the worm, has fooled many of the bigger spotted bass species found here. Although these spotted bass have features such as a small mouth, they can be gluttons when it comes to soft plastics. Many anglers choose small 4-6 inch worms. But 7- 8 inch models, seem to target the bigger bass.
This oversized lure choice also goes for crayfish or lizard imitations. The bigger the offering, the bigger thebass. Around these rocks many crayfish are consumed by the bass. Lures such as jigs, with pork or plastic trailers, get the attention of bass feeding on these bottom dwelling crustaceans.
With all the evident baitfish found here in Jordan Lakes headwaters, lures that resemble shad or bream are good choices. Spinnerbaits fool a lot of these bass. Crankbaits, rattletraps and jerkbaits, are all excellent for covering a lot of water fast and getting that reflex strike from lure conscience bass.
Topwaters, such as zara spooks, baby torpedoes, spittin’ image, pop-r’s, double prop baits and buzzbaits, always generate a few anxious bass bites. Prepare for these bass. They are very strong and will test any tackle or anglers patience. Many anglers leave Jordan Lake, with just the tale of the one that got away.
You don’t have to use light line and tackle, unless you want to. Line in the 14-20 pound test category can be safely used, without breaking off any trophy sized bass. Give it a try this summer and discover the incredible spotted bass action on Jordan Lake.
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:
Winter Fishing on Lake Neely Henry
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Neely Henry / Lower Lake
When winter arrives Neely Henry Lake goes through some major changes. December shows water
temperatures cooling into the low 50’s. The lake is also down for winter pool. By January the lake has
stabilized and unlike years past, it is only down from 1-2 feet. If lower than 1 foot, this all but eliminates any aquatic weed growth.
By mid winter most bass are relating to piers, boathouses and other wood cover, rock cover and slight bottom irregularities. Cold fronts can cool down the water into the low to mid 40’s. Warm spells that can last for a week or more, can really bring up the water temps often close to 60 degrees or more.
There is another thing to consider in winter, especially January and February. Heavy winter rains. These 2-3 days of rain can swell the lakes headwaters and muddy them up real bad for a few days. This goes for major incoming feeder creeks on Neely Henry Lake.
So plan your trip accordingly and be prepared with several back up plans, that include fishing the lakes lower end, especially when practicing for a major bass tournament. Don’t rely on just one or two spots, or rely on just a few ways of catching these bass on Neely Henry Lake. Be versatile.
Make plans to fish the mid to lower lake if rain precedes your fishing trip. This lower lake region stays clearer, has bigger feeder creeks (than upper Neely Henry Lake creeks), creeks that clear up fast after rain, and the lower lake is more dependable, than targeting the lakes headwaters during winter.
Besides the rain, you are going to be looking at a river situation (20 miles) if you fish the lakes headwaters above Gadsden City launch. Going south of Gadsden City boat launch displays a more wide open, spread out lake situation. If you fish below the Gadsden City launch you have about 30 miles of water to explore.
Neely Henry Lakes headwaters
Fishing the lakes headwaters calls for tactics that shows lots of main river targets. The narrow, river type waters, fish just like any river would. This means fishing the mouths of small creeks and pockets. Some creeks still have good water depth as you enter the mouths but most creeks in these lake headwaters play out to shallow flats, now mostly dry due to lake drawdown. Besides these creek mouths there are some places many anglers overlook when fishing the upper reaches of Neely Henry Lake.
Broken off banks fall into the water all the time due to bank erosion and constant current in these lake headwaters. These can be spots with standing timber, timber that keeps on standing, as the entire bank just slides off into whatever bank was underwater there before.
What takes place (unknown to many anglers) is a very small, timber filled island, is now very close to the bank, mostly hidden beneath the waters surface. The original bank could have dropped down right into a main river channel, or on top of a ledge, or it could have slid down deep now covering up a previously, plain looking bank.
Not only is there standing timber now in the water, from 5-15 feet deep, but plenty of washed in debris, such as brush piles, trees, logs and original stumps. All of which block the main river current and cover that can hold schools of unmolested bass in the winter. Anglers can fish the upper portion of these washed in banks, along the sides, or fish the lower ends, where most winter bass hold out of the current.
There are other places real similar, but featuring rocks instead of wood cover. Rock bluffs adorn the lakes headwaters. Outside river bend banks that are exposed to the elements, can break off and tumble down into the water. Anglers should look for slight irregularities on these miles of rocky bluff banks. For often there is no evidence of any broken off banks, unless you look real close.
Like the timbered banks that are broken off, there is hidden cover down below on these rock bluffs. Places now covered up from fallen in, washed in boulders, rocks and slab rocks. Perfect places for an entire school of both spotted bass and largemouth bass to hole up in, out of the current. As they await an easy to catch meal as it passes by.
Rock bluffs in Neely Henry Lakes headwaters, also show many other slight irregularities worth investigating. Small cuts and pockets situated within these rock bluffs provide eddy areas and places for the baitfish to escape the swift current. Great ambush spots for bass to prey on these meals too.
There are irregular bluff banks, bluff points, logjams and places where rock bluffs meet other types of banks. Not only is there plenty of visible wood and rock cover for anglers to target along these bluff banks, but places many anglers overlook, due to bank fishing.
