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:
Fall Fishing on Lay Lake
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Yes, Lay Lake has again been selected as the site of the Bassmasters Classic. In February, 2007 the worlds best bass anglers will launch out of Paradise Point Marina (205) 669-1515 as they again (this is the third Classic on Lay Lake) compete for this prestigious world title and attempt to figure out Lay Lake’s weed dwelling largemouth bass and a very worthy adversary … the Coosa River Spotted bass.
Lay Lake is a challenge no matter what time of the year you fish it. When you do, if your fishing a bass tournament on Lay Lake, you can count on fishing up against Alabama’s best bass anglers. But even the best anglers struggled this past Summer season when the mercury reached 100 degrees several times. Throughout the entire month of August mid to upper ninety degree days were common. The water temperatures in Lay Lakes shallow backwaters were constantly bathed in an all day sunshine with little rain to help cool things down. Water temps were close to ninety degrees by late Summer. Ah, but in comes the cool down period of Fall. Month by month, you will see fishing only gets better as Fall progresses and bass go on a feeding spree lakewide.
September
Looking back, before you look ahead, will tell you what the bass want on your next fishing trip to Lay Lake in September. The weather plays a huge role in September as it influences bass to move from their Summertime haunts to the feeding grounds of Fall. So check back a few days prior to your trip and see what role the weather has played in early September. Rainy fronts turn them on and cold fronts turn them off. Muddy water following a few days of heavy rain should be avoided. The lakes headwaters and small incoming feeder creeks are affected the most by heavy rains. Some creeks will clear up fast, while others will stay muddy for a few days.
Search out the lakes mid to lower end if your trip follows several days of rain. Other than Waxahatchee Creek (that always muddies following heavy rains), most feeders on the lakes lower end will be lightly stained. Spring Creek and Paint Creek on the lakes lower end offer loads of weedy cover, piers, boathouses, rip-rap rocks, wood cover and bottom irregularities such as humps, submerged islands and old roadbeds for anglers to explore. Heavy rains can occur at any time, but they are more frequent during October and November.
Basically the largemouth bass will be around weeds. On Lay Lake that gives an angler more than 50 miles of greenery to decipher where the bass will be. Likely locations will be close to the schools of baitfish that the bass have followed all Summer and they will always be nearby when baitfish are evident. This can mean fishing the weed edges with lures such as buzzbaits, prop baits, pop-r’s, zara spooks, sammies and other walking, jerking, popping type topwaters. Topwaters fished right up in the weeds are different from these aforementioned weed grabbing treble hook lures.
Frogs and rats are weedless lures and they now come in all shapes, sizes and colors due their recent popularity with bass anglers nationwide. Buzzbaits can be fished right up in the weeds, but you must keep these irritating lures moving to avoid them rolling over and hanging up. Fish heavy 17-20 pound test line or heavy braided line with these lures to get those big bass out of the weeds fast. As waters cool there is more action ahead for both spotted bass and largemouth bass on Lay Lake.
October
Although there are some big bass caught on Alabama’s Lay Lake year round, Fall is my favorite time to fish this lake for some big largemouth bass and trophy sized spotted bass. The cooler it gets the more foolish these big bass get. Without their temperamental attitude (like when spawning) these bass have one thing on their mind before it gets cold. Eating. Fattening up and grabbing every little morsel in sight, these bass will hit a variety of lures this Fall period. Although cool nights and days drop the water temps bass will continue to feed on hapless meals just like the past Summer.
Frogs and small mice hopping and running along Lay Lakes weedy mats have contributed to the days meal for the last 4 months. So the bass down below are used to seeing them and used to eating them. Lures that simulate these frogs and rats are deadly in the weeds in the Fall.
By October the largemouth bass of Lay Lake have dined on a variety of meals. So keep this in mind when deciding on what lures it takes to fool them. Snakes, small worms, lizards, freshwater eels, slugs and leeches have been consumed all summer long. So fishing a variety of lures in various shapes, sizes, colors and lengths, should be experimented with until you get a big bass bite or two. These slithering meals have grown to sizable proportions by the end of Summer so fishing with worms, creature type plastics or lizards, all in lengths of 8-12 inches, may really bring out the big bass from hiding.
