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:

• Lake Eufaula
• Lake Eufaula Fishing Guides

Winter Fishing on Lake Guntersville

Article by:  Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com

I write about Guntersville lake a lot because I fish this lake a lot. It is one of my favorite lakes for big, largemouth bass during the winter season. With 69,200 acres of water and over 82 miles in length, that leaves a lot of water to explore on this man made impoundment (Alabama’s biggest), situated on the Tennessee River System. It has now been near 70 years since Guntersville lake was Impounded. Since 1939 both my Father and Uncle spent an entire life fishing Guntersville Lake. Since I was a teenager I fished with them and soon began exploring Guntersville lake on my own as owner of Reeds Guide Service.

I’ve always looked at the lake with these years of experience, fishing and exploring it in every season. I visit this enormous lake in North Alabama every week and have seen over a dozen  of its age old bass, many exceeding that magical mark of 10 pounds. Many of these huge, largemouth bass are fooled with a variety of lures fished from top to bottom, generally fishing in shallow, weedy main lake flats and flats in backwater feeder creeks, during the cold, winter months of December, January and February.

Warming trends always have an effect on these Guntersville lake bass that spend their time feeding in shallow, weedy waters. Cold fronts all but shut them down and warming trends always get them very active, usually after 2-3 days of consecutive warm days and warm nights. In Alabama, like during the beginning of this winter in December, it can get in the mid to upper 70’s often for more than a week at a time, showing winter water temps soar from the low 50’s into the upper 60’s. This triggers these largemouth bass to move into shallow water feeding for several days and nights at a time. That is, until conditions return to normal, winter time weather lows, slowing down their metabolism and making them slower to react to your lures. Its all a matter of timing.

Let me give you an example;
I took a young man on a trip to Guntersville Lake a few years back in December, that developed into a very memorable day. It was a Christmas gift he had received early, so we went a few weeks prior to Christmas. I say he was young, but actually he was a teenager, but with very little fishing experience. His biggest bass to date, was a 4 1/2 pounder, he had caught in his grandfathers pond on a plastic worm. So that day was dedicated to him catching one lone bass. One trophy bass he could get mounted and have bragging rights the rest of his life. Luckily for me the weather cooperated and he got his wish.

It was a week long warming trend and the bass were moving shallow and feeding more and more with each passing day bringing up the water temps a few degrees. I saw the water temps that week go from a previously two week cold front of mid 40’s water temps, to 60 degrees in just a few days. On this day a cloudy rainy front was approaching and evening showers were forecasted. Perfect wintertime warming trend conditions for targeting big bass in the shallows of Guntersville lake.

We started the day catching several bass in and around the millfoil weeds on lures like spinnerbaits, soft jerkbaits, floating worms, suspending jerjkbaits, rattletraps and shallow running crankbaits. Then as the skies darkened we went to topwater lures. The young angler (as usual), exclaimed, topwater lures? In the winter? As usual, I had to explain. Yes, bass will hit a topwater lure in the winter. (See: Articles link at www.fishingalabama.com

After all, the water temps had risen over 15 degrees! I explained to him that even when it only rises from the upper 40’s to the low 50’s they will still hit a topwater lure and that I had taken bass on topwater lures in 43 degree water temps. He looked a little skeptical after I told him that. He wanted to fish a lure he had never  fished before, a zara spook. He had heard this was my favorite topwater lure so a little guidance was at hand, as I showed him how to rig the lure and how to cast it and create the enticing now famous, walk-the-dog method with this old topwater lure created in the early 1900’s. I tied on a zara super spook.

This zara super spook is a newer version of the old original zara spook. The older zara spook had 2 hooks and no rattles. The Zara Super Spook has three hooks and rattles (See: www.lurenet.com) and it walks a lot easier than the older zara spooks. It is also heavier with a thicker body and the zara super spook casts a lot further and is more wind resistant.

Well, after a few casts the young man could not have gotten a better example. A blow up got both of our attention as a largemouth bass exploded on the lure at exactly 3 p.m. in the evening! The spook disappeared and the bass dove down into the weeds. Luckily the hooks and the 20 pound test line held as I swung the bass in the boat and soon a largemouth bass looking to weigh about 5 pounds was laying in the bottom of the boat. The young man was awestruck!