First and secondary ledges on rock bluffs can hold schools of bass relating to deeper water or places not hammered as much as the visible bluff banks. These are ledges that can be right against the bluff banks, or the secondary ledges can be real close to the river channel, or they actually could be the main river channel drop-off.
Finding these places only means eyeing your depthfinder, studying a map, or just fishing. You can slowly probe these ledges with bottom lures, such as a very weedless Texas rigged worm. A lure that will help you feel every bit of cover down there. Wherever you intend to fish later in a bass tournament, you should always feel the bottom with lures in practice to actually know whats underwater.
Lure types for these lake headwaters vary tremendously. Warming trends show spotted bass and largemouth bass real active, often chasing down crankbaits, spinnerbaits, rattling lipless lures, a swimming jig, or attack floating and suspending jerkbaits, and even at times rise to a well placed topwater lure.
All of these lure types are lures that emit some kind of sound, flash or vibration for bass in these normally stained headwaters to home in on. Lure colors should be experimented with. Clear water calls for natural colors, white, silver and shad colors. Stained water calls for chartreuse, yellow, red, orange and other bright colors for bass to see better. Then there’s those cold fronts.
When heavy winter rains muddy up the lakes headwaters and incoming feeder creeks its hard enough to get these wintertime bass to bite. Add a cold front to that and you are fishing an anglers toughest conditions he can face…any time during the winter.
Cold, muddy water should always be avoided during the winter months. Head down the lake when these conditions take place. Do it fast. There are only so many hours in a fishing day. Don’t, “do it or die” in cold, muddy water situations, hoping for that one bite. Not when you can fish clearer water and get a lot more bites in a days time on the lakes lower end.
Be safe and always wear your life jacket and outboard motor kill switch. The life you save could be your own this winter! Dress warm and carry spare clothes. Bring along spare sandwiches, candy bars, bags of potato chips, cakes and cookies (energy food — for emergencies). Always have plenty of crackers, warm food like soup, warm drinks like coffee and hot chocolate and always have fire starting materials like dry wood or paper.
You could fall in the water on any given day and need to heat up real fast. Hypothermia kills! Be prepared for the unexpected! Its hard to start a fire on a rainy day, without good dry paper, cardboard or wooden sticks and chips for fire starting material. Bring plenty of spare clothes for each boat occupant as well.
Never leave anything to chance, be safe this winter and always let loved ones at home know where you intend to launch and on what lake. Let them know when to expect you home and always give them a cell phone number to reach you and you have theirs as well. Have ways for them to give info to others, your type of boat and color, tag numbers and vehicle type and color, all for identification purposes in emergencies.
Need help fishing Neely Henry Lake this winter? Always call on Reeds Guide Service…first! Alabama’s oldest, professional freshwater guide service, guiding on all of Alabama’s Lakes year round. Several qualified guides and boats available year round for multiple parties and corporate guided trips.
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 Lake Neely Henry
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Like upriver impoundment Weiss Lake, Neely Henry Lake, the second of six lakes located on the Coosa River System, suffered from the results of an extreme drought this past summer. Unseasonably low lake levels of two feet below normal, full pool existed during the 100 plus degree days of mid August. Although not as drastically down like Weiss Lake (down 5 feet in August) this still created a hazard for boaters. Normally lowered during the fall season for winter pool, Neely Henry Lake could be dropped even lower than two feet for the next six months until next spring.
Low water is not good for the lakes aquatic weeds, that usually thrive and grow thick and green during the summer months on these Coosa River Lakes. Also without the weeds, bass and the baitfish they dine on have to find other places to resident during the summer months. With very little weeds growing during these low water times, the beginning of the fall period can show both the bass and the baitfish, crayfish and other edibles hanging around wood cover, rock cover and irregular bottom features. They can really get bunched up in preferred locations.
Although Neely Henry Lake is a big lake (at over 50 miles in length), low water can still congregate both predator and prey overcrowding them around shallow water cover. This situation can increase the feeding activity of both the lakes spotted bass and largemouth bass population as waters drop and begin to cool in late September.
Neely Henry Lake Headwaters
Low water can show the lakes headwaters really concentrate these fall season bass. The lakes headwaters being considered about 25 miles of narrow river type waters situated from Gadsden City launch located right next to Hwy. 431 bridge crossing, to Weiss Lake dam tailrace waters. There are very few backwaters in the upper reaches of Neely Henry Lake, places deeper than 5 feet (especially so with the lake down a few feet) for these fish to escape the often swift current found here.
The relocation of both bass and prey such as minnows, shad, bream and crayfish, can funnel them all down to these creek mouths. This includes the mouths of small incoming streams, small cuts, pockets found along the main river and especially main river banks featuring slack water and lots of wood cover.
Also there are flats and plenty of rock bluffs for these fall bass to feed along as these seasonal waters begin to cool and winter approaches. Points leading into these river type rock bluff pockets are excellent places to fish this early fall season on into early winter using topwaters, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, worms and jig combos.
