Impounded 1914
Lake Level: Full Pool (396.0)
Water Temperature: Mid-to-upper 70′s
Water Clarity: Some stain in creeks and lake headwaters from recent Labor Day weekend rain
Weather - Lows in the low 60′s / highs low 80′s predicted all week
TEN LAKES IN TWO WEEKS - LAY LAKE
Bass anglers planning on fishing any of Alabamas’ many lakes this weekend (especially those located in the northwestern portion of Alabama), such as the Tennessee River System Impoundment’s Guntersville Lake, Wheeler Lake, Wilson Lake and Pickwick Lakes, may be confronted by some very heavely stained-to-muddy water conditions.
With as much as 5-10 inches of sudden heavy rains dumped in this section of Alabama over the past Monday, Labor Day and the preceding weekend, it may take about a week to clear up. Smith Lake? Does it ever get muddy? Rare if its does. Not this week. Lay Lake? Anglers have no worry, it only got 1 1/2 inches of rain. No muddy water in sight!
I have taken clients of Reeds Guide Service guiding them to on all six of these lakes, in just the last two weeks. Including other trips to Coosa River Impoundment’s Logan Martin Lake and Jordan Lake and I recently took two more guided trips to Tallapoosa River Impoundment’s Lake Martin and Lake Wedowee. Sunday was a day of rest, followed by Labor Day…a day I avoid being on any lake if at all possible.
Even though it rained Sunday and Monday keeping most boaters off the lake, I made plans for my day off and decided to head to Lay Lake Tuesday, for some Post-Labor Day Bass Fishing on a cloudy, light drizzle, rainy day. Greeted by a cool morning and in addition, having the lake all to myself!
Perfect conditions for Spookin’ up some nice largemouth bass, spotted bass and striped bass!
That morning I knew to wear blue jeans, a long sleeve shirt and bring along a jacket. I’m glad I did! For the first time since spring it dipped down into the upper 50′s, cooling the water temperature tremendously overnight. A glance at my water temperature gauge as I launched the boat that morning, had me doing a double take. I thought maybe I was getting a false reading from my in-dash depth finder! So I checked the front depth finder’s temperature gauge just to see if it was right. 73 degrees!
“Boy”, I thought to myself, do you know what that means in terms of catching bass! Coupled with a very cloudy dawn with light rain? I could not wait to find out, so I decided to just put down the trolling motor and fish right on down the bank in Beeswax Creek where I launched. Especially since I was the only angler on the lake!
As I made my very first cast of the day (of course with my trusty Zara Super Spook, is there any other way to start your day off right?), I was distracted while looking up the hill at my truck and boat trailer. One lone vehicle, with no one in sight in the Beeswax Park parking lot nearby. Rare, on any day. I then guessed to myself, “maybe the weekend crowd and those anglers celebrating Monday, Labor day might have left me a bass or two.” And they did, as I soon found out.
Suddenly, my sleepy mind and my tired, wore out body, came “alive” as my hook-setting instincts, quickly fueled, then took over. A blow up! On the first cast? Bad Luck? Who cares, when your rod is bent double from the day’s first bass! This big largemouth bass was laying in one foot of water and what an explosion as it attacked my zara spook! Not as big as it felt, but I’ll take a good four pounder any time!
I noted that the five inch long zara super spook was half way down the big bass mouth and two of the three treble hooks had it firmly hooked. I knew the 20 pound test Trilene Big Game line would hold and this assured me, I could just swing it in the boat. Bad luck to catch a bass on the first cast of your day? Well, I proved that myth wrong by quickly boating another 3 nice largemouth bass, with another one, a spotted bass weighing close to 4 pounds! Leftovers! But a good five fish limit, all taken on topwater lures in the first hour of the dawn, of what I knew was going to be a good day of spookin.’ And it was!
I fished both up the lake and down the lake that day, not seeing another boat on the entire lake! It was either raining or creating a light sprinkling-type drizzle rain without stopping. A good rain suit is worth a thousand words. Having the lake all to yourself? I was speechless with no one to talk to any way…so I just kept on throwing that topwater lure, the zara super spook. A lure I have fished for over 30 years that always fools big bass, especially while fishing it in the the rain!