I knew he was now convinced, so I took a break and watched him cast the spook as it slowly began to rain. He already had his rain suit on and just kept on fishing the spook learning to master its enticing walk with each and every cast. It was a joy to behold, but I was getting wetter as the rain suddenly increased. I donned my rain suit thinking about how thankful I was the 5 pounder was not a mounting size bass. On these days often there is only one or two real trophy size bass taken and I was hoping the next explosion I heard would be a real wall hanger on the end of this anxious young man’s rod.

With the rain suit hood over my head I did not hear the explosion I was listening for. But a sudden jarring of the boat got my attention as I turned and saw the young man setting the hook time and again as he battled an obviously huge Guntersville lake bass. It was a scene I’ll never forget. Neither will he. This was the bass of a lifetime for this young man and I was just hoping we would just get it in the boat.

Earlier I had coached the young man on landing a large bass. Often, this panicky moment is when trophy bass are lost at boat side. We had tied a good knot, checked his line for nicks or unseen scrapes, checked his reels drag, adjusting it properly. Not to tight that results in broken line or straightened out hooks and defiantly not to loose of drag, that always results in loosing a bass that is not hooked very well. Seeing how good the bass was hooked and then reeling in the bass was explained. Most importantly was landing the bass.

I had told him I’ll submerge the net all the way down to the handle and you just lead the bass into the net with as little pressure as possible. He handled it like a life long pro and soon the battle was over, the huge bass was worn down and we netted it with thunder and lightning now coming in fast. He exclaimed, ” I got my trophy bass”! I knew we had to go, due to the severe weather approaching. Always a time to get off the water as fast as possible. So we just threw, what looked like a 10 pounder, in the live well of my Ranger bass boat and headed back to the boat launch…both of us bearing a smile that could easily make your mouth sore later.

So keep in mind no matter what lure your throwing at these Guntersville Lake bass, you can hook into the bass of a lifetime like this young man did on his winter time trip. Oh, how much did it weigh? Eight pounds and twelve ounces to be exact. Not as big as it looked, but big enough to ensure that this young man would have a lasting memory hanging on his wall for the rest of his life!

Also the bass was big enough that his father (who had given him the Christmas gift guided trip), called me the next day for booking another trip. A week later his father had the same “big bass expression” on his face as his son had, with an 11 1/2 pound largemouth bass was laying in the bottom of the boat, taken on an old Lunker Lure buzzbait topwater lure. But that’s another story.

Give a Guntersville lake gift to one of your loved ones that loves to fish, this Christmas season. Certificates available online. Or any occasion such as Birthdays and Fathers Day. Or just book a trip to sample Guntersville lakes waters this winter and spring with Reeds Guide Service. “Guntersville Lake’s oldest professional guide service fishing and guiding on this lake for over 40 years.” Several professional 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:

• Lake Guntersville
• Lake Guntersville Fishing Guides

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:

• Jordan Lake
• Jordan Lake Fishing Guides

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:

• Lake Neely Henry
• Lake Harris Fishing Guides

Winter Fishing on Lay Lake

Article by:  Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com

This time last year B.A.S.S. 2007 Lay Lake Bassmaster’s Classic qualifiers were anticipating the upcoming 2007 Bassmasters Classic scheduled to be held on Alabama’s Coosa River impoundment Lay Lake. They were not disappointed, especially Alabama’s Boyd Duckett that eventually won this world renowned fishing event, featuring the worlds best bass anglers. This was the first time a Bassmasters Classic contender has won the Bassmasters Classic while competing on his home state waters. Boyd’s 48 pounds and 10 ounces of hard earned bass only outdistanced the eventual second place finisher Skeet Reese of California, by only a mere 6 ounces.

Prior to that 2007 Bassmaster’s Classic, the senior editor of Bassmasters Magazine (Ken Duke), gave me a call and asked for my opinion on fishing Alabama’s Lay Lake during the winter month of February. I was honored. When he told me I would be the featured fishing guide for the Bassmaster’s Classic Lay Lake waters and that they were planning on featuring me in their February, 2007 edition of Bassmaster magazine, highlighting the upcoming 2007 Bassmasters Lay Lake Classic, I was even more honored. I knew my valued opinion would be read by thousands of Bassmaster Magazine subscribers and in addition, every word in this interview would be scrutinized by each and every one of the 2007 Bassmaster Classic contenders.