During the fall and early winter months the lake can have a sudden influx of water from heavy rains, which can stain the lakes headwaters and cause the lake level to suddenly rise. This is when anglers fishing the lakes headwaters can quickly capitalize on a shallow water bite before waters clear and drop back down.
Fishing very shallow in major feeder creeks in these lakes headwaters (as waters suddenly rise from several inches of rain), can show some really big bass coming out of the muddy river and suddenly invade the newly flooded shallows, to feed right before waters begin to drop back down and suddenly cool with the next cold front. Henley Creek and Cove Creek are the last major feeder creeks showing depths of five feet in these lake headwaters, even when the lake is down two feet. Flats in these and other creek backwaters can show lures like spinnerbaits and noisy topwaters like buzzbaits good lure choices in lightly stained waters during fall for big bass.
Neely Henry Lake Mid Lake
Leaving Gadsden City launch and heading down the lake you will notice the lake begins to widen to a more lake like appearance. Although wide open main lake flats with stumps and scattered wood debris are clearly evident, the lake is lacking in backwaters and major feeder creeks until you reach the lower lake where Canoe creek is located.
The only major creek in this mid lake area is Big Wills Creek, located on your right heading down stream about 2 miles below Gadsden City launch. It has a lot of man made rip-rap rocks found around bridges that are good fishing with shad imitations and crayfish lures. Crankbaits, rattling lipless lures and spinnerbaits are good lures fished at all depths along the rocks. Also try small finesse worms on jig heads to big worms rigged Texas style, including lizards, tube baits, crayfish imitations, creature baits and jig combos, all fished very slowly from shallow to deep water along these rocks.
Main lake flats loaded with stumps, laying trees and logs are great fall locations for numbers of spotted bass and largemouth’s. There are miles of these flats from Gadsden City launch located all the way to the mouth of Canoe creek down the lake.
Fan casting lures like shallow to mid running crankbaits, both floating and suspending hard bodied jerkbaits and rattling lipless lures like rattletraps, Cordell ratting spots and Rapala’s Rattlin’ Raps covers these flats fast and gets the anxious bass bites. After catching a few bass on these flats you should rework them with topwaters, bottom lures, spinnerbaits, floating worms and soft jerkbaits. Baitfish really gather here during the fall season and bass can often be seen schooling and busting shad on top. Always have a topwater lure rigged and ready for this fast schooling action.
Another tactic many anglers pass right by are fishing bridge pilings during the fall. Not only the three bridges located right next to the city of Gadsden that borders the lake, but Hwy. 77 bridge that crosses the lake a few miles above the mouth of Canoe Creek. Jigging spoons or fishing with small worms, jig heads with spinners or even topwaters are good lures fished right along the bridge pilings. Backing off and making long casts with lures such as deep diving crankbaits is one tactic that works really well, especially when fished along the much shallower bridge pilings near the main river banks. Keep in mind, washed in wood cover is found all along these bridge pilings. Also there is man made rip-rap rocks dumped all around each pilling at its base to prevent erosion, rocks that bass like too.
Neely Henry Lake Lower Lake
Neely Henry Lake takes on a more lake like appearance as you leave the Hwy. 77 bridge crossing and head down the lake. The mouth of the lakes biggest feeder creek Canoe creek, once displayed miles of standing timber found everywhere on the lower lake. Now those trees have been cut off far below the water line, but stumps still remain, good places for some very unmolested bass this fall season.
High spots, main lake points, some small islands and old underwater lakes and roadbeds also exist here. Plenty of piers and boat houses featuring resident planted brushplies can be easily found in this lower lake region. These piers have resident planted brush all around them and plenty of bass relating to them as well in the fall and early winter seasons. Some map study and depth finder use will reveal the hidden spots.
Other places bass inhibit during fall (that are more visible) include brushpiles. They are very visible with low water now exposing limbs and small sticks protruding out of the water. With low water this fall, watch out for shallow places, some are marked areas with PVC pipes and they are very evident.
Covering water fast and finding the more active bass always involves the use of lures that simulate shad or bream. In shallow water of less than five feet featuring clear water clarity, try smaller profile lures like shallow to mid running crankbaits, small rattletraps and small two hooked jerkbaits. Also you may try smaller topwaters and smaller spinnerbaits. These lures may be needed for finicky bass on these lower lakes fishing in and around wood and rock cover. But often smaller lures do fool the bigger more picky bass as well.
If these main lake flats, the mouths of creeks and even creek backwaters are stained from heavy rain or current is very evident, you may need to help the bass locate your lures more easily. Lures like spinnerbaits emit more flash and create more water displacement with the vibrations from the lures blades and the action and appeal from adding trailers. Spinnerbaits are excellent lures in stained to off colored water conditions during the fall. Brighter colors may be needed.
Half ounce to three quarter of an ounce rattletraps and Cordell rattling spots put out a lot of noise, flash and vibration. These lures also look like end of the season shad these bass feed on, baitfish that have grown bigger by the fall season.
Zara spooks, Zara Super Spooks, baby torpedoes, crazy shads, and Luck Craft’s Sammie topwater lures are all good for attracting those big bass bites and they look like these baitfish. Topwaters can produce some of Neely Henry’s biggest fall season bass. Heavy line is suggested for fall action on top. Noisy clacker type buzzbaits are known for big bass on Neely Henry Lake. Always include a trailer hook for short striking bass and fish buzzbaits on 17-20 pound test line.
