Water Temperature: Late September mid 70's
(October low 60's / November low to mid 50's)

Fall Bass Fishing on Guntersville Lake

Guntersville Lake in north Alabama is Alabama's largest, man made Impoundment. It is a huge lake by most standards at 69,200 surface acres of water and over 82 miles of navigable water. The town of Guntersville, Al. borders the lake on its lower end, showing the lake stretching from Guntersville Lake dam (lower lake / just above Wheeler Lake), to the lakes headwaters situated below Hales Bar Dam upstream, all featured on the twisting and turning waters of the mighty, Tennessee River System.

The lake is now nearing 70 years since its impoundment. Its getting to be a very old lake and like most older lakes Guntersville lake has seen both the ups and downs all impoundments go through with each passing year. Some good some bad. Pollution, the poisonous spraying of aquatic weeds, the introduction of aquatic weed-eating grass carp fish species, increasing recreational use, barge traffic and fishing pressure are just some of the downsides. The good sides?

Ask any angler and most will exclaim, " The grass is what makes Guntersville Lake the best bass lake in Alabama". Lures fished from top to bottom in, around and within this grass fool some big largemouth bass in all seasons on Guntersville Lake. Although there are some smallmouth bass and spotted bass, the largemouth's are the dominate bass species and they rule on Guntersville Lake. Especially during the fall.

Fishing in and around all the many types of weeds found on this lake, involves many lure choices. Lures that simulate or look like these prey these aquatic weed dwelling bass are accustomed to feeding on, will generate strikes all throughout this fall season. Often on into the colder days of the early winter season, for winter warming trends can trigger these bass to feed and after all, they have got to eat.

When Guntersville lake was impounded in 1939 it lacked any huge amount of aquatic weeds such as milfoil, moss, hydrilla and Lilly pads. Today, the huge amount of these types of weeds and other aquatic weeds is what makes Guntersville lake such an excellent fishery, especially for big, largemouth bass. The thick and often matted weeds such as milfoil and hydrilla offer security for the dozens of prey these largemouth bass dine on with regularity. This means anglers should be fishing with one or several of the many types of lures on today's market. Plainly put, those lures that look like the meals these bass eat.

The entire lake is loaded with many species of small minnows, threadfin shad, gizzard shad, yellowtail shad, skip jack herring, bream, sunfish, crappie, shell crackers and even crayfish, all that make their homes in and around these aquatic weeds most of the spring, summer, fall and early winter seasons. Largemouth bass have plenty to eat on this lake and they grow big dining on these prey and other meals. Besides baitfish and crayfish these largemouth bass will consume small mice, worms, lizards, snakes, small water fowl, insects and frogs, if given the chance. They are now feeding and fattening up for the upcoming winter season, often evident in the shallows all day.

Many bass exceeding ten pounds have been reported being caught in the recent years (some weighing in the teens), and the fall season and early winter period is when many of these really trophy sized bass are fooled, especially when fishing the shallow, weedy waters of Guntersville Lake, in the right place with the right kind of lure. There are certain techniques many knowledgeable anglers employ when faced with trying to decipher the often intimidating weeds featured throughout Guntersville Lakes waters. Some first timers can really struggle with so many choices of weedy waters to fish...found lake wide.

Narrowing your search. That's the goal of any angler whether your just fishing, competing in a major bass tournament or just trophy, bass fishing. Finding bass in a small area and concentrating all of your years of fishing experience (and fishing expertise), all into hopefully, one fantastic day of fishing. All when relying on your confidence, your lure choice and your ability to adapt to certain conditions and situations. On Guntersville Lake, as waters begin to cool there will be many changes an angler has to face this fall in order to adapt and still catch fish.

Unknown to many people, those that don't fish (yes, there are some), there are some actually some very good reasons why these "professional bass anglers" practice for an upcoming bass tournament. Practice often means traveling throughout the lake, not in just one day, but usually in several days of fishing or just riding and looking over the entire lake, eventually narrowing your search.

