Fall and Early Winter Fishing on Lake Eufaula
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Lake Eufaula…back then
Lake Eufaula. No not the one in Oklahoma. Lake Eufaula (officially known as Walter F. George Reservoir) is located in the southern region of the United States. It is situated along the Alabama / Georgia State lines on the Chattahoochee River. Impounded in 1963, the lake is now 43 years old.
I’ve fished, guided and even competed in a few bass tournaments on Lake Eufaula for over 30 years. In addition (in my spare time), I’ve explored this 45,180 acre lake, from one end of this huge 70 mile long impoundment, to the other. Prior to that, my Father and Uncle (both now passed on to catching even bigger bass up above) fished Lake Eufaula together, from the week the lake was first opened to the public in 1963, for over 30 years as well.
I’ve gained a whole lot of knowledge about Lake Eufaula over the recent years, seen a lot of changes and you could say, “I know it very well.” Not only about fishing Lake Eufaula in all seasons (when both at full pool and when down during drought or winter pool) but in knowing how to navigate my boat throughout this shallow water impoundment during low water… when it can be very dangerous for inexperienced boaters to attempt to navigate.
I can remember those days of bringing in huge bass, often with as many as a dozen bass over 5 pounds, caught in just one days fishing. I’ve seen and netted several big largemouth bass over that magical ten pound mark, including two 12 pounders. My father and uncle (like most anglers of that time) were fish eaters and those old, red metal Coca Cola ice chests were always slap full of fish. Always plenty of food for feeding a big family of that time.
Back then (in the 60’s and 70’s), we either fished the lakes lower end, the middle portion of the lake or to lakes upper end, always launching on the Alabama side of the lake. There were major boat launches all over the lake when it first opened, but there were a few we visited regularly. If we planned on fishing the lakes lower end (near the dam), we launched at Hardridge Creek on the Alabama side of the lake. It had no facilities back then and was a free boat launch. Hardridge Creek had very little weeds in the 60’s, no gators and plenty of standing timber left in the lake during impoundment for us to explore.
Of course we could always run the boat nearby to the huge, 2 mile long rip-rap rock lined Eufaula dam and always plan on catching largemouth bass, many weighing from 5-10 pounds. Usually this was successfully accomplished despite the conditions with one type of lure. We found lots of line tugging action on that dam by slowly exploring the rocks with Tom Mann’s worms, like those Mann’s Hobo worms (which came 100 to the bag for $2.00) or his world famous Mann’s Jelly worms and Mann’s Augertail worms.
If we planned on fishing Lake Eufaula’s mid to upper portion we either launched at White Oak Creek or launched at world famous, Chewalla Creek Marina and boat launch. There at Chewalla Creek Marina we displayed many big bass for pictures, all hung on the bragging board of Chewalla Creek boat launch. Memories that now fill our scrapbooks with pictures for others to gaze upon for years to come.
Eufaula…today
Today, we just take their pictures and let them go. Catch and Release. Back then we did not even no what that term meant. Even during the earlier years of B.A.S.S. / Bassmasters Bass Tournaments many anglers weighed in their bass brought to the scales on fish stringers (and even some smaller ones brought to the scales in coffee cans) for “catch and release” was not yet even a spoken term. We just did not know any better.
Eufaula has changed a lot over the past 40 plus years and today it is a totally different impoundment. Although it still produces largemouth bass exceeding ten pounds, there are not as many trophy bass taken by anglers as before. Fishing pressure. Any time you see lake with such world renowned recognition as Lake Eufaula is for big bass, it gets pounded regularly by hopeful bass anglers from all over the globe. Also at times (like during the spring season), there can be as many as a dozen or more bass tournaments on this lake on any given Saturday or Sunday.
Lake Eufaula’s appearance has changed to. The standing timber (left here during impoundment) is all but gone. Stumps, laying trees, brush piles and other wood cover (including planted fish attractors) have mostly just deteriorated away. Now there are those aquatic weeds for bass to relate to. Weeds of all kinds that provide cover and plenty of oxygen rich habitat for both predator and prey to take up residence in, mostly growing during the seasons of spring, summer and fall. Winter season shows the lake drawn down (extremely low in recent years) to aid in flood control, often as low as 4-6 feet below normal full pool levels. Aquatic weeds anglers fish most of year such as bulrush, maiden cane, cattails and lilly pads are left high and dry during lake drawdown and become obsolete as fish habitat during winter.
But there is recent surge of two new type of aquatic weeds growing throughout Lake Eufaula, weeds that can grow during the winter season and weeds that can grow in deep water. Eurasian millfoil and Hydrilla aquatic weeds are spreading throughout the lakes mid to lower portion every year. Weeds that were once foreign to this lake recently introduced to Lake Eufaula by anglers that launch their boats after fishing other weed infested waters on other lakes.
An example is Guntersville Lake in Alabama or Lake Seminole in Georgia, both lakes of which are now choked out with these aquatic weeds that grow very thick and matted when left unattended. The good side is anglers like it, bass like it and the small fish and crayfish the bass dine on like it. Millfoil an hydrilla weeds also hold bass during the middle portion of the day, making them very susceptible to your lures.
Fishing Lake Eufaula during October, November and December
Fishing Lake Eufaula during the fall period is often as good as the spring season, but with less company. Anglers hanging up their rods in exchange for guns are now in the nearby woods deer hunting. Some would be anglers are home watching football. While still others have given up until next year, actually covering up their boats and parking them until next spring. To bad. They are missing out on some of the year’s best big bass action and they could still have a shot at plenty of fish catching action found lake wide.
Fall. Gone are the temperamental attitudes of the bass like during the spring spawn and picky feeding bass schools following shad schools in deep water this summer. These bass now invade the shallows of main lake flats and feeder creeks with one thing in mind, to fatten up and put on the needed fat reserves for the cold winter months ahead. Its true, like said the rest of the year, “Find the baitfish and find the bass.” This not only goes for exploring the over 500 miles of shoreline cover found in the shallows of Lake Eufaula (now exposed with lake drawdown) but getting out on the main river and fishing deeper water found along drop-offs and creek and river channel ledges, for bass relating to deep water places, they will soon inhibit during winter.
As waters cool in October and November anglers fishing the weeds will have success with a variety of modern day enticing lures. Unlike the days of long ago there are now many lure choices to aid an angler in fooling these Lake Eufaula largemouth bass…bass that have seen a lot of tempting offerings during this past spring and summer seasons. But bass forget. They have a short term memory and many, normally lure conditioned bass, may not have even seen a lure of any kind recently, since not as many anglers are now on the water.
Weedless lures are the lures of choice. Why fish with frustrating lures that grab the weeds on every cast resulting in no bites at all and possibly mean losing costly lures? Save the treble hook lures like topwaters, lipless lures, jerkbaits and crankbaits for open water fishing away from the weeds. Of course this goes for fishing wood cover in the shallows to, more of which becomes visible with winter pool and lake drawdown.
So arm yourself with a variety of weedless offerings if you plan on fishing Lake Eufaula’s few remaining weeds this fall and early winter seasons. Lures like floating worms and soft jerkbaits are good for times when nothing else works. Fished slow and with very long casts in and around millfoil and hydrilla weeds these soft plastics lures do fool bass and they are very weedless. Monofilament line tests of 12-15 pounds are needed for these lures.
Frog and small mice imitation lures continue to fool bass that have dined on these tasty morsels all summer long. Buzzbaits and spinnerbaits are also still productive lures around weed and wood cover found in the shallows of creeks and main lake flats. Some anglers have developed a technique of swimming lures (lures normally fished on bottom) along weed edges and around wood and rock cover. Swimming a jig combo is a deadly tactic that covers water fast for big bass during the Fall and early winter period. Monofilament line in the 20 pound class is suggested for all of these lures. Some anglers use braided line. Strong rods in lengths of 6-7 feet, wide spooled reels and sharp hooks are also suggested.
The old favorite the Texas rigged worm in lengths of 6-10 inches continue to fool Lake Eufaula’s largemouth bass, just like 40 years ago. Texas rigged or Carolina rigged plastics such as worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, tube baits and creature type baits are also good lure choices whether you fish shallow water or deep water this fall and early winter seasons.
Deep water fishing for bass has its limitations when it comes to lure choices, but there are plenty of old stand bys that always fool some bass. The problem is many anglers have to stay on the move to find that motherlode of bass in deep water. These deep water bass often bunch up on certain, preferred locations during the late fall and early winter periods. Sticking with three lure types will help you narrow down your lure selection when targeting bass in or near deep water.
