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Fishing Reports from 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"
E-mail: ALABASSGYD@aol.com
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com

Winter on Wilson Lake

 

Like any Tennessee River Impoundment Wilson Lake has its ups and downs during the cold months of winter. No, not the lake level, that remains close to full pool most of the winter. We're talking about those good days versus the bad days, when it comes to fishing success.

Many anglers come to this world renowned lake in search of a trophy smallmouth bass. One reason being, Wilson Lake once held the world record for a trophy smallmouth bass, one weighing 10 1/2 pounds. That is a very rare smallmouth bass and it was caught over 50 years ago.

Most anglers of today, even those that consistently target this brown bass species have caught only one or two smallmouth bass weighing over 6 pounds. Many anglers, some that frequently visit Wilson Lake and Pickwick Lake throughout the winter months, have yet to even reach this magical 6 pound mark.

To make it more easily understood (in terms of largemouth bass fishing) catching a smallmouth bass weighing 6 pounds or better, is the equivalent to catching a 9-10 pound largemouth bass. In other words, a bass of a life time.

Still, some professional anglers, fishing guides, and anglers that just plain fish a lot for smallmouth bass, can make it look easy with a dozen or more smallmouth bass to their credit. Those rare smallmouth bass that exceed 6 pounds.

But even for those that fish Wilson Lake with any regularity or have years of experience, it still does not come easy. They all work for every bite they get and most only see a few smallmouth bass exceeding 5 pounds for all their efforts.

So when your looking to come to Alabama's world renowned Wilson Lake and just slay em' bring along plenty of patience, for like said, "Wilson Lake does have its ups and downs." But, any angler can stack the odds in his or her favor by planning a trip to Wilson Lake when conditions are ideal for catching these smallmouth bass of a lifetime.

To begin with, when water temperatures dip into the 50's these smallmouth bass really gather in numbers to feed in the lakes headwaters, situated below the now famous tailrace waters of Wheeler Lake dam. This usually occurs in November and often gets even better on into the prespawn months of late February to March.

Not only are the lakes headwaters excellent places to begin your search, but also try mid lake humps, ridges, rock piles, submerged islands, ledges and drop-offs, along with rock bluffs and creek mouths as well. Water generation dictates smallmouth bass movement. Often, on weekends, this man made current can be non existent, or off and on throughout the day, or just one turbine running. Your chances are better for the best conditions and lots of water generation (thus more current), during the weekdays. Usually, you will have less company on weekdays than when dealing with the weekend crowd.

With heavy winter rains, the Tennessee River can become stained to muddy during winter. Many anglers arrive at Wilson Lake only to find these adverse conditions to their disappointment. This is when you hear, "they were biting last week" and a trailing cold front, accompanied by stained-to-muddy water conditions now has the fishing very slow.

Make the best of it by fishing clearer water down the lake or utilizing lures that emit noise, flash and vibration, to aid the bass in finding your offerings during these stained water conditions. This can a number of lures like deep diving crankbaits featuring internal rattles, big gaudy spinerbaits and rattling lipless lures. Or soft plastics fished on or near the lakes bottom. Small worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, jig combos, tube baits, grubs and shad imitations all work in this situation. The object is to fish very slow and expect few bites.

On the other hand, there are days when most sane anglers are at home warm by the fire. This can be a cloudy day with morning lows in the 20's and daytime highs not expected to reach 50 degrees. Very miserable for most humans. But to the smallmouth bass the lack of boats overhead, must mean its feeding time. For often on these cold, miserable days, some of the season's biggest smallmouth bass are fooled by some angler, those rare breed willing to brave the cold.

Dress warm and always wear your life jacket and outboard motor kill switch, when fishing the often swift and dangerous tailrace waters in Wilson Lakes headwaters. Be safe this winter, the life you save may just be your own.

So when is the best time to go smallmouth bass fishing on Wilson Lake this winter? Whenever you can! Or call on Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133. "Over 40 years fishing Wilson Lake and other Alabama Lakes. Several boats and professional guides available, year round."

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"
E-mail: ALABASSGYD@aol.com
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com

 

 

 

WILSON LAKE
By Reed Montgomery
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
Lake Level: Full Pool
Water Temperature: Mid 80's


Summer on Wilson Lake 07/01/04

 

Fishing an impoundment on the Tennessee River System that previously held the World Record for Smallmouth Bass, kinda gets the blood to boiling, every time I visit Wilson Lake. With the possibility of just evening hooking into one of these tackle-testing bass, most anglers would feel the same way. World famous Wilson Lake. Impounded in 1924 and situated in North Alabama, although small in size, this lake has shown to big on a variety of fish species.