When probing weedy holes, edges, lanes and points found within these thick and matted weeds of Lay Lake, you have got to get the lure down in the weeds. Heavy weights or sinkers (1/2 ounce up to 2 ounce size) are a must, including strong hooks, stought equipment such as rods and reels and strong line are all needed for fishing Lay Lakes weeds. Anglers get broke off trying anything less than 20 pound test in the weeds. Finesse fishing may be good along weed edges, but always use the heavy equipment for fishing dead up in the weds, to avoid frustration and lost bass. Jig combos and crayfish imitations are big bass lures in and around these thick and matted weeds.
Besides the weeds there are other places to find bass on Lay Lake. When you get away from the weeds, fishing wood cover, points, rocks and bottom irregularities always mean you will encounter some of Lay Lake’s notorious Coosa River spotted bass. These spotted bass known as “spots” are a bass full of fighting fury and they will give any angler a run for his money. This is evident by observing the ones that don’t get away. Many trophy sized spotted bass you are fortunate enough to land on Lay Lake either have one eye missing or a ripped or torn mouth that has healed from the last anglers lure it ripped free.
In October fishing the lakes headwaters, just below Logan Martin Lake dam is a good place to encounter feeding spots. Some are small in the 1-2 pound range, but trophy spotted bass exceeding 5 pounds do exist here. Some anglers use small finesse worms on jig heads, or grubs and shad imitations on light tackle outfits. Other anglers target the bigger spotted bass that will often hit oversized topwaters like the Zara Super Spook topwater lure, Norman’s DD-22 deep diving crankbaits, oversized jerkbaits or spinnerbaits with gaudy oversized trailers. Spotted bass (to many anglers surprise) will be found in feeder creeks on Lay Lake in the Fall as well as main lake spots. They also prefer to hang around creek mouths, the mouths of small cuts and pockets, the upper and lower ends of islands and around rip-rap rocks found along bridges, causeways and creek culverts. Even piers hold decent sized spotted bass on Lay Lake. They especially like the deep, rocky bluff type banks and deep main river timbered points during the Fall period.
November
Like said, Fall is my favorite time of year to fish for largemouth bass and trophy sized spotted bass on Alabama’s Lay Lake. But as late Fall becomes evident, it gets even better and for many reasons. Go to my website: www.fishingalabama.com and click on the “Articles” link seen at the top of the cover page. It will take you to several articles I’ve wrote. One is called, ” 5 bass - 30 pounds on Lay Lake.” This very exceptional day all anglers dream of, took place one mid November day while fishing all alone in the rain. You should find it interesting.
There are many reasons why the really big bass of Lay Lake bite so well in November and early December, before it gets really cold. One is the lake is void of fishing pressure, of which exists almost year round on this Lake, which is now over 90 years since impoundment in 1914. Bass tournaments are held weekly on Lay Lake. But by November most tournament trails are at an end. Most anglers do not fish the colder it gets, so November shows the beginning of less anglers on the water. Football season, kids back in school, and deer hunting keeps other would be anglers off the water as well. Holidays and bad weather keep the rest away. So on many weekdays you can have the places you normally fish with lots of company…all to yourself!
Sneaking in these places without the bass detecting your presence, can now be accomplished and your fishing is not interrupted by other anglers idling their boats close by and spooking these bass. All it takes is a little stealth and you can get into the years biggest bag of bass on Lay Lake in November and early December.
So fish Lay Lake this Fall season, but be prepared for a lonely trip when the Fall period comes to an end and
Winter begins. The Lake can be void of anglers, all except for those that know, during Winter. Winter warming trends do occur and some really big bass get shallow as they are duped into thinking its time for an early spawn. Just like what might happen when the worlds best bass anglers converge on Lay Lake for the February 2007 Bassmasters Classic.
The next report for Lay Lake’s Winter fishing will feature tips and techniques for fishing Lay Lake when it gets cold, tips that may aid you or these anglers competing in this world renowned Bassmasters Classic Championship.