Worms or other bottom type plastics and jig combos always work here. Deep diving crankbaits or lipless crankbaits are good for covering lots of water fast and for triggering dormant bass to bite. Spinnerbaits, although usually associated with fishing shallow water, are great lure choices for probing deep water hangouts. Some anglers fish heavy 1-2 ounce spinnerbaits on 7 foot rods coupled with 20 pound test monofilament or braided line, fishing with a lift and drop presentation in deep water situations.
So give Lake Eufaula a try this fall and early winter season, you will like the results! Just like years ago big bass still live in the lake just waiting for some lucky (or skilled angler) to discover! Or call on Reeds Guide Service for fishing this lake or any Alabama Lake year round. Be safe, dress warm and always wear your life jacket and outboard motor kill switch…it might just save your life!
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:
Fall Bass Fishing on Guntersville Lake
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Guntersville Lake in north Alabama is Alabama’s largest, man made Impoundment. It is a huge lake by most standards at 69,200 surface acres of water and over 82 miles of navigable water. The town of Guntersville, Al. borders the lake on its lower end, showing the lake stretching from Guntersville Lake dam (lower lake / just above Wheeler Lake), to the lakes headwaters situated below Hales Bar Dam upstream, all featured on the twisting and turning waters of the mighty, Tennessee River System.
The lake is now nearing 70 years since its impoundment. Its getting to be a very old lake and like most older lakes Guntersville lake has seen both the ups and downs all impoundments go through with each passing year. Some good some bad. Pollution, the poisonous spraying of aquatic weeds, the introduction of aquatic weed-eating grass carp fish species, increasing recreational use, barge traffic and fishing pressure are just some of the downsides. The good sides?
Ask any angler and most will exclaim, ” The grass is what makes Guntersville Lake the best bass lake in Alabama”. Lures fished from top to bottom in, around and within this grass fool some big largemouth bass in all seasons on Guntersville Lake. Although there are some smallmouth bass and spotted bass, the largemouth’s are the dominate bass species and they rule on Guntersville Lake. Especially during the fall.
Fishing in and around all the many types of weeds found on this lake, involves many lure choices. Lures that simulate or look like these prey these aquatic weed dwelling bass are accustomed to feeding on, will generate strikes all throughout this fall season. Often on into the colder days of the early winter season, for winter warming trends can trigger these bass to feed and after all, they have got to eat.
When Guntersville lake was impounded in 1939 it lacked any huge amount of aquatic weeds such as milfoil, moss, hydrilla and Lilly pads. Today, the huge amount of these types of weeds and other aquatic weeds is what makes Guntersville lake such an excellent fishery, especially for big, largemouth bass. The thick and often matted weeds such as milfoil and hydrilla offer security for the dozens of prey these largemouth bass dine on with regularity. This means anglers should be fishing with one or several of the many types of lures on today’s market. Plainly put, those lures that look like the meals these bass eat.
The entire lake is loaded with many species of small minnows, threadfin shad, gizzard shad, yellowtail shad, skip jack herring, bream, sunfish, crappie, shell crackers and even crayfish, all that make their homes in and around these aquatic weeds most of the spring, summer, fall and early winter seasons. Largemouth bass have plenty to eat on this lake and they grow big dining on these prey and other meals. Besides baitfish and crayfish these largemouth bass will consume small mice, worms, lizards, snakes, small water fowl, insects and frogs, if given the chance. They are now feeding and fattening up for the upcoming winter season, often evident in the shallows all day.
Many bass exceeding ten pounds have been reported being caught in the recent years (some weighing in the teens), and the fall season and early winter period is when many of these really trophy sized bass are fooled, especially when fishing the shallow, weedy waters of Guntersville Lake, in the right place with the right kind of lure. There are certain techniques many knowledgeable anglers employ when faced with trying to decipher the often intimidating weeds featured throughout Guntersville Lakes waters. Some first timers can really struggle with so many choices of weedy waters to fish…found lake wide.
Narrowing your search. That’s the goal of any angler whether your just fishing, competing in a major bass tournament or just trophy, bass fishing. Finding bass in a small area and concentrating all of your years of fishing experience (and fishing expertise), all into hopefully, one fantastic day of fishing. All when relying on your confidence, your lure choice and your ability to adapt to certain conditions and situations. On Guntersville Lake, as waters begin to cool there will be many changes an angler has to face this fall in order to adapt and still catch fish.
