SMITH LAKE
By Reed Montgomery
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com
Impounded 1961
Water Temperature: Mid 50's
Winter (early Spring) on Smith Lake
With Bassmaster's visiting Smith Lake early in the upcoming Spring of 2004,
learning to fish Smith Lake this winter, will reveal many deep water secrets,
that should hold up until then. Down for winter pool until April, low water,
often down as low as 30 feet, can show fish-holding structure. This is off shore
cover, that will hold deep bass this spring, during the prespawn period in
March, prior to the lake being returned to full pool.
Its been said, Smith Lake is Alabama's most difficult Lake to find the fish. No
matter what season you decide to challenge this deep impoundment, even in
Spring, when bass are traditionally shallow during the spawn, its a tough lake
to decipher.
Deep water and very clear water, are not what most anglers are accustomed to
fishing in Alabama and most anglers struggle on Smith Lake, that has plenty of
both. Impounded in 1961, this lake was built in North Alabama's mountainous
region, along the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River in Walker County, in
North Alabama. Smith Lake drains in Bankhead Lake.
Smith Lake is a very deep lake, no matter what part of the 21,200 acres you
choose to fish. The lake has over 500 miles of shoreline with a full pool stage
at 510.0 feet. The Smith Lake dam sits in a deep valley and is 300 feet high. It
is the largest earthen dam east of the Mississippi River. Just like the dam, the
entire lake features miles and miles of very deep water, often as deep as 300
feet.
If you plan on fishing Smith Lake this winter (like the rest of the year), think
deep. It is not unusual to find both spotted bass and largemouth's in water
depths 30-50 feet deep. Even during the Summer, when most anglers are fishing at
night, they find that fishing less than 20-30 foot depths, shows very few bites.
This especially holds true during the mid-to-latter part of winter, when water
temperatures drop into the low 50's and bass are customarily deep, as they are
on many lakes in Alabama. On Smith Lake, unlike many lakes in Alabama, when
casting to the rocky shoreline, you are often sitting in water 100 feet deep.
So this bank fishing tactic still works, without having to decipher the lakes
deeper, offshore water, which is always much more difficult to find. Choosing
your fish holding targets wisely this winter season can show good results, when
knowing what to look for.
Points, rock bluffs, islands, piers and boathouses and many other "visible
structures" always hold fish on Smith Lake. Finding the depth they are
holding at, and enticing them to bite your offerings is the daily challenge.
These spotted bass, largemouth bass and striped bass follow the baitfish schools
along these bank cover routes, year round.
These are excellent targets during winter for anglers to slowly fish this
winter, when huge schools of bass can move up on these spots, congregating there
for weeks at a time. But there is a lot of deep, offshore hideouts, places where
often bass go unmolested, until some skilled angler finds them.
Lures for fishing Smith Lake can be an array of topwaters, mid depth lures or
you can load up on some of today's dozens of bottom dragging bottom lures. Just
like this lengthy list of lures, there are as many techniques and ways to fish
them, that can show either good results or no bites at all.
Like most lakes in Alabama, normally slow, lethargic bass, can be turned on
during winter with unseasonably warm fronts. Water temperatures can rise a few
degrees, with a series of warm days and nights, triggering bass to rise to a
well placed topwater lure.
Often schooling bass can even be seen on Smith Lake during these warming trends,
as baitfish schools are forced to the water's surface. This is the time to have
a shallow running crankbait, suspending jerkbait or topwater lure or two rigged
and ready for some fantastic winter explosions. Big prop baits, walking type
lures, popping lures or smaller, double prop-baits, always get these schooling
bass attention.
Often, the bigger the lure, the bigger the bass. As most anglers know, Smith
Lake holds several world records for the Spotted Bass. Many are trophy sized
spotted bass (some, exceeding 8 pounds), of which have been caught, while
foolishly feeding on these hapless prey.
One of those world record trophy spotted bass, held up for quite a while when a
young angler from Alabama caught a huge spotted bass, on a spinnerbait. This
tackle testing spotted bass weighed almost 9 pounds and was caught in February
along a deep rock bluff.
Spinnerbaits continue to fool huge, spotted bass each winter. Some anglers, buzz
them, bulging or waking the waters surface. Spotted bass will nail these lures,
even when fast retrieved in this fashion during the dead of winter.
Many anglers slow roll (or drop), 1/2 ounce or heavier spinnerbaits along
ledges, ends of points, around brush laden piers and boat houses, and especially
along the face of rock bluffs and secondary ledges. Anglers fishing very deep
water on Smith Lake have caught bass on very heavy 1-2 ounce spinnerbaits, often
during winter while fishing depths of 50 feet or more.
Fishing on or near bottom, with small finesse lures and various techniques, may
turn out to be the winning pattern on Smith Lake, when some fortunate Bassmaster
Pro (or their amateur partner), attempt to tackle this deep impoundment next
season.
Techniques such as the now famous "drop shot rig" that was developed
in the deep, California Lakes out west, may show to be an excellent technique to
decipher Smith Lake's finicky bass into biting. Carolina Rigs, Texas Rigs and
Slider Rigs, can always entice a few bites in Smith Lake's deep, clear water
depths.
Small worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, centipedes, French fries, grubs, and
shad imitating plastics, can adorn any of these outfits with excellent success.
That is, if you find the fish first.
Deep diving crankbaits fished on light line can show some deep divers run in
that 20 foot zone, utilizing long rods, wide spooled reels and very long cast's.
This goes for rattling lipless lures as well (rattletraps), either fished on or
near top with a steady retrieve or down deep, with a jigging or yo-yo fashion.
Speaking of jigging. Vertical jigging with spoons and tailspinners is one of
Smith Lake's untold secrets. You can actually arrive at the lake, no matter what
the season, with no other lures, and do just as well, as bringing 5 tackle boxes
loaded with every lure imaginable. This goes for the angler in the back of the
boat as well, often to the tune of no fish for the guy in the front of the boat,
especially when anchored.
The reason being: On Smith Lake, especially during winter and Summer, bass get
very structure oriented. You can be fishing a long point, bluff or rocky bank,
but schools of bass can be bunched in one very small spot, often about as big as
your boat.
Vertical jigging with 1/4 ounce to 3/4 ounce spoons or tailspinners, can entice
these bass to bite, but often they won't move far. I have actually seen the guy
in the back of the boat load the boat on one end, when an angler only 20 feet
away, could not even get a bite.
So this could prove to be an excellent technique for the angler in the back of
the boat, as well as the angler in the front, that usually gets first shot at
all the bass. But they better bring plenty of lures, for hang-ups in the deep
water is inevitable. We'll just have to wait and see the outcome next Spring,
when Bassmaster's visits Smith Lake ... often Alabama's toughest lake to figure
em' out.
Need help on Smith Lake? Or any Lake in Alabama? Always call on Reeds Guide
Service (205) 787-5133 first! "Over 40 Years Fishing Alabama's Lakes for
Bass and Stripers" Many of those early years spent trying to figure em' out
on Smith Lake.
This report provided by:
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery Radio Show
"Celebrating Over 4 Years on the Radio"
Sunday Morning's 9-10 A.M. Central Time
Radio Station WJOX 690 AM Birmingham, Alabama
Call Reeds Guide Service...First! (205) 787-5133
"Over 40 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers"
E-mail: ALABASSGYD@aol.com
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com
This article provided by:
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Birmingham, Alabama (205) 787-5133
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
Over 30 years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers
