Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service

As March rolls around, early spring is officially underway. Big, prespawn bass are on the move. By April, most anglers get out the boat, trying all their new lures, rods and reels. Some even have new boats. By the end of April, bedding bass are found throughout the shallows. May shows Alabama’s Lakes have stabilized, most are at full pool and newly growing, aquatic weeds, are in full bloom.

The weather cooperates to, with warm 70-80 degree days. By the month of May, bass are hitting, from top to bottom, lakewide. As the rituals of spawning cease, and some mighty hungry fish roam the shallows, this is fishing at its best. This season’s fishing tips will cover all of Alabama’s Lakes for these three months. Lures, techniques, fishing spots and websites are all mentioned, while relating to the many ways of fishing for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass species.

But first, in the fishing news (for all you information-starved anglers) is the now, three year old, radio talk show, "Fishing Alabama” With Reed Montgomery. This now, very popular radio talk show, features Bassmasters and FLW Outdoors Bassin’ news, lake reports, special guests, local and nationwide bass tournament updates, and a 1-800 call in number, for Alabama’s, one million plus anglers.

“Fishing Alabama” With Reed Montgomery airs every week, on radio station WJOX-690 A M in Birmingham. Celebrating over 150 shows in January, 2002. This hour-long radio talk show is packed with fishing information, and airs every Sunday morning from 9-10 A.M. (Also on affiliated radio stations throughout Alabama).

The show is called “Fishing Alabama” with Reed Montgomery. Your host each week, Reed Montgomery, is a B.A.S.S. Bassmasters Touring Professional Angler. He has ran Reeds Guide Service for over 30 years, fishing throughout Alabama’s Lakes and Rivers. Reed is also an outdoor writer, having written for many publications and Internet websites.

Reed Montgomery has fished all of Alabama's Lakes, for all species of bass and stripers, for over 30 years. He has acquired a vast knowledge of Alabama’s Lakes and Rivers, and passes this knowledge on, to thousands of radio show listeners, in and out of Alabama, each week.

“Fishing Alabama” With Reed Montgomery is Alabama's one-of-a-kind radio talk show. It centers around major bass tournaments in and out of Alabama and weekly, updated fishing conditions. Reed’s updated, weekly fishing tips and featured articles, include loads of information, for all freshwater game fish.

Each week there are in-depth lake reports and current conditions, interviews with product manufactures and professional anglers touring such major bass trails as Bassmasters, FLW Outdoors, Everstart, WBFL, Alabama Solo trails and more. Various fishing tips include fishing for all species of Bass, Stripers, Crappie, Bream and even those Catfish-chasing enthusiast’s.

Tune us in, every Sunday morning from 9-10 A.M. on the "Sports Monster" radio station WJOX 690 AM in Birmingham. Call our tool free number at 1-800-239 WJOX. Local number (205) 942-6900. Tell all our sponsors you heard it on, “Fishing Alabama” With Reed Montgomery for that special discount. Now for some bass fishing tips for March, April and May on all of Alabama's Lakes.

Note: “New” waterproof, topographic lake maps, with GPS coordinates and fishing tips, provided by: Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service

Go to: www.FISHINGHOTSPOTS.com OR CALL 1-847-699-3000 to order these “new” lake maps, now debuting in Alabama.

TALLAPOOSA RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

LAKE HARRIS

Most anglers nowadays are looking for a real wall hanger (or a replica mounted) largemouth bass. Finding a trophy bass over 10 pounds, is becoming more and more difficult when fishing major reservoirs throughout the state and could actually take a lifetime. There are thousands of anglers that never experience the thrill of landing a bass over 10 pounds. There are only a handful of man made lakes where this is possible. One is Lake Harris. Fishing Lake Harris this spring will help in narrowing your search for these true, trophy-sized bass, many exceeding 10 pounds. So, look no more.

Lake Harris, on the upper Tallapoosa River in mid-eastern Alabama (near the town of Wedowee), has yielded many trophy bass in the 10 lb. plus category each Spring. As in years past, this winter yielded several bass in the teens. March is just the beginning of the many shallow-water visits these monster largemouth bass will make. April will show spawning bass lakewide on this small lake impounded in 1983, now in its 19 th year of impoundment.

In May, Lake Harris will return to full pool, after being down over 8 feet all winter. This will spread out post-spawn bass in the newly flooded shallows. During this time lake waters are rising, while also warming up each week. Topwater explosions will dominate the post-spawn fishing patterns, as some huge bass come off the beds and display some voracious appetites.

LAKE HARRIS MARCH TIP: With the lake still down around 8 feet in March, your search for these bass will be narrowed as Spring gets underway. However, there is still plenty of deep water for these bass to retreat to when cold fronts and high pressure conditions, send them to the deep. Warming trends, in which you have several consecutive days and nights of warm weather, will move these bass shallow on main-lake and deep creek points. Some bass will forage up in the nearby shallows of these points in small coves and pockets, in search of food and prime bedding sites. With water temperatures in the mid-to-upper 60's many BIG bass will bed early...if conditions are right, usually on or near a full moon.

Many of these bass suspend during these prespawn times, so lures such as Excaliber's suspending jerkbaits, Excaliber's Fat Free Shad crankbaits, Spro’s new slow rising crankbait 25 and heavy model spinnerbaits, in the 1/2 to one ounce models, often fool trophy bass when other anglers fail to entice a strike. Spinnerbaits, in half-to-three-quarters of an ounce models, in colors of chartreuse & white, with BIG willow leaf blade combos of silver and gold, in blade sizes of # 6 to # 8, usually get the Big Bass bite. BIG bass are found throughout Lake Harris, so use Trilene Big Game line in the 15-25 pound test catagory, with these lures.

LAKE HARRIS APRIL TIP: In anticipation of heavy Spring rains, Lake Harris is often still down for winter pool during April. But as the water level returns to full pool near the end of the month, the bass move up shallower each day. The ticket now is to find the warmest water available and look for shad or baitfish activity and bass busting or feeding on top. With stained to muddy water conditions (often so common during spring) these bass can be very shallow. Coupled with water temperatures consistently rising into the 70's, spawning bass will be lakewide, usually found in less than 5 feet of water during April.

However, upriver spawning bass can give way to downriver prespawning bass during these times. The much deeper and clearer water at the junction of the big and Little Tallapoosa Rivers at midlake, to the downriver portions, takes longer to warm and can be 10 degrees cooler during April. Many bass will be bedding at these times, both male and female, and two lures will cover both top and bottom dwelling bass in shallow water.

For covering a lot of water fast, the Rippler Buzzbait (1-800-top lure) will generate a lot of strikes from active bass cruising the shallows. Always include a trailer hook for short-striking bass. Less active bass bedding near thick wood cover can be enticed to strike with Rippler's very loud, Rippler Rattlin' Jig. Both lures can be found at www.rippler.com or call 1-800-top lure. Rippler lures can now be found in all Bass Pro Shops.

LAKE HARRIS MAY TIP: This month is hailed as topwater month among most fishing enthusiasts. Lake Harris is no exception to that rule. After these monster bass bed, many females return to thick cover or deeper water for the Summer, but before they do, they spend some time recuperating and feeding in shallow water. This is when topwater explosions can surprise even veteran anglers, unaware of the heart-stopping strikes these 10 pound plus bass display. Best Lures? In May, bass will hit everything in the box, from top to bottom. Still certain model top water lures, entice more strikes than other surface lures.

Schooling bass during April, can often be just a good cast away when surfacing on a school of hapless baitfish. But one lure entices strikes from bass that don't even know your around, due to the long cast's one can acquire. Excaliber's, Zara Super Spook, is much heavier than earlier model spooks, meaning longer cast’s and less wind resistance. This oversized offering, also has three hooks instead of two, with super sharp Excaliber rotating hooks for more holding power. The Zara Super Spook comes in an awfully, realistic-looking holographic finish, now with a loud rattle chamber and some very distinct-looking eyes.

There are many lures that will fool these monster bass on Lake Harris during Spring, to many to list for now. As during any outing, its up to the bass to decide on a favorite and the angler to experiment, until he finds the key to unlocking the mystery of the day's bite. From top to bottom, these bass can be caught with a variety of offerings. See www.spro.com or www.lurenet.com, www.genelarew.com or www.sizmiclures.com for a wide choice of soft plastics, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs and trailers and topwater lures.

Texas and Carolina-rigged worms of all sizes, lizards, crayfish imitations, jig combos and even small finesse lures are great for these often slow, bottom feeding bass. Crankbaits, rattling lipless lures and hard jerkbaits fool a lot of trophy bass with unexpected, instinct strikes. Topwaters, soft & hard jerkbaits, floating worms, lizards, and of course spinnerbaits of all sizes, are just a few more of the shallow-to-deep water offerings to try during the shallow water months of March, April and May.

A few words of caution: There are BIG bass in Lake Harris. Many bass from 10-16 pounds have been caught each spring, by the angler fortunate enough to land one of these tackle-testing bass. Always bring a good rod, reel and big, long handled landing net. Sharpen or replace all hooks, check your reel's drag, use 20 to 25 pound test Trilene Big Game line and be prepared. Many anglers just go home with the old tale of, “the one that got away”. Don’t let this season’s Big Bass disaster be you, due to these angler errors.

TALLAPOOSA RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

LAKE MARTIN

You won't see another lake in Alabama like Lake Martin. Situated in mid-eastern Alabama on the lower Tallapoosa River system and now 75 years old. Impounded in 1926, this huge, sprawled-out lake, has withstood the test of time with fluctuating water levels (down over 10 foot this past winter) and deteriorating wood and bank cover.

Fishing pressure has risen to, with major weekly bass tournaments now year round. Added to that, there is a growing number of residents that line its banks from Wind Creek State park downriver, all the way to the lakes lower dam. Even with these negative attributes the lake still has a huge number of spotted bass, largemouth’s and stripers for the gamefish-seeking angler. Alabama Power Company is putting out fishing habitat structure, with bundled-up Christmas trees sunk in designated spots lakewide.