Practice does often mean burning a lot of gas and oil in the boat eliminating useless water and to help you in concentrating your efforts in the future on places you find quality bites and big bass during previous trips. This can get expensive with the price of gas and oil, for both your eight cylindered tow vehicle and that big, horse powered motor on your big bass boat. Launching at various boat launches found throughout the lake can help cut down on fishing costs like gas, instead of running all over the lake. Or sharing the expenses with another angler can cut your costs in half, both during practice and during competition.

During the fall on Guntersville Lake your "practice period" means spotting feeding birds and looking for lots of evident baitfish and fish feeding activity. This can take place in those certain little spots many anglers overlook. Wind blown banks are often overlooked and at times even avoided by anglers seeking calmer waters. This can be a bank that was calm at dawn, but by mid day it has been pounded for hours with by cold, 20-30 m.p.h. northerly winds, as fall's ever increasing cold fronts come in with each passing week. Or a bank with southerly winds blowing directly into it can feature pockets of warm, southerly waters of a few degrees more - than cooler waters only a few hundred yards away - often inducing bass to feed.

Another couple of often overlooked situations that always take place during the fall and winter period throughout massive, Guntersville Lake is water clarity (from clear to muddy) and falling water temperature. Although this past summer season showed drought, no rain for weeks, hot, bright and scorching bluebird skies and soaring air temperatures of 105 degrees for weeks, there were still active bass in the shallows. Water clarity soon just became...clear, in late August. Fall rains can change all that.

Guntersville's waters can get stained with another factor besides incoming rain water, one that can stain the waters situated along miles and miles of flatlands found on Guntersville Lake. Even with no rain there is always some water that displays a slightly stained look, giving bass a feeling of security and aiding them in feeding more in the shallows.

There are countless miles of creek backwaters and main lake flats that are affected by the flow of current in this lake. When water is drawn at the lower lakes dam (or current drawn through both Guntersville Lake dam and Hales Bar dam), it creates current in the lake and its incoming feeder creeks. This current stirs up the lakes bottom. This mixes the upper and lower water column and creates a stained look when the lakes muddy bottom and weedy waters are combined.

Noisy topwater lures like buzzbaits, or lures that emit flash and vibration like spinnerbaits and lures with built in internal rattles such as crankbaits, jerkbaits, lipless lures and lures fished on or near bottom like worms, lizards, tube baits and jig combos, can all attract strikes from these bass in stained water situations. These bass cannot see as well in stained waters so they use their lateral line and inner ear when cruising or feeding during these stained water conditions.

Fish Guntersville Lake this fall season and learn a few techniques and fishing factors of your own, that will aid you in fooling that "bass of lifetime" into hitting your lure. Or call on Reeds Guide Service...first! "Guntersville Lake's most well known, oldest, professional Guide Service, guiding on Guntersville Lake for over 30 years." Remember, a guided fishing trip with Reeds Guide Service makes a great gift for Birthday's, Father's Day, Christmas (certificates available) or any occasion, for those loved ones that love to fish. Several professional guides and quality bass boats available year round, for multiple parties and corporate guided trips. See my website www.fishingalabama.com for more info.

Mid Summer on Guntersville Lake
Recent rains have helped increase the shallow water bite for Guntersville Lake's mid summer largemouth bass. After an early summer drought rain is a welcome sight both on and off the water. This year has been unusually dry with rainfall for the last 6 months being 60% less than normal. The actual normal, rainfall amount for this 6 month period is usually around 25 inches. To date, this years total amount of rain has been around 10 inches.

Recent evening thundershowers have given way to all day rains increasing weekly throughout Alabama's northeast region. This has shown the Tennessee River Systems four major lakes to show levels suddenly rise and water temperatures have dropped as well. Major feeder creeks both upriver and downriver, main lake head waters and the entire mid lake region is showing a slight stain to the water for the first time in weeks.

So how has this sudden change in conditions changed the mood of the often sulking attitude of Gunterville's Lakes summertime bass population? For the best.