The lakes headwaters is where the lake gets so much recognition. Fishing the upper portion of Wilson Lake, always involves at least a few hours fishing (for a variety of fish species) in the tailrace waters below Wheeler Lake dam.

Here, in the rocky, boulder-strewn waters not only can anglers have a shot at a true, trophy sized smallmouth bass, but also a good chance of hooking into a number of largemouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, striped bass including bream, crappie, catfish, sauger, drum, carp, gar and many other fish species.

Summer fishing here, day or night, shows huge schools of these fish gathering here to feed on the hapless baitfish washed through the dams turbines. The often swift water found here, along with shallow rocky bottom water for the first mile immediately below Wheeler Lake dam, shows anglers wearing life jackets and outboard motor kill switches all the time. Besides its the law you must.

Most anglers that have fished Wilson Lakes headwaters are accustomed to the swift water. It is a common sight to see boats run all the way up to the dam and then drift in the current for a mile or two and then repeat the process.

Some anglers use live bait, shad caught at the dam in throw nets. Others opt to use small grubs, which are not all that costly when hung up and lost in the rocky bottom. Heavy spinnerbaits, allowed to bump the bottom as you drift in the current, fool a lot of different fish species, both day and night. Again, bring plenty of spare lures, for the rocks have a way of eating them up.

Spinnerbaits also make excellent lures for night fishing for trophy smallmouth bass in Wilson Lake's swift headwaters. Heavy line 15-17 test, and big gaudy spinnerbaits with single Colorado blades are proven favorites.

Daytime fishing here this summer will show schooling fish. Often it can be hundreds of white bass, frantically tearing up the water's surface feeding on baitfish schools. Always have several rods rigged and ready, for these picky feeders can have a preference when it comes to certain lures.

One lure that always produces in a schooling situation is an inline spinner. In the past, this involved using a popular Mepps inline spinner or a Rooster tail.

Recently, a new inline spinner was introduced to the angling world. The Reel Pearl USA. The world's only counter-rotating inline spinner made by Gulf Coast Products in Alabama. If you have not tried this unique inline spinner, featuring two blades that turn in opposite directions, heres how to get some. Go to their website: www.ReelPearlUSA.com (mention the words "Fishing Alabama" and get a free lure with your order) They come in many sizes for all fish species, from small 1/8 ounce models to some models over one ounce.

Schooling fish always get fooled by topwater lures. On many occasions you will find that they seem to school just out of casting distance for most conventional lures. This may call for the use of big walking or popping type lures. The Heddon Zara Spook has been a popular topwater for over 50 years.

Recently an updated version, the Zara Super Spook has shown to be a great lure for fooling all fish species. Not only are they heavier than previous models, (allowing an angler very long cast's for schooling fish) but they also have 3 hooks instead of two and internal rattles. Now manufactured under Pradco Lure Company name, you can see them at www.lurenet.com

You can also see topwaters there by Excalibur such as the Spittin' Image, Heddon Baby Torpedo, Rebel's Pop-r and a number of other topwater and subsurface lures, all good for these schooling fish.

In addition to spinners and topwaters anglers can always hook into quality fish in Wilson Lakes headwaters with shallow-to-deep diving crankbaits, floating and suspending hard bodied jerkbaits, soft jerkbaits, rattling lipless lures, jigging spoons and a number of offerings fished on bottom.

One finesse fishing technique that is very successful in these lake headwaters is with small jig heads, adorned with small grubs, shad imitations and crayfish type lures. Check out www.Spotsticker.com for a jig head made by Spotsticker Lure Company. Jig heads in all sizes, with an extended, very sharp, red hook.

Discover the fantastic fishing this summer in Wilson Lakes headwaters, famous for a 10 1/2 pound smallmouth that once held the world record, caught here many years ago. Just think how many are here now.

Or call Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133 for a day or night fishing trip to Wilson Lake, or any lake in Alabama. Several guides available year round, with discounts for more than one boat or more than one days reservation.

Thanks, be safe and courteous to other boaters, on our very crowded lakes this summer.