So I asked myself, “just what is Alabama’s Lay Lake really like during the winter season?” I came up with, Good and Tough. Good on days, like when several consecutive days of warm weather triggers bass to feed and move shallow. Tough during those cold, miserable days when wintertime conditions such as 20 degree mornings (usually following several days of severe cold fronts), make you wish you had stayed at home. Its all about the weather.

Conditions during the practice period for this 2007 Bassmasters Classic were very deceiving. Cold fronts, cold mornings, cold water temps in the upper 40’s and stained to muddy water conditions gave very little Classic contenders any confidence building patterns. Especially with the Classic only a few days away. But a turn for the better occurred the week of the Classic and a sudden warming trend shot the lakes water temperatures (in the mid to lower lake), up 10 degrees in some places, inducing bass to feed and move shallow.

Of which Boyd Duckett adjusted and made the best of, including catching 19 pounds 4 ounces the first day and having two of the daily “big bass awards” with a 8 pound 2 ounce monster on day one and a very important Classic winning bass, a 6 pound 9 ounce largemouth bass, caught during the last hour of the last day of the 2007 Bassmasters Classic. Two huge bass, weighing in the 6-8 pound weight class, were what it took to win that Classic for Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Alabama. Of course lure selection, places he fished and a lot of confidence in his own abilities and his hourly decisions were included in this Bassmasters Classic winning strategy.

All of these Bassmasters Classic contenders were using various patterns and fishing different lures and locations on Alabama’s 12,000 acre Lay Lake, to fool both largemouth bass and the Coosa River breed of spotted bass. Various lures, individual techniques and several big bass patterns were all developed by the last day’s top 5 anglers, following that week long warming trend. Suddenly changing conditions, showed 5 bass limits had to average 15 pounds or better daily to eventually show a Bassmasters Classic contender win or even have a chance of making the top 5.  

Some of these “Top 5″ 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic contenders fished the lakes headwaters. Most of these seasoned Classic contenders were targeting spotted bass and even a few were fooling an occasional largemouth bass into biting. These “Lay lake headwaters bass” are usually induced to feed due to the current, which is created from the discharge waters coming off of upstream Logan Martin Lake dam. These current oriented bass hang around wood cover, rocks, boulders, and any irregular bottom feature generally in water less than 10 feet deep.

Some of the eventual “top 5″ Bassmasters Classic contenders mixed it up (Like Boyd), trying for a good confidence building limit of bass early and then spending the rest of each Classic day targeting big bass, expecting only a few bites. With 47 nautical miles of water to choose from and a lake that features many feeder creeks and a shoreline of over 289 miles, these Classic contenders had to decide if they the should stay put and thoroughly fish one area, or as they say, “run and gun” hitting every possible fish holding location they can in each days time.

See my website: www.fishingalabama.com for some up to date wintertime tips I can offer after fishing (and winning), weekly bass tournaments for over 20 years and guiding on Alabama’s Lay Lake for over 30 years. Here’s the 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic ” top 5 ” winning patterns, fishing locations, winning lures and various techniques it took to win…or as some say, “almost win” the 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic. Perhaps some of these tips will help you when you encounter the same conditions (or similar conditions) while fishing Alabama’s Lay Lake during this winter season.

* Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Alabama was a Classic rookie. He qualified for this 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic through fishing the Bassmaster’s Southern Tour Division. His, “stay put” strategy, called for fishing nearby in the mid lake region. He targeted spotted bass in shallow flats only a mile from the Paradise Point Marina take-off site in nearby Kelly Creek. Fishing with a 1/2 ounce Rayburn red colored Bill Lewis rattletrap lipless lure got him a limit of bass each morning.

Boyd ended up fishing a much bigger feeder creek situated right across the lake. Cedar Creek paid off, giving up a few of his biggest bass topping off each morning’s 5 spotted bass limit. His big bass lure of choice was a 4 inch Berkely Chigger Craw, Texas rigged and flipped in and around weedy, creek backwater banks. This Classic contender entered this Classic with an open mind and threw out all practice period notions and it paid off handsomely for Boyd Duckett, 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic Champion.

* Skeet Reese of California placed second in the 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic, missing a Classic win by only 6 ounces, right behind Boyd Duckett. After him exclaiming to have had a terrible practice period with only a couple of bass, Skeet’s confidence level was very low going into this Classic. Fishing the lakes headwaters during competition he decided to just go fishing and fish his strengths and it almost paid off.

