SMALLMOUTH AND LARGEMOUTH
WINTERTIME BASS FISHING TIPS ON:
TENNESSEE RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S
WHEELER LAKE, WILSON LAKE AND PICKWICK LAKE
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
| My dad fished all of em,' Wheeler, Wilson and
Pickwick Lakes. Catching an 8 1/2 pound smallmouth bass
in the late 1950s, on a jigging spoon, one cold, Winter
day on North Alabama's Tennessee River Impoundment,
Wilson Lake. The same lake where, at the time, the world
record smallmouth stood at a little over 10 pounds. My uncle, fishing with him at the time, could only mutter and look on in total disbelief, as the monster smallmouth rocketed high in the air, leaping 5-6 feet out of the water, as described by him, "Head high to a full grown man, at least 6 times." The swift, flowing waters below massive, Wheeler Lake Lock & Dam, Wilson Dam and Guntersville Lake Dam, have given many others anglers a thrill, as Wilson Lake did that faithful Winter day. Like many anglers, my dad and uncle witnessed the landing of, a fish of a lifetime. Many fortunate anglers have also connected with the fighting fury of the Tennessee River smallmouth bass. Some come back with only the ol' tale of, "the one that got away." Some, simply give up fishing for any other species, especially after connecting with these trophy smallmouth bass of the Tennessee River. But this is not imply the so noted, lazy, largemouth bass, has to take a back seat to his famed cousin, the smallmouth bass. There have been many largemouth bass, some exceeding the magical 10 pound mark, taken on each of these Tennessee River Impoundment's in recent years. Many taken during the winter season. So here is a rundown of each lake and its smallmouth and largemouth habitats. WHEELER LAKE / WINTER SMALLMOUTH BASS FISHING TIPS December shows the actual beginning of Winter in North Alabama. Throughout the late Fall season, Wheeler Lake's waters have gradually cooled, Lake levels fallen, and during this early Winter season, rains have shown water clarity, stained-to-muddy in some areas. As January and February approach, the lake becomes more stabilized and bass become secure in their preferred winter locations. Even the noted aquatic weeds of Wheeler Lake, millfoil and hydrilla, become slightly dormant with each passing cold front. This means the bass, that previously lived out their lives, in these oxygen-rich, aquatic weed environment's throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall months, can now roam more freely, or head for deep water as these weeds die. Some weed varieties, such as the noted, shallow-water growing millfoil, become thinner, begin dying or start turning brown with decay, producing less oxygen. Hydrilla, a much deeper growing aquatic weed, can be found as deep as 20 feet, thus thriving much better in cold water. Some bass, especially largemouth's, simply abandon the shallow growing millfoil, as lake levels fall. Most of these bass move to deeper water nearby to live out the winter around the stands of hydrilla weeds. Smallmouth cruise the weed edges, relating to current breaks, irregular features, and areas near or within the weeds with travel routes, or cover, that provides current breaks such as mixed in wood and rock cover. Unknown to many anglers, a change in the bottom composition, along these weed edges, can attract both smallmouth and largemouth's, often grouping up in huge schools and found mingling together in the same area. The best area, a few miles below Interstate 65 crossing, is a noted bass hangout for these fish relating to the weeds of Wheeler Lake. It is known as, "Decatur Flats." Lures for both bass species can range from bottom bumping worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, to jig combos, tube baits and small grubs. Many anglers choose to finesse these picky, wintertime bass and some use light tackle outfits, equipped with 6-10 pound test monofilament line, small, minuscule offerings and fished with spincast reels. Small, 4 inch worms and lizards, fished Texas-rigged and Carolina-rigged, always fool some of these anxious feeders. Grubs, plastic shad imitations, jigging spoons, tail spinners, dropping heavy spinnerbaits, blade baits and deep diving crankbaits, are all good wintertime choices, when targeting these bass on or near bottom. Although most anglers fish slow, or on or near bottom during Winter, there are many other lure choices, fished in the middle to top water column. Topwater lures, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, rattletraps, inline spinners and other mid running, baitfish imitating lures, are all great choices. Especially, when Winter warming trends approach, followed by cloudy, rainy periods, inducing bass to feed shallow or near the surface. Besides the weeds, both smallmouth and