During the beginning of this summer season, scorching air temperatures were suddenly found to be reaching the upper 90's, followed by weeks of constant sunshine and basically no rain at all. Stage 3 drought warning, they were calling it at the Birmingham, Al. Water Works. Lake levels dropped state wide including Guntersville Lake, Alabama's largest Impoundment.

Guntersville Lakes backwaters and feeder creeks actually displayed water that became stagnant from the lack of rain during early summer, rain of which is constantly needed to cleanse these backwaters. Rain that is needed to help keep the many aquatic weed types green and healthy. So, the lack of life giving oxygen (created by green and growing aquatic weeds) and suddenly most of the bigger bass and even the baitfish normally found throughout Guntersville's weedy waters...were gone. Heading for deeper water and better living conditions. But now they are back!

As owner of Reeds Guide Service, I have fished Guntersville Lake for over 40 years. I've seen a sudden upsurge in the bass fishing on this lake (that can change from one day to the next) many times in all seasons, but not like recently. With water temperatures dropping 7-8 degrees -- from almost 90 degrees last month to around 83 degrees right now -- the often, very temperamental attitude of these mid summer bass has changed. They have moved shallow just like during the prespawn period on this lake and this is now taking place even under various conditions.

Often, especially during the heat of a mid 90 degree summer day you just cannot even entice a small bass to bite in shallow water on this lake. Many anglers just resort to fishing deep water hoping to get bit. I know this lake as good as anyone. My father and uncle fished it before I did. After guiding almost every day each week and most of those trips taking place on Guntersville Lake, I can honestly say the fishing is probably as good as it gets. Not for numbers of those monster size bass like during the noted, prespawn times (when those 10 pound bass are taken), but for numbers of bass and at least a few big bass as well, Guntersville Lake right now...is the place to be!

* LURES AND TECHNIQUES? Well, by now most of you that have been to Guntersville Lake with me you know topwaters are at the top of my list for big, Guntersville Lake bass. But for those anglers that don't know, heres a rundown of my favorite topwaters and other lure favorites for summertime fishing this lake. Guntersville Lake bass can be choosy so lure types, various colors, size and actions may vary.

TOPWATERS - Boy how many do they make now? Hundreds of choices. On Guntersville Lake there is situation for every kind of topwater lure, especially the weedless type of lures. So to avoid frustration, use weedless lures and don't expect to throw a topwater lure up in the weeds, one featuring 2 or 3 dangling treble hooks, and expect to get it back without weeds dangling off the hooks. Of which will fool very few bass. I cannot remember catching a bass with weeds hanging off of the lure I'm using.

* Frogs and Rats - Every angler by now has a few. Best colors can vary. Try white, chartreuse, lime or other brighter colors. If these colors do not work try darker colors like black, brown, dark green etc. Fish these lures on heavy line whether you use 17-20 pound test monofilament line or one of the many types of braided line, it is a must for success. Long rods of 6-7 feet are suggested. On calm mornings or sunny days with no wind, fish these lures with short hops and subtle action. If windy or during a rainy period frogs and rats move faster, so should your lures.

* Walking, Popping, Jerking and Other Type Topwaters. This includes a long list of various kinds of topwater lures, so just the basics will do.

* Zara Spooks and Sammies are great walking type topwater lures on Guntersville Lake and by mid summer, these oversized offerings imitate the many baitfish that have grown much bigger. These lures have two treble hooks and can be made to walk all around Guntersville's millfoil and hydrilla weeds and its many types of wood cover. The Zara Super Spook is bigger and has 3 treble hooks and it fools bass of all sizes, especially big bass.

* Pop-R's have become so common this namesake lure is just often referred to as poppers. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Like during calm periods or on sunny days often the bass prefer a short subtle hopping approach with these and other topwater lures. If windy or when raining hard loud jerks of these lures and fast erratic retrieves may be the ticket.