Need help fishing Alabama’s Lay Lake? Reed Montgomery, owner of Reeds Guide Service is Lay Lake’s most well known and oldest professional bass guide service. Reed has won more tournaments (See Reed’s biography by clicking on the “About” link on the top of the cover page on www.fishingalabama.com) and taken more big bass awards on Lay Lake, than any other Lake he fishes statewide. Give him a call or e-mail Reed at his website: www.fishingalabama.com.
Thanks and Good Fishin’
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
Birmingham, Alabama
E-mail: alabassgyd@aol.com
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
“Over 40 Years Fishing, Guiding and Exploring every Lake in Alabama for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass and some huge Striped Bass”
Originally Published (2006)
Resources:
Wheeler Lake Winter Fishing
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
North Alabama’s Wheeler Lake is down for winter pool. It will remain low until April. Lake levels fluctuate up and down a foot during winter, with the lake currently down 4 feet. So like any lake that is drawn down during winter, boat navigation is hazardous, especially for first timers to Wheeler Lake, the second largest man made impoundment in Alabama.
January and February are the months when the coldest weather of the winter season hits north Alabama. Although winter warming trends are common in January the best time to fish in the next few weeks is…whenever you can go! The weather is so unpredictable, it could be 70 degrees for today’s high and 20 degrees for a cold morning…a few days later.
Warming trends and cold fronts create rising and falling water temperatures. Water temps are very important aspects as to the way fish feed at times during winter. For instance. Water temps can be 45 degrees. Suddenly a week long, winter warming trend takes place. This shows both mild daytime temperatures and warmer than normal night time temperatures. Unlike warm days and cold nights this constantly warming water brings up the lakes water temperatures as much as 10 degrees in a weeks time.
Keep in mind this only applies to still water with little or no evident current — not moving water. This warming water theory only applies to the lakes backwaters. On Wheeler Lake calm water with little current can be found in small cuts and pockets, main lake flats out of the current and up in the mid to far back ends of major feeder creeks. Water will warm, but only if it is bathed in an all day sunshine and it is found out of the swift and flowing main lake current. Of which most anglers know, moving water does not heat up.
With Wheeler Lake 4-5 feet down for winter pool it is a much smaller lake for fish to bunch up in during the winter months and they do. At times there are certain conditions that place an entire school of bass in one small, particular spot. These bass are either feeding or they are resting and off the feed. Regardless, they usually stay together unless the entire school is feeding along a flat and they are fanning out individually as they chase down baitfish and other prey.
Unlike other Tennessee River Impoundment’s the best bass fishing is on the lower end of Wheeler Lake. That is unless you want to run over 50 miles north or launch in Wheeler Lakes headwaters fishing below Guntersville Lake dam found upstream. Regardless of where you decide to fish on Wheeler Lake don’t worry there is plenty of bass holding cover to target throughout the entire lake.
The lakes headwaters show small cuts and pockets that hold bass around the mouths due to low water. At mid lake during full pool Decatur Flats is a popular weedy flat full of bass relating to hydrilla and millfoil aquatic weeds. With the lake down for the next 3-4 months these bass will continue to relate to this area when feeding.
Only now and throughout the cold, winter weeks ahead they are found grouping up along weed edges and around rocky and stumpy bottoms. Nearby ledges, rock piles, old roadbeds and the rip-rap rocks that line the base of electrical towers spanning the lake (in the Decatur flats area), will be good fishing spots for the remainder of the winter.
These holding spots where bass relate to wood cover, rock cover and slight bottom irregularities can be excellent places for big bass and for encountering numbers of bass. Current can position them, sunny days can put them tight to cover or cause these bass to suspend out from cover. Cloudy or rainy periods may show the entire school break up and roam nearby.
Various lures can entice bites, even from sluggish bass, but often when these bass are not feeding you must entice a strike by putting the lure right in their face. So exact lure presentation gets better results than just haphazardly casting lures without any thought.
Main lake points are good examples. Although most points are now exposed with the lake down there is always some part of a point that drops into nearby deep water. This usually where the current break is. Current breaks are places where bass hold as they wait for a passing meal brought to them in the swift current.
