Guntersville report

[Owskiwoski]

I have to say I am disappointed in my first trip to Guntersville. Fished saturday-tuesday and averaged about 13 fish/day. Not awful but not what I hoped. We had two around 4.5 lbs and one about 3lbs but everything else were small. Hard to find a good pattern but when the water is 58 degrees and dropping fast it is understandable. Most fish caught on plastics but biggest caught on crankbaits.

The pressure on saturday was beyond horrible. Counted 17 boats on my second stop. Sunday-tuesday hardly saw any boats. That is bad for Guntersville in March. I'm sure some people caught em but we didn't and never spoke with anyone who had more than 3 keepers per day. Not sure I'll go back.

[SlopFishin]

One word: OVERRATED. Been there once and won't ever go back. The traffic on that lake makes KY Lake look empty. Besides, KY is a better lake anyway.

[mkmsports41]

Sorry for your bad trip. I fished there the 11-13th. First time I have ever been there. I beleive location was the biggest key for us at the time. We found one spot around 150yds. We stayed there and in three days we had around 48lbs out of 14 keepers. With one over 6 and one over 7. Our tourney was won with 39lbs and we were second with 31lbs. (2 Days) However third place was 24lbs. It did seem to be feast or famine. It was my first time and I will definetly be back.

As far as it being over rated. I dont beleive that at all. If it was over rated no one would go. It is just a matter of spending time on the water. I bet you ask the local G-Vill guys they would say KY is over rated. I liked it because it was differant as far as vegitation. I really enjoyed ripping the rattle trap through submurged grass.

[Fntsyfbgod]

You still gotta find them they don't jump in the boat. If you want to catch a bunch of fish go up the creeks. This time of year its hit or miss more with a better chance for big fish. Go in May for numbers. Last May our boat with 2 people caught 200 fish in 4 days. With around 40 keepers. But we didn't have any hawgs but there were some hawgs being caught we just didn't get on them. Your right the pressure is bad but you can find places that aren't hit as hard.

The best thing about Guntersville is its reliable at its worst its still good to us. I have had some bad trips going other places but have never had a bad one the Big G. But you probably shouldn't go back leave those bass to us.

[KR]

Yeah Guntersville *****...tell everyone who inquires it is an overrated fishery! People need to know not to waste time, money and gas going to that terrible no fish lake!

[Embrey]

Yeah Guntersville *****...tell everyone who inquires it is an overrated fishery! People need to know not to waste time, money and gas going to that terrible no fish lake!

dissapointed? LOL. we had bad weather welcome us last year on our first time ever there. caught 2 fish in 3 days! and yes i went back.just cause you **** doesnt mean they arent there.lol

[bassin bruce]

Yeah Guntersville *****...tell everyone who inquires it is an overrated fishery! People need to know not to waste time, money and gas going to that terrible no fish lake!

Tell everyone to stay away! It is a no fish lake! I hope no one will go to my favorite lake that is the best in the USA!

[fireman21]

Guntersville is far from being overrated, it's all about conditions. We were there March 12-14 and caught roughly 150 bass. We didn't catch many big fish but had some nice fish over 4lbs. The majority of the fish we caught were between 2-3lbs. We had a tough day on Saturday, but Sunday and Monday we killed them. The biggest problem we had was how hard the TVA was pulling the lake. Didn't catch much shallow in the creeks had to go out on the main river to find fish. The current was so strong from being pulled we had to run the trolling motor on high, just to pull against it. My buddie was there the 13th-17th and his biggest fish of the trip was a 10lb 3oz whopper. I don't know of any lake in KY you can catch a fish of that caliber. The biggest thing I've learned from fishing Gunterville is your next cast could be a monster.

[twise7]

Overrated? Absolutely not - it took 100 lbs 13 ounces for Skeet to win there in 2010 and 107 lbs and 8 ounces for Aaron Martin to win in 2009. It's still one of the country's best bass fishing lake...but it won't be much longer.

Over fished - ABSOLUTELY!! Anyone there over a weekend willing to guess-timate how many boats were on the water?!?!?! I know it's hard for us to imagine...but there's that much boat traffic on that lake EVERY WEEKEND from early February through mid November...EVERY WEEKEND. Too many tournaments, too many out-of-towners coming in and taking fish out of the lake, not enough of a re-stocking program, and not enough on-the-water livewill checking from the Alabama Fish and Wildlife Department.

I know there are a lot of people on here that think that a lake the size of Guntersville can't be "over fished" or "over harvested"...you're wrong. It's happening as we speak (well, type). Anyone who has gone there over the past 10 years will tell you - Big G is on a decline. Good news is, as the word spreads that the fishing has taken a hit, more and more people won't go there and the fish will be able to bounce back!!

[00SKEETER]

Overrated? Absolutely not - it took 100 lbs 13 ounces for Skeet to win there in 2010 and 107 lbs and 8 ounces for Aaron Martin to win in 2009. It's still one of the country's best bass fishing lake...but it won't be much longer.

Over fished - ABSOLUTELY!! Anyone there over a weekend willing to guess-timate how many boats were on the water?!?!?! I know it's hard for us to imagine...but there's that much boat traffic on that lake EVERY WEEKEND from early February through mid November...EVERY WEEKEND. Too many tournaments, too many out-of-towners coming in and taking fish out of the lake, not enough of a re-stocking program, and not enough on-the-water livewill checking from the Alabama Fish and Wildlife Department.

I know there are a lot of people on here that think that a lake the size of Guntersville can't be "over fished" or "over harvested"...you're wrong. It's happening as we speak (well, type). Anyone who has gone there over the past 10 years will tell you - Big G is on a decline. Good news is, as the word spreads that the fishing has taken a hit, more and more people won't go there and the fish will be able to bounce back!!

I have to agree. I think it is on a slight decline. Too many tournaments on that body of water is very true. Heck when I was there a couple weekends ago there was a two day tournament out of goose pond with 183 boats and no..... this tournament was not affliated with FLW or BASS. It was just an everyday tournament.

[KR]

Sarcasm is a wonderful tool....if you know how to use it and identify it!!!!

[offdtop]

I can say that the last week of February we fished a tourney (small club) and we were literally culling 3 pounders. It was the first time on the lake, 2nd day of fishing and we figured them out. I was highly impressed by the lake and I sat down with a map after the first day (1 keeper 0 short fish) and used what I know about KY Lake and applied it to there and it worked like a charm. and trust me 2 hours of map study is tough on me but once I put all the peices in place it was on!!!! I will go back when the grass is green or in the fall, I will in no way say the lake is overrated until I get to fish it in the prime times...... I take early spring fishing with a grain of salt