• Could Lake Guntersville be Going Down Hill?

    With the one of the toughest years and early falls behind us I can’t help but wonder what is going on with our lake. Guntersville is suffering from some slow times and I for one am concerned that we are in for some tough times ahead. This past winter was tough the spring was so, so, and the late summer got really tough as we progressed through September. I realize that all these lakes seem to go through ups and downs that seem to run in 7 to 10 year cycles. I though am seeing signs that really concern me.


    First and foremost there is an obvious lack of bait fish, the days of looking out from my back window or deck and seeing just gobs of bait being pushing around by bass are gone; there appears to be very little of that occurring and this is alarming. It was a very few years ago that no matter where you went or what time of day the bait fish appeared to be everywhere in the fall time of year and I don’t see that any more. I can’t tell you the last time I have pulled up on schooling bass frantically chasing bait; I know it has not been this year and I am not sure it occurred last year. I am worried that the enormous amount of bait being eaten by cormorants and the like is killing the food out on the lake. I have also caught many fish that appear to be starved with belly’s that have just caved in and look very under nourished to me.


    It is also concerning to me that the amount of bait you see when you stop at a mat to fish is very low; you hardly see bait anywhere around the mats and this is a problem. Bait fish are either hiding and buried in the deepest part of the grass or they are just not there. It was always a big part of fall fishing to pull up to a mat and see tons of bait but that appears to be the days of past years. Catches are down, size is down, the food appears to be mostly gone and numbers are for sure not good; a good day on the lake is 10 to 15 fish and that is awful. It’s time for the leadership of our towns and our state fisheries to push for answers or we will suffer the results!


    Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service