LAKE MARTIN MARCH TIP: During prespawn conditions both largemouth and spotted bass will be in the same holding areas, prior to moving up to shallow, spawning grounds. Upriver, above Wind Creek State park launch, is considered the best place to start your search in March, due to shallow, stained water flats, that heat up faster than the much deeper and clearer water from mid-to-downlake areas. This is generally from Wind Creek all the way to the lakes headwaters. This includes rock islands, old exposed roadbeds, incoming creeks, small cuts, pockets and main-lake flats, all visible this month during winter pool.

Concentrate your efforts on first and secondary points that lead into these calm, spawning backwaters. Composition of either a hard, red-clay bottom, sandy or small pebble bottom, are often the choice spawning grounds for both species of bass. During these pre spawn times, when waters are slowly warming into the low-to-mid-60's, bass will hit mid-diving and deep-diving crankbaits. Excaliber's Fat Free Shad and Cordell's Super Spots, Spro’s soft and hard jerkbaits and crankbait 25 series cover these points fast and often get the anxious feeders. Up on these points, under cloudy skies, usually when fishing with spinnerbaits and buzzbaits always generates a few strikes. Proven favorites are Falcon Spinnerbaits (made in B'ham) and Rippler's Buzzbaits (1-800-top lure). Points with scattered boulders often hold schools of bass.

There are some big largemouth bass caught at this time fishing upriver on Lake Martin, many are some of the years biggest bass. By keying in on laydown trees, brush, stumps and other wood cover, the angler can join this growing list of fortunate anglers. Flipping jigs with pork trailers is THE BIG BASS lure on Lake Martin. (See: www.rippler.com / jigs) Sizmic lures, made in Alabama, have some new plastic chunk trailers, called the Big Dill and the Little Dill. Real similar to the pork trailers, but with less mess and in some great colors. Also new is their Sassy Toad, a very versatile lure. See www.sizmiclures.com for more info on their complete line of plastic worms, lizards, grubs and other soft plastic lures.

Rippler's rattleleg jig is THE loudest jig on the market, complete with Gamakatsu hooks and silicone skirts. Check out www.rippler.com for more info. Texas or Carolina-rigged plastics, jigging spoons, fishing with small finesse lures, crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and various topwater lures, are all suited to the lakes stained headwaters. Or when in clear water try natural colors, these are better suited for the much clearer water from midlake to downriver on Lake Martin, during these prespawn times.

LAKE MARTIN APRIL TIP: During April on Lake Martin many changes take place as bass are full swing into that spawning thing. First, is the availability of prime spawning grounds (of which Lake Martin has plenty of) and nearby spawning cover, of which is often lacking. The Alabama Power Company planted brush cover and there are resident-planted brushpiles, natural rock piles, piers, boathouses and floating docks, that all provide some cover. This is especially true during prespawn times, when bass hold around cover in a little bit deeper water. But during the spawn, the very shallow, spawning grounds of the largemouth bass (and some spotted bass) are often void of cover.

Never fear, for as the month of April goes on and bass seem to inhabit every little shallow water object for security and ambush spots, the lake level will be rising, creating more cover opportunities. All the previously exposed rock piles, rocky points, stumprows, laydowns, brush piles and other wood and rock cover, you've observed for the last six months, will now be submerged. It can be found in 1-10 feet of water, as the lake returns to full pool by May. If you have done your homework, you should have triangulated these spots, marked them on a GPS unit, or marked a map with detailed directions. This will aid you in getting back to these now underwater, hidden hot spots, during Spring.

During clear-to-lightly stained water conditions, with normal low-to-mid seventy degree water temperatures, around a full moon, most bass will be bedding by late April on Lake Martin. Utilizing polarized sunglasses (and while cruising the shallows with the trolling motor on constant low), you can spot these beds, both upriver and especially downriver. Often you can sneak up on some huge female bass and many anxious bed-protecting males. These are easy-to-catch bass at times. So practicing, catch and release on the part of the angler, is a must.

Remember, these are crucial times and returning the fish to the spot you caught it in assures two very important aspects in the reproduction of our lakes bass population.

1. Returning the male bass (usually the smallest) to the bed, to spawn or to protect newborn fry, assures future generations of bass. With the male there to protect the newborn bass throughout the weeks of them growing up in a strange, new world, survival is more likely.

2. Or in the case of a huge female bass, of which lay over 10,000 eggs. Being returned to the bed, you could be saving thousands of future generations of bass. One female bass can produce over one million offspring during its expected lifetime here on this earth...that is, if we let them.

In April, bass are at three water levels from 1-5 feet and will hit a variety of lures both upriver and downriver on Lake Martin. During early light periods or during cloudy, overcast days and late evenings, these bass will hit topwaters, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits. Bedding bass will hit small worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, jig combos and grubs, gitzits and tube lures. Long cast’s and using light line will help you fool these spooky bassin clear water situations. Remember practice CPR this Spring (or any time) when catching these bass. Catch, Photo & Release.

LAKE MARTIN MAY TIP: As Lake Martin returns to full pool during May, many bass are in less than five feet of water lakewide. Most bass have spawned and are found feeding and recuperating, in or near shallow, spawning grounds. The availability of baitfish now determines the location of schools of post-spawn bass. This is also the beginning of a Summertime feeding trend, that will last for months.

Targeting these schooling bass with lures such as jerkbaits, rattling lipless lures, crankbaits and topwaters, can bring fast and furious action all Summer. Look for fish schooling on top or for signs of bass down below, such as baitfish skipping across the water's surface, or huge boils and topwater explosions. Get a lure to em' fast, for they often vanish as fast as they appeared.

Experiment this Spring, not only with your lures, presentations and color choice, but with lure selection to, for May is the time bass will hit any lure in the box. Also keep in mind during these three months of Spring, that bass will often be in a post-spawn mode upriver, coming off the beds, while lower lake bass could still be spawning downriver. As lake levels again return to normal, full pool levels, with newly flooded shallows, many bass will forage in the often stained water. Look for early Summer bass in the backs of feeder creeks and near lake headwaters, relating to wood and rock cover, as they come off the beds. Flipping, pitching or just casting worms, tube baits, lizards and jig combos, now gets the Big bass bite from hungry, post-spawn largemouth's and some aggressive spotted bass, lake wide, on Lake Martin this Spring.

THE COOSA RIVER

The six lakes that make up the Coosa River system, winding out of North-western Georgia, stretch all the way to the heart of mid-Alabama near Montgomery. All have distinct characteristics of their own. During March and on into mid-April, the three upper reservoirs Weiss lake, Neely Henry Lake and Logan Martin Lake will remain low (3-5 feet down) for winter drawdown. They are all usually back to full pool by the first of May.

The three lower Coosa River reservoirs Lay Lake, Mitchell Lake and Jordon Lake are at full pool year-round, except for scheduled drawdowns for dam inspections, usually during the Fall period. There are no weeds in the three upper reservoirs, Weiss, Neely Henry and Logan Martin Lakes six months out of the year. With new growing weeds in the three lower reservoirs during early Spring, you have two totally different fishing situations to cope with during pre-spawn, spawn and post-spawn times on these six Coosa River lakes. As May comes around, all six Coosa River reservoirs will be at full pool, showing newly-growing weeds and lots of post spawn bass, actively feeding in shallow water around wood, weeds and rock cover.

COOSA RIVER IMPOUNDMENT’S

WEISS LAKE

Look where your going when running Weiss lake during drawdown. Its a hazardous lake when low. Weiss Lake is normally down 3-5 feet until late April. This lake has a lot of 5-10 feet of water when at full pool, so you can imagine what’s just below the waters surface, when its down 4-5 feet. When navigating this huge, sprawled out, shallow impoundment, stay near the river channel buoys and watch for floating logs during March and April.

Spring rains can swell the lake and create floating obstacles. This can also create some very muddy water situations during Spring. Incoming creeks, lake headwaters and two major feeder rivers at mid-lake (the Chatuga River and the Little River) can become unfishable. If so, look from mid-to-lower lake regions for much clearer water. There are some BIG Bass in Weiss Lake. From the lakes headwaters in Georgia to the lower Weiss Dam, bass over 10 pounds are caught each Spring. Keep in mind when bass fishing, heavy equipment and stout tackle is a must for these largemouth bass, spotted bass and an occasional striped bass on Weiss Lake. Trilene Big Game line in the 15-25 pound test is suggested.

WEISS LAKE MARCH TIP: Not many lakeside residents in Alabama can boast of largemouth bass being caught in their lake, during Spring, especially exceeding the magical ten pound mark. Weiss lake residents can! Weigh-ins during past Springtime bass tournaments have shown 7 bass limits weighing up to 45 pounds! This is usually topped with several bass in the 7-9 pound range and each Spring, several bass over 10 pounds are brought in. Why? Just like most fertile, shallow water Impoundment’s throughout the south, Weiss lake grows BIG bass. Its growing season is year-round and BIG bass are lakewide on Weiss Lake.

When fishing in March, cold fronts, muddy water or high pressure conditions, all severely affect these shallow water bass. During these times you may have to fish shallow, slow your presentation and use lures that have rattles, create a lot of flash or vibration and make some type of noise or water disturbance. These bass can home in on these lures, often detecting water displacement or vibration, when attributes such as their lateral line, determines whether they eat or not.

In more suitable conditions, such as during clearing water periods and during rising water temperatures, like right after a heavy rain, these bass will feed by sight. Big, fool hearty, prespawn bass, can be fooled with lures such as soft and hard jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, topwaters and a variety of bottom bumping lures. Generally in cold, stained water, you must fish slow or near bottom. In clear to lightly stained water above 60 degrees, you can fish shallow to mid-depths, with a much faster approach and with faster moving lures during March on Weiss lake.

Keep in mind many BIG bass are still in deep water along old river and creek channel ledges. With cold fronts pounding the south throughout the month of March, its very likely. Deep-diving crankbaits and Carolina-rigged lures can aid an angler in targeting these deepwater bass. During spring, these are bass, a lot of shallow water anglers overlook. Also there are many resident-planted brushpiles along flats and around piers in prime spawning grounds. Brushpiles, now hold more than one prespawn bass. Many of these hidden spots are away from the bank, usually right under the boat, of the bank beating angler.