Planning a trip to Neely Henry Lake? Always call on Reeds Guide Service…first! (205) 787-5133. The lake’s oldest professional guide service, fishing this lake and other Alabama Lakes for over 40 years. See my website: www.fishingalabama. com for more info.
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:
Lake Harris (Lake Wedowee) Fall Bass Fishing
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Lake Harris is also called Wedowee Lake due to the nearby town of Wedowee, Al. It is situated in northeast Alabama where the Big Tallapoosa River and The Little Tallapoosa River join at mid lake about 5 miles from this small town. This is Alabama’s youngest Impoundment with R L Harris dam completed about 25 years ago. By comparison to other Alabama man made impoundments, this is not a big lake. It is only 27 nautical miles from Lake Harris dam to the lakes headwaters. But it is still a rather spread out lake with 10,660 acres of surface water.
This lake does not receive a lot of fishing pressure maybe due to the fact it is so far from a major suburb city. Although it is situated close to a small Alabama town (Wedowee), it is over 30 miles to nearby Anniston, Al. along Interstate 20 going from Birmingham to Atlanta. Nearby, Logan Martin Lake on the Coosa River System and Lake Martin situated down stream of Lake Harris on the Lower Tallapoosa River, both get a whole lot more attention from Alabama’s anglers and constant recreational use.
Lake Harris was stocked with more than 135,000 largemouth bass when impounded in 1983. Prior to impoundment there was already a good population of native largemouth bass that already existed in the waters of the big and little Tallapoosa rivers. Some big bass that were previously in small ponds, lakes and creeks. All of which was inundated when the lakes backwaters were flooded.
As the lake rose when impounded it covered up the previous homes of these bass. These rivers and small bodies of water also held other fish species including the Tallapoosa breed of spotted bass, lots of crappie, bream, minnows, crayfish and catfish. All of which when combined is the perfect recipe for creating an excellent bass fishery…much better than any angler could ever have imagined. Huge, trophy sized largemouth bass!
LAKE HARRIS IN THE PAST / HUGE, LARGEMOUTH BASS
Just five years after impoundment Lake Harris started exhibiting phenomenal catches of big, largemouth bass. Hundreds of five pound plus bass were recorded being caught by about every angler that bass fished Lake Harris in the mid-to-late 1980’s. Soon, big trophy sized largemouth bass (those exceeding that almost magical mark of 10 pounds), started showing up. Not just a few 10 pounders here and there each month, but weekly, several bass over 10 pounds were reported being caught or weighed in at nearby tackle stores. It got even better.
Bass in the “teens” became common and soon the word got out, “Lake Harris has monster bass”! Although it took almost 10 years to build this lake, it did not take half of that time before the anglers of Alabama and surrounding states started showing up. Word soon got out, not only in Alabama but throughout the south, especially when three largemouth bass of near state record (over 15 pounds) proportions were caught. Including an unfortunate bass that had obviously lived out its entire life, a huge bass exceeding 17 pounds, found deceased and floating in the lake.
It was not long before the Alabama state record bass of 16 pounds and 7 ounces became threatened. In the early 1990’s even bigger bass - those exceeding 16 pounds - were taken out Lake Harris, then 10 years since impoundment. But these, “bass of a lifetime” were only boated by the fortunate angler that was lucky / skilled enough to land such an adversary. These were huge, largemouth bass. Bass that not many anglers had ever even had the honor of doing battle with. There were many huge bass reported being lost right at boat side by panicky or just plain unprepared anglers. But like said, “all good things soon come to an end.”
LAKE HARRIS TODAY
Since the lake was impounded its been about 25 years of anglers seeing the ups and downs of a new impoundment. The locals tried to keep it a secret, but once those huge bass started appearing it was out of their hands. Today the numbers of largemouth bass exceeding 10 pounds has decreased. Often, you will hear of an angler catching one. Maybe a 13-14 pounder. But what has happened to all those bass in the “15 pound plus” weight category?
They are still there, but maybe fishing pressure and the lake going through good and bad cycles has contributed to the plain fact. Maybe even pollution. Still, Lake Harris is one of the best lakes in Alabama for fall, winter and spring trophy bass fishing and as they say, ” a young or newly impounded lake always has a sudden reoccurrence of excellent bass fishing about every 5-6 years. ” We are due.
So today, you could assume bass anglers are due again for a chance of landing a possible state record size largemouth bass. There is actually a 6 month period, from fall into the winter season and continuing on into the spring of next year, for actually hooking into the bass of a life time. Records show most really huge largemouth bass (those in the teens), are taken from January through March.
These are late winter bass to prespawn bass. Big female bass usually feeding heavily and constantly fattening up for the rituals of spawning, in the spring when they will eat very little for almost 30 days. These are catchable bass and these bass are susceptible to a whole range of lures fished in all depths on Lake Harris.