Skeet brought in 5 bass limits each day weighing 17 1/2 pounds, 14-14 and 15-14. Ironically some of Skeet’s bass came on the same lure Boyd used. A Berkley Powerbait Chigger Craw. Included in Skeet’s arsenal was a shallow running crankbait labled, a S.K.T. Mini MR made by Lucky Craft. Skeet Reese targeted laydown trees in Lay lakes headwaters fishing 3-6 feet of water in the main lake current.

* Kevin Van Dam, boy how many times have you seen or heard that name in fishing? Its said, “if Kevin is on your heels, then you had better watch out!” Like Skeet Reese of California, Kevin Van Dam of Michigan almost won this 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic, placing third overall. Targeting mid to lower lake creek mouth weed lines, Kevin brought in a decent sack of bass on day one weighing 13 pounds. Day two as usual, Kevin Van Dam figured them out, bringing in 19 pounds 14 ounces of bass, including a 5-7 largemouth bass that got big bass of the day honors.

His third day sack of bass is what hurt his chances of winning this Bassmasters Classic, weighing only 12 pounds and 5 ounces, for a three day total of 45-4. Like Boyd, Kevin fooled some of his bass daily on lipless lures. Using a 1/2 ounce Strike King Red Eye Shad lipless lure and a Strike King flat shad crankbait as well, Kevin fooled some of his bass fishing weed lines in 3 feet of water. Falling water levels on day three scattered his more quality bass bites and only smaller bass were biting for Kevin on that last day.

* Terry McWilliams. Who? Unlike the name Van Dam, this lesser known Bass Federation angler made a real show and made people recognize another Bass Federation Classic Contender. Posting a first day limit of 5 bass weighing 15-9, a second day weight of 12-4 and a last day charge with 5 bass weighing 17-6, Terry McWilliams of Indiana ended the 2007 Bassmasters Classic in 4th place with weight of 45-3. And he did it fishing a very obvious “community hole” and doing it with one lure. Fishing the warm discharge waters of Wilsonville steam plant with a tube bait named, “The Honey Creek Tackle Stupid Tube” rigged Texas style, fishing rocks and boulders along main river drops, right below the warm water discharge.

* Gary Klein from Weathorford, Texas is a well know Bassmaster pro, having fished 25 Bassmasters Classic’s. He is also known to be deadly with a flipping stick in hand. Klein started this 2007 Lay Lake Classic with a respectable sack of flipped up bass weighing 11-6 putting him in 30th place on day one. On the strength of one lure. Using a 3/8 ounce green pumpkin football head jig combo, he brought in a weight of 17-5 to move into 6th place on day two.

Klein had another good day bringing in 5 bass weighing 15-10 on the last day of this 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic. But it was only good for fifth place and a total 3 day weight of 44-5. He was the only “top 5″ contender that fished deep water of 12-30 feet in the Spring Creek area. Some of Klein’s bass came out of deep water featuring standing timer, and other bass were caught around piers when the water warmed at midday.

So there you have it, this is how these 2007 Bassmaster Classic contenders caught their bass and placed in the eventual “top 5″ in the 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic. Think you can do as well this winter season? If not, give me a call. Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133. “Over 30 Years tournament fishing and guiding on Alabama’s Lay Lake.” Several guides available year round. See my website: www.fishingalabama.com for more fishing tips, fishing articles and loads of fishing info for all of Alabama’s Lakes.

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:

• Lay Lake
• Lay Lake Fishing Guides

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:

• Logan Martin Lake
• Logan Martin Lake Fishing Guides

Winter Fishing on Lake Mitchell

Article by:  Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com

Mitchell Lake on the lower Coosa River System. Its a lake you hear very little about during winter. Its also a lake the world’s touring pros never get a chance to sample. Maybe soon.

This 14 mile long impoundment is not that big of a lake but it fishes big! Even during the winter months of December, January and February the anglers fishing Mitchell Lake for spotted bass and largemouth bass say it is comparable to any other Alabama Lake.

There are dozens of Coosa River spotted bass taken each winter exceeding 5 pounds, some up to 7 pounds or better! Even largemouth bass exceeding 5 pounds are very common and some exceeding 8 pounds have been taken in winters past by persistent anglers that frequent this mid Alabama Lake, despite the conditions.

But the conditions play a huge role in your “catching” or your going home with the old tale of, “their not biting today,” during the winter months on Mitchell Lake. Knowing where to be during either cold fronts or warming trends — can aid you in your search for Mitchell Lakes spotted bass and largemouth bass.