WEISS LAKE APRIL TIP: When water temperatures and lake levels are on the rise, the bass move up to spawn on Weiss lake. This will take place from mid-to-late April and the lake will normally be back to full pool by May. New weeds will begin to appear as waters warm and bass move into water as shallow as six inches deep, holding near prime spawning grounds. As on all Alabama lakes, these are spooky bass, bass not accustomed to being in very shallow water for long periods of time. A quite approach will be needed to assure quality strikes.

Spotting cruising bass or bedding bass can be easy with clear, shallow water. But on Weiss lake during Spring this is often not possible and looking for signs of bedding bass, will help in directing your cast's to likely areas for some big spotted bass and largemouth bass. Weed movement, boils, wakes or ripples of bass moving around, will help you detect these bass as they are alerted to your presence as well. Utilize long casts in this situation and always wear polarized sunglasses for spotting underwater cover, beds and even bass. Remember to release these bass to live, spawn and fight another day.

WEISS LAKE MAY TIP: This lake comes alive during May. Under normal conditions Weiss lake is back to full pool by the first week of May. New weeds will be visible and flooded shallows will give bass hundreds of miles of water to roam in. Some bass will still be bedding in cooler lake regions. But the majority of Weiss Lake’s bass population will be recuperating from the rigors of spawning and feeding to regain strength. Also while feeding to fill an empty belly fast, foolish bass go on a feeding rampage and make foolish mistakes.

Topwater is the pattern for May on Weiss lake. With Spring rains at a minimum, the stage is set for some awesome surface lure blow-ups, as bass feed once again in reckless fashion. Now matter what the lure, for a period of a few weeks, these bass will strike as if trying to kill the intruder. Buzzbaits will be nailed now by both male and female bass in water 1-3 feet deep. Floating worms, lizards and soft jerkbaits, will take some big bass in surprisingly very shallow water. In and around wood and weedy cover try Zara Super Spooks, Pop-r's, Spro’s prop baits and Excaliber's Spittin' Image, also Excaliber's minnows and suspending jerkbaits. The Swimmin' Image shallow-running crankbaits and the new Ghost minnow, are all deadly lures for these post-spawn bass.

Around man made dams, causeways and bridges rip-rap (rocks) are also good with these lures this month. Falcon spinnerbaits, Excaliber's Fat Free shad, Spro’s deep-diving crankbaits, and worms, lizards and jig combos are also good. During May many bass suspend away from the ledges, drop-offs and irregular bottoms. These places of recuperation, are near spawning grounds, but are often overlooked by the now conditioned, shallow water angler.

COOSA RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

NEELY HENRY LAKE

Look near Gadsden, Alabama and you will see Neely Henry Lake. It runs right alongside the city's major highway's in downtown Gadsden, just a short distance away. This is another Coosa River Impoundment left down till mid-April. It is also worth mentioning a word of caution for first timers, when navigating Neely Henry's waters during winter pool.

There are some big largemouth’s and huge Coosa River spotted bass taken from Neely Henry lake each spring. Fishing a low water, "wood and rock pattern" in March, can lead into fishing new growing aquatic weeds by the end of May. Above Gadsden City boat launch is mostly narrow, river-type fishing conditions. Downriver, the lake widens with many feeder creeks, small cuts, pockets and main river flats.

NEELY HENRY LAKE MARCH TIP: Water levels play an important role in March, especially on Neely Henry Lake. Often the lake is down from 1-4 feet during winter and into early spring. Other factors determine your fishing success this month. Such as cold fronts, muddy water, water temperature, heavy rains and the availability of baitfish and crayfish.

Above Gadsden City launch is considered upriver, which consists of a narrow, winding river with few, if any backwaters, during winter pool. There are some small feeder creeks with flats that heat up during the warming trends of March. Most backwaters upriver (all but Cove Creek) are dry from midways to the far back ends, until the lake is returned to full pool in May.

The mouths of these feeder creeks, small cuts, pockets and main lake flats, all harbor baitfish, attempting to escape the sometimes swift current during March. There are also pre-spawn bass, of both breeds, seeking wood and rock cover, within slack current areas, for ideal ambush spots in these hideouts. Another good area to concentrate your fishing efforts is along rocky, outside river bend bluffs, for some line-stretching spotted bass. These Coosa River spotted bass, will actively chase lures such as crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and even topwaters. Usually best, when conditions are warming, the water is clear to lightly stained and in the 60's.

Downriver, many feeder creeks such as Canoe Creek and Beaver Creek, have stump-filled flats and most display winding feeders. Most creeks are still navigable, but with extreme caution, during low pool. Look for baitfish, clearing water conditions, good spawning habitat and the warmest water available, for actively feeding bass during March.

In both upriver and downriver situations cold, stained water, often means having to fish slower with worms, lizards, crayfish imitations and both Texas and Carolina-rigged plastics, for numbers of bass. The jig and pork (or plastic trailer) combo is always good for that BIG bass bite, especially during the cold days of March. Tube baits are always good for prespawn bass. Both lures simulate crayfish and color choice should vary with brown, green, black and touches of blue, purple, red or orange. Rattles and fish attractants, aid the bass in finding these and other lures, during stained water conditions.

NEELY HENRY APRIL TIP: This is the month lake levels return to full pool. By the third week of April, the bass will be in some very shallow water, especially with rising water conditions. Spring rains can create stained or muddy conditions at this time. This gives bass a sense of security, as they move about in shallow water to feed and spawn. As lake levels begin to rise, so do the bass. During these warming trends many males and females will be in less than one foot of water. Some female bass will lay their eggs (on or near a full moon), and recuperate in nearby cover around spawning areas. Other bass just suspend, out away form the cover, to relax a while, from the rigors of spawning

Cold fronts severely affect these bass and temporarily slow the spawning process. Bright, bluebird days following these fronts always create a slowdown period. This is when you have to slow your presentation and fish drop-offs and ledges near prime spawning grounds. Or you can choose thick wood cover in shallow water, that often holds some schools of big bass during high pressure conditions in April. Coaxing these sly bass from stumps, brushpiles, laydowns or out from beneath piers and boathouses, calls for stealth, accurate presentations and correct lure choice. As Neely Henry returns to full pool, look for bass in newly growing weeds by the end of April. Best lures are mentioned in the following Neely Henry May tips.

NEELY HENRY MAY TIP: May, on any Alabama lake, means topwater time with fast, furious action from hungry, post-spawn bass. On Neely Henry lake bass of both species invade the newly flooded backwaters, to feed and complete their spawn, as the lake returns to full pool. At this time, many small, male bass protect the beds and will nail a buzzbait. So will some very big and irritated female bass. Lures such Zara Spooks, Baby torpedoes, Pop-R’s, Spittin' Images and other noise-making topwaters, will entice a strike to.

There are also some of the year’s Biggest female bass taken in May. While fishing around thick, shallow weeds, brush and wood cover on spawning flats, there are bass, that can create some mighty surprising blow-ups, during the late-April to late-May period. By mid-May there will be some new grass, well-established in small pockets, creek backwaters, and on creek and main lake flats. Post spawn bass will lay in six inches of water around this new, green growth during these times. This thin-growing grass, calls for a variety of weedless, shallow water lures fished on or near the surface.

Floating worms have won major B.A.S.S. tournaments on Neely Henry lake during Spring. So have buzzbaits, floating lizards, soft jerkbaits, frogs and rats, and weedless spoons, all fished in and around these new green homes of hungry, post-spawn bass. Spinnerbaits, worms, lizards, jig combos, grubs, gitzits and tube lures, are just a few of the excellent lure choices for these weeds. When fished around brush, stumps and other wood cover, during the post-spawn period of May, all of these lures can produce violent strikes.

Many bass suspend or hang away from the banks in May. Always include fan-casting an area with suspending and floating jerkbaits. Also try shallow-to-mid-running crankbaits, spinnerbaits and rattling lipless lures such as rattletraps and rattlin' spots. For explosive topwater strikes, try Pradco's (lurenet.com) “Zara Super Spooks”, Rippler's (rippler.com) Buzzbaits, Sizmic’s (sizmiclures.com) new, “Sassy Toad” and Spro’s (spro.com) complete line of topwater lures.

COOSA RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

LOGAN MARTIN LAKE

The test of time never held more truth when relating to Logan Martin lake. This impoundment on the Coosa River system, located near Pell City (and just 40 minutes from Birmingham), is fished heavily year-round. Most bass are returned to the lake, by bass tournament organizations, bass clubs and anglers now practicing, catch and release. This does little harm, especially when compared to the pollutants dumped in Logan Martin's waters during the past few years.

Major feeder creeks such as Choccolocco Creek and Broken Arrow Creek, have withstood the test of time...and man. Added to this, the building of homes all along the lake's shorelines, from the lower lake dam to 25 miles up the lake at its halfway point along I-20 bridge. During the Summer, Logan Martin lake is THE most recreational lake in Alabama. There are several mishaps each summer on its waters, due to reckless use of water crafts by careless boaters.

Despite these negative aspects, there is still some of the best Springtime Bassin' to be had in Alabama on Logan Martin lake, long after its Impoundment (1964) of 38 years ago.

LOGAN MARTIN MARCH TIP: While Logan Martin Lake is still low for winter pool in March, navigation is hazardous and extreme caution should be practiced, especially for first time boaters. The lake is usually down 4-5 feet until mid-April. This caution flag, especially holds true when running past the lakes halfway point. From Interstate 20 bridge to the lakes headwaters (25 miles), just below upper Neely Henry Lake dam, use extreme caution, study a map, and watch your depthfinder, when navigating these lake headwaters in March. This stump-infested, upper lake region, also has some of the warmest water to be found lakewide, during the pre-spawn period of March.

Creek mouths, small pockets, cuts, islands and main-lake flats, in these upper lake regions, will heat up fast during March, especially with stained or muddy water conditions. Several warm days and mild nights, can bring up the water temperature tremendously. This is when the sun's heat, quickly warms stained to muddy water, a lot faster. Stained water has particles, that help retain heat, when bathed in an all day sunshine. Much faster, than the clearer and much deeper water downriver. With any sudden rise in the water level (and a week long warming trend) a lot of prespawners will move into 1-5 feet of slack current backwaters, away from the main lake current, found in the upper lake regions.