* Single or Double Bladed Prop Baits have been made for dozens of years and they still fool bass today. Two of my favorites are the Baby Torpedo a single back bladed topwater lure and the Crazy Shad, a prop bait with propellers for and aft. Fished with short, erratic retrieves these lures closely imitate Guntersville Lake's small to mid size baitfish not only with looks, but with sound and action as well.

* Floating Worms like Zoom's Trick worms in white, pink, limetreuce, bull frog, methiolate, or yellow and Soft Jerkbaits like Flukes, Mann's' Shadow, or Bass Assassins in colors of pearl, watermelon / green flake, or white are very weedless, they fool bass often when nothing else works and they fool big bass. Fish these semi submerged topwaters with a slow deliberate retrieve, fished on 3/0 hooks and weightless. Make long casts and wear polarized sunglasses and keep them in sight at all times during the retrieve.

* Buzzbaits - Noisy or clacker type buzzbaits are common big bass lures on Guntersville Lake, even during the hot, midday sun. But often like on sunny days these bass will choose to strike a smaller or quieter model buzzbait over noisier models. Always include a trailer hook, make long casts and use stought equipment and heavy line when fishing buzzbaits on this lake. Want more info on fishing Guntersville Lake? Always call on Reeds Guide Service...first! Alabama's oldest, professional guide service with several guides available year round for fishing any lake in Alabama.

If interested give me a call (205) 787-5133 or contact Reeds Guide Service E-mail alabassgyd@aol.com See my website: www.fishingalabama.com Guntersville Lake is hot and I mean I've seen at least a dozen bass over 5 pounds that have been fooled by us on topwater lures alone in the last two weeks! Just unreal! For more info, lake reports and fishing tips on Guntersville Lake see my website: www.fishingalabama.com



Summer on Guntersville Lake

LOWER LAKE
Anglers that choose to fish Guntersville's lower lake region this summer will find plenty of company. But there is refuge, away from the maddening crowd, if exploring small tributaries is in the game plan. You can catch plenty of the lakes very healthy largemouth bass, in a variety of ways, both on the main lake and in the creeks, with a little patience.

Honeycomb Creek, Brown's Creek, Spring Creek and Town Creek, all wind far back in the scenic woods. All of these major tributaries offer rock bluffs, man made piers and boat houses, milfoil and hydrilla aquatic weeds, stumps, trees, brush and bottom irregularities.

These creeks are all "summertime haunts" of the lakes big bass population. A variety of fishing situations exists, for the versatile angler to explore. Cool, shady spots that can hold huge schools of bass, away from the recreational crowd, that constantly disturbs the main lake waters, can be found here.

There are many locations, where an angler can fool lots of bass (even some trophies in the 10 pound range or better), on the lakes lower end. Fishing can be in seclusion, at least for a few hours, if getting on the water at dawn, fishing late in the evening, or when night fishing. On the main lake, the choices are many, for summertime fishing.

Deep rock bluffs, river ledges and deep drop-offs, small, visible islands and many hidden, submerged humps, bars and ridges, including a series of main lake flats can be found here. All loaded with fish holding cover and all, that harbor huge schools of bass, when temperatures soar.

Bass spend their entire summer feeding along these main lake features and most, often go unmolested by the bank beating anglers, throughout the summer months.

MID LAKE
As mentioned, when fishing the lakes lower end, you will find hoards of water vessels, to keep you company throughout the summer months, on this very recreational lake. From Town Creek (on the lakes Eastern side) to the very popular North Sauty Creek, (on the West side of the lake), the lake continues to show a wide, lake-like appearance.

From here (Just above North Sauty Creek) northward to the lakes headwaters, the lake narrows to a more river-type situation.

But, like the lakes lower end, there still remains loads of cover for anglers to probe (both day and night), on this massive lake. Heading upriver, after going under Hwy. 79 bridge that spans the lakes lower end, you will encounter four major feeder creeks. These tributaries are all found on your right, as you navigate upstream. They are easily found on a map of the lake, situated on the Eastern side of the lake.