COLD FRONTS
Fishing any lake in Alabama when the mercury drops has its limits. Especially following a cold front. So what is a really bad cold front in Alabama? Several very cold nights in the teens, coupled with a very cold morning in the low to mid 20’s, with midday highs only reaching the mid 40’s. Then strong, bone chilling, high northerly winds of 15-25 M.P.H. That’s a severe cold front!

These conditions can be downright miserable. They are often followed by bright, bluebird skies and then sunny, high pressure conditions the rest of the day. This is when an angler then knows he has his work cut out for him. Knowledgeable anglers (unless tournament fishing) know better. They just stay home and await better conditions. Some anglers just can’t do that.

Many anglers come from out of state, planning a fishing trip, and then, must deal with the prevailing conditions…so they must fish or leave! So like any severe weather, winter time fishing trip, getting out of the wind and in the sun, and getting a late start is the beginning of their game plan.

Arriving at Mitchell Lake about 7-9 a.m. will show warming waters, the sun out and less of a chill in the air when you take that first boat ride to your fishing destination. Most anglers launch at midlake at Higgins Ferry Public launch, so you only have 7-8 miles either way and your at the dam!

Dress warm and make that run up to the lakes headwaters, fishing just below upper Lay Lake dam. Even during winter bass that are forced to live out the cold days of January and February get used to feeding in this cold, swift water.

Lures such as small worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, small tube baits or even small, compact sized worms on jig heads or small jig combos (all lures on the small size), will fool these sluggish bass into biting. That is with a very slow presentation. You must fish slow, even pausing these lures on the bottom for even getting bites when its very cold.

* There are loads of lures that work in winter. Even when its cold try fishing with spoons, grubs, tailspinners, deep diving crankbaits, lipless lures and try dropping heavy spinnerbaits along the lakes bottom.

WARM FRONTS
Or you can go south, towards Mitchell Lake dam or head far back up in major feeder creeks like Weogufka Creek or Hatchet Creeks, for as far 10 miles or more. Warming trends send anglers up in the creeks fishing flats, grass, stumps and other wood cover and rocky banks.

Warming trends also send the bass on a feeding spree. They know its time to feed and fatten up when water temperatures rise a few degrees. This can mean lots of big bass action in the shallows and big largemouth bass coming up to feed, while the opportunity is there on Mitchell Lake.

Water temps can rise into the upper 50’s (or even low 60’s) with several warm nights and warm days during these winter warming trends. Some warming trends can last for a week or two with midday highs in the 70’s and this really gets the bass into shallow weeds and around rocks and wood cover.

They will be hitting topwater lures, spinnerbaits and other weedless lures as the water warming sun gets better each day. Even a cloudy day with rain following several days of sunshine, can really be a “big bass day” and often, less anglers there to share this winter bassin’ with you!

Check out Mitchell Lake this winter and see the many ways you can find to fool its largemouth bass, spotted bass and even an occasional striped bass. Or call on Reeds Guide Service…first! “Over 30 years fishing Mitchell Lake for bass and stripers.”

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 Mitchell
• Lake Mitchell Fishing Guides

Winter Fishing on Pickwick Lake

Article by:  Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com

There two Lakes on the lower Tennessee River System that produce trophy, smallmouth bass traditionally during an 8 week period from about mid January until mid March. Wilson Lake and Pickwick Lake. Both Lakes have boulder strewn tailrace waters coming off of upper lake dams at their headwaters.

These lake headwaters are very dangerous places for inexperienced boaters, where water generation creates a tremendous amount of current every day. Caution is advised.

Pickwick Lake and upstream Tennessee River Impoundment Wilson Lake are both trophy bass waters with distinct characteristics of their own.

Wilson Lake is a small lake in comparison with other lakes in north Alabama at about 17 miles in length. It is also a deep water lake with rock bluffs, deep original river channels and plenty of deep water cover and irregular bottom features. Wilson is kept at or near full pool all winter long. This provides an aquatic weed habitat of a various weed types, some weeds that thrive very well year round, even during the cold winter months.

At Wilson Lakes headwaters is the tailrace waters coming off of massive, Wheeler Lake dam (the second largest impoundment in Alabama). In addition to plenty of current with Wilson Lake not being drawn down during the winter months it is safer to navigate. Wilson Lake also has many feeder creeks with a good population of both predator and prey year round. See more about Wilson Lake at: www.fishingalabama.com at the “fishing tips and lake reports” links.