Most bass, that anglers encounter in these situations, are going to position themselves where all they have to do is open their mouth and flare their gills for an easy meal. This means an angler must repeatedly cast his / her lures until it comes right in the face of an awaiting bass. They won’t move far but they will hit your lures if they are close by. That’s when crankbaits come into play.
Although a fast moving crankbait is not thought of as an excellent meal during winter for sluggish bass on Wheeler Lake, they do work when applied in the right manner. When fishing a point, an angler must make long casts far above the point as he holds the boat down stream. Making that crankbait run right into the exact spot you are thinking the bass are holding on, is next.
If your fishing 10 feet deep and the holding spot is assumed to be in shallow water 4 - 5 feet deep then imagine when that crankbait is going to hit that 5 foot depth. Deep divers, mid runners, shallow runners and rattling lipless crankbaits are all used when determining what depth you need to reach. The object is to make contact with the bottom, at the exact place on that point where it should be. When you do and you make repeated casts to the same spot in the same manner, the bass will respond.
Wheeler lakes lower end is going to remain clear during January and February except maybe around the mouth of the Elk River, when following heavy rains. Rock bluffs, main lake points, feeder creeks and plenty of bass holding cover found down below the water line (with a little map study), are excellent starting spots.
These are places to target the next few weeks. Winter bass bunch up in likely locations such as river ledges, creek channels, secondary ledges out from the banks, creek and river channel junctions, rock bluffs, the mouths of small cuts and pockets and the points leading into these out of the current spots.
Fishing on bottom is the normal approach for these sluggish wintertime bass. Soft plastics and jig combos fool some of the years biggest smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Small worms, lizards and crayfish imitations in colors of root beer, watermelon or pumpkinseed are good choices in clear water situations.
If the water has a stain to it try dyeing the tail or legs of your lures. Try more brighter colors on your lures if stained. Avoid cold muddy water. Jigging spoons and fishing with tailspinners are good search lures, but they do hang up so bring along plenty. You will lose some lures in a days time when dragging exposed hooks across the lakes bottom.
Shad type lures fished on jig heads fool all kinds of fish. So do single tailed grubs or twin tailed grubs. Pearl colors, white colors, and smoke with glitter are all good choices as well. Tube baits and creature baits are not seen as much and both are excellent lures during winter.
Experiment this winter on Wheeler Lake as you decipher each place you fish and determine your lure choice by the day ahead. Big smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and some huge, striped bass are taken each winter. This is when some of the years biggest bass are fooled, but only if your there.
It can be downright miserable during winter on Wheeler Lake, so dress warm, bring plenty of spare clothes and warm food, coffee or hot chocolate. Always wear you life jacket and outboard motor kill switch. Be safe and catch a lot of fish this winter!
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”
Wheeler Lake Summer Fishing
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
As summer progresses there are many ways to fool the largemouth bass and smallmouth bass that make up this huge, man made impoundment on the Tennessee River System. Many anglers resort to night fishing on Wheeler Lake during the summer period.
To beat the heat (that can reach 100 degrees by midday), anglers may launch the boat late in the evening and fish all night, until it begins to warm at mid morning the next day. Others just fish until the midnight hours and head for home early to get a few hours sleep. Either way, night fishing can be very relaxing and often very rewarding, in terms of trophy bass.
Some anglers are forced to fish during the daylight hours and they must adjust to the heat just like the bass they are after. Like marathon night fishing, some anglers will stay out all day and brave the midday heat in search of their ever elusive bass quarry, despite the grueling conditions. Old timers or seasoned anglers usually time their trips accordingly and fish only during the early morning hours or during late evening hours.
Despite your choice (of fishing during the daylight hours or under the stars at night), the summer months of June, July and August have got to include plans for both types of fishing. So heres some tips for anglers that do a little of both day and night fishing on Alabama’s second largest impoundment, Wheeler Lake.
Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass do feed during the daylight hours throughout Wheeler Lake. They also feed at night. From the lakes headwaters (situated just below Guntersville Lake dam), to over 50 miles south at midlake where the Interstate 65 crosses the lake are good places to fish all summer. The lakes lower end fed by the incoming Elk River and major incoming feeder creeks, displays all types of shallow to deep water habitats these bass occupy all summer long.
Wheeler Lakes Headwaters - The upper end of Wheeler Lake is more of a river type situation and the incoming feeder creeks and the lakes headwaters (below Guntersville Lake dam) supply fresh, cool incoming water, which creates current and oxygen. Constant barge traffic in these lake headwaters also keeps the water moving and the dam opening and closing all day creates lots of current. Creek mouths, and the mouths of small cuts and pockets, are excellent places to fish this summer with crankbaits, spinnerbaits and lures fished on bottom.
Wheeler Lakes mid-Lake - Two bridges cross the lake at its mid section and just below here is the millfoil and hydrilla infested, Decatur Flats. Incoming feeder creeks and loads of piers, boat houses and a few marinas that show shade seeking bass plenty of places to occupy this summer.
Wheeler Lakes Lower End - The incoming Elk River winds for miles throughout the scenic hillsides. It includes many bridges, loads of rock bluffs and a twisting, winding river channel, that creates log jams on every flat and bend.
Piers, boat houses and a few incoming creeks show the Elk River an all day excursion when exploring this major source of incoming water. There is always plenty of evident prey and loads of nutrients in the Elk River. Use caution when navigating during both day and night. There are always a few logs floating down the Elk River in the summer.
There is also Spring Creek across from the Elk River and First Creek and Second Creek near the dam on the Lakes lower end. Bridges lined with man made rip-rap rocks and major creek and river channel flats, bluffs and drop-offs hold schools of bass all summer long in this lower lake region.
There is also plenty for these bass to dine on all summer long throughout Wheeler Lake and many of these prey are found in these lake headwaters, mid lake and the lakes lower end. With many choices for the bass to consider.
Incoming meals like threadfin shad and gizzard shad baitfish, all sizes of minnows, a variety of bream, sunfish, small rock bass and other small baitfish are consumed daily. Lures that mimic baitfish like crankbaits, rattletraps and both floating and suspending jerkbaits are good choices this summer.
This lengthy list of summertime favorites these bass consume includes both small and large crayfish, all types of insects like bees, wasps or dragon flies and even frogs, small mice, small snakes, worms, eels and lizards. All of which are found in and around these places lake wide this summer.
There are spots that Wheeler Lake bass inhibit all summer. Places like around wood cover such as stumps, brush piles, laying trees and man made wood cover. This includes rocks and boulders and in and around all types of aquatic weeds. These are all dependable places to return to as conditions stabilize each week and more and more schools of both predator and prey move in.
Everything these bass need for survival (when the temperature soars and they are seeking these comforts each day or night) while feeding on what ever comes their way, gets down to what lures you can use to fool them into striking your offerings this summer.
Some anglers fish shallow, some fish deep. Versatile anglers do both during the summer months. Shallow bass are feeding bass and during the daylight hours or late evenings on Wheeler Lake this tactic always calls for including a few topwaters in your list of tempting offerings.
This can mean the use of weedless lures fishing right up in the many types of aquatic weeds Wheeler Lake has to offer. Around millfoil, hydrilla and Lilly pads try buzzbaits, frogs and rats, weedless spoons, spinnerbaits and both floating worms and soft jerkbaits. These lures are among many anglers favorites.
These many types of weedless lures are necessary (for less frustration), when targeting thick weeds and fishing with weedless lures helps avoid hanging or losing costly lures. The use of weedless lures always increases your chance for more catching and fooling these bass into striking your lures as well.
At early morning light topwaters fished along flats, rip-rap rocks and around other wood, weed and rock cover, can include a lengthy list of the not so weedless type topwaters, usually featuring one or more treble hooks. Walking type topwaters like zara spooks, Sammie’s and other cigar shaped topwaters, are deadly on both largemouth bass and smallmouth bass at dawn, late evenings or during cloudy, rainy periods. Also day or night try pop-r’s, prop baits and an old favorite, the jitterbug.