largemouth bass relate to wood and rock cover lake wide, during the Winter. From mid- to-upper lake regions, it narrows down to fishing the main river with lake drawdown. Still, mid-to-down river portions show suitable locations to find both species, often huge schools of bass, that inhabit the same areas all winter. The Elk River, a major tributary feeding lower Wheeler Lake has loads of cover for both smallmouth bass and some huge largemouth's. Near the mouth, where the Elk River empties into Wheeler Lake, located a few miles above Wheeler Dam, schools of baitfish roam in the swift current. Many seek the shelter of nearby points, pockets and the surrounding, rocky terrain found here, looking to escape the swift main lake current. As you go up the Elk River you will see piers, boathouses, rock bluffs and a set of bridges, that cross the river. Scattered wood cover, huge logjams, stumps, brush, laying logs and fallen trees, all harbor schools of bass and baitfish, throughout the Winter months. Continuing on up the Elk River will show a winding, silted in River channel, bordered by rock bluffs and huge logjams from previous floods. Caution is advised from, the mid river to the upper river headwaters, due to low water and hidden underwater obstructions. The lakes lower end shows deep water as you approach Wheeler Lake Dam. These banks harbor huge largemouth's, smallmouths and an occasional striped bass. Keying in on irregular features along the deep rock bluff banks, will show active fish feeding just out of the current. Small cuts, creek mouths, pockets, irregular banks, boulders or broken off banks, laydowns and points, all found here, have bass feeding continuously throughout the winter months. Topwaters fished close to the banks bordering deep water are great choices during warming trends. Crankbaits and suspending jerkbaits, fished parallel to the bluff banks and points, and jigging spoons, small plastic worms and lizards, are all good choices for these deep water haunts. In addition are, jig combos, with either pork or plastic trailers. The colder it gets, the more the big fish relate to the these lower regions of massive Wheeler Lake. This report provided by: My dad fished all of em,' Wheeler, Wilson and Pickwick Lakes. Catching an 8 1/2 pound smallmouth bass in the late 1950s, on a jigging spoon, one cold, Winter day on North Alabama's Tennessee River Impoundment, Wilson Lake. The same lake where, at the time, the world record smallmouth stood at a little over 10 pounds. My uncle, fishing with him at the time, could only mutter and look on in total disbelief, as the monster smallmouth rocketed high in the air, leaping 5-6 feet out of the water, as described by him, "Head high to a full grown man, at least 6 times." The swift, flowing waters below massive, Wheeler Lake Lock & Dam, Wilson Dam and Guntersville Lake Dam, have given many others anglers a thrill, as Wilson Lake did that faithful Winter day. Like many anglers, my dad and uncle witnessed the landing of, a fish of a lifetime. Many fortunate anglers have also connected with the fighting fury of the Tennessee River smallmouth bass. Some come back with only the ol' tale of, "the one that got away." Some, simply give up fishing for any other species, especially after connecting with these trophy smallmouth bass of the Tennessee River. But this is not imply the so noted, lazy, largemouth bass, has to take a back seat to his famed cousin, the smallmouth bass. There have been many largemouth bass, some exceeding the magical 10 pound mark, taken on each of these Tennessee River Impoundment's in recent years. Many taken during the winter season. So here is a rundown of each lake and its smallmouth and largemouth habitats. WHEELER LAKE / WINTER SMALLMOUTH BASS FISHING TIPS December shows the actual beginning of Winter in North Alabama. Throughout the late Fall season, Wheeler Lake's waters have gradually cooled, Lake levels fallen, and during this early Winter season, rains have shown water clarity, stained-to-muddy in some areas. As January and February approach, the lake becomes more stabilized and bass become secure in their preferred winter locations. Even the noted aquatic weeds of Wheeler Lake, millfoil and hydrilla, become slightly dormant with each passing cold front. This means the bass, that previously lived out their lives, in these oxygen-rich, aquatic weed environment's throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall months, can now roam more freely, or head for deep water as these weeds die. Some weed varieties, such as the noted, shallow-water growing millfoil, become thinner, begin dying or start turning brown with decay, producing less oxygen. Hydrilla, a much deeper growing aquatic weed, can be found as deep as 20 feet, thus thriving much better in cold water. Some bass, especially largemouth's, simply abandon the shallow growing millfoil, as lake levels fall. Most of these bass move to deeper water nearby to live out the winter around the stands of hydrilla weeds. Smallmouth cruise the weed edges, relating to current breaks, irregular features, and areas near or within the weeds with travel routes, or cover, that provides current breaks such as mixed in wood and rock cover. Unknown to many anglers, a change in the bottom composition, along these weed edges, can attract both smallmouth and largemouth's, often grouping up in huge schools and found mingling together in the same area. The best area, a few miles below Interstate 65 crossing, is a noted bass hangout for these fish relating to the weeds of Wheeler Lake. It is known as, "Decatur Flats." Lures for both bass species can range from bottom bumping worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, to jig combos, tube baits and small grubs. Many anglers choose to finesse these picky, wintertime bass and some use light tackle outfits, equipped with 6-10 pound test monofilament line, small, minuscule offerings and fished with spincast reels. Small, 4 inch worms and lizards, fished Texas-rigged and Carolina-rigged, always fool some of these anxious feeders. Grubs, plastic shad imitations, jigging spoons, tail spinners, dropping heavy spinnerbaits, blade baits and deep diving crankbaits, are all good wintertime choices, when targeting these bass on or near bottom. Although most anglers fish slow, or on or near bottom during Winter, there are many other lure choices, fished in the middle to top water column. Topwater lures, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, rattletraps, inline spinners and other mid running, baitfish imitating lures, are all great choices. Especially, when Winter warming trends approach, followed by cloudy, rainy periods, inducing bass to feed shallow or near the surface. Besides the weeds, both smallmouth and largemouth bass relate to wood and rock cover lake wide, during the Winter. From mid- to-upper lake regions, it narrows down to fishing the main river with lake drawdown. Still, mid-to-down river portions show suitable locations to find both species, often huge schools of bass, that inhabit the same areas all winter. The Elk River, a major tributary feeding lower Wheeler Lake has loads of cover for both smallmouth bass and some huge largemouth's. Near the mouth, where the Elk River empties into Wheeler Lake, located a few miles above Wheeler Dam, schools of baitfish roam in the swift current. Many seek the shelter of nearby points, pockets and the surrounding, rocky terrain found here, looking to escape the swift main lake current. As you go up the Elk River you will see piers, boathouses, rock bluffs and a set of bridges, that cross the river. Scattered wood cover, huge logjams, stumps, brush, laying logs and fallen trees, all harbor schools of bass and baitfish, throughout the Winter months. Continuing on up the Elk River will show a winding, silted in River channel, bordered by rock bluffs and huge logjams from previous floods. Caution is advised from, the mid river to the upper river headwaters, due to low water and hidden underwater obstructions. The lakes lower end shows deep water as you approach Wheeler Lake Dam. These banks harbor huge largemouth's, smallmouths and an occasional striped bass. Keying in on irregular features along the deep rock bluff banks, will show active fish feeding just out of the current. Small cuts, creek mouths, pockets, irregular banks, boulders or broken off banks, laydowns and points, all found here, have bass feeding continuously throughout the winter months. Topwaters fished close to the banks bordering deep water are great choices during warming trends. Crankbaits and suspending jerkbaits, fished parallel to the bluff banks and points, and jigging spoons, small plastic worms and lizards, are all good choices for these deep water haunts. In addition are, jig combos, with either pork or plastic trailers. The colder it gets, the more the big fish relate to the these lower regions of massive Wheeler Lake. This report provided by: Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" Radio Talk Show WJOX 690 AM Birmingham, Alabama Sunday's 9-10 A.M.Central Time Call for rates: Phone (205) 787-5133 Reeds Guide Service "Over 30 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers" E-mail: alabassgyd@aol.com Website: www.fishingalabama.comProducer / Host "Fishing Alabama" Radio Talk Show WJOX 690 AM Birmingham, Alabama Sunday's 9-10 A.M.Central Time Call for rates: Phone (205) 787-5133 Reeds Guide Service "Over 30 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers" E-mail: alabassgyd@aol.com Website: www.fishingalabama.com |
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