With most nights forecast to be below freezing in the northern half of the state for the next 10 days, Alabama anglers can expect typical winter fishing for bass—slow and challenging.
Fortunately, the state has several species that actually thrive in cold weather, including striped bass, blue catfish, crappies and, in a few spots, rainbow trout.
And, waters on the coast remain close to 60 degrees, still in the active zone for sea trout, redfish and sheepshead.
At Lake Guntersville, Captain Mike Gerry reports bass fishing is generally slow, but his clients have been getting a few bass on SPRO rattle baits, Picasso chatter baits and Tight-Line football jigs and swim jigs on grass edges in 15 to 18 ft. of water. He says the key is to be patient and keep casting, as well as to keep moving until you locate schools of fish on sonar; www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com.
From Lewis Smith, Captain Mike Walker is still reporting good catches of monster stripers, 20 pounds and up on some trips, slow trolling or drifting 12 to 18-inch suckers as well as large shad at 40 to 60 feet on the channel edges. Walker says there are more huge stripers than ever in the lake thanks to the blueback herring invasion, which has greatly increased the food supply, even though state fishery managers are concerned the invasive species may cause issues down the road. He says now through February is the best time of year to hook-up with the giants; www.fishing24-7guideservice.com.
The usual rainbow trout fishing is also steady in the first mile of water below Lewis Smith Dam—park at the head of the access road and walk up to the tailrace for the best fishing. Floating live worms or Berkley Trout Bait under a float is the best bet, but plenty are also caught drifting wet flies and streamers with the flow, as well as on tiny spinners and spoons; www.riversideflyshop.com.
At Weiss Lake, guide Mark Collins is finding plenty of big crappies for his anglers, mostly on channel edges in 14 to 20 feet around woody cover, rock piles and channel swings. He says slow trolling Jiffy Jigs is a good way to find the fish, and then load up on them by fishing live minnows just above the schools; www.markcollinsguideservice.com.
From Wheeler, Captain Mike Mitchell continues to find giant blue cats for his clients, with fish over 30 pounds common and occasionally some over 50. His biggest went 117! Best action comes in areas with good current flow on channel edges at 25 feet and more. Fresh-cut skipjack or shad drifted along bottom gets these fish. When it comes to tackle, go big or go home—40-pound gear and up is a must; www.tnriveroutfitters.net.
There’s some action on keeper-sized catfish below Wilson Dam on the upper end of Pickwick, as well—drift cut skipjack in current seams and holes just off bottom. This area is also noted for producing 4 to 5 pound smallmouths on jigs and crankbaits in February and March. Crappie anglers are finding good numbers of panfish in Bear and Yellow creeks slow-trolling tiny jigs on the channel edges.
From the coast, the cooler water means best action is in the coastal rivers and bayous—Deer Creek and the Fowl River, both on the west side of Mobile Bay, are favorites. There are also plenty of fish above the I-10 Bridge in the Tensas delta as the winter moves on, and in the depths of the Theodore Canal. Trout, reds and sheepshead can all be caught on a half-ounce jig head dressed with a fresh-cut shrimp tail and eased along bottom in the holes and channels. On sunny afternoons, switch to a topwater and throw around bars, docks and bridges to connect with larger sea trout; www.ateamfishing.com.
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January 08, 2021 at 09:06PM
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Friday Fishing Report - al.com
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