These creeks all offer loads of bass holding cover, shade, and often a little seclusion during the summer months. Spring Creek has several bridges, all loaded with fish holding, man made, rip-rap rocks. This includes weeds, boat houses, piers and a marina, all with fish holding shade. You will see plenty of barges tied up as you leave Spring Creek and head upriver into a small tributary, Short Creek. It too, has a bridge that spans the creek, good for day and night fishing.

Town Creek, found just above Short Creek, is bigger and will obviously be holding more fish. It also has loads of submerged humps and a winding creek channel in the mouth, and plenty of weeds, rocks and wood cover, including shallow to deep water access, up in the creek. All for bass to relate to throughout the hot, summer months.

Continuing north, anglers can see a huge main lake flat loaded with weeds, laying logs and trees, small islands and the mouth of South Sauty Creek. Just above here, the lake will begin to narrow as you head north toward the lakes headwaters. But still, the lake displays some pretty impressive creeks and smaller cuts and pockets to explore.

At the lakes mid section, heading upriver (after going under Hwy. 79 bridge), you will see the lake make a hard bend to the left. This is on the Western side of the lake, across from Town Creek and as you head upriver. Here, you will notice small cuts, pockets and creeks.

Siebold Branch is very noticeable, with red and green river channel buoys and power lines, crossing the mouth. It also has a few islands to explore. Like all the pockets and creeks on this western side of the midlake region, it is crossed in the far back end by Hwy. 79, that runs north, parallel to the lake.

Piers, boat houses, rip-rap lined causeways and weedy, scummy flats (with thick, millfoil and hydrilla weeds) all adorn these small, midlake pockets, including smaller creeks found here, like Preston Creek and Mink Creek.

The much bigger, North Sauty Creek, home of many bass tournaments held out of Goosepond Boat Launch, shows excellent bass fishing habitat during the summer months. There are hundreds of bass released here during tournaments held weekly, year round. Several bridges, all lined with rip-rap rocks, including loads of weedy flats and stumpy backwaters, all offer comfortable surroundings for these released bass to relate to.

UPPER LAKE
If getting away from the crowd is in mind, then exploring the lakes headwaters can be an all summer affair. From North Sauty Creek to the lakes headwaters (just below Nick a Jack Dam) anglers have over 40 miles of main lake flats, creek mouths, islands and ledges and drop-offs, to fish.

A summertime bonus on any lake, can be found in these lake headwaters. You will usually have less company, unlike when fishing the mid to lower lake region, when targeting fish in the upper lake region. Although the main lake offers plenty of fish holding cover, there are still many creek backwaters to explore here.

Heading upriver, just before going under Comer bridge (Hwy.35) that crosses the lake, are actually two creeks, that join together in the scenic backwaters. Roseberry Creek and Dry Creek are mostly hidden from view of the main lake, but both offer miles of fish holding cover.

Also Town Creek (the lake has two creeks named Town Creek), Mud Creek and Crow Creek, all that are crossed in the mid creek region by Hwy. 72. Bridges on this western side of the lake, up in these major feeder creeks, offer shade and lots of bass producing rip-rap rocks for bass to relate to in the summer. They are also excellent at night for fishing around well lighted areas.

The lakes headwaters, situated below NickaJack dam, like any Tennessee River impoundment, offers a variety of fish species to target. While fishing the swift water found here, in the dam tailrace area, anglers can catch bass of all species. Here, fish find seclusion in the much cooler, oxygenated waters. There is plenty to eat, with the baitfish holding waters found in Guntersville Lakes headwaters, in the upper lake region.

Explore massive Guntersville Lake this summer. Or call Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133 to see how. "Over 40 Years Fishing Guntersville Lake and all other Alabama Lakes"



Guntersville Lake in Spring

Just that title is refreshing. Especially since late last winter anglers fishing Guntersville Lake were struggling with nighttime lows in the 20's and mid day highs not even reaching 50 degrees. Spring on Alabama's largest Impoundment Guntersville Lake, is as good as it gets for fishing for largemouth bass in shallow, weedy waters.