Unknown to many people, those that don’t fish (yes, there are some), there are some actually some very good reasons why these “professional bass anglers” practice for an upcoming bass tournament. Practice often means traveling throughout the lake, not in just one day, but usually in several days of fishing or just riding and looking over the entire lake, eventually narrowing your search.
Practice does often mean burning a lot of gas and oil in the boat eliminating useless water and to help you in concentrating your efforts in the future on places you find quality bites and big bass during previous trips. This can get expensive with the price of gas and oil, for both your eight cylindered tow vehicle and that big, horse powered motor on your big bass boat. Launching at various boat launches found throughout the lake can help cut down on fishing costs like gas, instead of running all over the lake. Or sharing the expenses with another angler can cut your costs in half, both during practice and during competition.
During the fall on Guntersville Lake your “practice period” means spotting feeding birds and looking for lots of evident baitfish and fish feeding activity. This can take place in those certain little spots many anglers overlook. Wind blown banks are often overlooked and at times even avoided by anglers seeking calmer waters. This can be a bank that was calm at dawn, but by mid day it has been pounded for hours with by cold, 20-30 m.p.h. northerly winds, as fall’s ever increasing cold fronts come in with each passing week. Or a bank with southerly winds blowing directly into it can feature pockets of warm, southerly waters of a few degrees more - than cooler waters only a few hundred yards away - often inducing bass to feed.
Another couple of often overlooked situations that always take place during the fall and winter period throughout massive, Guntersville Lake is water clarity (from clear to muddy) and falling water temperature. Although this past summer season showed drought, no rain for weeks, hot, bright and scorching bluebird skies and soaring air temperatures of 105 degrees for weeks, there were still active bass in the shallows. Water clarity soon just became…clear, in late August. Fall rains can change all that.
Guntersville’s waters can get stained with another factor besides incoming rain water, one that can stain the waters situated along miles and miles of flatlands found on Guntersville Lake. Even with no rain there is always some water that displays a slightly stained look, giving bass a feeling of security and aiding them in feeding more in the shallows.
There are countless miles of creek backwaters and main lake flats that are affected by the flow of current in this lake. When water is drawn at the lower lakes dam (or current drawn through both Guntersville Lake dam and Hales Bar dam), it creates current in the lake and its incoming feeder creeks. This current stirs up the lakes bottom. This mixes the upper and lower water column and creates a stained look when the lakes muddy bottom and weedy waters are combined.
Noisy topwater lures like buzzbaits, or lures that emit flash and vibration like spinnerbaits and lures with built in internal rattles such as crankbaits, jerkbaits, lipless lures and lures fished on or near bottom like worms, lizards, tube baits and jig combos, can all attract strikes from these bass in stained water situations. These bass cannot see as well in stained waters so they use their lateral line and inner ear when cruising or feeding during these stained water conditions.
Fish Guntersville Lake this fall season and learn a few techniques and fishing factors of your own, that will aid you in fooling that “bass of lifetime” into hitting your lure. Or call on Reeds Guide Service…first! “Guntersville Lake’s most well known, oldest, professional Guide Service, guiding on Guntersville Lake for over 30 years.” Remember, a guided fishing trip with Reeds Guide Service makes a great gift for Birthday’s, Father’s Day, Christmas (certificates available) or any occasion, for those loved ones that love to fish. Several professional guides and quality bass boats available year round, for multiple parties and corporate guided trips. 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:
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:
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 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:
Summer Fishing on Lay Lake
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
It was in the late 60’s when I first wet a hook, on Alabama’s Lay Lake. Unknown to me at the time, the lake had just been re-impounded in the early 60’s, raising the lakes water level another 16 feet. Stick ups, standing timer and hundreds of precut stumprows, were left for fish-holding cover, as the lake rose and the bass invaded the newly flooded shallows.
Ironically, fishing for bass on Lay Lake, is just as good today as it was back then, over 30 years ago. I’ve acquired a wealth of knowledge fishing this lake, guiding clients from all over the world, for over thirty years. I’ve won dozens of major bass tournaments and pocketed many a check, from Lay Lake’s weed-infested waters.