Pickwick Lake is drawn down during the winter months and then brought back up to full pool in the spring. It can be 2-3 feet down, 4-5 feet down, or at times even lower. Fishing Pickwick Lakes headwaters, during low water winter pool, an angler will immediately notice one very important aspect that pertains to his boating activities this winter on Pickwick Lake.

Once an angler navigates his / her boat past the two bridges that span the Lakes headwaters, use extreme caution for it gets shallow. Unlike during the summer months when anglers make a habitat of running the boat all the way up to the face of Wilson Lake dam in Pickwick Lakes headwaters, this is not advised during winter.

Boulders and huge rocks (some just under the waters surface), and a hard bottom spell disaster for fiberglass boats with a low draw to them. Idle your boat in these Pickwick Lake headwaters and trim up your outboard motor. Always wear your life jacket and outboard motor kill switch. Again, these are dangerous waters and lives are at stake.

Now how about the fishing? Well, on Pickwick Lake, at times, its as good as it gets. But cold fronts and low, 20 degree nights can make for some miserable daytime fishing. Some days it barely reaches 50 degrees. Others its 60 or better! So be prepared for some long days with little or no bites, especially when following severe cold fronts with bright, bluebird skies.

But never give up! Some of the biggest smallmouth bass I’ve caught, my father and uncle have caught, good friends of mine have caught and clients of my guide service have caught, were taken in terrible winter weather. These are friends, clients and relatives that have fished with me for the last 30 plus winters on these Tennessee River impoundment’s.

Most trophy smallmouth bass anglers will agree their most memorable and best days (when they have caught a / some really big smallies), were during some downright miserable weather, with only a few bites in day time…but big ones!

Trophy smallmouth bass feed a lot. They have to, their big! Any big bass must eat constantly or eat big meals if it only eats occasionally. This means consuming meals that can fill a belly fast or chasing down many small meals (that must be consumed daily), to put on the needed fat reserves for winter.

This prepares the huge female smallmouth bass with the needed body weight for fasting during the spring spawn ahead, when they eat very little. So throw out the book! Smallmouth bass fishing does not always mean thinking, “they always eat small meals” or to the angler, small lures.

Some of the biggest smallies I’ve seen have hit lures fished from top to bottom, big lures usually associated with their old lazy cousin the largemouth bass. For instance:

From top to bottom would have to include Topwaters

Yes, smallmouth bass will hit a topwater lure during the cold, winter months. Most anglers that fish the Tennessee River Lakes with any regularity during winter know this. A big, 3 hooked 5 inch long Zara Super Spook topwater lure, slowly walking across the surface of the water (with a surface temperature of 50 degrees) can be very enticing for a big smallmouth bass looking up for an easy meal.

Its no different from a big, old wounded or weak gizzard shad struggling to swim as it slowly dies, floating along in the current, trying to swim on the waters surface. How many times during the cold winter season have you been fishing and heard a loud explosion break the silence as a huge bass explodes on some hapless baitfish? Same thing.

Suspending jerkbaits. In the mid water column my second choice for attracting big smallies in clear water situations would have to be a suspending jerkbait. These slim minnow type lures attract strikes from weary bass, big smallmouth bass that pass up other lures and often bass that even refuse other anglers jerkbaits. Jerkbaits that were just not fished slow enough.

Mark Menendez a Bassmaster Touring Professional angler once showed anglers that patience is very rewarding. When fishing a few years back with slow, enticing suspending jerkbaits during a cold wintertime Bassmasters Tournament held on Pickwick / Wilson Lakes, he hit the motherlode.

On three cold, consecutive winter days, Menendez caught big smallmouth after smallmouth and after culling 3 pounders each day, he won. He had a 5 bass limit each day weighing over 20 pounds, for a 3 day total of 15 bass over 60 pounds. All while anglers in other boats right beside him could not even get a bite. How did he do it? A very slow presentation, where he paused the suspending jerkbait in between twitches…often for a very, very long time before moving it.

Spinnerbaits fool a lot of big smallmouths during winter on these lakes. Some anglers drift with chartreuse and white 1/2 ounce model spinnerbaits in the main lake current, bumping bottom with these flashing, vibrating lures that simulate injured or dying baitfish, as they feed in the current close to the bottom.

