Lay Lake Impounded 1914
By Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service (205) 663-1504 Alabaster, Alabama. Website www.fishingalabama.com ”Over 40 Years Guiding on All of Alabama’s Lakes”
Happy Birthday Lay Lake! Its the 2014 Spring Season and Lay Lake’s residents and anglers are now celebrating! Its been 100 years since Lay lake was impounded…and its still going strong!
As March slowly comes to an end bass like this 8 pound largemouth will continue to roam Lay Lakes weedy shallows. It was taken on a Zara Super Spook topwater lure on Wednesday, March 19 (only 3 days after a full moon), in two feet of cold, dingy 52 degree water, along with several other largemouth bass. With 5 bass weighing close to 20 pounds total weight, Reed took big bass honors and he got third place out of 50 anglers that day. Fishing Airport Marine’s (see results at: www.airportmarinetrails.com ) mid week, Lay lake Solo Trail Tournament.
But oh, never think those Coosa River Spotted Bass will always take a back seat to Lay lake’s often labled and much larger size, largemouth bass!
Especially when during any springtime fishing trip to this 50 mile long bass factory, when you can fool spotted bass exceeding 5 pounds! Like these “spots” a client fooled while fishing with Reed Montgomery of Reeds Guide Service on one cloudy day March 13 (3 days prior to a full moon!). Yes, they too were fooled on topwater lures and these huge, spotted bass were caught in 1-2 feet of cold, 52 degree water temps. They also hit spinnerbaits, jerk baits and shallow running crankbaits. Yes, in low 50 degree water temps!
April and May on Alabama’s Lay lake will have other anglers displaying their big bass pictures as well. New growing aquatic weeds will be evident lake wide. Bass will be bedding lake wide in April and then coming off their beds, aggresive and hungry all throughout May and even into early summer in June, when its topwater time all over again!
Lures like frog imitations and buzz baits can be fished right up in the thickest of weeds for fooling Lay lakes big, largemouth bass. (Last year in early Spring an angler fishing Airport Marines mid-week Solo Trail caught a 12 pound largemouth bass, on a buzz bait!) So rig up with heavy line and sharp hooks!
Various types of topwater lures are fished around Lay lakes varied wood and rock cover during the Spring season and they always fool a few of those big, tackle-testing Coosa River breed of spotted bass. Often producing a mixed bag of largemouth bass and spotted bass! Walking type topwater lures like zara spooks, prop baits, poppers and other topwater lures fool these often very aggresive breed of bass!
But thats not all you can throw at these bass in the spring season (although I would if I could!), for there are dozens of other choice lure types to select from, especially during these times on Lay lake, when lots of bass are in shallow water. Its all according to if you want to fish around the weeds, wood or rock cover or you choose fish out in open water.
Besides weedless frogs and buzz baits, Lay lakes bass anglers can choose other weedless type lures during the spring season. Lures that do not hang up!
* Spinnerbaits - Selecting a spinnerbait calls for looking at the water conditions. Is it cold? Is it cloudy or muddy? Is the water very clear? Is there evident current or are you fishing Lay lakes still, backwaters? Chatterbaits to.
* Crankbaits, jerk baits and lipless lures - These lure types help an angler cover water fast and often you may discover several big bass that are hanging away from the banks, in places other anglers overlook. Thus there is less fishing pressure on these bass, like when you are targeting hungry, post-spawn bass recuperating from the rigors of the spring spawn.
*Alabama Rigs (and other multi lure rigs) and swim baits - Although often thought of as a more deep water approach to Lay lakes bass, these lures and rigs can be utilized during the spring spawn and early summer season for fooling big bass hanging away from the lakes weed, rock and wood covered banks.
* Bottom Fished Lures - If you visit your favorite fishing tackle store, your mind can possibly be boggled, especially when it comes to selecting from among hundreds of soft plastics and jigs that you can fish on, in, or near Lay lakes shallow weedy waters or around various types of wood cover, rock cover and the lakes bottom irregularieties.
Worms of all sizes still fool any bass that swims. So do lizard imitations, crayfish imitations and other soft plastics. Like multi-legged creature baits, beaver-type plastics, tube baits and jig combos adorned with any number of trailers. Always select as light of a weight as possible and match your hook size to the size of these bottom dragging offerings. Heavy line is suggested. Unless you are finesse fishing with light tackle outfits and smaller plastics.
Visit Alabama’s Lay lake during this spring season for big, largemouth bass and big Coosa River spotted bass! Or you can always call on Lay lakes oldest, professional bass fishing only guide service…first!
Reeds Guide Service guiding on all Alabama lakes year round. Thanks and Good Fishin’! Reed Montgomery Owner of Reeds Guide Service (205) 663-1504 Alabaster, Alabama Website www.fishingalabama.com