During any trip fishing on Lay Lake, I’ve always enjoyed the chase for the ever-elusive antic’s, of Lay Lake’s Largemouth Bass. I’ve also had my share of, heart-shaking experience, doing battle with the mighty, Coosa River Spotted Bass. Which most avid anglers will agree, is second to none.
Late summer is a very trying time for all anglers. Even those with years of experience. Whether its just fishing, or competing in a bass tournament, Lay Lakes late summer doldrums, can throw you a curve ball. Even the most experienced anglers of Lay Lake, struggle during these times.
There are too many variables, that change from day to day, that reposition the bass (particularly individual largemouth bass), living in and among the weeds. This goes for the spotted bass to, often labeled, “here today gone tomorrow bass.”
Knowing where to fish, when to be there, what to throw, how to present each individual offering, in an enticing manner, is what it takes to get quality bites on Lay Lake. This especially holds true when the temperatures reach their peak, during the late August early September period.
Where to fish? Boy, what are some “guides” thinking? Telling every reader (on this Lake, or any Lake report), one or two particular spots, and what they caught em’ on, does no one any good. Especially when hundreds of determined anglers, later converge on one very small spot, or a certain, confined area of the Lake, hoping for the exact same results, as the writer had.
But suggesting what to look for (many areas with similar characteristics), can narrow it down and spread out the choices, for the hundreds of readers, that depend on these reports for fishing information. Not because, experienced guides like myself want to keep “Honey Holes” all to their selves. If you are an experienced guide, and have fished long enough, this should never be a problem.
The Largemouth’s on Lay Lake can be hard to pinpoint on any given trip. In past summer season’s, anglers that probe deep within the many miles of Lay’s weedy banks, have had phenomenal success. They return next summer, but often bomb out.
Things change. Last year, the almost unbearable scorching summer sun climbed, midday temperatures were close to the 100 degree mark. Many anglers simply went night fishing or hung up their rods to watch sports on Television, in the cool air condition.
But for some determined anglers, that braved the heat, many surprisingly found the shallow water bass of Lay cooperated. Most anglers that knew, kept the shallow water bite all to themselves. Even during those low, 90 degree water temperatures, bass were caught in less than two feet of very shady water, on a variety of lures from top to bottom.
During the late summer period, bass have become conditioned to the heat, most adapt very well on Lay Lake. This is when shade, current, cooler water and thick, green, matted weeds all play a huge role, in where to fish. Shade, means looking for spots that bass can hide in security, without the bright, summer sun giving away their location.
This can be wood, weed or rock cover. Piers, boat houses, marinas, bridges, over hanging trees or bushes, and of course thick weeds, all offer shade. Shady banks can be found all along the main river, or far up in the many dozens of tributaries, Lay Lake has to offer.
These shady spots provide security and are often many degrees cooler than surrounding waters. Hot summer days, mean timing your fishing location, as the sun gets higher. For your comfort and a much better chance at catching more active bass. This pattern, can show bass biting on the Lakes eastern side, early to late mornings, and from midday to late evenings, on the Lakes western side.
Shade, combined with current, and weedy areas that provide lots of oxygenated water, is an excellent choice for finding big bass, and big schools of bass, both largemouth’s and spotted bass. During water generation, main lake weedy points, provide all of these comfortable requirements.
The same goes for the mouths of creeks, small cuts and pockets and the upper and lower ends of islands. These same places can have stumps, standing timber, lay down trees and brush piles. Wood cover, that provides excellent ambush spots, just out of the current.
Rocks, boulders and bluff-type banks, are all excellent places to find schools of bass, all summer long. By late summer, these places have become regular stop-off spots for cruising bass, or huge schools of bass seeking refuge from the swift current, during water generation.
Lay Lake has these rocky features from one end of the lake, to the lakes headwaters. Water generation plays a huge roll during summer. Bass are very active, even during hot, midday fishing trips, as long as there is water generation.
Along rock bluffs there are many features that attract both the baitfish and bass during these times of moving water. Points extruding out from rock bluffs, always deserve a few casts. Baitfish seek the shelter of eddy areas, out of the current on these points.
Fan casting these bluff points, with lures such as crankbaits, suspending jerkbaits, rattletraps and spinnerbaits, simulate the baitfish they feed on here. Fast, erratic, stop-and-go retrieves, with these lures, trigger more strikes than a slow, steady retrieve.
