Neely Henry Lake By Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service Birmingham, Alabama
Website www.fishingalabama.com ” Neely Henry’s and All of Alabama’s Oldest, Professional — Bass Fishing Only — Guide Service For Over 40 Years ”
Impounded 1966 / Lake Level: Down 1/2 Foot / Water Temperature: Mid-80′s / Water Clarity: Clear main lake with some creeks stained from recent evening thundershowers / Air Temperature: (First week of August), Highs mid-to-upper 90′s - Lows mid-70′s
Its evident, when launching your boat at Gadsden City boat launch (where most major bass tournaments are held), that the upper portion of Neely Henry lake, where this popular boat launch sits between two bridges that span the lake, how much of a river- type appearance the upper third of this 50 mile long lake is. But don’t be fooled by its looks.
When leaving the City boat launch and heading your boat south down the lake, Neely Henry Lake immediately begins to widen out, to more of an impoundment.
Featuring miles of shallow main lake flats, loads of stump rows (some visible), log jams, laying trees, brush piles, piers, points, boat houses, aquatic weeds and even some banks featuring man made rip-rap rocks, lining the banks for the prevention of erosion.
All of these places, that Neely Henry Lake’s 24 hour summertime residents, the Coosa River spotted bass and the largemouth bass, love to inhibit during the hot months of summer.
And these resident schools of bass will be here for two more months, all throughout the months of August and September. Until Fall arrives and things begin to change their feeding habits.
Taking a right and heading your boat upstream of Gadsden City boat launch, will reveal over 25 miles of river-type terrain, all the way to Weiss Lake dam. There are some small feeder creeks, main lake flats, rock bluffs, deep river bends with tons of washed in debris and standing timber, and loads of wood cover such as stumps to be found in every creek mouth and main lake drop-off.
After fishing, guiding and competing in bass tournaments on Neely Henry Lake for over 40 years I have learned where to be at the right time of the year. But does that mean fish only upriver? Or fish down the lake? Well, both places have their advantages, especially when it comes to summertime bass fishing. So, I choose both!
Upriver - When water is generated at either dam, it often flows fast in this narrow and funneled down river, this means faster current, in a spot that did not have any current beforehand. Bait fish and bass relate to current edges and eddies. Places like the mouths of creeks can have both spotted bass (that love current combined with wood and rock cover) and some big largemouth bass!
Lures like topwater lures can be deadly at dawn and late evenings. Often they can be good lure choices for big bass, even during the hot, midday hours in a shady spot with a bass in the right frame of mind! Topwater lures are also good when cloudy or during a brief evening thundershower or during an all day rain!
Fishing creek mouths, an angler can choose to fish over a dozen spots with lures like swim baits, crankbaits, lipless lures, spinnerbaits and loads of lures fished on bottom. Simply by running and gunning and hitting every spot possible until fish are located. Often, big schools, with dozens of bass, can stack up here during the summer months.
Downriver - As the lake widens downstream, you will soon discover some perfect summertime haunts of Neely Henry’s Coosa River spotted bass, largemouth bass and an occasional striped bass. Old river channel ledges and drop-offs harbor the lake’s deeper summertime bass, relating to depths of 5 feet deep or 30 feet deep!
There are also visible islands, hidden underwater humps and submerged ridges and sand bars etc, places that will take a little map study and depth finder use and a GPS to help you easily return to. But there is plenty of visible bass holding cover as well, in major feeder creeks, some feeders that run for miles far back in the scenic countryside.
Creeks loaded with a variety of aquatic weeds, wood cover, rocks, boulders, rock bluffs and plenty of just plain rocky terrain, including bridges, rip-rap rocks and piers, boat houses and marinas. All great summertime spots to find both deep summertime bass and shallow summer bass too! Good for shallow bass and deep bass until fall arives!
Or, you can always call on Reeds Guide Service…first! Guiding and exploring Neely Henry Lake (and all other Alabama lakes) for over 40 years!
See more info on my website www.fishingalabama.com for summer, fall, winter and spring fishing tips for all Alabama lakes. Including updated lake reports for most Alabama lakes!
Thanks and Good Fishin’
Reed Montgomery /Owner of Reeds Guide Service (205) 663-1504 Birmingham, Alabama Call today or e-mail alabassgyd@aol.com to book your trip to any Alabama lake. Year round bass fishing for largemouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass and smallmouth bass!!
