Only 20 miles from Birmingham Alabama lies some of the fishiest looking water Alabama has to offer. Bankhead Lake has a lot to fish for both the daytime angler trying to beat the heat, and the nighttime anglers hoping to escape the heat, all that invade this lake on the Warrior River each summer season. But its not as easy as it looks. At first glance the angler that visits this Warrior River impoundment for the first time, would think catching bass would not be all that hard and for some, its not.

Knowing where to go, what to throw and how to present it are the many dilemmas most anglers face when trying to decipher an old lake like Bankhead Lake, that is now approaching 90 years of age. Scattered logjams, a variety of aquatic weeds, stumps, laydowns, brush piles, miles of rock bluffs, feeder creeks, and small pockets and flats, can leave one scratching one's head, when deciding where to fish this summer. Well, all of these places produce decent sized bass, all throughout the summer months.

Logjams are everywhere you look on both the Warrior River and the Little Warrior River that make up Bankhead Lake. Lots of this wooden cover in one spot (like the mouth of Lost Creek) can mean slowly fishing every nook and cranny. Bass in these huge logjams could be hiding anywhere. Isolated logs or a few logs just piled together, seem to hold better sized bass and they are much easier to dissect, than fishing a half mile of logs. When current is evident, the edges are places to find bass. Often an entire school can be in one small spot on these logjams, all relating to the current breakline. Deep diving crankbaits, bounced off this wooden structure can be deadly lure choices during the entire summer season.

Aquatic Weeds on Bankhead Lake are as varied as the wooden cover. Lily pads are homes to summer bass, for they provide lots of shade and are homes to one of the largemouth bass favorite summertime meals. Frogs and small mice. Fishing with frog and rat imitations on this lake can show some of the summer's biggest bass. Flipping rods and 20 pound test line are suggested. Buzzbaits would be a second choice around Bankhead Lakes many weed types.

Stumps were left in this lake when impounded and many are now gone from years of deterioration. But creek backwaters, flats and small pockets off the main river, still show some big stumps bass relate to. These stumps (some as big as truck tires), are excellent ambush spots for the big largemouth bass in Bankhead Lake and stumps provide lots of shade for summer bass to relate to. Casting far past these wooden stumps with a zara spook topwater lure, prop baits and popping type topwaters, will ready bass for the approaching meal. The same goes for other topwaters, spinnerbaits and shallow running crankbaits. Always throw past your intended target, but make sure to bump the stump, when the lure nears its target, then get ready for the strike.

Laydowns (or fallen trees) are a very common type of bass holding cover on this lake. Finding those isolated trees bordering deep river drop-offs, will show big bass, both day and night this summer season. Some big bass are suspended in these tree tops, some are along the bank where it enters the water and some home bodies are buried up deep within the trees branches and washed in debris. Along the trunk of the tree and in and around the thick roots are also good ambush spots for big bass, places a lot of anglers pass up. During the day (or at night), you can't beat a big 10-12 inch worm for targeting these bigger bass. These are summertime, lure conditioned bass, bass that have lived out long lives, by not striking at everything that comes their way. These bass see a lot of other smaller lures on Bankhead Lake this summer. They also feed on foot long snakes and eels found throughout Bankhead Lake this summer. Often, a big easy meal, generates strikes from bass that avoid other smaller lures not worth chasing. Adding rattles and fish attractants help bass home in on these oversized meals and often elicit strikes from otherwise very cautious bass. Fish attractants also help lubricate these slender pieces of tempting plastics, allowing them to slide in the cover much easier and attractants masks human odor.

Brushpiles are put out all over Bankhead Lake, many to attract crappie. But big bass like em' too. Especially isolated brush piles, like Christmas trees barely sticking up. Along flats, away from any other weed or wood cover, are the best places to look for isolated brush piles. But like any lake, fishing around piers and boathouses will also reveal good spots with hidden brushpiles. When targeting any isolated cover, always cast far past these brush piles, to avoid spooking any bass suspended in the middle. Spinnerbaits are my number one choice for this type of cover. Run them along side brush piles, flutter them down into the brush, fish them on the edges or run spinnerbaits right down the middle, to attract instinct strikes from bass, that will usually avoid other offerings.

Rock Bluffs hold bass year round on Bankhead Lake. Summer can show huge schools of both spotted bass and largemouth's on the many rock bluffs found lakewide. Bluffs in deep river bends have first and secondary ledges. Fishing each ledge thoroughly will show bass, that are holding at similar depths on other rock bluffs found around the lake. These are usually bass that are positioned right under the boat of the bank beating angler, big bass that receive little or any fishing pressure during summer. Vertical jigging with 1/4 to 1/2 ounce jigging spoons, casting or vertical jigging with lead tailspinners, fishing small grubs and shad imitations, fishing both Texas and Carolina-rigged plastics and even the new technique called, "drop shot fishing", should all be tried on every bluff you encounter. Broken off bluff banks, or huge boulders that have tumbled down in the water, bluffs in creek mouths or bluffs along small cuts and pockets, and even small cracks that lead far back in rock bluffs, all create excellent ambush spots and hold bass, that a lot of anglers avoid. Worms, jig combos, crayfish imitations, tube baits and lizards are just a few of the many offerings good on bottom this summer on these deep water, rock bluffs.

Feeder Creeks on Bankhead Lake can be just as good as fishing main lake waters. Plus there are less people in the creeks. Cooler creeks are found lake wide and a temperature gauge can show water temps as much as 5 degrees cooler than main lake waters, usually in the backs of major feeder creeks. Washed in meals appear in the backs of these creeks during evening thunderstorms. Like small crayfish and small minnows. Jig combos or plastic crayfish can show a tremendous day fishing creek headwaters. Minnow imitating jerkbaits are also deadly in the mid-to-far back ends of creeks, especially in lightly stained or clear water situations.

So while your avoiding the heat, the jet skies, pontoon parties, water skiers, in addition to crappie fisherman, tournament anglers and those catfish chasing enthusiasts, keep these spots in mind this summer. It may help you avoid the crowds, find a little seclusion all your own and most importantly, help you catch some big fish and lots of em', this summer on Bankhead Lake.

Or call Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133 for day or night fishing trips to Bankhead Lake this summer. I grew up fishing Bankhead Lake over 40 years ago and I do know it very well...