MARCH
March will show some changes as the bass begin their annual movement along travel routes heading towards the shallows, to begin their prespawn activities. Anglers that frequent Guntersville Lake know that after years of angling experience fishing this massive lake, that the really Big prespawn bass can suddenly appear shallow in early spring and they can really bunch up in some very predictable places.

At times in March there are many Big Bass in certain prespawn holding spots. They can all be holding in one, very small preferred spot. Places that can be duplicated and found by astute anglers fishing in similar places. By looking lake wide anglers can find fish, often in spots only as big as their boat.

Or these bass can be on the move. If weather conditions call for them cruising the Lakes ledges, drop-offs, roadbeds, main lake points and creek points, visible islands and submerged islands and man made rocks found along rip-rap lined banks.

There are also some spots that are seen and some unseen. Piers and boathouses are seen by all anglers and fished by most. They do hold catchable bass. Hidden, underwater places like submerged ridges, stump rows, rock piles, submerged humps, old creek channels, ditches and other irregular bottom features found along travel routes are fished less.

Lures can be many choices, especially when fishing with lures on bottom. Just remember to fish slow and thoroughly cover all water with bottom bumping lures like worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, jig combos and creature type lures. Even finesse fishing with light tackle outfits and small worms on jig heads can be deadly on Guntersville's often picky, prespawn bass.

APRIL
As these big, female bass (and the smaller male bass) group up, they begin pairing off and then heading towards the shallow spawning grounds, preparing beds in water depths less than 3 feet deep.

These bedding bass and cruising bass can be seen much better (with good water clarity) by anglers wearing polarized sunglasses (See: www.flyingfisherman.com) and by cruising the shallows with a slow moving trolling motor. Standing up and scanning water less 5 feet deep as far as you can see, is best for spotting bass and their beds.

Bedding bass are spooky and they can detect your boat and your presence extremely well. Stealth is important in sneaking up on these very skittish shallow water bass, some bass that have not been in the shallows in weeks.

Cutting off your outboard motor far from where you intend to fish. Drifting in quietly with the wind or using your trolling motor set on low speed. Long casts without allowing your lure to land on your target, l is very important. Always throw your lures far past where you think a bass is laying in wait.

Being very quite and not even making any sudden boat movement are very important towards helping you reach your angling goal...which is catching fish.

With the full moon in late March bass can move up to prepare their beds in early April. They be seen cruising in pairs making beds and actually spawning in upper 60 degree water temps. Its all according to the weather. Cold fronts can stall the spawning activities a few weeks until conditions stabilize and water temps begin to rise close to 70 degrees.

Lures can involve into many choices, lure colors and lure actions and size. Experiment. You may just discover that one lure that works better than any other lure in your tackle box. Bedding bass can be very picky. Often downsizing your lure choice is necessary just to even get them to bite.

MAY
If you fish Guntersville Lake in May its easy to understand why this month is dubbed, "topwater month." By the first week of May Guntersville Lake's recuperating female bass are on the prowl for an easy to catch meal. These are post spawn times and many big bass are fooled into striking shallow running lures and various topwaters.

Laying in water depths less than 5 feet deep most bass are scanning the waters surface for now there are many meals available, some enticingly running across the waters surface...just like your lures! Not only do the bigger female bass get real careless and attack lures they normally would not hit, but also the smaller, bed protecting male bass will attack your offerings as well.

There are many soon to be meals these bass now dine on. Fishing with lures that simulate these meals or lures that look and act like these meals is the best way to get bit. There are also many lure choices when it comes to topwaters - some good and some are not all that productive.

Some lures that always fool a few bass in mid to late spring on top are;

* Buzzbaits - I don't know what these lures are supposed to mimic, perhaps a small duck running across the water's surface or a fleeing shad or a skittering frog. What ever buzzbaits look like, Guntersville Lake bass love em'. Always fish strong Trilene Big Game line and sharpen all buzzbait hooks and add a trailer hook for short striking bass. White or Chartreuse and White are good colors, but try an all black buzzbait for giving pressured bass a different looking buzzbait.

* Frogs and Rats - These lures obviously mimic frogs hopping across the waters surface and small mice that run along the waters edge or across the tops of Guntersville Lakes thick and matted weeds. Fishing with strong monofilament line in the 17-25 pound test category is very important. You sometimes have to horse these big bass out of the thick aquatic weeds such as millfoil and hydrilla. Some anglers prefer braided line and using 6 - 7 foot rods, such as flipping rods. Colors can be many with today's array of frogs and rats. Some anglers use white, chartreuse, brown, black, dark green or often off the wall colors like purple, red, yellow or pink.

* Popping type topwaters and prop-baits - These lures fall in the same category and both are worked similar in the retrieve. For popping type topwaters the old namesake Pop-r is always good. There are many similar versions. For prop baits you just cannot beat the old reliable single prop, Baby Torpedo or The Tiny Torpedoe. The double prop topwater "the crazy shad" is also a good topwater lure. Try shad colors or mix it up. Fire tiger colors, chrome, white, etc., are also good.

* Floating worms, soft jerkbaits, swimming jig combos, Floating lizards, weightless crayfish imitations - All of these lures are weedless and they fall in the same topwater category. They can be maneuvered just under the surface of the water or reeled across the tops of the weeds.

* Floating worms or air injected worms such as Zoom's Trick worm have fooled thousands of Guntersville Lake bass. They seem to work when other lures fail to get a strike. Bright colors may be the reason, because bass seldom see such attactive colors. Pink, white, yellow, limetreuce and other easily seen colors (like red methiolate) will work and they can easily be seen when fishing with polarized sunglasses.

* Soft jerkbaits in white pearl or shad colors are best fished with long casts and slow, erratic stop and go retrieves.

* Jig combos should include a light jig and an oversized trailer like a twin tail grub, pork chunk, plastic chunk trailer or crayfish imitation trailer. These jig combos can be slowly swam in the weeds. They can be fished on heavy line to allow them a slow fall and can be made to ride high in the weeds. On retrieve they can be manipulated to go over, under and among the weeds.

* Floating Lizards, etc., Rigged on a 4/0 to 5/0 hook and rigged weightless, are deadly on Guntersville Lake bass in spring. Fish with a slow retrieve and be ready for a fast striking bass.

* Other plastics - The same goes for crayfish imitations, grubs, creature baits and big oversized worms, all fished weightless on hooks in the 2/0 to 5/0 size. Weedless spoons as well.

Fish Guntersville Lake this Spring for some of the year's, best bass fishing for numbers of bass and some really big bass as well. Or call on Reeds Guide Service for booking a trip to Guntersville Lake (or any Alabama Lake) year round.

* Please Practice Catch and Release this Spring!

 

Winter on Guntersville Lake

With various bass tournament trails visiting Guntersville Lake in 2007, more and more anglers are discovering just how fortunate folks are in Alabama to have such a trophy, bass fishery. Guntersville Lake, Alabama's largest man made impoundment, will be the host of several major professional bass tournament trails, starting in January 2007. Spectators that attend these bass tournament weigh ins are all hoping to see their favorite bass pro win thousands of dollars, as they compete among hundreds of other hopeful anglers.

In addition bassin' fans can plan on getting ready to see lots of big, largemouth bass weighed in this winter season around Guntersville Lake. Bassmasters and FLW Outdoors (and many other major bass tournament trials) will kick off their new 2007 season, starting off the new year with a bang on Alabama's trophy bass fishery, Guntersville Lake.

January 25-27 2007 will show many anglers fishing the Bassmasters Weekend Series National Championship on Guntersville Lake. FLW Outdoors will visit Guntersville Lake in February with its Walmart Bass Fishing League Tournament Trails. The WBFL Bama Division will be on Guntersville Lake Feb 17, 2007. The WBFL Tennessee Choo Choo Division will be on Guntersville Lake Feb 24, 2007. Both of these FLW Outdoors WBFL Tournament Trails will return to Guntersville Lake for (two separate) two day competitions, planned to be held from mid to late September, 2007.