Downriver, on Logan Martin Lake, many bass will be coming out of a winter state of mind, in March. When these upper region bass are actually spawning, downriver bass can be eating voraciously, in prespawn conditions. Upriver water temperatures, normally hover in the upper 60's by late March. Downriver, can still be 10 degrees cooler, than mid to upper lake flats in March.

Concentrate your prespawn efforts along creek mouths, ledges and drop-offs. Also target first and secondary points, leading into shallow spawning grounds, in March. Like the bass, search out main lake flats and creek backwaters, finding the warmest water available. Topwaters, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, lipless lures and swimming a jig combo, are all excellent “search lures” in March, for these actively cruising bass.

When a cold front comes in, slow your retrieve on these lures. Create a stop-and-go action on these normally, fast-retrieved lures. Always try a variety of bottom bumping offerings, when cold fronts slow the shallow water bite. Cloudy days, (following several warm days and mild nights), are best this month, for shallow, BIG bass, especially on or near, a full moon.

LOGAN MARTIN APRIL TIP: The bass of Logan Martin Lake go through some severe changes leading into the spawning month of April. As the cold, wind blown month of March fades away, so do the ever-changing prespawn conditions. This is accompanied with milder cold fronts, clearing water conditions and generally, water levels on the rise.

These bass move up and down, with the prevailing conditions, cruising back and forth, in and out, of shallow spawning grounds. That is until stable water conditions, trigger, egg laden female bass to spawn. From mid-April until the mid-May, the lake will rise, from being down 4-5 feet low (for the last six months), back to full pool. Not only is this good for spawning bass, but for feeding bass as well, for not all of these bass will invade the shallows to spawn, as the lake level begins to rise. Many travel here, in the newly flooded shallows, to eat.

This normally takes about two weeks. During this period, the majority of Logan Martin's bass population, will be in less than five feet of water. Many, are big female bass. Some are the years biggest bass, caught in the month of April. Most are fooled, by the astute angler, while either in the process of spawning or while recuperating from the spawn, in shallow water. Others are smaller male bass, protecting the bed and the newly hatched fry. The survival of these newborn bass, strongly depends on you. Catch and release, especially during Spring, assures future generations of bass (and other fish), for our future generations to enjoy.

LOGAN MARTIN MAY TIP: Catching bass in May, can mean choosing any lure in the box. Fishing in May, can mean a lot of previously neglected topwater lures, will now get used. From shallow, stump-filled backwaters to newly-growing weeds, by the first week of May, these bass can be fooled with a variety of topwater offerings. Buzzbaits, such as Rippler's Doomsday Buzzbait(1-800-top lure or www.rippler.com) are good search lures and cover a lot of water fast. Always add a trailer hook for short strikes.

Spinnerbaits are also in this category and model’s, with a variety of colors, weights and blade designs, are important for each fishing situation. In and around the thin, newly-growing weeds try soft jerkbaits, floating worms, lizards, frogs, rats and other weedless lures during May. This is also the time for fishing rip-rap rocks around dams, bridges, causeways, eroding banks and culverts. Try fishing these man made rocks with worms, lizards, crankbaits, jerkbaits, lipless lures and topwaters. Piers, especially near spawning grounds, will hold shade-seeking bass along with boathouses, floating docks and brushpiles planted around these man-made structures.

As the merry month of May comes to an end, bass will cease the rituals of spawning and go into their early summer patterns of feeding and following schools of baitfish. Now they will feed to regain strength, rebuild needed fat reserves, and many will find feeding a lot easier as they begin to school together, herding up the baitfish. Look for bass around the end of May, at the lakes headwaters, in the backs of feeder creeks and near deep water flats, as they seek out cooler, more oxygenated surroundings, as things begin to heat up for the upcoming Summer on Logan Martin Lake.

COOSA RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

LAY LAKE

By now, the notoriety Lay Lake received in years past, has shown this can be one of the states most popular lakes for Bass tournaments, and rightfully so. Major bass tournament trails, annual events and charitable organizations hold their tournaments here each Spring.

The Bassmasters Classic was held on Lay Lake in 1996 and will again be featured here in July of this 2002 season. It will be held out of Paradise Point Marina at mid lake. Hundreds of bass are caught and released each week, in major tournaments such as this. Five bass limits (so common in most Lay lake bass tournaments) have already shown 20 lb. plus bags of bass this year. It should be an interesting Classic.

Bags of spotted bass averaging 3-4 lbs are a common sight at these weigh-ins. Mixed bags of both spotted bass and largemouth bass always include a few big largemouth's weighing from 5-7 lbs each week. Even in small, wintertime wildcat tournaments, such as those held out of Paradise Point Marina, 30-50 boats participate. The winning weight, can predictably, be from 15-20 pounds.

So, what’s the secret to this enormous bass fishery ? Its no secret. The weeds. Lay Lake is at full pool year-round. Two lower Coosa River Impoundment's, Mitchell Lake and Jordan Lake, are also at full pool year round. All three of these lower Coosa River Impoundment’s, show bass inhabiting the many miles of various types of aquatic weeds, lining each lakes shorelines, producing excellent fishing year-round.

LAY LAKE MARCH TIP: The weeds that make up Lay Lake are homes to most of the lakes bass population, on a year-round basis. During March many weeds are still dormant, so looking for the greenest, newest-growing weeds, can start your search in some very productive prespawn spots. That is, with a little patience and a lot of searching.

Feeder creeks along the Lakes eastern shorelines, are mostly wind-protected and display sun-drenched banks. These banks will show significant weed growth, over other less significant areas, during the first few weeks of March. Thin stands of weeds deserve several casts with various lures, from many angles, with a variety of lure presentations.

Keep in mind these are very spooky bass. Some bass are entering the shallows for the first time in months. Stealth and long casts, are needed, to sneak up on unsuspecting bass. Many spring time lunker bass, are now lying in some very shallow water. Fan-casting first and secondary weedy points, will target prespawners during March on Lay lake. Stumps, brush, laying logs and other wood cover, in or near weedy spawning grounds, now hold some BIG dominant bass. This isolated cover, within the weedy cover, is usually dominated by the bigger bass in that particular area. Each individual piece of cover, deserves many casts.

Flipping or Pitching is a BIG bass tactic on Lay Lake. This, in close technique, can be utilized around wood cover or while fishing in and around thick, matted weeds. In years past, the jig and pork (or plastic trailer) combo has been responsible for many tournament wins and often for fooling the Big Bass of the day. The jig still produces Big Bass and Big bags of bass, each week, year round, on Lay Lake.

Nowadays lure-accustomed bass are being fooled with a new “look” of modern day lures. Lures such as gitzits, grubs, tube baits, twin tails, lizards, plastic crayfish and a variety of worms and shad imitations. Many of these new soft plastic creations, are winning major tournaments on Lay Lakes weed-infested waters. To be successful when using these flipping and pitching presentations, look for, thick cover, lightly stained water, warm water and plenty of baitfish activity, during the month of March on Lay Lake.

LAY LAKE APRIL TIP: As lake waters warm into the 70's, spawning bass will seem to be in every patch of weeds you fish. As April gets underway, bass will spawn lakewide, with some female bass already in a post-spawn mode, by the months end. Weedless lures are very productive in April on Lay Lake especially in thick, matted weeds, where the bigger bass like to hang.

Fishing along these weedy edges, around weedy points, weed patches and in small openings within the weeds, calls for the use of a variety of lures. Lures such as frogs, rats, soft plastic jerkbaits, floating worms, lizards and buzzbaits, will eventually anger these huge largemouth bass into striking. Several cast's to one spot, may be needed to entice a strike from these lure-conscience bass.

Many tournaments are held this month. Release sights, such as Paradise Point Marina on Lay Lake, has small pockets lined with weeds and loaded with bass. Many bass stick around to feed, spawn and recuperate, that is as long as conditions are right and baitfish are present. For weeks at a time, after being released, they are still very catchable bass.

LAY LAKE MAY TIP: As bass come off the beds in May, Lay lakes weeds will be in full growth. Some weeds are very thick and deserve many casts in and along weed edges, with weedless lures, and even, not-so-weedless lures. Topwater explosions are nerve racking, especially when followed with no hook up. Its usually the biggest bass in the lake (or so it seems). These missed strikes can be eliminated, if you ready yourself for the strike. Sharpen or replace hooks, and most importantly, make long casts, past your intended target, to avoid spooking the bass.

Weed edges hold recuperating post-spawn bass awaiting an easy meal. Its up to you to make your offerings as enticing as it gets, to appeal to these bass that often won't move far, even for an easy meal. Lures with dangling treble hooks, are not for casting up in the weeds and only lead to frustration, hangups and lost lures, that can get expensive.

With a little accuracy, lures such as Pradco's Zara Super Spook (with 9 exposed hooks), can be maneuvered between weed patches, along both sides of weedy points and down small, narrow lanes, within the weeds. Pop-r's, the Spittin' Image, Baby Torpedoes, Spro’s Lures, Sizmic’s soft plastics and Gene Larew’s soft plastics, all offer many choices for spring. Go to www.FISHINGALABAMA.com and click on, “Links” to find these sponsors and their websites.

COOSA RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

MITCHELL LAKE

Its a small lake, the smallest on the Coosa River System. But Mitchell lake is only small in size. It makes up for its diminutive waters with numbers of huge spotted bass and line-stretching largemouths, taken each Spring from her deep, weed-infested waters. Like Lay Lake, Mitchell Lake remains at full pool year-round. This provides a tremendous weed fishery for anglers to explore, while searching for largemouth bass during the Spring. The lakes headwaters and its deep, rocky bluff banks, also provide the perfect spawning habitat for the Coosa River Spotted bass to reproduce in.

