Summer Bass Fishing Alabama’s Six Coosa River Impoundment’s Weiss Lake, Neely Henry Lake, Logan Martin Lake, Lay Lake and Jordan Lake
By Reed Montgomery Owner of Reeds Guide Service (205) 663-1504 Alabaster, Alabama Website www.fishingalabama.com “Guiding on all of Alabama’s Lakes for Over 40 Years”
Intro: When the hot days of summer arrive bass anglers that frequent the Coosa River System, that originates from Weiss Lake at the northeast Alabama / Georgia state line, all the way down to mid-south Alabama Jordan Lake, situated just above the state capitol of Montgomery, Al., will have many choices.
Especially when it comes to targeting either the Coosa River breed of spotted bass or its big, largemouth bass, while fishing either during the daylight hours or at night.
Whether you choose to fish during the day or at night on any of these six Coosa River Lakes, keep in mind, there are always some bass in shallow water and some bass in or near deep water at any given time of the day…or at night.
Certain fishing preferences, various techniques for both day and night fishing, boat navigation and all types of fishing locations, fishing pressure and even the weather, may help you decide on which (or both) types of water you may choose to fish either during the day or at night, or both.
The origin of the Coosa River System begins in Georgia. This is the headwaters of Alabama’s Weiss Lake which begins at the Alabama/Georgia state line. Nearby are boat launches in major feeder creeks like Ballplay Creek and Mud Creek near Hwy. 22.
As the Coosa River waters begin to spread out, from a narrow winding river system into a more lake-like appearance, anglers will see Godfry island, Pruitt Island (and Hog Island where the Little River and Chatuga River join) at mid lake. Big Nose Creek, Little Nose Creek and Yellow Creek are also found here.
There are two dams. A narrow, rocky canal separates Weiss Lake Dam and the Power House Dam, both located on the lower end of the lake.
Bass anglers will find various types of aquatic weeds seen growing lake wide on Weiss lake for shallow water largemouth bass fishing, successfull both during the day and at night. Of course weedless lures are a must. Frogs, spinnerbaits, buzz baits, weightless lures like Flukes, Senkos and Trick Worms and Texas-rigged worms are always good day or night.
There is also plenty of wood cover to target such as stumps left here during impoundment, laying trees, log jams, resident-planted brush piles and loads of piers, boat houses and marinas, all found in or near the lakes many miles and miles of shallow water habitat.
* Day and night fishing may call for the use of heavier equipment and tackle for targeting Weiss lakes big largemouth bass found in and around this weed and wood cover.
* Both during the day and at night cover all depths. Especially fish well lighted spots at night, these are always worth a few casts!
Man made rip-rap rocks are found lake wide. Lining causeways, culverts, bridges, certain banks (to prevent wave and wind erosion), around marinas and both the dams, these rocks hold bass and prey year round. Well lighted at night these rocky banks also attract insects, attracting the prey like minnows, smaller bream and shad, then in come the bass to feed.
Using lures fished from top to bottom will attract both largemouth bass and spotted bass around these rocks both at night and during the day. There are plenty of bait fish, crayfish, worms, eels, lizards and snakes that reside here during the summer months. Lures fished on bottom work very well, day and night.
Include topwater lures, spinnerbaits, both suspending and floating model jerk baits, shallow to deep diving crankbaits and rattling lipless lures like Rattletraps and Strike Kings Red Eye Shad. Even swim baits and Alabama Rigs work here too!
Deeper bass can be located day or night fishing on Weiss Lake with a little map study and the use of your boats electronics. Even with no electronics, bass fishing around creek and river channel marker buoys will show those hidden, underwater shallow to deep drops.
Old original river channels, drop-offs, ledges, major feeder creek bends and ledges, underwater humps, ridges and submerged islands are also great places to target deep summertime bass on Weiss Lake this summer! Many lures will fool deep bass this summer and believe it or not, all lures work both during the day and at night!
Yes, deep diving crankbaits work at night! Also try jigging spoons, heavy 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce size football head jig combos, Texas-rigged plastics, Carolina-rigged plastics, Alabama rigs, Swim baits, slow rolling or dropping heavy model spinnerbaits into deep water and even finesse worming with light tackle outfits.
NEELY HENRY LAKE / Impounded 1966
Entering the waters of the headwaters of Neely Henry Lake, are the incoming oxygen-rich tail race waters of upper Weiss lake dam and its power house dam. This upper portion of Neely Henry lake is more of a river-type terrain.
Laydown trees, stumps, log jams, rock bluffs and rocky banks, and the mouths of small creeks are places to target this summer season, whether your fishing for largemouth bass, spotted bass or striped bass.
Lures vary here. At times topwater action can be seen from schooling bass feeding on prey. Topwater lures, crankbaits, jigging spoons, in-line tail spinners, swim baits, A-rigs, lipless lures and small finesse worms all work very well in the summer months.
Fishing wood and rock cover or creek mouths, day or night anglers can be very successful fishing with worms, lizards, jig combos, spinnerbaits and creature baits. Bring plenty they do hang up!