Fishing at night on Wheeler Lake can include using the same lures you use during the day. But most nighttime anglers stick with topwaters, spinnerbaits and lures fished on bottom like plastics rigged on a jig head, Texas rigged or Carolina rigged plastic lures, tube baits, creature baits and jig combos.
Whether you fish during the day or night, Wheeler Lake has both types of fishing to offer this summer. Be safe and always include your life jacket and outboard motor kill switch when boating this summer. Fishing Licenses, boat registration papers, up to date boat stickers and items such as a throw cushion, a fully charged fire extinguisher and life jackets for each boat occupant will be checked by the water patrol.
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”
Wheeler Lake Spring Fishing
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Unseasonably warm weather showed Wheeler Lakes prespawn bass preparing beds in mid march. Mid 70 degrees air temperatures triggered bass to move shallow, much earlier than most spring seasons when these
bass are usually just coming out of a winter state of mind.
Anglers should focus their fishing efforts on flats found lake wide for spawning largemouth bass. This can be along main lake flats or far back in Wheeler’s many major feeders creeks and in the incoming waters of the Elk River. This is generally fishing in waters displaying depths of less than 5 feet deep best.
Smallmouth bass and spotted bass can also be found on these sandy and small pebbled bottomed flats as they prepare beds for spawning in March and early April. Wheeler lake is still down in March and early April,
so use extreme caution when navigating this lake. It will be down until about mid April when the lake is returned to full pool.
As waters warm into the low 70’s bass of all species will bed around the full moon. April is also when the lake is warming up and new growing aquatic weeds will begin to turn green once again. When Wheeler Lake returns
to full pool in mid April the lake can rise from 3-4 feet. Rising waters show many new places in the shallows for bass to bed in and as they once again return to the shallows to bed around wood cover, weed cover and
rocky cover, they become very susceptible to variety of lures.
Topwater Lures now become a “first” on the list of avid bass anglers that know some very big bass can act very foolish for a few weeks in the spring throughout Wheeler Lake. Around new growing weeds (like along
Decatur Flats, fast growing millfoil and hydrilla weeds), try fishing lures that do not hang up as bad as topwaters featuring 2-3 dangling treble hooks. This avoids frustration, retrieving hung lures or having to break
off precious and expensive lures the angler’s boat cannot reach.
Use more weedless lures like buzzbaits, floating worms and lizards, swimming a jig, frogs and rats, or just try fishing spinnerbaits and Texas rigged plastics in and around aquatic weeds and wooden cover.
By mid April most bass are bedding (or some have already bed) lake wide. But there are some bass in some every different modes of bedding and some bass with a very distinct eating attitude, that is until they all bed. If
you are not catching any bass, perhaps you are in the wrong part of the lake. Keep in mind most bass on the lower end of any impoundment bed last during spring. If you have to, run the boat down the lake 10-20 miles
or try launching your boat on the lakes lower end to explore new water.
As anglers fish for Wheeler Lakes various species of bass this spring, catching more and more bass becomes very evident. This is the time of year when more bass are shallow, more that any other time of the year. It is also the time (like the rest of the year), for anglers to practice catch and release and let these bass go. Male bass must guard the beds from egg eating intruders. Female bass are weak and very susceptible to your
lures. Neither male or female bass cannot live and reproduce another years offspring next season…without your help.
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:
Wilson Lake Winter Fishing
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Trophy, smallmouth bass. In Alabama, that’s a smallmouth bass exceeding five pounds. Wilson Lake has got loads of 5 pound plus smallies and now is the time of year to fish for them. From a period, starting in mid January until mid March, is acclaimed to be the best time of the entire year for having your best chance at fooling a real, trophy sized, smallmouth bass. Of course after successfully fooling it into biting your offering, then you have got to wrestle that monster into the boat!
But first you have got to be there…to experience a shot at “stardom” on Wilson Lake.
As a matter of fact, for the next two months anglers seeking these very rare and mysterious “brown bass,” should at least plan one or two trips to the Tennessee River impoundment’s Wilson Lake and Pickwick Lake. This is your chance for a really big, smallmouth bass. Or bring your own boat and spend an entire week. Go for a few days and fish both lakes with a qualified guide. Then return on your own, for the next few days of your trip in your boat!