MITCHELL LAKE MARCH TIP: From midlake, at Higgens Ferry State launch, to the lakes headwaters, are many small pockets. Most of these weed filled pockets and small cuts are situated along the lakes eastern shores. All produce nice catches of bass in the prespawn period. Both species of largemouth an spotted bass, inhabit these places during March, the pre-spawn period. Spotted bass, travel in huge schools along both points leading into these small pockets, all the way to the flats in the far back ends. Most are feeding, and on the move, during March. Largemouth bass mix and mingle, with these schools of feeding spotted bass, but some get attached to isolated cover or weed irregularities. Largemouths attempting to bed in nearby flats, prefer ambush spots over schooling with other bass in open water.

Targeting, both the largemouth bass and the ever elusive spotted bass species, involves fishing weeds, wood cover, main-lake points, bottom irregularities, and scattered boulders or rock cover. Downriver, from Mitchell Lake’s Higgins Ferry state launch, the lake widens. Here, Mitchell Lake, has many feeder creeks and is adorned with small cuts, pockets and main-lake flats. These main lake and creek flats are all excellent choices, for finding schools of feeding and spawning bass gathering here during the month of March.

Best Mitchell Lake lure selections for March? This would have to include weedless lures, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, lipless lures and topwaters. Flipping and pitching jig combos and other bottom-bumping lures, is also a BIG Bass tactic in March, for some tight holding bass on Mitchell lakes weed-filled waters. Deep-diving crankbaits, fished in conjunction with Carolina-rigged plastics target bass, most anglers are missing, away from the bank. Try points, ledges, drop-offs along flats, and the upper and lower ends of islands. Bright colored crankbaits in colors of red, lime, chartreuse and yellow, are better seen by the bass in Mitchell’s lightly stained waters.

MITCHELL LAKE APRIL TIP: Feeder Creeks, like Hatchet, Weogufka, Pennemotly and Walnut Creek, all have excellent places to search out the spawning bass of April on Mitchell Lake. New growing weeds will draw in the baitfish and create thick, oxygen-rich, ambush spots for bass to take up residence in, this month. Wood cover, within these weeds, always seems to hold one or two dominant, much bigger bass, during the spawn. Look for stumps, laying logs, blown-down trees and brush piles. Direct your cast’s past these objects, to bring lures through the most likely strike zone, be ready on the first few casts. Polarized sunglasses help in spotting beds, cruising bass, and underwater objects holding fish.

As waters warm, feeder creeks and the backs of major tributaries, will have spotted bass, largemouths and stripers by late April. Small weedy pockets, often go unnoticed by most anglers, in the backs of these creeks, and some can hold schools of unmolested bass during April. Also check out main-lake and creek flats with washed-in logjams, brush, new growing weeds and stumprows. Buzzbaits and spinnerbaits cover a lot of water fast. Both of these lures are good in and around weeds on Mitchell Lake during April. Floating worms, lizards, frogs, rats, soft jerkbaits and other plastics are also good choices, especially for highly pressured bass, during crowded weekends, in these weed-filled waters.

MITCHELL LAKE MAY TIP: As bass come off the beds, both spotted bass and some big largemouth’s will school together. Some will “bunch up” on the same underwater features and cover stop off spots, that brought them shallow a few months ago. Just like then, these bass have voracious appetites, but now, without spawning activities interrupting them, they go on a major feeding spree. This feeding period will last for months ahead. Bass will continue following schools of baitfish and feeding in rocky areas for crayfish and other edibles this summer.

There are many places to begin your search for those explosive, topwater strikes, in the month of May. Main Lake flats, feeder creek flats and the mid-to-far back ends of major tributaries. Lake headwaters harbor spotted bass, largemouth’s, striped bass, white bass and hybrids. All of these fighting bass species, offer some fantastic schooling action during May. Both upper and lower lake dams, bridge rip-rap, along with resident-built piers and boathouses are also good in May...post-spawn time on Mitchell Lake.

COOSA RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

JORDAN LAKE

Lets see, how can I put this? "Jordan Lake is the Best Spotted Bass Lake on the Coosa River System". Most anglers know that. Many have felt the wrath and fighting fury, of the mighty Coosa River spotted bass of Jordan Lake, Impounded in 1928. But Jordan Lake has numerous largemouth’s, some twice as big as most spotted bass. Many line-stretching large heads are taken during spring, often more than one, in the 5-8 lb. class...by those who know the fertile spawning waters of Jordan Lake.

JORDAN LAKE MARCH TIP: Looking for spots or largemouth’s? Spotted Bass, are from the lakes headwaters at Mitchell lake dam to the lower Jordan lake dam. Rock bluffs, huge boulder-strewn banks, red clay bottoms, main lake points, irregular banks, rip-rap and old roadbeds, all harbor huge schools of these cold water, current-loving, Coosa River breed of Spotted bass. Points leading into the mouths of creeks and pockets are good prespawn search areas for active schools of Spotted bass.

Fast-moving lures will get the anxious bites these open water bass are so noted for. Deep-diving crankbaits such as Pradco's Fat Free Shad, Spro’s deep diving crankbait’s, Bomber Model-A series and Rapala’s deep diving, No. 7-8 Shad Raps, are all excellent choices and most get down in the 10 foot depths, with 14-15 pound test monofilament line.

Even crankbait lures running in the midrange depths, tackle hard-to-catch suspended bass. Models such as Spro’s Crankbait 25 series, Rapala's No.5 Shad Raps and Norman’s Little n’ series, are all good choices to cover the 5-7 foot depths, these pre-spawners often hold in. Spinnerbaits, attract both suspended largemouth bass and spots holding near the bank. Topwaters such as the Zara Super Spook, Excaliber Spittin' Image and Rippler's buzzbaits, all attract the BIG bass bites in March. These bass are usually along the first and secondary points leading into prime spawning habitat.

The largemouth’s of Jordan lake all prefer weed, rocks and wood cover in March. These shallow water bass will inhabit 1-3 feet of water, usually when conditions are following a week-long warming trend, with an approaching rainy front. If a full moon occurs near the end of March, with water temperatures near 70 degrees, bass of both species will spawn early. If cold fronts drop the water temperature, followed by several cold days and nights, accompanied by bright, bluebird, high-pressure conditions, the spawn will be delayed until early or mid April. Anglers will have to slow their presentation as well.

JORDAN LAKE APRIL TIP: There are not many feeder creeks with huge, spawning flats in Jordan Lakes first 10 miles, from the lake headwaters, downriver. Spotted bass spawn a little deeper and prefer rock slabs, secondary ledges along rock bluffs and small pebble points. They are in comfortable surroundings in these lake headwaters.

Largemouth’s make do with whatever stable backwater conditions they can find during April. They often spawn in obscure places such as on flat rocks, on top of a cut off stump, or even on submerged laying logs, beneath the water's surface. Many bass fan out beds in sandy bottom and in and around weed beds. Spotting these rounded out bedded circles, only involves searching clear water, with the trolling motor on medium to high, cruising and looking. Of course you must be aided by the use of a quality pair of polarized sunglasses. Cruising bass will roam an area as distinct big as 10-35 feet, away from the bed, when bedding. That is, if other bass beds are not around. Smaller territory, and many beds in one area, means less roaming and more bass, crowded together on one bank.

Downriver, creeks such as Weoka Mill Creek and Blackwell’s Creek, are more suited to the largemouth’s spawning habitat. Weeds harbor big bass in April in these lower lake feeder creeks. Also look along main lake stump flats, around islands, main-lake points and rip-rap areas for spawning bass, usually these places are not targeted as much by the average springtime angler.

JORDAN LAKE MAY TIP: When Spotted Bass have commenced with the rituals of spawning, feeding becomes their number one priority. Schooling will now take place below upper Mitchell Lake dam in Jordan Lakes headwaters. This frantic topwater action can also be found in the mouths of feeder creeks and up in small pockets. Up in the creeks, flats will show more than one school of spotted bass, usually feeding during the early morning period. Late in the day, when water is generated or during cloudy or overcast periods, are also prime times for these bass. Largemouth's get in on the action to, when schooling takes place in May. Often they are right in with the spotted bass, competing for baitfish in these creek backwaters, lake headwaters and along spawning flats.

Weeds play a huge role, now that several aquatic varieties are in full bloom. Bass inhabit this highly oxygenated green growth during May. Many bass just remain in the general vicinity, of where they previously spawned, for the remainder of the Summer.

Lures that mimic baitfish are nailed during these times. Weedless spoons are good when bass are feeding on shad in these weeds. Buzzbaits, topwaters, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits, always generate a few bites. On highly pressured waters, try fishing with bright colored floating worms, soft plastic jerkbaits, floating lizards, frogs, rats and crayfish imitations. This will give the bass a different look. These fake offerings are all good choices, along with other off-the-wall lures, lures that bass are not accustomed to seeing, by late May on Jordan Lake.

WARRIOR RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

BANKHEAD LAKE

Usually when a lake has been impounded for over 80 years, it has seen its day of excellent fishing. Warrior River Impoundment, Bankhead Lake, was dammed up in 1916. This inundated many old farms, houses, roads, bridges, creeks, feeder streams and the incoming Warrior River and Little Warrior River. Barge navigated, from nearby Birmingham to Mobile bay and covered in a variety of weeds, logjams, resident-built piers and houses, the old Warrior is still an excellent bass fishery.

Pollution from upriver factories has deteriorated the fertile waters of Warrior river long ago. Garbage has been dumped into tributaries such as the long, winding feeder creek, Valley Creek, flowing out of the city of Bessemer, Alabama. This scenic waterway, has her beauty tarnished, by the uncaring people, that needlessly continue to pollute her waters.

Valley Creek is navigable for more than 10 miles, as it winds its course through rock bluff hills. It is situated in a wonderful countryside atmosphere. The only scar to this natural beauty, is the notable array of floating plastic bottles, baseballs, basketballs, footballs, soccer balls and other floatable objects, strewn for miles along this beautiful, scenic major feeder creek. The Warrior River waterway is proof that mother nature can survive...despite all man does to kill her.

BANKHEAD LAKE MARCH TIP: Although this Impoundment is kept at full pool year-round the lake level can fluctuate during Spring. Down at times (1-2 feet), these low, fluctuating, water levels always interrupt shallow water prespawn patterns. With heavy Spring rains, Bankhead Lake can be over full pool during March. High and muddy water, can scatter bass into some very shallow water.

Normal conditions would be full pool with a slight stain to the water, with water temperatures in the mid-to-upper 60's. Under these conditions bass will move to shallow, main lake flats, the mouths of cuts and small pockets, along points leading into creeks, around logjams and brush, and in the far back ends of any shallow, backwater feeder creek.

Wood cover can be found throughout this old, winding river. Logjams are piled-up on main river flats, along outside river bends, in the mouths of pockets and feeder creeks. These wooden structures can hold schools of pre-spawn male and female bass in March...with the right conditions. As weeds again turn green, the bass will invade these oxygen-producing homes and spawn, in and around the thicker weed varieties.

Rock bluffs and deep, outside river bends, hold quality spotted bass, year round. In March, many of these deeper dwelling bass, are in 5-10 feet of water. There are a variety of lures for this situation, but a select few, always get good results. Jigs with pork or crayfish trailers, tube baits, jigging spoons, deep-diving crankbaits and spinnerbaits, are all good from shallow to deep water, along these main river drop-offs, for both species of bass. Its all according to the weather.

BANKHEAD LAKE APRIL TIP: There are a lot of BIG bass in this old river labeled, Bankhead Lake. Some are caught, weighing in the 10 lb. class and a few are reported each Spring, by some lucky angler fortunate enough to land these hard-fighting old river bass. Bass beds are easily spotted during mid to late April, that is with clear water conditions. Finding the biggest bass on the bed, only involves looking for the biggest bed. Always keep in mind during Spring fishing trips. Returning these bass to live and fight another day, is what ensures future generations of bass and bass anglers.

Weeds are in full bloom by April. Many weeds types including lily pads and stands of weeds, will hold bass bedding in nearby areas. Areas out of the main river current, and spots with a slight stain to the water, in 1-3 feet of flats, are excellent spots to begin your search. Worms, lizards, crayfish, tube baits, grubs and jig combos, are best for fooling some very skittish bass.

Stealth is advised, along with long casts and utilizing polarized sunglasses, for spotting beds. Look for fish movement such as wakes, swirls, boils, water movement, weed movement, muddy spots or any baitfish skipping across the water's surface. This will indicate bass down below. Buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, floating worms and lizards, are just a few of the lure choices, for April on the Warrior River. Remember to practice Catch and Release this Spring.

BANKHEAD LAKE MAY TIP: When Warrior River bass have bed, they will feed for days. This takes place before regaining strength and returning to deep water or returning to the thick weeds or wood cover they spend most of the summer in. This is when bass go on a feeding rampage and will foolishly hit topwaters, with reckless abandon. Main-lake flats will have scattered schools of shad. Bass are down below these huge baitfish schools, herding them up, generally each morning and late in the evening. Often these voracious bass will feed all day, especially with cloudy, overcast weather. Weekdays show less anglers and boat traffic on the Warrior River.

Rattletraps, rattlin' spots, crankbaits and jerkbaits will all take these bass. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits will be nailed, along with Zara Super Spooks, pop-R’s, baby torpedoes, devils horse's and other prop-baits or topwater lures. Around weeds, isolated logs, stumps, brushpiles and laying trees the buzzbait is a proven favorite on the Warrior River.

There are many frogs, mice and rats, that live around the lakes edge. Lures that mimic these small creatures, are high on the list of Big Bass favorites. Big worms, simulate newborn snakes, that bass dine on regularly. Whether they are fished on top weedless or Texas-rigged for down on bottom, they are deadly. Worm sizes of 10-12 inches are best for enticing the much bigger bass. Also try oversized lizards, big crayfish imitations, and jigs with big pork or plastic trailers, for that BIG bass bite. Keep in mind that by Summer, most morsels have become a little bigger, and so should the choice of your lures.

WARRIOR RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

DEMOPOLIS LAKE

When you first visit this lower Warrior River reservoir, you will notice two rivers joining about one navigable mile above Demopolis city launch. This is the junction of the Warrior River and the Tombigbee River. There is a lot of wood and weed cover, found along creeks and pockets situated on these two rivers. Bedding bass will take up residence this Spring, along both of these major south Alabama tributaries.

A feature you don't see on many other Alabama reservoirs is the presence of cypress trees. These aquatic-growing trees play a significant role in these lower Alabama waters during Spring. During the prespawn period, isolated, mid-creek cypress trees, have many bass gather around their huge root jams, before moving shallow to spawn. Backwater cypress trees often grow in 1-3 feet of water, and many bass use these wooden cover as hideouts or ambush spots, when feeding. They can also have several bass beds around them from April through May. Keep this in mind, when fishing the scenic, cypress filled backwaters of the Warrior River, in Demopolis this Spring.

DEMOPOLIS LAKE MARCH TIP: Before the prespawn bass of March make their move towards the shallow spawning backwaters, many will gather in the mouths of creeks, pockets, small cuts and in shallow, backwater flats. A lot of these bass have been in deep water all Winter, while others have already foraged shallow to feed during Winter's warming trends. Further urges to feed, along with the urge to find a mate to exercise the rituals of spawning, will lead these male and female bass to gather along drop-offs, main river and creek mouth junctions and the edge of flats. With cold fronts, many bass will be found here until conditions improve.

With a sudden rise in the water temperature (usually after a week or two warming trend) bass will head back up the creeks. Most bass of both species will gather along shallow-to-deep junctions, before moving shallow to spawn. This is the time to present your lures around first and secondary main lake and creek points, along the edges of flats that drop into deep water, all around islands, on submerged humps, bars and underwater ridges. Also along other bottom irregularities, isolated cover and generally, anything out of the ordinary, that will attract a big, dominating bass. Its also the time to start looking for new green weeds. When found, you can rest assured bass are nearby.

These prespawners will hit a lot of lures, generally fished anywhere from 1-10 feet of water, all throughout the entire prespawn-to-postspawn period. However, not all bass are shallow during the prespawn period. Always try relatively deep water in March (10-15 feet), with lures such as deep-diving crankbaits, rattling lipless lures, hard-bodied suspending model jerkbaits and jig combos. Worms, lizards, crayfish imitations of all sizes, and both Texas and Carolina-rigged plastics, jigging spoons, slow-rolling (or dropping) heavy spinnerbaits, will all entice strikes from these slow, slightly lethargic bass.

With several warm nights and a full moon, some bass will bed in late March. Fishing shallower each day is the key, as this month progresses, especially with a warming trend and slightly stained or off-colored water conditions. Some BIG bass will hit topwater to... if water temperatures are on the rise, with an approaching front. Use heavy line, sharp hooks and stout equipment, when fishing Demopolis Lake during March. Some of the year's biggest bass are taken during this month.

DEMOPOLIS LAKE APRIL TIP: With stable water levels and water temperatures in the low-70's, the majority of male and female bass will bed in early April. If conditions are not so ideal, many bass will stall, as the rituals of bedding slow, until the mid-to-late April period. Regardless, all bass must bed this month and some stragglers can be found bedding on into late May. This means a lot of bass are in 1-3 feet of water, in some very small backwater pockets.

Finding the right spot in April involves looking for baitfish activity, observing feeding fish activity, along with fishing in areas with lightly stained water color. Finding the warmest water available can mean finding the most active bass. Targeting a hard or sandy bottom is also very important. Green weeds, stumps, laying logs and brush, and plenty of wood cover, complete this recipe for the perfect spawning grounds. With very little rain, many of these areas will be lightly stained or have a tannic, light brown, water clarity.

Keep in mind, bedding bass are easily spooked bass, and a silent approach, with long cast’s, are often needed to fool some big bass into striking. You do not want them to detect your presence. Polarized sunglasses are a must, to avoid sunlight glare on the water and aid an angler in spotting beds or cruising fish. If Spring rains muddy up these shallow creek backwaters, seek out the lightly stained or clearest spawning grounds available. Either that, or fish very shallow, with slow moving lures that have bright color combinations, models that emit sound, or lures that emit flash or vibration. This especially holds true if fishing during very muddy or off-colored water conditions.

Read on, for more on fishing aquatic weeds, using various lures and topwater tips, for May on Demopolis Lake.

DEMOPOLIS LAKE MAY TIP: I failed to mention weeds and topwater lures in April tips, but these May tips can apply to that same month. By May, the many varieties of weeds in Demopolis are found all along the Warrior River and Tombigbee River. Most will be in full bloom. Bass will inhibit these new green, oxygen-rich weeds during pre-spawn times, during the spawn and especially when weeds are the greenest, during post-spawn conditions.

Topwater lures are annihilated during the month of May, when fished along weed edges or run through the weeds. Fishing at dawn, mid morning to midday, or late in the evening, for these kamikaze bass, can be very exciting. This topwater technique, involves the use of dozens of lures, and the lure choice can vary among each angler. This can show a fantastic day in these scenic backwoods in south Alabama, fishing for largemouth bass and spotted bass species. It will provide a lasting memory for years to come.

Best Lures for Demopolis? Floating worms are good right up in the weeds. They are also good (along with soft jerkbaits) around the variety of wood cover including cypress trees (previously mentioned) and around brush, laying logs, laydowns and stumps. Many frogs and small rodents roam these lower Alabama backwaters and often stumble into the water. Lures such as, Scumfrog and Bassin' Rat lures, mimic these creatures and bring explosive strikes in and around the weeds, brush and wood cover. Buzzbaits cover a lot of water fast, and get the attention of bed-protecting male bass and some mighty hungry female bass, hanging nearby. One of my favorite buzzbaits is Rippler's Buzzbaits (1-800-Top Lure or Internet website: www.rippler.com) Always include trailer hooks for short strikes. Rippler also makes a fine line of their new "Rattleleg Spinnerbaits" and "Rattleleg Jigs" all adorned with quality hardware and very sharp Gamakatsu hooks.

Spinnerbaits are great lures during May, whether buzzed near the top, making a wake, utilizing a slow retrieve, or dropped, alongside wood and weed cover. These flashing, vibrating lures are popular throughout the south and a proven favorite among Alabama's tournament winners. Always use strong line and stout equipment, when fishing these and other lures on Demopolis Lake during Spring.