LURES FOR LAKE HARRIS BASS THIS FALL
Choosing the correct lure, fishing it in the right manner, in the right depth of water, in the right place, is the recipe for success this fall season on Lake Harris. Many variables will determine your lure choice and your fishing success. Rigging several rods with various types of lures that cover the top, middle and bottom water column will help determine where the most catchable bass are holding on each outing.
TOPWATER LURES - Its a sure bet if an angler starts out the day throwing a topwater lure (on any day) during this fall season on Lake Harris, he / she may be connect with the days biggest bass. With the lake currently down 10 feet and no weeds on the lake, you can possibly eliminate lures normally fished for their weedless qualities. Still, I have seen lures like frog and rat imitations (normally used in weedy situations), work just as well around Lake Harris wood cover and rock cover, especially during low water periods on this lake when these bass are more concentrated in a much smaller lake.
Wood cover is very evident, with standing timber, brush, stickups and stumps, all left here during impoundment, still standing today. With the lake normally down from 10-15 feet during the fall period for winter pool, it looks like you are fishing a forest. When casting your lures among all of this lure grabbing wood cover use precise casts. Topwaters like zara spooks, Sammies, pop-r’s, the spittin’ image, the poppin’ image and baby torpedoes (with dangling, wood grabbing treble hooks) should be fished with precise casts during this fall and winter period to avoid frustration or losing lures.
When the lake is down it also exposes lots of previously submerged cover. Topwaters, like just mentioned, fished out in open water get strikes from suspended bass holding out in deep water. These can be schools of spotted bass as well that have grown to trophy size bass over the past 25 years. Keep a big heavy topwater lure (like a zara super spook with 3 hooks), rigged and ready for these schools of bass can erupt at any time during the fall and early winter season.
If looking for a more weedless topwater lure try noisy clacker type buzzbaits, that feature one upturned hook. They cast long distances, are very weedless and wind resistant and buzzbaits can be made to weave through all the wood cover. Another plus is, buzzbaits attract the bigger bass bites! Always include a trailer hook and fish buzzbaits on at least 20 pound test monofilament line or 30-40 test braided line.
LURES FOR FISHING IN THE MIDDLE WATER COLUMN
These lure choices are as many as when choosing a topwater lure. But these lure choices work anytime. Like Spinnerbaits. Choosing your spinnerbaits depends on water clarity. During falls heavy rains the lakes headwaters and the incoming feeder creeks can get stained. At times the lakes mid to upper section and its feeder creeks can get downright muddy. As most anglers know when faced with this situation this is the time to fish with heavier 1/2 to 3/4 of an ounce spinnerbaits.
Those models that show brighter colors both on the spinnerbaits skirt and trailers as well are best. Spinnerbaits sporting big, oversized blades are a must, so bring along plenty of blade choices. Spinnerbaits can be retrieved right through standing timber without hanging. They are very weedless and will not hang up unless your casts are not precise and you snag a limb or tree trunk. Spinnerbaits can also be slow rolled or dropped among all this lakes standing timber, for some bass are still holding deep from the hot days of summer and early fall.
Crankbaits would be a good second choice lure, if I had to cover the middle water column where a lot of big bass just suspend during the fall and early winter period. These lures fool a lot of bass into striking, usually out of instinct and some big bass as well. Rig three rods, one with a shallow diver, one with a mid diver and another rod rigged with a deep diving crankbait. This will help you determine what depth most strikes can occur from. Colors, lure actions and the way you retrieve these crankbaits may determine whether or not you even get a bite. Experiment and try all types.
The same goes for lipless lures that sink and can be fished at all depths. I’ve seen these type of lures like Rattletraps, Vibes, Cordell spots and Rapala’s Rattlin’ Raps work very well on Lake Harris schooling bass and bass suspended in this standing timber. There are times when they prefer small to large sizes so bring plenty of 1/4 to 3/4 ounce lipless type lures.
Suspending and floating jerkbaits fall in this middle water column. Although most jerkbait models only dive less than 5 feet deep they are excellent lures for triggering bass that ignore other lures. Fished with a fast, erratic stop and go retrieve, fishing jerkbaits can show these bass follow these lures and often hit right at the boat…so be ready! Always use 14-17 pound test line on your crankbaits and jerkbaits.
LURES FISHED ON OR NEAR BOTTOM
Boy, how long of a list would this be? When choosing lures that you generally drag along the lakes bottom this fall season there are many lure choices, lure colors and various lure shapes, sizes and actions these bass may prefer. Water clarity, water depth, the time of year you are fishing and the type of cover being fished should determine your lure choice.
Also what are you wanting to catch? Lots of small bass or fish all day hoping for just one big old monster bass? The choice is up to you and yes, bigger is always better when faced with this decision. I would rather cast a big lure all day, that fills a bass’s belly fast and gets its eating interest, rather than fish a smaller offering, usually resulting in getting lots of bites, but generally from smaller bass. So here’s a few choices.
Worms - These slithering creatures have fooled a lot of bass over the last 25 years on Lake Harris. Small worms work very well especially in clear water situations or when following a cold front, when bass are more picky and usually full. Even small 4 inch finesse worms fished on light tackle outfits have fooled some big bass into striking on Lake Harris. Problem is many of these huge, tackle testing bass are not landed. The timber, rocks and bottom can damage your line nicking it and causing a big strong bass to break it. So heavier outfits are recommended.