Many anglers use live bait when tackling these often skittish and hard to fool bass. You can bet many of these trophy, smallmouth bass (those that have passed that 5 year old mark), have seen a lot of lures. So its easy to acclaim, that they have been hooked and either lost a few times or fortunately released by some conservation minded angler. Although its been said, ” Bass don’t remember very well ” I do think they associate certain lure appeals with danger. So live bait may be better at times.
However, on the other hand. Lures can entice even the most weariest of smallmouth bass into biting especially when they are found voraciously feeding or when bed protecting smallmouth bass are targeted. Like my Dad always said, ” There is no challenge with live bait .” Sure, it makes for some very relaxing ways of fishing and there is nothing wrong with using live bait. But with lures there is that challenge. Tournament anglers cannot use live bait. I never use live bait in my guide service.
Often, the use of many various types of lures is what keeps it interesting, that is on a daily basis, for any angler. Fishing is never the same on any two days and you always have to figure em’ out to get the fish to even bite your lures. During January, February and on into March there are many lure choices and various ways to fish them in winter. But first you may ask why now and why choose Wilson Lake?
Reasons being, these smallmouth bass are foolishly feeding and constantly fattening up in January and February. Most smallmouth bass are getting ready to spawn in the early spring period. March will show some of the biggest female smallmouths bedding around a full moon. By April there will still be trophy, smallmouth bass still be bedding and some will be coming off the beds. While in April and early May you will see most largemouth bass just beginning their spawning rituals on Wilson Lake.
Unlike upper Tennessee River Reservoir Wheeler Lake and down stream Impoundment Pickwick Lake (both are lowered during winter pool), Wilson Lake is kept “at or near” full pool during winter. Wilson Lake (by comparison with these other massive, north Alabama Lakes) is a small, man made Lake, now 83 years since it was impounded in 1924.
Lures for Wilson Lake
So how would an angler fish a lake that is less than 18 miles long? Slow during winter. Lure choice can be many. But many anglers always end up dragging some kind of offering along the lakes bottom. So heres a line up of the “all time trophy smallmouth bass favorites” for fishing on or near bottom on Wilson Lake.
WORMS
No matter where you fish a bass will hit a worm. Worms in lengths of 4 inches and worms up to 10 inches long can be used to fool trophy, smallmouth bass. As labeled, they do have “small mouths” but this name can be a misconception. I have seen 3-4 pound smallmouth bass brought on the boat with a lure hook in their mouth and a big shad 6-8 inches in length, half way down their throat!
Still, they do like small worms, for many of these smallmouth bass feed in clear water and they can really scrutinize a worm before inhaling it. Colors matter to. More translucent colors are needed for clear water situations.
Watermelon green / with black flake is a favorite color. Also try pumpkinseed / with a chartreuse tail, root beer, cotton candy or just plain red or blue 4-6 inch worms. Various crayfish colors should always be rigged and ready to try, like brown / with an orange tail, black / with blue tail or green / with a chartreuse tail.
Texas rigged worms, jig head rigged worms and Carolina rigged worms all fall in their own individual category. Keep in mind on both Wilson Lake and Pickwick Lake you will be fishing lots of lure grabbing rocks so bring plenty of lures, hooks, fishing line, and the hardware needed for each rig or type of rig you use.
PLASTIC LIZARDS AND CRAYFISH LURES
Like worms these two lure choices have their own distinct characteristics. Lizards entice angry bass into biting or attacking, due to their being an egg eating prey when these smallmouth bass are bedding. But lizards are not only for late winter and spring. They also eat lizards or waterdogs year round!
Lizards come in all sizes and colors. Small 4-6 inch lizards are best rigged for picky bass. Colors can be the same as worms but trying to match the local lizard colors is best. Of all colors you cannot go wrong with black, but always try brown, purple, blue and dark green. These colors best simulate the lizards on Wilson Lake. Fish scents, lures like Berkley “Gulp” or jig combos with pork trailers, may attract weary smallmouth bass that follow or trail these lures.
Crayfish are consumed daily on Wilson Lake by these smallmouth bass. They love em.’ So crayfish lures that look, act, smell and taste real are always on the menu. You can rig them Texas rigged, on a jig head, with a small split shot or they can be rigged trailing along 1-3 feet on a Carolina rig leader.
The lakes muddy bottom is best suited for these presentations and crayfish kick up little spurts of mud off the bottom when they swim along. So bumping the bottom with any rig does very much simulate crayfish movement!
Colors should look like crayfish colors. Brown, dark blue and dark green are the crayfish colors that reside in Wilson Lake. Unless these crayfish are in a molting process, that shows them displaying much lighter colors like pumpkinseed or light green which are often better.
I have seen crayfish in the bottom of my livewell that have been regurgitated by these smallmouth bass. They always have these colors on them in addition to some bright color on the crayfish’s bottom and pinchers, like red or orange. So include lures in two shades as well like Brown / with orange or black / with blue.
TUBE BAITS AND CREATURE BAITS
I don’t know what these lures actually simulate to the bass, perhaps crayfish. What ever both lures imitate they both work rather well on Wilson Lake for bottom hugging smallies. Tube baits come in all sizes and colors. They can be rigged weightless, with a small weight, or jig head, or they can be drug across the bottom on a Carolina rig.
Best colors can vary on tube baits. I have had success using smoke colored tubes / with red flake, or smoke / black flake, watermelon / with black or red flake, white or pearl colored tubes. Some anglers dye the trailing tentacles, tails and legs of tubes and other lures a different color like chartreuse, to offset the lures color and generate lure appeal.
Creature baits are lures with either two, four or six trailing appendages. They must look like something smallmouth bass eat for they are hard to beat on some days. Colors like purple / with silver flake, brown or pumpkinseed, watermelon or tails dyed with another bright color like red, lime or chartreuse may be good.
JIGs and JIG COMBOS
Jigs simulate crayfish, small minnows and other baitfish. Hair jigs are loved by smallmouth bass found throughout the world. Hair jig colors / Black, brown, brown with orange, black and blue, pumpkinseed with orange all look like crayfish. Pearl, white, lime, chartreuse, yellow, smoke / with glitter or shad are good baitfish colors.
Jig combos are either rubber skirted jigs, or hair jigs with an attached twin tailed grub, a plastic chunk trailer, plastic crayfish imitation or a pork trailer. These jig combos can be slowly fished on bottom, with a stop and go retrieve, or jig combos can be swam across the lakes bottom. Or jig combos can be hopped with a slow, up and down presentation. All of which simulates the swimming action of a real live crayfish.
Colors matter to on Jig combos. Some anglers go for an all brown on brown jig and trailer, or all black or all blue. Mixing colors can be good, giving the bass a chance to find two totally different lure colors very appealing. Like a blue jig / with a black trailer or a black jig / with a blue trailer, etc.
These are just a few of the best lures you can fish for smallmouth bass this winter on Wilson Lake. Try a few of your own and you may discover other similar lures that work too!
Make no mistake about it, Wilson Lake can show some of the best fishing for smallmouth bass found anywhere in Alabama during the next 8 weeks. So make your plans now to visit this North Alabama Lake now. See www.northalabama.org for accommodations. See my website: www.fishingalabama.com for more fishing tips, articles and winter lake reports.
Be safe this winter on our lakes. Dress warm, wear your life jacket and outboard motor kill switch. Always call on Reeds Guide Service…first! For fishing for bass and stripers on any lake in Alabama. Several boats and guides available year round. 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:
Missed Topwater Strikes
I love fishing topwater lures for largemouth and smallmouth bass. The problem is that I get a lot of fish to come up and miss the bait and when I cast back to them, I don’t get another strike at least half the time.
I started to follow up with a plastic worm, plastic minnow, lizard, etc. and I really started to catch more fish. I would still rather catch them on the topwater lure, but now I always have another rod set up with a soft plastic bait (preferably with no weight) so I can make a quick cast to bass that miss my topwater lures.