Some lures can be worked in one spot and aggravate bass into striking as they come off the beds. Pradco's Zara Super Spook is one, when walked around Cyprus trees, down laying logs, near a stump, laydown or along weed edges, that always produce vicious strikes. These BIG lures always generate a few blow-ups, usually from aggravated, Big bass. (See: Everything you didn’t know about the Zara Spook” at: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com)

Other tantalizing topwaters such as, Baby spooks or Baby Torpedoes, Crazy Shads, Excaliber's Spittin' Image, Spro’s poppers and prop baits, and Pradco’s Pop-R’s, all fall in this category. Each lure can be slowly jerked or left in one spot, for as long as you and the bass can stand it. Strong line and stout equipment, are recommended for tackling some monster bass, while fishing in the scenic backwaters of Demopolis Lake.

TENNESSEE RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

GUNTERSVILLE LAKE

Search for the biggest body of water in Alabama and your travels will cease near the town of Guntersville, Alabama. With 69,100 surface acres of water, this 82 mile long lake, has a total of 24,450 square miles of drainage. Guntersville Lake is also loaded with aquatic weeds such as milfoil and hydrilla, which account for such a tremendous bass fishery. Many largemouth bass exceeding 10 pounds are caught each spring. This is Alabama's biggest reservoir. Both in size and quality of fishing.

GUNTERSVILLE LAKE MARCH TIP: Its no secret that bass live out their lives in Guntersville Lake in or near aquatic vegetation. Along with other varieties of weeds and moss, the shallow water-growing milfoil is still slightly dormant during March, but only just below the water's surface. New, green growth in this stringy, aquatic vegetation creates a hideout for bass and baitfish. When this milfoil is 1-2 feet beneath the water's surface, bass can look up for an easy meal.

Lures such as rattletraps, hard bodied jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, frogs, rats, floating worms, lizards and soft plastic jerkbaits, are all devastating on these bass in March. As many as 50 bass, per angler, are caught per day...when conditions are right.

March is also the time to search out isolated spots featuring warm water. Rip-rap on this lake, heats up several degrees by the midday to late evening period. The lower lake dam, bridges, causeways, culverts and boulder-strewn banks, all display these man made rocks lakewide. Rip-rap rocks are distributed, along wind blown banks or current laden banks to aid in preventing bank erosion. They are as attractive to the bass (as the sun heats the rocks) as they are to the angler.

Hydrilla, a long, leafy-stringy, type of underwater weed, generally grows in deeper water. It can be found as deep as 5-15 feet, much deeper than other, noted shallow growing aquatic weeds, on Guntersville Lake. In March, new weed growth, attracts bass to suspended in, around and over this oxygen-rich environment. Lures such as jigs with pork or crayfish trailers, Texas-rigged and Carolina-rigged worms, lizards and crayfish imitations are all good. Vary your line size and lure weights on the jig and on Texas rigged plastics, for fishing at different depths, and experiment with leader lengths on the Carolina rig.

GUNTERSVILLE LAKE APRIL TIP: The upper lake has the warmest water in early April, especially when stained or very muddy. As lake levels return to full pool, bass will move very shallow when attempting to bed. Some bass can be seen with their backs practically sticking out of the water. That's when they are bedding, in the newly growing thin strands of grass, or maturing green, milfoil.

In some cases, bass will bed in deeper water, often as deep as 5 feet. This usually takes place in much clearer water. Beds can be seen far from shore, usually prepared among offshore milfoil and hydrilla weeds, around stumps, or where rip-rap rocks end on a sandy bottom. Cover, within this weedy cover, such as stumps, rocks, brush, laying logs, blown-down trees (and a change in the variety of weeds), can draw in the bigger female bass, that often dominate any irregular spawning cover, during April.

This is also the time for roaming schools of BIG, female bass, usually accompanied by many smaller, male bass. Both males and females can bunch up, gathering around wood or rock cover, or a sudden bottom change. Although April shows most bass in very skinny water, many bass can still be found in deeper water, nearby. Unmolested bass, by the dozens, can be found grouped up on underwater stumprows, sunken brushpiles, trees, ledges, points, drop-offs, ditches, rock piles, humps and other bottom irregularities, awaiting a chance to move shallow, to bed.

Usually, this takes place, where the bank beating angler is sitting. By simply backing off, and fishing further away from the lakes shoreline, you could discover the motherlode. Fishing with topwaters, mid to deep diving crankbaits, rattletraps and rattlin' spots, spinnerbaits, floating and suspending jerkbaits, worms, lizards, crayfish imitations and other plastics, is the ticket to getting bit. Away from the bank (or out from the shallow spawning flats), can often aid an angler in discovering schools of really big bass in April. Most anglers pass up these deep water hangouts in April, for much more attractive-looking, shallow water cover, situated along the lakes shoreline.

GUNTERSVILLE LAKE MAY TIP: When these bass come off the beds, you can experience some of the most exciting topwater fishing of the year. When May arrives, all the conditions are just right, for some Big Bass action. The lake is at full pool, weeds are in full bloom and most bass have already bed, in a post-spawn pattern. Regardless, the majority of both male and female bass are shallow and fishing with weedless lures in 1-5 feet of water, will always generate quality strikes on Guntersville.

The frog and rat craze many years back, got started on Guntersville Lake. Since then (60’s and 70’s), anglers have discovered many ways to fish plastic imitations of these small creatures...that bass just love. Several models exist today to choose from. Two of my favorites, that have been around for years, are the “Scum Frog” and the “Bassin' Rat”.

Reason being is, the weedless qualities of these lures. With Eagle Claw’s lazer-sharp hooks, that lay snug up against the soft, rubber body of these enticing offerings, you eliminate the frustration of lure hang-ups. Missed fish, problems associated with other lures that roll over, land upside down or have exposed hooks, become obsolete. Utilizing long cast’s, fishing with heavy, Trilene Big Game line in 20-25 pound test category, sharp hooks, stout equipment and nerves of steel, are all needed, when attempting to fool these topwater, exploding, largemouth bass of Guntersville Lake.

Other lures for May, while fishing in and around the many varieties of weeds on Guntersville lake, are endless. Without going into detail, I suggest trying these well known types and models. Buzzbaits (trailer hooks included for short strikes) such as Rippler.com / blade-in-blade models (1-800-top lure), also try Sizmiclures.com floating worms, lizards and soft jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, weedless spoons, rattlin' lipless model lures, soft jerkbaits, hard jerkbaits, Spro’s shallow running crankbait 25, pop-R’s, crazy shads, the Spittin'Image, Zara Super Spooks and Baby Torpedoes.

Also in May don't forget to fish the rip-rap all around the lake. Also try the many piers, marinas and boathouses, main-lake and creek points, submerged humps, exposed islands and the mid-to-back ends of major feeder creeks. Remember to practice catch and release this Spring, “The future of fishing”, depends on you. More on fishing the milfoil and hydrilla aquatic weeds, during Spring, in the Wheeler Lake tips.

TENNESSEE RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

WHEELER LAKE

As Spring comes around on the Tennessee River, it would not be complete without a trip to Wheeler Lake. This is Alabama’s premiere spot for some fantastic smallmouth and largemouth action. Wheeler Lake is Alabama's second largest impoundment. At 68,300 miles of surface acres and 75 nautical miles from Guntersville dam, to lower Wheeler Lake dam, there are many places to fish during March, April and May. Wheeler Lake is also fed by the incoming Elk River and displays a dynamic milfoil and hydrilla aquatic weed fishery. There are a variety of fishing situations, throughout the Spring season, on this huge, Tennessee River Impoundment.

WHEELER LAKE MARCH TIP: With lake levels still down, as much as 4-5 feet in March, there is a much smaller Lake to explore. The lower end of Wheeler shows many feeder creeks and deeper water. First and Second Creeks, near the dam, and Spring Creek, right across from the mouth of Elk River, all show excellent prespawn fishing opportunities, for both smallmouth and largemouth bass. Either species can be caught during March when fishing precise spots. Always try first and secondary points, outside creek channel bends, ledges, rock bluffs and drop-offs. This includes targeting small pebbled bottoms, or sandy bottomed flats, on the lower end of the Lake. Crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, lipless lures, Texas and Carolina-rigged plastics, and jig combos, will all generate strikes in these areas during March.

Smallmouth bass can be enticed with smaller lures, for these can be very finicky bass during March. The Elk River feeds the lower end of Wheeler and has several bridges along its winding path through stump flats, laydown trees, rock bluffs and scattered log jams. Many side pockets off this river, have points leading into them, for smallmouth and largemouth bass to gather in, during prespawn conditions. Scattered logs, stumps and brush in these small pockets, are refuge for some BIG Bass in March. Use caution when navigating this river during low water.

WHEELER LAKE APRIL TIP: When lake levels return to full pool and water temperatures warm into the low 70's, Wheeler Lake bass will commence into the spring spawn. The milfoil and hydrilla weeds at midlake areas near Decatur launch are not hard to find. Just look for a dozen or more boats, gathered in one area, below Interstate 65 bridge. These bass, like Guntersville Lake bass, move into these newly growing weeds as the waters warm and can be found in the most out-of-the-way places. Anglers that push pole or troll across vast main lake flats, will find bass in water as shallow as one foot deep, and security far from the maddening crowd.

Lures for these weed oriented bass should, of course, be weedless, for less frustration and hangups. Frogs, rats, floating worms, lizards, weedless spoons, soft jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, are all proven favorites during April on these bedding bass. Right in the beds, spotting bass with polarized sunglasses, you can entice strikes with worms, lizards, gitzits, tube lures and plastic crayfish imitations. Remember to practice catch and release.

WHEELER LAKE MAY TIP: As bass come off the beds they have many choices for ambush spots when feeding to regain strength. Creeks with newly growing weeds will have many bass in post-spawn recuperation. Milfoil and hydrilla will be in full bloom and getting thicker. Also wood cover in the lower Elk River (including its feeder creeks and many small pockets), will now seem to have a bass on each piece of cover. Rock bluffs, have first and secondary ledges for smallmouth to bed on, and will have schools of these hard-fighting bass suspending all around them. Points are good, as during the pre-spawn period, as bass head back to deeper water along these stop-off routes.