So there is going to be a lot of interest in this lake (as usual) throughout the entire year of 2007, as more and more tournament anglers attempt to decipher Guntersville Lake's...often mysterious largemouth bass.

Past tournament records show, no matter what the conditions, some fortunate angler will always figure em' out and eventually beat an entire field usually consisting of over 300 of the country's best bass anglers in each tournament held on Guntersville Lake in the last few years.

Competitive bass anglers from all over the United States (some from other countries) come to Alabama each year and learn more each time on what it takes to win. More and more knowledgeable anglers are learning what it takes to fool these big largemouth bass into biting, no matter what the season or prevailing conditions.

- So what does it take to get a really Big Bass Bite on Guntersville Lake in January and February? -
Not always certain lures, various fishing holes or certainly not pretty shirts and fancy boats.

Targeting the kind of bass that it takes to win a major bass tournament is good for starters. Although these are "big bass times," many astute anglers still find themselves struggling when it comes to winter bass fishing on Alabama's aquatic weed infested, Guntersville Lake. Read on, for answers to this often asked question.

I've fished and guided on this lake for over 30 years. That's over 30 winter seasons I've been on Guntersville Lake (almost every week), trying to figure em' out myself...and often I do. But I will admit, I fail once in a while and even after years of experience, no matter how good you think you are, you cannot catch them all the time. So be prepared for failure. Don't put yourself on such a high pedestal you could fall off real easy.

Always fish your hardest, experiment, have extreme confidence in you abilities, but be versatile and think your way through each day. For even the best bass anglers get skunked from time to time on Guntersville Lake. Avoid dock talk. Your already confused enough with your own ideas. What makes you think others ideas will work for you?

Believe in your own fish catching abilities and that's the first step towards becoming a better angler. Listen and learn. But don't depend on what other anglers tell you. After all, they are competing against you. Most tournament anglers want to win, not you win instead.

Yes, this way of thinking should be included in your big bass plans. If your in a major bass tournament, out there trying a new lure, a new technique or fishing a new spot, then you are way out of your normal approach. This can leave an angler in worst shape than if he had stuck to his own original game plan.

You must have a comfortable game plan to consistently catch big bass on Guntersville Lake. There are only so many hours in a tournament day and time always goes fast. Experiment, fish with new lures, develop new techniques and find some new fishing spots. But do all of this during practice days.

Now how about all those lures? Lures can be the most confusing issue, especially with today's array of offerings to choose from. There are just to many lures to list the favorites, but a few always come to mind when it comes to fishing Guntersville Lake during the winter months. As during the rest of the year its all according to the conditions, but don't be fooled by the ordinary anglers way of thinking.

Guntersville Lake bass are defiantly in that, "out of the ordinary" category, especially when it comes to these bass chasing down lures during cold water situations. I've seen these largemouth bass hit topwater lures in mid 40 degree water temperatures. Very unusual. I've seen them chase down spinnerbaits and shallow running crankbaits in water temps in the 40's.

I've seen bass hit fast moving lipless lures such as the namesake Rattletraps and Cordell Rattling spots and other lipless crankbaits, on days when we had ice in our rod eyes. All taking place in water depths of 10 feet or less, year round! I've even seen Guntersville Lake bass hit these and other fast retrieved lures on days when you could not even get a bite on slower moving, bottom dragged lures, such as worms, lizards, tube baits and jig combos.

So throw out the book! Be prepared! Rig a lot of rods, experiment with many lure types, various lure sizes, shapes and colors and always employ various retrieves with each offering you make to these often, very picky bass. Above all be versatile, but like said, only on practice days.

Need help on Guntersville Lake? Always call on Reeds Guide Service ... first! "Alabama's oldest, freshwater professional bass and striper guide service, guiding on Guntersville Lake (and every other Lake in Alabama) for over 30 years."

More Guntersville Lake reports coming soon!
Until then, Good Fishin'!