During my day on Lay lake I visited several creeks and I found that not a one of them was even the slightest bit muddy, as I had expected. Some creeks had a light stain, especially back towards the feeder creek’s far upper end. It was very windy on the main lake and even though I fished some main lake places, the best spots were secluded out of the high winds that followed this three day torrential downpour, that hit most of south to upper Alabama.
I did manage to fool two more three pound spotted bass on the spook, caught on a main lake stump filled flat. They were actually busting shad only 30 feet from the boat when they came up. All alone in a pouring down rain. Still, it was getting near noon, with no one in sight! I got ready to make another move, when suddenly I again saw surface-busting bass and feeding bass, as they appeared again!
This time…stripers!
By the time that school of busting stripers was over and done I had caught a half dozen, one in particular did some damage. It looked about 15 pounds or bigger before I lost it, it had straightened out a #2 treble hook on the spook. A closer look revealed a broken off treble hook as well! Man, those are some tackle testing bass! Although most of these stripers were only 5-10 pounders, they gave me a run on the reel’s drag on about every hook up.
Could it get any better? I proceeded on, with still, only one rod outfit laying on the front deck of my Ranger bass boat. Like so many times before, it was all I needed. Doing what I like best, fishing with topwater lures on one of my favorite Alabama lakes…Lay lake! As I slowly drove the boat up on the trailer that evening, I saw another angler finally enter the park. We were the only two anglers there!
Recognizing me, he then says, What are they hitting Reed? So I replied, The Zara Super Spook! Of which I think he was already planned for, as I noticed the zara spook already rigged on one of his rods. I hope he had as good a day as I did! In all, while fishing with nothing else but the zara super spook, I boated over 20 nice bass that day!
* REEDS GUIDE SERVICE
Planning a fall or early winter fishing trip? Always call on Reeds Guide Service …first! “Lay lake’s (and all of Alabama’s), oldest, professional — bass fishing only — guide service for over 40 years” BOOKING TRIPS FOR FALL AND EARLY WINTER TO ALL ALABAMA LAKES. Call (205) 663-1504 or E-mail me alabassgyd@aol.com to reserve your guided fishing trip today! See my website www.fishingalabama.com for more info.
No live bait, lures only. No trolling, no umbrella rigs and fishing for bass only. Guiding throughout all of Alabama for largemouth bass, spotted bass, small mouth bass and some huge striped bass!
Family outings, parent and child learning trips, lake-resident learning trips with map study, corporate guided trips, and guided trips for both the novice angler and bass tournament angler that are always welcome! Alabama’s oldest, professional — bass fishing only — guide service with several boats and guides available, year round for multiple parties. Discounts are available! Rods and fishing tackle can be furnished! Fall and early is the time of year when we fool some big, trophy-sized bass fishing all throughout all of Alabama! Make your plans and book your trip today with Reeds Guide Service!
* GUIDED FISHING TRIP GIFT! - Remember a guided fishing trip with Reeds Guide Service to any lake in Alabama, makes a great gift for those loved ones that love to fish! Christmas is not to far away! Or plan on giving a fishing trip gift for Fathers Day, Mothers Day, Graduation, Birthdays and other occasions! Gift certificates are available year round! Hint around or ask your favorite angler!
* WBRC FOX 6 TV
See Reed Montgomery on Birmingham’s WBRC FOX 6 TV! - Call in (205) 741-7474 with your fishing questions on WBRC Fox 6 TV SHOW “Good Day Alabama” morning show, seen state wide. Reed’s next appearance with his, “Ask the Angler” call-in question and answer session will to be seen on Tuesday, September 27. He is on this very popular morning television show the last Tuesday of each month, on just after 8 a.m. Central time. For over 6 years! Mark your calendar and call in with your fishing questions!
* NEW AND USED BOATS - See www.airportmarine.com
* FISHING AND HUNTING - See www.marksoutdoors.com
* BASS TOURNAMENTS - See www.airportmarinetrails.com
* BASS FISHING INFO, ARTICLES, FISHING TIPS AND TOURNAMENT INFO - See www.bamabass.com
* WORLDS BEST BASS BOAT - See www.rangerboats.com
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!
