There are many choice spots to consider when it comes to winter fishing Lake Eufaula, now over 41 years since impoundment. If you have never visited this lake, you would be surprised to learn that its a shallow water lake. Impoundment in 1963, showed many flatlands flooded when Walter F. George (Lake Eufaula) dam was completed.

The old Chattahoochee River System was inundated as the lake began to fill, flooding and covering up previously cleared stumprows, old house foundations and buildings, old cemeteries and roadbeds. This created miles and miles of underwater structure for the Lake Eufaula largemouth bass to relate to, usually during the summer and winter months.

These two seasons have been traditionally, when schools of largemouth bass on Lake Eufaula generally hold in or near deep water, going deeper as they follow the baitfish schools they feed on. They still do today.  Past winter season's have shown some of the lake's biggest largemouth bass taken from these deep water haunts.

Although for several years after impoundment, many anglers caught bass after bass (simply by just fishing the lakes shoreline), eventually a few anglers ventured far away from the banks of Lake Eufaula. These nomadic anglers soon discovered that when fishing out in deeper water, even more bass, and bigger bass could be caught, than when probing the lakes shoreline.

Tom Mann, noted lure designer (Mann's Lures) and lure manufacture, situated in the nearby town of Eufaula, showed people during those earlier days (when Lake Eufaula was getting hot), that even bigger bass, unmolested bass, do exist in offshore cover and all along underwater structure found lake wide.

Fishing his now famous lead poured tailspinners called, " The Little George " he made Bassmaster's Tournament Trail History in those early years, often bringing in 15 bass limits to the scales, weighing over 100 pounds. Named after George Wallace (then the Governor of Alabama), these hand poured, lead tailspinner lures, caught hundreds of bass in the early years, just after Lake Eufaula's Impoundment, around the mid-to-late 1960's.

Another soft plastic lure Tom Mann is famous for is called, "The Mann's Augurtail Worm" and it sold thousands after debuting on this now famous lake. Either of these lures (or others like them) fished out in mid-to-deep water depths, still catches quality bass on Lake Eufaula, especially during the colder months of winter.

Another very popular lure that debuted on Lake Eufaula in the last few years is called, "The Ledgebuster." These are heavy spinnerbaits, much heavier than most anglers are accustomed to fishing with, and this style of deep water fishing takes some getting used to. Some of these Ledgebuster spinnerbaits weigh from 3/4 of an ounce up to 2 ounces.

When fished with a lift-and-drop method, along the deeper water drops, these deep water spinnerbaits are deadly lures in the winter months. But bring plenty, or a lure knocker (or plug retriever), for underwater hang-ups are inevitable. You can count on losing a few lures in a days time when fishing deep water with these spinnerbaits.

Suggested tackle for fishing with these heavy spinnerbaits, should include heavy line, preferably Trilene Big Game monofilament line, in the 17-25 pound test category. Fish with line in this category, on wide spooled reels, reels that hold a lot of thick, heavy monofilament line. I prefer ABU Garcia's Ambassador 6500 wide-spooled series reels, coupled with a long, stout 7-7 1/2 foot flipping rod. This setup is necessary for achieving long cast's and getting a good hook set on these bass in deep water.

Of course, like during any wintertime fishing excursion, this game plan for deep water, includes slowing down your approach, for some very lethargic, wintertime bass. Also include, thoroughly fishing all depths each day, with a variety of lures and presentations, and fishing various depths and angles of retrieve, with each lure you choose as well. This is a game plan equally important for your success, at finding these big, largemouth bass of Lake Eufaula, some exceeding that magical 10 pound mark, so many anglers are seeking.

During the winter months of December, January and February, on Lake Eufaula, cold fronts force these bass to bury up in whatever thick, aquatic weeds are left in the shallows (after lake drawdown for winter pool), other bass relate to wood or cover. But still many bass, are right behind the boat of the bank beating angler.

If most anglers will only force themselves to back off, away from the lakes shoreline, and try these deep water spots, they may discover the motherlode, with a little exploring of the lake. Places that generally go undisturbed during winter, underwater hideouts, that have traditionally produced numbers of largemouth bass, each winter on Lake Eufaula. A Lake, herald to have more bass per acre, than any lake in Alabama.

When these winter bass go towards deeper water, they gather in huge schools and suspend along drop-offs and ledges, or hug the lakes bottom in more comfortable depths, when the mercury falls in the winter.

Lake Eufaula, as said, does have lots of shallow flats, especially when down during the winter months. This annual wintertime lake drawdown poses another problem for anglers, besides catching fish. The water level has been down in years past during winter, as much as 4-6 feet below normal, full pool levels. This calls for extreme caution when navigating the lake.

Lake Eufaula does have lots of deep water for these bass to retreat to when conditions force them to move deeper. Generally the lake averages a depth of 5-10 feet, but it also shows a deep river channel of more than 50 feet deep. It also has dozens of major feeder creeks, some with water depths of 15-20 feet, even during winter, when the lake is usually down 3-4 feet.

Any lake that has lots of shallow flats can cool considerably during the colder months of winter. Its just not as comfortable for these bass, (as during the rest of the year), to stay in shallow water for any length of time, when cold fronts pound the shallows, lowering water temperatures tremendously. So many of these bass head for deeper water, until conditions improve with winter warming trends.

Adding the fact that anglers that study their map and watch their depthfinders, they should locate key structure at available depths along main lake drop-offs, old creek and river channel ledges, submerged humps, ridges, underwater islands and other bottom irregularities these bass relate to during the winter. This is the key to getting bites on Lake Eufaula this winter.

Interested in a trip to Lake Eufaula this winter or spring season? Always call on Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133...first! "Guiding on Lake Eufaula over 30 years (and all other Alabama Lakes for over 40 years) with several professional, qualified guides and boats available year round, for multiple parties and corporate guided trips. Discounts available, for more than one boat / or more than one days fishing. See my website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com for more info.

Be safe and always wear your life jacket and outboard motor kill switch when fishing and navigating our low water lakes this winter season. The life you save...may just be your own!

This report provided by:
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery Radio Show
"Celebrating 5 Years on the Radio Jan 2004"
Sunday Morning's 9-10 A.M. Central Time
Radio Station WJOX 690 AM Birmingham, Alabama
Call Reeds Guide Service...First! (205) 787-5133
"Over 40 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers"
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