From Gadsden City launch down the lake, it begins to widen into a more lake-like appearance. Incoming major feeder creeks like Big Wills Creek and Canoe Creek, bridges, piers, boat houses, rock bluffs and main lake flats loaded with stumps and other scattered wood cover and weeds, are your targets both day or night.
From Canoe Creek to Neely Henry Lake dam the water is clearer in the summer months on this lower lake. Beaver Creek, Shoal Creek and Bridge Creek are good places for deeper daytime bass fishing and night fishing in shallow water. Finesse fishing with small plastics and creature baits, jig combos, beaver type plastics and Texas rigged plastics work very well both day and night on this lower lake.
* Always try swim baits and Alabama Rigs in these summertime clear water situations
LOGAN MARTIN LAKE / Impounded 1964
Only 30 miles from Birmingham is Logan Martin Lake. A 50 mile long lake that gets pounded both during the day by recreational boating, anglers and water skiers, (and bass anglers day and night) during the summer months. Still, there are catch able spotted bass and largemouth bass to be found here, all summer long.
Like most Coosa River Lakes bass tournaments are held about every weekend on Logan Martin Lake. Bassmasters and FLW Outdoors visit here often in the summer months.
In addition, there are summertime Monday night tournaments, Wednesday night, Friday night and Saturday night tournaments, all held each week on the mid to lower lake marinas.
Check with Riverside Marina at mid lake near I-20 crossing, Poorhouse Branch Marina in Poorhouse Creek at mid lake, or Lakeside Landing on the lower lake in Cropwell Creek for more tournament info.
Bass tournament release sites (as they were during the spring), are still great places to fish both during the day and at night this summer (especially on those days or nights when no tournaments are being held), for Logan Martin lakes big spotted bass and big largemouth bass that were recently released or let go by dozens of bass tournament competitors.
* Usually evidently released bass, seen by the hook marks that have not even healed, found in, or the corner, of their mouths.
Top water lures, shallow to deep diving crankbaits, suspending model hard-bodied jerk baits and soft jerk baits, Senkos and other weightless plastics, spinnerbaits and Chatterbaits, lipless lures, swim baits, crayfish imitations or jig combos and creature baits will all fool Logan Martin Lake bass this summer season.
Experiment with these and other lures for fishing shallow to deep water day and night on Logan Martin Lake this summer season. Fishing around weeds, wood cover and rocks or targeting deeper bass along rock walls, deeper ledges and drop-offs, along points, around islands, bridges, and old creek and river channel deep bends.
Like upstream Logan Martin Lake, Lay lake (now nearing 100 years since its impoundment), sees a lot of fishing pressure and boating and recreational activity during the summer months. It also has its share of both day and night bass tournaments, held each week.
Release sites like Beeswax Creek and Paradise Point marina at mid lake, are good places to begin your search for both spotted bass and largemouth bass…ready to be caught again!
Day or night the many types of aquatic weeds and wood cover found in these two release sites alone, hold bass here, year round. The mouths of these release sites both empty into deep main lake waters, providing schools of migrating bass feeding on baitfish (all summer long), found here daily.
To escape the daytime or nighttime crowds many anglers fish the upper portion of Lay lake. From mid lake (it is about 25 miles) to Logan Martin lake dam found in Lay lakes headwaters, there is plenty of cover like deep rock banks, creeks, bluffs, laying trees, log jams, deep outside river bends and bridges to explore this summer.
With very little aquatic weeds in the lake headwaters, most anglers fish with jig combos, worms, crankbaits, swim baits, Alabama Rigs, spinnerbaits and topwater lures around Lay lakes wood and rock cover.
Near Wilsonville Steam Plant is Yellow Leaf Creek. Heading downstrean the lake begins to widen exposing stump-filled main lake flats, standing timber weed-laden mid lake islands, and more creeks, small cuts and pockets.
All very evident are the lakes aquatic weeds that can be seen lining the lakes banks about anywhere you travel, with thick aquatic weeds that grow in mid-to-lower Lay lake, a lower Coosa River impoundment which is kept “at or near” full pool, year round.
At night, Lay lake anglers can fish a variety of lures in and around these weeds, that are just as good a place for big bass during the daylight hours. In addition, are the lakes nocturnal well lighted piers, boat houses, causeways, bridges and marinas, that summertime bass gather around when the sun goes down, as well as during the daylight hours. Worms, lizards, creature baits, jig combos, beavers, crayfish imitations and small finesse plastics all work very well fishing here day or night.
From an area called the “narrows” just above Waxahatchee creek, all the way to the mouth of Paint Creek located within sight of Lay lake dam, a determined bass angler can find any fishing situation available for summer bass fishing, day or night, in deep or shallow water bass habitat.
There are deep, rock bluffs all lined with laying trees, log jams, standing timber and loads of aquatic weed-lined pockets, all located near deep water. There are also main lake flats, weedy points, islands, and piers and boat houses to be found on the lake and in in its major feeder creeks on this lower lake.