Even when there is no evident current, bass holding on these bluff points cruise the scattered boulders, rocks and irregular bottom features, looking for easy-to-catch meals. This is when lures, such as deep divers, Texas and Carolina-rigged worms, lizards and crayfish imitations, Jig combos and tube baits, retrieved on or near the bottom, are good choices.
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:
Winter Fishing on Logan Martin Lake
Article by: Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com
Anglers visiting Alabama and fishing Logan Martin Lake this winter will discover something lacking in the water. During the winter months of December, January and February they can count on one thing they do not have to decipher to figure out the lakes inhabitants, the largemouth bass. That’s fishing the weeds. For there are none.
There will be no aquatic weeds growing or visible on Logan Martin Lake until late April, when the lake is brought back up to full pool during the spring. So this means anglers can simply target wood and rock cover to catch bass.
Rock Cover
Targeting bass found around rock cover can mean fishing rocks around the bridges, culverts, causeways and the dam, better known as man made rip-rap rocks. Or targeting rock bluffs found all over the main lake. Or fishing rocks can mean targeting bass holding around small pebble rocks and rocks about baseball size found along flats, sandy banks and red clay banks. Or just fishing huge boulders found on deep, rocky banks.
Sea walls are built from bricks, concrete, blocks or rocks and they hold heat on sunny days, warming the surrounding waters. Although some of these man made seawalls are now high and dry with lake draw down, there are still many in the water. They are mostly found around houses, marinas, bridges, culverts and wind blown banks on the mid to lower lake.
Many creatures live in and around these many types of rock cover. Simulating these creatures with fake lures can mean an angler fishing a whole array of bottom bumping lures, mid runners and even topwater lures.
Worms of all sizes rigged Texas style, Carolina rigged or on a jig head, or drop shot rigged, will fool these picky bass holding around rocks. Natural colors in clear water like watermelon / black flake, pumpkinseed, root beer and cotton candy are all good. Or just darker colors in stained water like black and blue, brown and orange and shades of purple. Contrasting colors on tails, pinchers and legs of these soft plastic lures may entice otherwise picky bass of winter into biting
There are lots of crayfish, lizards and waterdogs too. So jig combos, lizards and plastic crayfish, tube baits and creature baits fished on jig heads, Texas rigged and Carolina rigged do work this winter on these rocks as well. So plan on bringing plenty of lures, hooks and hardware, for they do hang up in the rocks. You will lose some in a days time, or if fishing several days, or when fishing all week!
*NOTE* Seawalls on Logan Martin Lake can be fished with bottom lures, jigs and plastics. But at times bass corral the baitfish up against these walls and really feed heavily on them. So lures like spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, shallow running crankbaits and even walking type topwaters…can be really be good in getting them to bite during this feeding frenzy!
Wood Cover
Stump rows such as stumps along main lake flats and up in creeks are excellent targets for shallow bass as are brush piles found around piers, boat houses and flats.
Laying trees are found throughout Logan Martin Lake and they hold bass all during the winter. They can be seen on deep banks and on shallow banks, or they are now visible washed up on ledges. Or trees are now seen holding up on points and islands, pushed there by swift, main lake current. Trees are like bass magnets during winter on Logan Martin Lake.
This especially holds true for trees laying up on flats on the main lake or up in creeks during week long warming trends. By midday during these winter warming trends (after hours of sunshine), that big, old wooden tree trunk and its limbs, can absorb a lot of sunshine. Sunshine that warms the surrounding waters a few degrees on the main lake and creek flats, making any resident bass nearby…a lot more active and easier to catch.
This wood cover can attract more than one bass. Often during the winter months big schools of both spotted bass and largemouth bass can be found holding on these trees and they can be fooled into biting. These are bunched up bass, usually all holding in one small, preferred location on these trees. So an angler will have to thoroughly fish the entire tree at times to even get a bite.
Bass holding on a current break found along most trees will not move far or chase down a meal during these cold days of winter. They want to move very little and exert as little energy as possible, due to cold water temps slowing down their metabolism. So precise casts and fishing with lures that will not hang up and spook the entire school may be needed.