Big worms fool the bigger bass. Worms in lengths of 10-12 inches, fished on a 4/0 to 6/0 hook with a 1/4 ounce to 1/2 ounce Texas rigged sinker have fooled a lot of trophy sized bass on this lake. They still work today. Always sharpen all hooks and bring plenty of worms, hooks and sinkers. Lizards, tube baits, creature baits and jig combos come in small and large sizes and they fool these bass on bottom this fall season on Lake Harris.
Looking for a real, trophy sized bass this fall and winter season? Always call on Reeds Guide Service…first! ” Fishing, guiding and exploring all of Alabama’s lakes for over 40 years,” including Lake Harris, since it was impounded. Remember, a guided fishing trip with Reeds Guide Service makes a great gift for Birthdays, Fathers day and Christmas (certificates available), for those loved ones that love to fish. Several qualified guides and boats available year round for multiple parties and corporate guided trips. See my 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 (2007)
Resources:
Pickwick Lake Fall Fishing
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Pickwick Lakes Headwaters / Fishing Below Wilson Lake Dam
(I get lots of phone calls and e-mails from first timers to Pickwick and Wilson Lakes, so here’s some tips and suggestions;)
Pickwick Lake is situated on the Tennessee River System near the town of Florence, Al. This is where most anglers launch their boat at McFarland park. This public boat launch is about 2 miles downstream - below the Wilson Lake dam tailrace waters - found at Pickwick’s Lake headwaters. Running your boat up this lake is no problem. Just navigate up the middle of the lake and idle the boat down after you go under the last bridge, which is within sight of Wilson Lake dam.
Make sure to have your Alabama fishing license, boat registration papers, up-to-date boat stickers, charged fire extinguisher, a throw cushion and life jackets for each boat occupant. When within sight of the dam it is suggested (its the law), you wear your life jacket and have your outboard motor kill switch attached when running the outboard motor. Caution is advised in these lake headwaters, especially for first timers, due to swift current at times.
After you go under the last bridge, heading upstream towards Wilson Lake dam, the water is less than 10 feet deep. When getting close to the dam, stay in the middle and avoid idling the boat fast. This is due to all the hidden rocks, some that are just under the waters surface, in 3-5 feet of water near the dam. Trim up your motor and avoid the waters near the dam just past the island on your left. Lots of boulders and swift current
here.
Anglers that are new to this lake will soon discover fishing these lake headwaters for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass is quite easy although you may soon discover other species of fish tugging on your line as well. Striped bass are found in these lake headwaters as well as drum, gar, white bass, bream, crappie, spotted bass and catfish. Most anglers simply run their boat all the way up to the dam and then make a mile long drift down the lake. Some anglers are successful while bumping their lures on bottom, fishing the middle water column and getting topwater bites as well on a number of lures.
As owner of Reeds Guide Service I have fished Pickwick lake for over 30 years and know it very well. I get phone calls and e-mails every week pertaining to this lake. I fish this lake many times each month and I know a lot of places down the lake (50 miles of navigable water), that I eventually fish as each fishing day lingers on. Still, no how many boats are on the lake I will often start my day searching for bass in these lake headwaters.
Why? You may ask. I know from fishing these lake headwaters (hundreds of times in all seasons over the past 30 years), no matter what the conditions, there are always some big bass cruising these lake headwaters in search of an easy meal. On any outing to these lake headwaters, as well as when waters begin to cool even more during the late fall to early winter period, you could actually hook into the smallmouth bass of a lifetime. This includes fooling some big largemouth bass and some huge, striped bass into striking your lures as well.
LURES FOR FOOLING THE BASS OF PICKWICK LAKE
No matter what species of bass you target (or all of them) on this lake, you can create a very long list of lures when deciding on what to bring to Pickwick Lake this fall and early winter seasons. Even in these lake headwaters (from Mcfarland park launch to the Wilson Lake dam), the lure choices range from dozens of various types of lures fished from top to bottom.
Not only is the importance of each lure you choose, but the size of your lures, the action each lure imparts, the lure color and even the way you manipulate each lure is important to your success…and you spending less time retrieving or breaking off hung lures in these rocky, boulder strewn Lake headwaters. So make a note right now: bring plenty of lures and a plug knocker! This includes items you may need to replace like spare rods and reels, fishing line in several line tests, various sizes of sinkers, hooks and jig heads. Even items for the boat like spare props for the outboard motor and trolling motor, oil, plenty of gas, pliers, screwdrivers and needle nose pliers.
Topwater Lures
This list of topwater lures (lures fished on the waters surface) grows and grows with each passing season and new topwater lures are springing up each year. But in Pickwick Lakes headwaters there are certain types of topwater lures that work better than others at times. So like said, bring plenty.
Prop Bait Topwaters - The lures that fall in this category are many, mainly due to the fact a prop bait can mean any topwater lure displaying either one or two propellers fore and aft. Baby Torpedoes are very popular topwater lures for fishing Pickwick Lakes headwaters. Below this dam a lot of 2-3 inch baitfish are washed through the dam discharge waters and they look like these small topwater lures featuring one propeller on the rear of the lure. Smaller versions called, “the tiny torpedo or the teeny torpedo” may work even better like when following a cold front, during very calm and clear water conditions, on days with bright, bluebird skies or even when faced with fishing pressure.