Deep diving crankbaits, and shallow and mid divers, are all tools you use to find what depth, lure action, color and retrieve they want on any given winter day. Shad colors in clear water work best and colors like lime, yellow, red, orange or chartreuse and other brighter colors work best in stained water, along with crayfish colors as well, in any water clarity.

Rattling lipless lures such as Bill Lewis rattletraps and Cordell Rattling spots are great search lures. They can be fished fast for a shallow retrieve, or yo-yoed in deep water, or fished with slow lift and drop method close to the lakes bottom. Chrome / with blue back, or gold / with black back or red and orange and brown / crayfish are good colors.

On bottom smallmouth bass can have a certain preference. So try all sizes, shapes, and colors of soft plastics and jig combos. Worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, jigs, jig combos, tube baits, shad imitations, creature baits, single tailed grubs and double tailed grubs, and finesse fishing with small plastics on jig heads or rigged Texas style and Carolina rigged, are all good choices during winter. Also try jigging spoons, tailspinners and inline spinners too, this winter season on Pickwick Lake.

Looking for a guide on the Tennessee River System? Always call on Reeds Guide Service…first!” Over 30 years fishing / guiding on all of Alabama’s Lakes for bass and stripers.”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:

• Pickwick Lake
• Pickwick Lake Fishing Guides

Weiss Lake Winter Fishing

Article by:  Reed Montgomery - FishingAlabama.com

Normally, you will be hearing about the lowering of Weiss Lake for winter pool as fall approaches. But just like last year at this time, another summer season drought had the lake already down for winter pool. Weiss Lake was unseasonably low this past summer season. Just how low? Mid August showed the lake down five feet. This set some summertime low water records, for never has this lake been this low during the summer season. So how has this changed the bass fishing during the fall period? Tremendously.

In the past under normal, full pool, early fall conditions these Weiss Lake bass are usually heading for the weedy shallows of this lake. Usually, these bass have related to shallow water aquatic weeds, wood cover and rock cover all summer long. They have buried up in the ever growing weeds all summer long and many bass refuse to leave the security of their oxygen rich aquatic weed homes, even as the lakes waters begin to cool.

So like the bass (looking for an easy meal), bass anglers too have to eliminate the aquatic weeds in their search for this ever elusive quarry. This means targeting places they hang around otherwise. For no matter what the conditions these bass have got to eat.

Weiss Lakes Headwaters
The Lakes headwaters begins the slow meandering journey of this first of six lakes situated on the Coosa River System. Weiss Lake was impounded in 1961 backing up the waters of the original Coosa River System. Places like Mcgee bend, Fosters bend and Morton bend are actually located in the lakes headwaters, that stretch far into northwestern Georgia. So are some of the lakes major feeder creeks like Cedar Creek, King Creek and Mount Hope Creek. Many of these creeks (at normal full pool levels) usually feature water depths of less than five feet. Most, (but Cedar creek) have actually been high and dry with the past summer drought.

Many Alabama anglers never even venture this far into Weiss Lakes headwaters. There is a lot to fish from Weiss Lakes headwaters on the Alabama / Georgia State lines, without going any further up the lake. Besides, with unseasonably low lake levels this past summer season many anglers just navigated their boats into much safer waters, places with marked river channel buoys and much safer places with deep water found nearby. Mid lake on Weiss Lake during low water is considered safer for navigation.

From the Alabama / Georgia State lines to the lakes lower Weiss Lake dam is a lot of water for anglers to fish this fall season. Low water concentrates bass and baitfish, showing the lakes headwaters actually narrowed down to just an old, original river channel. This means fishing the mouths of creeks and small pockets, islands and main lake points located in the lakes headwaters, can all position an angler in some places bass are now crowded into, places other anglers avoid.

Weiss Lake Mid Lake
Mid Lake is considered some of the lakes best fishing during the fall period. This can be fishing the mouths of smaller feeder creeks like Ballplay Creek, Mud Creek and Three Mile creek, creeks mostly dry with flats exposed during lake drawdown. There are deeper creeks with navigable waters. Creeks like Spring creek and Cowan creek are located above the Hwy. 68 causeway crossing and they house schools of bass holding around piers, boat houses, marinas and wood cover like stumps, laying trees and resident planted brushpiles.

Rocky points, man made rip-rap rocks lining causeways and bridges are also good locations for finding bass this fall season on Weiss Lake. Besides major feeder creeks there is a lot to explore in the lakes mid section this fall season. Above the Hwy. 68 crossing Yanceys bend, Pruett’s Island and Godfrey’s Island are good shallow water flats near deep water drop-offs that hold bass year round.