During May the bass will be on topwater lures, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits, on all of these places and the milfoil will get a lot of attention from trophy-seeking anglers. Targeting small holes, lanes, points or other irregularities within these thick weeds, along with utilizing long casts, past your intended target with frogs, rats, floating worms, spoons, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and soft plastics, will always be productive during May, “topwater time” on Wheeler Lake.

TENNESSEE RIVER IMPOUNDMENT'S

WILSON LAKE

This small lake situated below Wheeler dam has set many freshwater fishing records. One being the world record smallmouth bass weighing 10 pounds 8 ounces. Caught in 1950, this record held up for many years. Although small in comparison to upper Wheeler Lake and Lower Pickwick Lake, this 15,930 acre “pond” has many smallmouth and largemouth trophy-sized bass, caught each Spring, from dam to dam.

WILSON LAKE MARCH TIP: Lacking in numbers of small feeder creeks, Wilson Lake makes up for its diminutive size with many places to fish in March. This lake has many rock bluffs made up of small pockets, broken-off banks, unseen underwater features and exposed points for staging bass to gather on. Below upper Wheeler dam at the lakes headwaters is an all day fishing hole for smallmouth, largemouth, spotted bass, striped bass, hybrid-striped bass and schooling white bass.

Generally, fishing with live bait, is the rule for bass of all species. Most anglers gather bait below the dam and drift in the current below the discharge area. Lures do take a lot of these current-oriented, hard-fighting bass, and choosing the correct model, for each fishing situation, can often show how, to out fish the live bait.

Schooling bass are common during the Spring below Wheeler dam. Topwater lures, that are heavy and can be cast some distance, will take fish that other anglers can't reach. Big Zara Super Spooks, the new Super Pop-r, Baby Torpedoes, Crazy Shads, the Spittin' Image, Devils Horse’s and other topwaters old and new, are all good choices when targeting these schooling bass. Drifting in the current with bottom-bumping lures such as worms, lizards, crayfish imitations and jig combos, can be deadly on these BIG Bass. Drifting while jigging lead tailspinners, jigging spoons, grubs, shad imitations and small finesse lures, is always productive. Bring plenty of lures and weights, for the swift current calls for many hang-ups on the rough bottom below these dams.

WILSON LAKE APRIL TIP: As water levels stabilize and water temperatures hold in the low-to-mid 70's, both smallmouth bass and largemouth bass will commence bedding. The smallmouth generally bed deeper, earlier and in colder water temperatures than the largemouth bass, so many smallmouths may be bedding by early April. Largemouth’s prefer water temperatures 70 degrees and above, so many bass will still be bedding as April gets underway. Some bass will bed on into May, due to water cooling much slower on this deep lake.

Weeds will begin to appear, as April comes to an end. Like other Tennessee River Lakes, Wilson Lake has many varieties of weeds including hydrilla and milfoil. Buzzbaits and spinnerbaits cover a lot of water fast and get the anxious biting bass, that are either bed-protecting or just plain hungry. The same lures as stated for other lakes with millfoil and hydrilla weeds, will work in April on Wilson Lake. Practice Catch and Release this Spring.

WILSON LAKE MAY TIP: Smallmouth bass become very aggressive when coming off the beds in May and display some aerial acrobatics for the springtime angler, fortunate enough to land these hard-fighting bass. Schooling will take place below Wheeler dam with these and other species during this post-spawn period. Schooling bass will also appear in flats along feeder creeks such as Town Creek, Shoal Creek, McCerman Creek and Blue Water Creek. Largemouth’s are also hitting topwaters and spinnerbaits along weed edges, in stump flats and on wood cover up in these small feeder creeks in May. Some bass will immediately move back to places they traveled to during pre-spawn conditions. Points, ledges, drop-offs, creek bends, rock bluffs and rip-rap, will also have bass, bass that many anglers fail to notice in late Spring.

TENNESSEE RIVER IMPOUNDMENT’S

PICKWICK LAKE

A smallmouth fishery so under rated, only the Bassmasters and the surrounding locals, really know how good the fishing is on Pickwick Lake. During The 1999 Bassmasters Eastern Invitational on Pickwick Lake, this was clearly evident. Mark Menendez won the tournament. By locking through Wilson Dam each day and catching smallmouth bass on suspending jerkbaits, up in Wilson Lake, averaging over 20 lbs each day. One 5 bass limit of smallmouths, brought in during that cold, late winter tournament, weighed almost 30 lbs. Several anglers had smallmouths over 5 lbs. There were also two huge largemouth’s in the 8-9 lb. category caught in this Bassmasters tournament, by Rick Clunn and by Alabama's Randy Howell.

PICKWICK LAKE MARCH TIP: This 47,500 acre lake has loads of prespawn spots for both smallmouth and largemouth bass. With lake levels still down for winter pool navigation can be hazardous, so exercise extreme caution when navigating Pickwick Lake. Study a map and use your depthfinder when exploring this lake in March.

Just below Wilson Dam at the lakes headwaters is some of the best smallmouth water in the South. As waters begin to warm in March bass will gather here to feed and begin looking for slack water areas to bed in. As below all Tennessee River Lake dams, the current is often swift and dangerous. Wearing life jackets is a must, for all boat occupants, when fishing below any of these Lake headwater dams. Boating within 800 yards of the dam, it’s the law. Wear em’, it could just save your life.

Drifting with live bait is popular and takes many trophy smallmouth bass in March. Live bait, catches anything that swims below these Tennessee river dams. Lures can mop up below these dams. March shows a lot of suspending bass hitting floating and suspending jerkbaits. Lures like Excaliber's new Ghost Minnow and the original Long-A or Excaliber’s minnow are good with a very slow, stop and go, erratic retrieve. As waters warm, speed your retrieve on these lures and look for surfacing or schooling bass. They will also rise to a well placed topwater lure, but be fast, at times these fish of all species disappear as fast they appeared.

Creek fishing in March on Pickwick lake shows less water to explore, with low lake levels. But many nice bass are still taken in March in creek mouths, along main lake points and near the lake headwaters in deeper creeks. Creeks and backwaters such as Little Cypress Creek, Spring Creek, Coffee Slough, Sinking Creek, Dry Creek and Little Bear Creek, all deserve a little exploring...with caution, when navigating in low water. The lake will return to full pool by the end of April.

PICKWICK LAKE APRIL TIP: April on Pickwick Lake will show some changes. Lake levels slowly returning to full pool and several things, affecting the movement of bass, taking place throughout the lake. Slightly stained water or muddy water conditions from spring rains, warming water near 70 degrees, new grass of several varieties, and bass of all species bedding or preparing to bed, will take place according to April's unpredictable conditions.

Below Cane Creek as you pass the Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge, the lake will take on a river-like appearance with smaller feeder creeks and pockets. These out-of-the current spots all have weeds, stumprows, blowdowns, rocky banks and some have excellent spots for both bedding smallmouth bass and some huge largemouth’s, some in the 10 pound class. Secondary points, humps, bars, old underwater Indian mounds, ridges and submerged islands, all hold trophy bass neglected by most bank-beating anglers in Spring. Check out Little Cypress Creek, Dry Creek, Little Bear Creek and around Seven Mile island, when fishing very shallow in April on Pickwick Lake.

On the lakes lower end many creeks go unnoticed due to more upriver activity. Still, there is a well kept secret about excellent springtime bassin' in such creeks as Bear Creek, Second Creek, Yellow Creek, Panther Creek and Indian Creek, all found on Pickwick Lakes lower end. Clearer and much deeper water, heats slower than shallow, stained water, and on these lower lake regions, there are a lot of bass bedding later in April than upriver bass.

PICKWICK LAKE MAY TIP: From massive Pickwick Lakes upper lake headwaters, to the lower lakes deeper creeks, the fishing is exceptional for smallmouth bass, spotted bass and largemouth bass in May. May is often noted as “the” topwater month. But on Pickwick Lake, May also shows bass holding in areas that brought them shallow a few months ago, as they leave the shallow water and head back to deeper water, usually around the first week of June.

During these transition times try fishing midlake areas, far back up in creeks, or midways, around first and secondary creek points. Fish with deep-diving Excaliber Fat Free shad crankbaits in mid-to-deep running models. Spro’s new crankbait 25 series in baby bass colors. Jerkbaits always generate a few strikes from all species of bass during May. Some bass, suspending away from the bank, will nail fast, erratic retrieves with these injured baitfish imitating lures. These anxious and hungry fish can be enticed with fast, erratic stop-and-go retrieves. Try Trilene Big Game 10-15 lb. test monofilament line on these jerkbaits, along with other floating model jerkbaits. Storm's Suspend Dots and Suspend Strips will make floating model lures suspend. Experiment, for every lure takes different amounts of added weight to attain perfect suspending qualities.

Pickwick lakes lower end has lots of grass and in Spring, like on other Tennessee River lakes, lure choice can vary. Buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, shallow-running crankbaits, rattletraps, super spots, floating worms, lizards, soft jerkbaits, frogs and rats, all bring surprising results. Try these and other lures in and around, the many varieties of grass, that bass inhabit on Pickwick Lake, this Spring.

ALABAMA LAKES FINAL NOTE:

As each and every angler enjoys the thrill of catching bass in the Spring, all must keep one thing in mind. To continue enjoying that thrill, and for future generations of bass anglers to have plenty of fish to pursue, we must all practice CPR Catch, Photo and Release. Return these bass to the water, right where they were caught. To live and fight another day and to give future generation anglers a thrill as well. Releasing all bass, assures future generations of bass. One female bass can lay as many as 10,000 offspring in one season. Thanks, see you on the lake, Reed Montgomery.

Producer and Host of,

“Fishing Alabama” With Reed Montgomery

Radio Talk Show

Celebrating 3 years on the air with,

Radio Station WJOX 690 AM

Birmingham, Alabama

Sunday mornings 9-10 A.M. Central Time

Owner, “Reeds Guide Service”

Birmingham, Alabama (205) 787-5133.

"Over 30 years fishing all of Alabama's Lakes for Bass and Stripers."

E-mail: ALABASSGYD@aol.com

Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com