MITCHELL LAKE / Impounded in 1923
When compared with the four upper Coosa River lakes, Weiss, Neely Henry, Logan Martin, and Lay lakes (all over 50 miles in length), Mitchell lake seems very small, with only 18 miles of navigable waters, from upstream Lay lake dam to lower lake Mitchell lake dam.
But ask any bass angler that frequents this small lake in the summer months and most will tell of at least a few bass caught on most every outing to this weedy impoundment. Whether they fish at night or during the daylight hours most anglers find success on the main lake or far up in the one of the many major feeder creeks that feed this lake.
Like Hatchet Creek, Weogufka Creek, Walnut Creek, Blue Creek, Cargle Creek or Pennamotly Creek all located on the mid to lower lake. These major feeder creeks supply a fresh, cool, oxygenated waters for Mitchell Lakes spotted bass, largemouth bass and striped bass to reside in all summer long.
Early mornings, late in the evening (especially with clouds or evening showers and even late at night), these major feeder creeks like Hatchett Creek and Weogufka creeks, both that run for miles far back in the scenic woods surrounding Mitchell lake, can show a tremendous time for fishing with topwater lures this summer season.
Anglers should be rigged and ready for this fun and often expolosive topwater action that is often viciously displayed from some very aggresive spotted bass, striped bass and largemouth bass. Several rods are suggested for having several lures rigged and ready.
Some of these bass like largemouths are found around weeds and wood cover, while others like spots and stripers are more likly to be caught around deep rocky banks or rock bluffs and along creek flats, bordering deep creek channel drop-offs.
Also look for schooling fish, busting baitfish at any time exploding on the waters surface. A great time for trying topwater lures like zara spooks, poppers, prop-baits, buzz baits and always try other submerged running lures crankbaits, jerk baits, lipless lures, swim baits, in-line spinners and jigging spoons.
The last of these six Coosa River Impoundments, Jordan Lake, is only 18 miles long like upriver Mitchell lake. But Jordan lake is always “first” when it comes to big, spotted bass action this summer season or anytime, year round! Why? Its the habitat.
Jordan lake was built in a deep, rocky bluff-lined ravine, that harbored the often swift waters of the fast flowing, Coosa River System. Today its a perfect place to grow big spotted bass! Anglers have fooled spotted bass weighing in the 5-8 pound class (some, just short of a world record), in years past. Its only a matter of time before someone lands one bigger!
Jordan lakes headwaters boasts of some of the most perfect habitat for finding big, spotted bass, that grow even bigger each summer! Feeding on the hapless incoming meals such as bait fish, crayfish and bream all provided by the dam discharge waters of upstream Mitchell lake. Almost on a daily basis, year round.
After all, thats a lot of rain run off and generated waters from five other lakes found up stream! For water generation scedules for any Coosa River lake call Alabama Power Company at 1-800-lakes-11.
Day or night anglers can target summertime bass on Alabama’s Jordan lake with deep water lures like jigging spoons, deep diving crankbaits, lipless lures, swim baits, jerk baits, spinnerbaits and both Texas-rigged and Carolina-rigged plastics.
Other bottom fished lures (or bank fished lures around weeds, wood and rock cover), are worms of all sizes, lizards, beavers, crayfish imitations, jig combos and creature baits. Also these are good lure choices fishing around well lighted piers, boat houses and marinas found on the mid-to-lower lake, at night.
Jordan Lakes aquatic weeds hold some big summertime largemouth bass as well. There are loads of aquatic weeds to be fished from the lakes headwaters to the lower lake dams (yes, there are two dams, like Weiss lake) to the lakes feeder creeks like Blackwell Slough and Weoka Mill creek.
Techniques like flipping a jig combo, swimming a jig combo, or just casting jigs, creature baits and beavers, can fool some big Jordan lake largemouth bass. On some summertime days these big bass are buried up in thick matted weeds and must be coaxed from their thick, weedy homes.
But at dawn, late evenings, rainy days, or at night, these bass roam the weed edges and they can be fooled into biting with lures like frogs, buzz baits, spooks, spinnerbaits and weightless lures like Zoom’s Flukes and trick worms, or Gary Yamamotos Senkos all fished weightless in and around the weeds.
* Note - As summer continues keep in mind, Alabama’s Jordan lake waters and other Coosa River lakes, will not begin to cool for the Fall season until late September. Make plans to fish these lakes both during the day and night for some great bass fishing opportunities this summer season.
Be safe and courteous to other boaters and anglers this summer season. After all, its all “our” waters to share with each other. Be patient at our very crowded boat launches, for at times there are many boaters either launching or leaving the lake at the same time.
Always leave information at home with loved ones in case of an emergency. Where you are going, what boat launch and when to expect you home. Cell phones are a must, they could save your life. Always have several in the boat that are charged and ready for any emergency!
Always call on Reeds Guide Servcie…first! For bass fishing any Alabama lake day or night this summer season!
Thanks and Good Fishin’ Reed Montgomery
