Warmer weather this week along with showers could turn on the bite in area lakes once the storms have passed. Bass have been hanging on shad schools at the larger lakes including those in the TVA system—find the bait by following the gulls, or scope them out with big screen sonar and fish the bait pods with 3-inch swimbaits, similar-sized crankbaits or lipless cranks.
According to Guntersville guide Mike Gerry, from now through February will also be a good time to try lipless crankbaits like the Spro Aruku Shad over areas where hydrilla and milfoil have died back. Gerry says the fish particularly like areas where the new growth has just started to sprout from bottom, typically in 4 to 8 feet, during warm spells in late winter and early spring. Gerry likes both the yo-yo and the “rippin’” tactic, the latter jerking the lure free as it catches strands of weeds—he says the abrupt dart often triggers bites; www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com.
Crappie fishing may be the best bet from now through mid-March on area lakes, with the tasty panfish turned on by chilly weather. Crappies also typically school around bait schools in winter, often on submerged creek channels at 12 to 15 feet. One of the better lakes in North Alabama is Pickwick, with Bear and Yellow Creeks both noted winter crappie spots—slow-troll the channel edges with tiny jigs or crappie-sized crankbaits until you find the schools, then fish over them with live minnows a few feet off bottom.
The crappie bite is also on at the “Crappie Capitol”, Weiss Lake, says guide Mark Collins, who specializes in catching the “specks”. Collins says trolling the river channel with 1/16 to 1/24 ounce Jiffy Jigs is a good way to locate schools, and the fish can then be caught by dropping jigs or live minnows down to just above where they’re holding. Areas on channel drops, rock ledges, brush or woody cover typically hold the fish, at depths of 14 to 16 feet, he says; www.markcollinsguideservice.com.
Winter weather has a positive impact on striped bass, which prefer cold water, so now is prime time to go striper fishing on Lewis Smith Lake. Guide Mike Walker says his anglers are catching the biggest stripers of the year right now, and this action continues through February, with most trips turning up several fish in the 15 to 20 pound range along with lots of smaller fish. Walker slow-trolls or drifts live shad or suckers, up to 14 inches long, at depths of 40 to 60 feet along the channel edges to connect with the giant fish; www.fishing24-7guideservice.com. Also, the Sipsey River directly below the dam continues to produce good trout fishing in the first mile or so due to regular stocking. The fish are small, 10 to 12 inches, but provide one of the few stream trout fishing opportunities in Alabama. Drift live worms or Berkley trout bait under a bubble float to get them; www.riversideflyshop.com.
From the coast, winter weather has pushed trout, reds and sheepshead into the coastal creeks and rivers, with Deer Creek, Fowl River, Dog River, Bayou La Batre and the Mobile Delta area all productive. The Theodore Industrial Canal is also a hotspot, especially after cold fronts push through, driving the fish deep. Jigs with plastic shrimp tails work well in the holes, and some anglers do especially well with scented Powerbait and Gulp! tails from Berkley. Live shrimp is also a good bet in these spots. On warm afternoons, the trout sometimes come up on the bars along these rivers and can be caught on topwaters including the Rapala Skitter Vee; www.ateamfishing.com.
The Link LonkJanuary 01, 2021 at 03:15PM
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Friday Fishing Report - AL.com
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