Evident schools of baitfish and bass busting on top calls for numbers of lure selections when waters begin to cool in early fall. Topwater lures should always be tried on every location during fall’s early mornings, late evenings or often all day if cloudy or raining. Lures like zara spooks, buzzbaits, prop baits and popping type topwaters are good choices. Also try spinnerbaits, crankbaits and lipless lures like rattletraps, for these schooling bass.

Jigging spoons under these schooling bass seen on top, can show a good chance for an astute angler to fool some of the lakes bigger, more lazy bass. These over sized largemouth bass are usually feeding and holding down below the smaller schooling bass that are seen feeding on top. They are picking off the injured or dying baitfish that look like jigging spoons fluttering down below. Tailspinners, curly tail grubs or shad imitations fished on jig heads, blade baits or inline spinners are also good lure choices for schooling activity.

Both hard bodied jerkbaits and soft jerkbaits are excellent lure choices, including suspending hard bodied jerkbaits and shallow to mid running crankbaits in colors of white, chrome or shad patterns.

Experiment with your lure choice. Have several rods already rigged and ready to fish, with various types of lures. On every outing to Weiss Lake these bass will hit a certain lure. One certain lure they will hit, one that can display a certain action, shape, color or size they may like better than other lures. The only way to discover the days preference is to offer these bass many lures choices when they are actively feeding and foolishly attacking these baitfish schools during the fall and early winter period.

* A word of caution! Stay within the red and green channel markers when navigating Weiss Lake at low pool. There are many boating accidents every year when this lake is low. Venturing out of the main river channel can show an angler quickly navigating away from the buoys, through some very dangerous waters, often in 1-2 feet of stump filled waters left here during impoundment when stump flats were cleared. Laying logs and other obstructions (like rock piles) are visible or just beneath the waters surface. Use extreme caution this fall and winter season when boating on Weiss Lake.

Weiss Lake Lower Lake
An area starting at the Hwy. 68 causeway crossing, all the way to the Weiss Lake dam is considered lower lake fishing. There are two major rivers that feed the lake here. The Little River and the Chatuga River. Buffington’s Island and Hog Island are where both of these major incoming suppliers of fresh and cool river waters, join together and form main lake waters with the Coosa River channel. Any time you have three major river systems join together — it is a fish gathering spot year round.

There is also plenty of fish holding cover to explore in these two incoming rivers. In addition both rivers feature piers, boat houses, stump flats, small islands and main lake points. During impoundment left here were underwater ponds (and now submerged lakes) that can be found with map study, including old house foundations and roadbeds now submerged.

With low water there is now plenty of evident flats loaded with laying logs, fallen trees, stumps, brush piles and other wood cover. This including rock cover bass relate to as well. Like man made rip-rap rocks (for erosion) and natural banks featuring rock piles and boulders, all seen during low water.

Hazard buoys are placed lake wide marking shallow stumps, rock piles and other dangerous areas, but still anglers should practice navigating their boat with extreme caution. Use your boats electronics and idle along watching your depth finder when out of the marked red and green buoys on the main river channel or deeper creek channels.

From the main lake at Hog Island to about half way up in these two main feeder rivers, is all a first time angler should safely attempt to run the boat during low pool. Besides being able to spend an entire day in the incoming Little River and Chatuga Rivers there is a whole lot more for fall anglers to explore this fall and early winter seasons.

Yellow Creek Falls, Big Nose Creek and Little Nose Creek and many unnamed coves, small pockets adorn the lower lake all the way to Weiss Lake dam. Great places to fish this fall that are usually loaded with schools of baitfish and feeding bass.

Unknown to many anglers there is also a power house pool located through a small canal leading from Weiss Lake dam downstream to the Weiss Lake dam powerhouse. This is small lake in itself and often it gets loaded with baitfish that are funneled down through the connecting canal. Baitfish that cannot escape the feeding activity of both Coosa River spotted bass, largemouth bass and striped bass that are found here in the fall and early winter seasons.

Explore massive, Weiss Lake this fall season, but like said, “with caution,” first timers especially. It is a great time to bring along a camera, hand held GPS and a map, to mark and reference shallow water places that will be flooded again in the spring.

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:

• Weiss Lake
• Weiss Lake Fishing Guides

 

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”

 

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