By REED MONTGOMERY

The residents of Alabama are blessed with an abundance of lakes and rivers. There are as many species of fish in Alabama's lakes, as there are lakes, from one end of the state to the other. Never-the-less, many bodies of water were impounded near the turn of the century and most, now well over 50 years old, have undergone the test of time. Some of Alabama's lakes still produce excellant catches of the ever-elusive largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass species. But only one lake can be labeled "The best bass lake in the state".

Now celebrating its 82nd year of existence, Lay lake continues to produce excellent fishing for many species of fish, despite constant angling pressure year-round. Dam construction was complete on this mid-Coosa River impoundment near the town of Columbiana in 1914. This flooded over 6000 acres of surrounding farmlands, houses, buildings, and many incoming creeks and streams. It also inundated old roads, bridges, railroads, trestles, miles of flooded timber and lots of cleared stumprows.

Over 50 years later another 6000 acres was flooded in 1967. This raised the water level another 14 feet completing Lay lake to over 12,000 surface acres with a shoreline of 289 miles. With 47 nautical miles from dam to dam, there now exists a variety of fishing situations from shallow to some very deep water on Lay lake.

Fishing for bass is very popular as evidenced by the weekly tournaments held year-round. No wonder Lay lake was chosen as the site of the 1996 Bassmasters Classic. Like her upriver sister, Lake Logan Martin, there will be talk for years to come of how the worlds best bass anglers battled it out for this prestigious event.

Loaded with weeds, standing timber, stumprows, rock bluffs, and resident-built piers, this lake offers a variety of fishing situations for many species of fish. Stocked with largemouth bass, spotted bass, black and white crappie, saltwater and hybrid stripes, many species of catfish, bluegill and sunfish, Lay lake has it all for the versatile angler. For the bass-chasing angler, Lay lake is loaded with some trophy-sized bass to pursue. Knowledge of each season's bass fishing tactics can increase your catch on Lay Lake.

SPRING BASS FISHING - LAY LAKE

When the bass come out of their dormant stage of winter its time for the best bassin' of the year. Some seasons show a mild winter and the bass are usually shallow, way before the cooler lakes in the northern part of the state begin to heat up. This can bring an early spawn and bass will bed in late March on into the early part of April on Lay lake. But when those blue-northerners continuously pound the Southern states it can delay the spawn for both the spotted bass and largemouths. Some bass in recent years have been caught with a belly full of eggs as late as the month of June. Usually, by the first week of May most bass are in some stage of bedding. This is when the grass begins to emerge and the bass take advantage of these thick ambush spots.

Upriver areas, above Wilsonville steam plant, will heat up first in the spring. Small pockets and creeks with shallow spawning flats are the first areas to look for ol' largemouth. The spotted bass will spawn on rocky bottoms, points and ledges near deep water on the main part of this river-type terrain. Creek mouths have a mixed bag of bass at this time, that come and go in these entrances to the spring spawning grounds. This is also where they congregate to feed on shad and other baitfish seeking refuge from the strong current released from upriver Logan Martin Dam. Mid-to-downriver creeks are much bigger and have excellant spawning flats that are a little slower to heat up. Again, the newly growing weeds are where the majority of the bass will be at this time.

Lures that penetrate these sometimes thick and matted weeds, range from top to bottom. Usually spring shows thinner growth in most varieties of weeds, until summer arrives. Buzzbaits and spinnerbaits will cover a lot of water fast and generally get the bigger bass bite. Trailer hooks are needed for missed strikes, so common from these bass, that just slap at the lures when preparing to bed. These bass are cautious and see many lures in their lifetime. Other lures that can be dragged through the weeds would have to include frogs and rats. These soft-rubber, bank-running imitations of shoreline creatures, have accounted for hundreds of bass on Lay lake, as they blow-up on these exciting lures that anyone can fish. Floating worms, lizards and shad look-a-likes can also bring the bass out of the weeds for a seemingly easy meal.

If pitchin'or flipping worms, jigs, lizards or crayfish imitations is your thing, then you will be in hog heaven on this weed-filled lake. Small holes around thicker, matted-type weeds can be easily penetrated by dropping heavy lures in a flipping or pitching manner. This is a BIG bass tactic on Lay lake, winning many tournaments at this time of the year.

However, not all bass hold in these weeds. Many bass hold on mid-creek structure in spring. This is a good time for rattletraps, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, topwaters and crankbaits as you fan-cast out in open water areas, that many bank-beating anglers overlook.

SUMMER BASS FISHING - LAY LAKE

The majority of the bass remain in or near the much thicker weeds during the hot days of summer on Lay lake. This calls for some coaxing to get them to come out of the thicker cover after the morning bite is over. Getting in "where they live" calls for worms, lizards, jigs with crayfish or pork trailers, all in heavy weights, to penetrate these thick and matted weeds. Adding fish attractant to these lures helps in getting bites from picky feeders. It also helps these lures to slide in the weeds a lot better. Rattles can be added to soft plastics to agitate some old bass into biting. Shaking your lure, while leaving it in one spot, can also be enticing to these cautious bass.

Piers and boathouses lakewide have schools of bass seeking shade during these hot summer days on Lay lake. Mid-to-upriver areas have spring-fed creeks that can be ten degrees cooler than the main lake. Creeks from 280 Hwy. to Logan Martin lake dam are; Tallasseehatchee Creek, Beanuit (or flipper creek) and Kelly Creek. The area below the dam is also a favorite for the spotted bass, white bass and some line-stretching stripers. Caution must be excersized when navigating this boulder-strewn tailrace. At times, fast water generation, combined with unstable boat handling, can be tricky. Small cuts and eddies out of the currant are places to seek shelter, just like the bass, that can be bank-huggers too when holding out of the sometimes swift current .

From midlake on down river there are many deep water areas to search for both species of largemouth and spotted bass when the temperature soars. Deep-diving crankbaits, spinnerbaits and worms rigged both Texas and Carolina-style, catch a lot of bass holding on river ledges, bends, rock bluffs, creek ledges, drop-offs and around creek mouths. The secret to really good bass fishing during the dog days of summer is finding the baitfish. Find the shad and find the bass. Look for schooling bass during mid-mornings and late evenings. Spoons, rattletraps and topwaters should be rigged and ready for these fast feeding frenzies.

FALL BASS FISHING - LAY LAKE

As the waters begin to cool and the colors of Autumn appear in the trees, the fishing on Lay lake can be as beautiful as Mother natures leaves. This is when the baitfish head up the creeks to feed on plankton and the bass move in to fatten up for the upcoming winter. Deer hunting at this time takes a lot of fishing pressure off the bass. Also there are a less boaters, skiers and jet skis to hamper your fishing.

This is also when weeds begin to die and the bass relate back to wood and rock cover. Although many bass remain in the weeds most are smaller and require less oxygen than the larger bass. Some will cruise the weed edges, especially during times of water generation. Others will make homes in blown-down trees, brush, laying logs, rocks and stumps in the backs of creeks.

Downriver, Waxhatchee Creek is a huge creek that you can spend all day exploring. It usually has schools of shad in its dozens of small pockets, feeder streams, standing timber and rock bluffs. Down by the dam is Paint Creek, that stays clear most of the year. It to, has all your bassin' needs, for some excellant Fall bass fishing. The Narrows are right up the lake from Waxahatchee Creek, just below Lacoosa launch. It is an obvious spot, due to the narrow, boulder-strewn banks the lake funnels down to in this area. This is some of the deepest water in the lake and each Fall spotted bass bunch up along the huge boulders that border the deep river channel drop-offs.

Mid-to-upriver feeder creeks are all worth investigating during the late-Fall-to-early Winter period. This would have to include Spring Creek, Blue Springs Creek, Cedar Creek, Beezwax Creek, Dry Branch and Yellow Leaf Creek. All of these major feeder creeks have constant current in their headwaters, plenty of cover and above all baitfish. All hold huge schools of bass, cruising with one thing in mind, fattening up for the upcoming winter.

WINTER BASS FISHING - LAY LAKE

When the new year rolls around the official beginning of Winter is well underway in the Southern states. At this time very cold weather can cool down Alabama's lakes very fast. Lay lake can have water as cold as 40 degrees during the dead of Winter. Still, recent years have shown this to be some of the best times to catch some of Lay's bigger bass. Winter warming trends can shoot the water temperatures up into the upper fifties. Even pre-spawn bass have been fooled by this mother natures trickery and have attemped to bed in late February with water temperatures in the mid-to-upper 60's.

This is the time of year when water tempeartures have most BIG bass a bit sluggish. Fishing with offerings that move a tad slower will entice these picky feeders into striking a seemingly easy meal. You must slow your presentation, with any lure, when water temperatures are in the low-to-mid 50's, much slower than when fishing at other times of the year. This may call for "dragging" the lure across the bottom in a very slow manner. Or slowly working a topwater lure.

Jigs with pork trailers could just be the best wintertime bait for catching any species of bass under any set of circumstances. Simulating a crayfish (just one of the basses' main staple of diet and nutrition during cold weather) these slow, bottom-bumping lures will get bites when all other lures fail. Although there are occasions when other lures will take these bass,such as when they are turned on by a 3 to 4 warm day warming trend.

Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, rattling lipless lures and even topwaters, have been known to mop-up when the mercury rises during winter warming trends. Besides natural warmth of these lake waters, there are other signs to look for when searching for warmer water bass on Lay lake during the winter.

Wilsonville steam plant has a warm water discharge that is popular with winter anglers. Spring-fed creeks can be found by monitoring a surface temperature gauge as you cruise these feeder backwaters. Also look for bass around the rip-rap (rocks) that line the bridges and causeways on Lay lake, they hold bass and heat up during unseasonal warm,sunny days.

This winter give Lay lake a try. Many days, the bass feed unmolested by man. On some weekdays, without any disturbance, there are times when you will have the lake all to yourself. This can be some of the best bassin' of the year, with catches of 50 bass a day possible, on perhaps Alabama's best bass lake...Lay Lake.

BEST LAUNCHES ON LAY LAKE ;

DOWNRIVER - LAYPORT MARINE - WAXAHATCHEE CREEK

THE NARROWS - PUBLIC LAUNCH - AND LACOOSA LAUNCH

MID-LAKE - OKOMO'S LAUNCH - CEDAR CREEK LAUNCH - PARADISE POINT MARINA

UPRIVER - YELLOW LEAF CREEK LAUNCH AT - WILSONVILLE STEAM PLANT AND THE PUBLIC LAUNCH JUST BELOW LOGAN MARTIN DAM.

Motels, Restuarants and Fishing tackle are available in the nearby towns of Clanton, Wilsonville and Columbiana. Also around Interstate I-65 south from Birmingham to Montgomery.

BASS GUIDES - REED MONTGOMERY - REED'S GUIDE SERVICE (205) 787-5133