Cold weather slows bass fishing but usually accelerates crappie fishing, and that’s the case in many lakes around Alabama this week.
Guide Mark Collins reports water on Weiss Lake is at winter pool, more than 5 feet lower than in summer, which means all boaters and anglers must exercise caution in rocky portions of the lake where boulders may be within inches of the surface. He said water temperature is at 46 degrees, definitely slowing the bite on bass though some anglers are still doing well crankbaiting the channel edges and offshore rocks and ridges. Crappie fishing, which is Collins’ specialty, has been good most days. The fish have moved to shallower water with the cold, with good action on suspended schools of fish around creek channels in 7 to 9 feet of water. He said long-line trolling with Jiffy Jigs is a good way to find these fish, then home in on them to load up with live minnows spider-rigged; www.markcollinsguideservice.com.
From Lake Guntersville, Captain Mike Gerry reports the winter slowdown of bass fishing has occurred, with the bites often few and far between. He says best bet is to find fish via sonar on the channel edges at 15 to 17 feet and work them patiently with deep-running crankbaits and swimbaits from different angles and at different speeds, changing colors and sizes regularly to see what might turn them on. Some fish are also hanging on the causeway bridges, particularly when there’s current passing through the spans. Again, deep running shad imitations are the best bet, fished where bait schools are showing on sonar. Guntersville also offers good crappie fishing for those who know the spots—some of the rock bluffs at mid-lake are noted for producing in winter. Live minnows dropped around bait schools get them; www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com.
At Lewis Smith, striped bass continue their winter feed. Stripers prefer cold water, so this is one of the best times of the year to catch them. These fish regularly reach 10 to 15 pounds, sometimes on up to 30 and 40 pounds, and they’re delicious on the table. Guide Mike Walker, among others, specializes in catching them, mostly by drifting large live shad or suckers on the channel edges at 45 to 50 feet. Spotted bass are also more active than largemouth in winter—some action can be found by locating schools of blueback herring on bluff walls and channel swings in the lower lake and fishing them with small crankbaits and swimbaits. Below the dam, trout action remains good anytime there’s current flow from the dam to the pumphouse—drift live worms under a cork or fly-fish with nymphs and wet flies to get them; www.riversideflyshop.com.
Fishing below Wheeler and Wilson dams will be picking up for smallmouths in the next few weeks, with some of the biggest fish of the year caught through March. The flows below these dams are noted for producing 5-pound smallmouth in late winter and early spring. Jigs, swimbaits and live shad get them, drifted through the holes. Be cautious—these waters can be very dangerous when flows are high.
From the coast, anglers are reporting lots of action on trout, redfish and sheepshead in the creeks, rivers and dug channels. The fish move into the deep holes of these areas in winter to escape the cold on the flats. Deer Creek, Fish Creek, Bayou La Batre and Fowl River are all well-known locations, as is the Theodore Canal and the delta rivers above I-10. Live shrimp on bottom usually does the job, but they also hit jigs and plastic shrimp like the Vudu and the DOA. Sheepshead are mostly found around bridge pilings, docks and rocky areas—half a fresh shrimp fools these tasty panfish; www.ateamfishing.com.
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January 15, 2021 at 03:00PM
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Friday Fishing Report - AL.com
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