These prop bait topwaters should be fished on (preferably Trilene Big Game monofilament or fluorocarbon line in the 12-15 pound test category), making long casts with 6-7 foot rods, and then retrieving these prop baits with short jerks of the rod. This stop and go lure action creates a loud, swishing noise on the surface of the water, real similar to the sounds of fleeing shad and other baitfish found here. Colors of chrome / black back, chrome / blue back, gray ghost, or fire tiger usually work very well, in both looking like these baitfish and when made to imitate the small shad found here.
If its calm and very little current is evident, you may have to fish these lures with subtle actions or try downsizing to smaller models. If there is a slight ripple on the water and more current then you may fish these lures with harder jerks of the rod. If the conditions show its real windy, lots of current and a choppy look to the waters surface, you may need to go to a double prop bait topwater like a Crazy Shad (or for you old timers a Devils Horse), to create more noise and to aid in attracting these feeding bass to your lures.
Popping Type Topwaters - The old Rebel pop-r’s always come to mind, in fact many anglers just say, pop-r’s when referring to these topwaters featuring a concave mouth. But there are many types some old ones like those called chuggers, Hula Poppers or Chug Bugs all that work just as well as any of today’s poppers. Colors of shad or bream work well in these lake headwaters. Schooling bass will nail these loud, surface lures that actually sound like feeding bass when jerked real hard. Line of 12-15 pound test is suggested.
Walking Type Topwaters - This topwater list will always have to include the Zara Spook created by James Heddon, that started it all, over 80 years ago in the early 1900’s. It is my favorite walking type topwater lure (See: www.fishingalabama.com on the home page link, “Everything you always wanted to know about fishing the zara spook”), that now comes in 5 sizes. Most anglers throw the original size two hook zara spook on 14-20 pound test line. Some anglers downsize their spooks fishing the smaller versions zara pooch or zara pup on lighter line.
Other anglers either have the three hooked, Zara Super Spook handy or the Baby Super Spook tied on, for attracting some vicious topwater lure strikes found in Pickwick lakes headwaters. Anglers should keep in mind there are some oversized end of the year threadfin shad and gizzard shad that these bigger bass feed on. These topwater walking type lures really can simulate these type of prey. Colors vary among shad colors and chrome. The Spittin’ Image and the Lucky Craft Sammie are also good walking type topwater lures. I suggest 20 pound test monofilament line for these oversized offerings.
Fishing With Middle Water Column Lures
This lure category includes lures fished just under the waters surface, to five feet deep or more. In eddy areas like behind points or around big boulders found in these lake headwaters many of these bass suspend while waiting for the current to bring them an easy to catch meal. Often these bass will not rise to well placed topwater lure. At times they may be reluctant to move from their choice little spot to go to the lakes bottom and feed. So lures that run as they say, “right in their face” can trigger instinct strikes…other lures may fail to produce.
They may slam a slow moving spinnerbait (or dropped or slow rolled spinnerbait), or an erratic fished jerkbait (including soft jerkbaits, or floating and suspending hard bodied jerkbaits) or a shallow to deep diving crankbait (its according to what depth your fishing), may be the right lure. In this circumstance, without these suspended bass not having to move far or chase down a lure, these lures may work better than other lures. Keep in mind these bass feed a lot on crayfish found in these lake headwaters and lures such as No. 5 crayfish colored Shad Rap could just be the lure, besides just showing them baitfish colored lures all day. So experiment and always have several rods already rigged and ready.
Besides these lure types, there are other lures that are good choices for this technique. This could be rattling lipless lures like the namesake, “Bill Lewis Rattletraps”, or Cotton Cordell’s Rattlin’ Spots, etc. Experiment with smaller 1/4 ounce versions fished on lighter line of 12-15 pound test, like when facing into little current, or when seeing bass feeding on smaller baitfish, when faced with clear water clarity, following cold fronts or during bright, bluebird sky conditions. Use heavier, 1/2 ounce model lipless lures when in swifter current or when fishing deeper water. Colors of shad, chrome and crayfish are good choices.
Bottom Fished Lures
These are lures drug across the lakes bottom or lures allowed to entice bass holding just above the bottom. The rigging can be Texas style, Carolina rigged, drop shot rigged, rigged on a jig head or even fished weightless. The lure choices are many. Just visit any tackle store and most of the time half or their lure inventory could be soft plastics like worms of all sizes, lizards, grubs, shad imitations, Senkos, tube baits, crayfish imitations, creature type lures and small, finesse plastics fished on bottom.
Jigs, jig combos, jigging spoons or tail spinners are also fished on or near bottom. The problem is they do hang up a whole lot. This is time consuming, but you can usually retrieve most hung lures since these headwaters are shallow. Like said, bring plenty.
Pickwick Lakes Mid to Lower Lake
Besides fishing the lakes headwaters around Wilson Lake dam, there are other places that are productive this fall season on Pickwick lake. The nearby barge canal, bridge pilings, rock bluffs, river ledges, barge tie ups and wood cover such as laying trees, brush, stumps and logs. Or an angler can head down the lake and explore over 40 miles of incoming creeks, small cuts and pockets, main lake flats, creek mouths, submerged islands, visible islands and piers, boat houses and marinas. Or you can fish Pickwick Lake half a day, put the boat on the trailer, stop for a hamburger and be launching on upper Tennessee River Reservoir Wilson Lake in 30 minutes.
Always call on Reeds Guide Service…first! When planning a fishing trip to these north Alabama Impoundments on the Tennessee River System. Or any Alabama lake. Whether practicing for an upcoming bass tournament, fishing for fun or trophy bass fishing or when planning a family outing or corporate guided trip. We have several qualified boats and professional guides available year round. Discounts available.
Remember, a guided trip with Reeds Guide Service to any lake in Alabama makes a great surprise Birthday gift, Fathers Day gift or Christmas gift (certificates available), for those loved ones that love to fish. Call today (205) 787-5133, or e-mail me at alabassgyd@aol.com found on my website: www.fishingalabama.com for reservations this fall, winter or next year’s spring and summer seasons.
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:
Summertime Crappie Fishing on Weiss Lake
Article by: Kelly Matthews - www.weisslakeguides.com
Fishing In the Shade Summertime Crappie Tactics…by Kelly Matthews
Even though the outside temps are hot enough to make a camel beg for mercy, summertime fishing in August and September can be some of the best times to be on the water. It might surprise most crappie anglers but I catch a lot of good crappie this time of year shooting docks in as little as 2 - 3 feet of water. First thing I look for knowing it is summer and the boat traffic is going to be brutal on Weiss Lake is the little out the way places that you don’t see a lot of jet skies and ski boats. When fishing docks this shallow they will take a pounding by 3 foot waves when you have a lot of boat’s running back forth. Little coves and pockets close to the river channel is a great place to look for crappie under docks. I like to wait to around mid morning before I will start shooting docks. I like to wait for the sun to get high and hot to push the crappie even tighter to the docks looking for shade from the sun beating down on the water. Another little trick for success at shooting docks is boat position. I like to approach the docks with the sun to my face as to make sure I don’t cast a shadow with my boat around the dock. Crappie are very spooky fish this time of year and the more you can do to not let the crappie know your coming the more success you will have at this technique
Equipment - The best rod I have found for shooting docks is the BnM Sharpshooter. They have three available lengths in this rod but I like the 5 ½ footer the best. These rods are designed just for shooting docks and even though it is an Ultra Light rod you will have no trouble pulling that big slab out from under his hidden water haunts. The reel I use is BnM’s West Point Spinning Reel. It is very light weight reel and that helps keeping your combo light and manageable. In a full day shooting docks you may shoot 200 to 300 times so the lighter you can keep your combo the better off you will be. I do about all my crappie fishing except for spider rigging with 6 lb. Sufix Siege line in clear and the neon Tangerine. The Tangerine is a neon orange line that is very visible when watching for those faint little taps.
Lure - Lure color and type are one of the most important parts of shooting docks. The one that I have found that works great on every lake I have fished including Weiss is the Southern Pro 2 inch Crappie Stinger. The Crappie Stinger has a solid body with a whip / stinger type tail and holds up very well for this technique. The color that produces day in and day out would be Black/Blue with the chartreuse stinger tail. Southern Pro has available eleven colors in the 2 inch Crappie Stinger but for shooting docks with a lot of shade I like to stay with the darker colors. The size jig head you use is very critical in presenting the bait that catches the crappie but surprise. You want a light jig head for these shallow water docks and most time’s I am using a 1/24 oz jig head. This lets the jig hit the water with very little noise and also lets the jig fall in natural slow fluttering manner.
Presentation - I like to shoot the jig right at the dock pilings in the very back of the dock. Most time’s the crappie will hit the jig within the first foot or two when on the fall. If you get no hits on the fall let your lure go all the way to the bottom and then start a slow steady retrieve back to the boat. A lot of times you will catch crappie as soon as your lure breaks the shadow line that the docks puts off. I like to work the dock very thorough shooting at every piling before moving on.
Tips - Here are a few things to know that may help you when shooting docks in the summer. Like I said before look for those little out of the way places that don’t see much boat traffic. Another key to shooting docks is to look for things on the docks like rod holders mounted to the dock lights close to the water. This lets you know that this dock is fished regularly and there is structure close by. If there is structure around the dock there will be crappie under it that the owner cant get to. Some of the best docks I shoot here on Weiss Lake in the summertime is docks that are in 6 to 8 foot water at the very end and are built on shallow water points with deeper water close by. Wait until the sun gets up high and hot around 10:00 am that is when the crappie will be holding tight under these dock.
Most crappie anglers put up there gear after the spring spawn waiting for the first sign of fall. Summertime can be just as good if you will try this technique, you just have to experiment with different area’s of the lake but when you find those special docks they will produce crappie day in and day out all summer long…
Thanks for your time and I will see you Weiss…
Kelly Matthews
www.weisslakeguides.com
Originally Published (2007)
Resources:
