Lay Lake / Airport Marine’s Winter Buddy Tournament Trail Championship 1/12/13

LAY LAKE - Another Winter Warming Trend and Airport Marine’s Winter Bass Trail Championship

Website www.fishingalabama.com

Impounded 1914

Lake Level Full Pool

Air Temperature - Lows 50 degrees / Highs near 70

Water Temperature - Mornings Low 50′s / Evenings 62 Degrees

Water Clarity - Main Lake and some Major Feeder Creeks lightly stained

* Predicted Weather - Partly cloudy early this week with lows in the 30′s and highs near 50. Cold Front and more rain expected. Next weekend mid 50′s and sunny!

AIRPORT MARINE’S WINTER BUDDY TOURNAMENT TRAIL CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY, JANUARY 12 2013 BEESWAX CREEK, LAY LAKE

* First Place - Chris Payne and Jeff White with 5 bass weighing 24.08 pounds! Including Big Bass weighing 6.89 pounds. They took home $2200 for first place and big bass!

* Second Place - Coleman and Oliver - 5 bass 21.03 pounds

* Third Place - Edwards and Gould - 5 bass 19.54 pounds

* Fourth Place - Freeman and Hurst - 5 bass 18.53 pounds

(See www.airportmarinetrails.com for pictures and results. Also sign up for 2013 Airport Marine tournaments!

* Also see the entire tournament weigh in filmed By Reed Montgomery at: www.anglerschannel.com posted by later this week!

LARGEMOUTH BASS

* Largemouth Bass really turned on for the Airport Marine Championship anglers, with this past weekend’s warming trend in the low 70′s, mostly due to some rather warm nights in the 50′s and no real cold fronts last week. Water temps rose 10 degrees.

Clear to lightly stained water conditions on most of the lake, unlike today with some creeks now very muddy from heavy rains Monday. Bass were actually very active with most anglers reporting catching quality bass from early morning until late evening. With early morning daylight fishing, rather good for big bass! Almost like Spring!

With little rain, (even last week’s two day rain), the lake’s major feeder creeks and lake’s headwaters were still clear to stained. With this warming trend, this rather clear water can suddenly show a good topwater bite. Look for water temps near 60 degrees for this to take place any time this winter!

* With this week’s cold front in the low 30′s, the lake’s shallow water temps will now be dropping back into the upper 40′s to low 50′s and the largemouth bass fishing will be slow. Accompanied with a few sunny days, the spotted bass bite may be a better choice by next weekend.

Tactics like swimming a jig combo, fishing with finesse worms, to throwing crankbaits, rattletraps and spinnerbaits on main river banks, including topwater lures, fooled some of Lay lake’s biggest largemouth bass and spotted bass with the top four teams bringing in 5 bass sacks weighing from 18-24 pounds!

SPOTTED BASS

* Spotted Bass were targeted on main river banks. This quick access to deep water, daily current, schools of bait fish and their preference for banks featuring points, standing timber, rock bluffs, stump flats and rocky, rip-rap lined banks, shows more spotted bass habitat on Lay lake as waters warm into the 50′s.

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* Lure Choices can be (and are often) many, when targeting Lay lake’s spotted bass, usually holding on wood cover, rocks and irregular bottom features. If fishing during a winter warming trend like this past weekend (bringing up water temps as much as five to ten degrees), then always try topwater lures, not always making your first choice a buzz bait or frog. Try em’ all!

Try fishing with topwater lures that can be slowly walked, or those that can be popped or jerked (and often stopped) and made to stay in one spot. This technique alone may fool a big, anxious spotted bass into attacking your topwater lure, even in cold weather. It did this past weekend for many anglers I talked to!

Pop-r’s, baby torpedoes and other popping-type topwaters may work as well. If not, go to a suspending jerk bait. Shad colors and bream colors work good in clear water situations. Fish slow, but erratically with either a floating model jerk bait or suspending model jerk baits. Look for the clearest water available!

Try both light line of 10 pound test, or heavier 15 pound test line and tie to a split ring or use a loop knot for the best overall action on jerk baits such as Rapala’s suspending X-Rap or even old three hook Rapala’s, or Heddon’s three hook model jerk baits. Heavier line if frog fishing!

* Or call on Reeds Guide Service…first! Lay lake’s oldest, guide service for over 40 years! Website www.fishingalabama.com

Utilizing the new, 2013 Ranger Z-521 model Bass Boat (See www.rangerboats.com ), provided by Airport Marine(www.airportmarine.com) ! Fully equipped with an Evinrude E-Tec 250 H.P. outboard motor, Hummingbird Side Imaging Electronics and Minnkota 101 pound thrust trolling motor.

REEDS GUIDE SERVICE

“Guiding year round on all of Alabama’s lakes for bass and stripers for over 40 years”

* GIFT CERTIFICATES

* Keep in mind a guided fishing trip not only makes a great gift for Christmas but for Valentines Day, Fathers Day, Mothers Day, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Graduation or any occasion! Guided Fishing Trip Gift Certificates available now…for those loved ones, that love to fish! See www.fishingalabama.com for more info!

* Seen www.bargainssouth.com ? New items added daily! From antiques to new items all at very reasonable prices .Great gifts for men, women and children! Check out charges, or pick up in Alabaster, Al. and save shipping costs!

* Need a new or used boat? Go by Airport Marine in Clanton, Alabama or check them out online at www.airportmarine.com New 2013 bass boats are in! Including the new Ranger Aluminum Bass Boat!

See John boats, pontoon boats and both new and used bass boats. Great sales staff, well stocked parts dept. and expert mechanic work with trouble shooting experts.

* Come by the www.birminghamboatshow.comJanuary 24-27 and see Airport Marine’s huge boat display upstairs with over 50 boats to choose from! Bass Pros and Factory reps explaining new Boats, Motors and Electronics! See their website www.airportmarine.com for more info!

* Fishing bass tournaments? Check out Airport Marine’s Annual tournaments and Buddy tournament trails! Great pay outs and fish just one tournament to be eligible for their classic! See www.airportmarinetrails.com for more info! Next tournament for 2013 is on Alabama’s Jordan Lake in February!

* World’s Best Bass Boat? Go to www.rangerboats.com

* Hunting and Fishing items? See www.marksoutdoors.comfor all your shopping needs! Or visit Marks Outdoors Sports in Vestavia, near Birmingham, Al.

* Big Bass! See www.fishingalabama.com Come by my booth upstairs at the www.birminghamboatshow.comTo be held Thursday- Sunday, January 24-27 of 2013! Also bring the kids to my free, 12 th Annual, “Reed Montgomery’s Kids Fishing Show” with draw prizes and more!

Thanks and Good Fishin’!

Reed Montgomery / Outdoor Writer

Owner / Reeds Guide Service
Alabaster, Alabama (205) 663-1504
E-mail: alabassgyd@aol.com
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
” Over 40 Years Guiding, Fishing and Exploring Every Lake in Alabama For Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass and Striped Bass “

Always Call on Reeds Guide Service…first!

Alabama’s Oldest Professional, Freshwater Fishing Guide Service!