Fish the trees outer edges, branches and limbs with crankbaits, spinnerbaits, lipless lures and especially floating and suspending jerkbaits, all fished as slow as you can stand it. Stop and go retrieves with long pauses on these lures always entice more strikes, than just plain casting and retrieving your lures. Then work your way in slowly with bottom lures.
There are bream, crappie, minnows, threadfin shad, gizzard shad, small bass, catfish and even an occasional worm, eel, lizard, waterdog or crayfish. All of these creatures are holding in and around wood cover such as trees, stumps and brush piles this winter season on Logan Martin Lake. All the more reason for a big bass or two to be lurking nearby.
Often the bigger bass will dominate one big, old isolated tree. Especially those with plenty of limbs, a big main tree trunk body, a huge root system and trees with washed in debris or logjams. All of which are very good and especially visible in the lakes upper reaches. Even one isolated log (many of which can now be seen lake wide with drawdown), can now be seen in 1-3 feet of water for the next 5 - 6 months. Making it easier for anglers to target shallow bass attracted to this wood cover.
So to catch bass moving back to the lakes wood cover anglers just have to do a little exploring. Some of this wood cover is now very visible with the lake down from 3-5 feet during the winter. Stumps that were previously in 1-3 feet of shallow water, are now very exposed. Stumps that were deeper during full pool can now be seen in 1-3 feet of water with the lake down.
Brush piles found on Logan Martin Lake’s main lake flats and around resident built piers, are now entirely exposed. Some resident and angler planted brush piles that were deep are now visible, but they may only display small limbs or twigs now protruding above the water’s surface. Indicating to the savvy angler’s watchful eye, maybe more than one bass is down below.
Some brush piles on Logan Martin Lake are huge. Anglers and residents sink as many as 100 of these Christmas trees, to attract bream, crappie, bass an even catfish. Man made wood cover holds bass all throughout the winter months. In some parts of this lake this is the only wood cover around for the bass (and the prey they dine on), to relate to.
Piers, boat houses and marinas all house plenty of cover for both the largemouth bass and the Coosa River spotted bass to relate to. From the lakes mid section (at Interstate 20 crossing), to 25 miles south to Logan Martin dam, are some of the best places to concentrate your efforts. That is, if you plan on fishing around piers, boat houses, marinas and other wood cover.
All of these man made wooden structures such as piers, boat houses and any other “board built” wooden cover, are normally hovering just inches above the “full pool” water line. During spring through the early fall period (when the lake is at full pool), its a job just fishing them and it takes lot of skill to just get your lures under these wooden structures.
Adept anglers always show off their skipping expertise during full pool on Logan Martin Lake. Some very skilled anglers can skip a worm, lizard, jig combo, tube bait, creature bait or even a small 4 inch worm rigged on a jig head, far beneath these piers and they are proud of their learning this unique technique – that results in fooling bass into biting. Bass, other anglers miss due to just casting their offerings around these piers.
Well, anglers fishing these piers during the winter and early spring, will not have that problem, not with water lines along the bottom of piers and boat houses now 3-4 feet above the waters surface! Not only are brush piles now evident, but other things residents throw in the water as well. Pallet’s, old tires, brush and trees cut along the banks, even old refrigerators, washing machines and sunken boats can be seen around piers during lake drawdown.
So fish the many types of wood cover (and other cover) this winter to catch spotted bass and largemouth bass on Logan Martin Lake. Bass that relate to water depths of 1-20 feet (maybe be even deeper if very cold few days) and see if you can fool some of Alabama’s most pressured bass. Bass that is, that are not even bothered that much during winter. For many anglers don’t know how good Logan Martin Lake really is during the winter.
You have to be there…to sample some of the state’s best bass fishing this winter season to actually know!
Be safe and dress warm and always wear you life jacket and outboard motor kill switch. Always bring plenty of spare clothes, fire starting material and a lighter, warm food, drinks and snacks, just in case, for emergencies. You may be glad you did! The life you save could just be your own.
Need help fishing Logan Martin Lake this winter season? Always call on Reeds Guide Service…first! Logan Martin Lake’s (and all of Alabama’s Lakes) oldest, professional bass and striper guide service. Several boats and professional guides available year round for multiple parties and corporate guided trips. “Over 40 + Years Guiding and Tournament Fishing all of Alabama’s Lakes for Bass”
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 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:
