If you motor all the way up to beneath Lay Lake Dam, there arent many hot bass fishing locations though anglers can try Chestnut Creek or Proctor Creek, which can produce decent largemouth bass. Many deep water bass too! Towards the bottom portion of the lake, anglers will hit the last bastion of excellent largemouth bass fishing at Hardridge Creek. Including the old river channel that came up 15 feet. However, a channel diverts some water southwest into a basin above Bouldin Dam. The perfect bedding water temperature of 72 degrees, coupled with the seasons next full moon, is all it takes to trigger a mass wave of both male and female largemouth bass and spotted bass to head towards the lakes shallow, spawning grounds. Flooding many major feeder creeks, farm lands, flats, railroads, old houses and churches, standing timber, stump rows, and even old cemeteries. Further downstream, the black bass angling picks up in locations such as Big Branch and Shoal Creek, but this location doesnt yield the same numbers as some of the lower-lake spots weve already discussed. Either way, buckle up. Anglers will have no trouble catching the full spectrum of Alabamas bass population in Wilson Lake, located on the Tennessee River near Muscle Shoals and Florence. With a national reputation for holding massive largemouth, Guntersville features several annual tournaments for bass anglers and is Alabamas largest lake. Lewis Smith Lake offers more than 20,000 acres of prime bass fishing waters. Spotted Bass These Coose River breed of bass are just plain mean. Waxahatchee Creek offers a more diverse look into bass fishing here at Lay Lake, with largemouths and spotted bass recorded caught around the docks and islands of the system of channels. will help keep down the costs of major boat and motor repairs. Honestly, it went really bad. Though anglers may catch the occasional striped and white bass at Bartletts Ferry, it is a black bass haven, and for a good reason. Located in Alabaster, Alabama. All Rights Reserved. 2023 Fishidy. Results. Frogs, minnows, crayfish, worms, snakes, eels, lizards, insects (such as dragonflies) and a variety of smaller bait fish such as bream, threadfin shad, gizzard shad, small catfish, bream, minnows and crappie, all inhibit these weeds and any one (or all), of these hapless prey can easily become the days next meal! 265 Waxahatchee Rd This lower Coosa River reservoir offers a fine blend of hybrid, striped, spotted, and largemouth bass a quick drive north of Montgomery. So in a few days time most of Lay lakes lure conditioned bass are usually ready to hit the same lures over again. When fishing, Alabamas Lay Lake For Deep Summertime Bass! Coming real soon PART TWO JULY! The upper region of the lake is the most fertile, especially around the Coley Creek and Elkahatchee Creek areas, while the Kowaliga Creek arm is the most infertile. Upper Coosa River Lakes There three lakes above Lay lake on the Coosa River System. this lake also is highly rated for catfish fishing, better known as a crappie fishing hotspot, our complete guide to bass fishing techniques and tips. It is an excellent bass fishery for anglers to target year round! Check out all the action for the Final stop of the Eastern Opens season. Aside from the basic fishing license, anglers can catch bass on various lures and bait on their rod and reel. Michigans Kevin Van Dam won that world-renowned fishing event. In fact it was so bad; only one angler from Florida made the final day top ten while fishing a frog in shallow water. All taking place in early summer on Alabamas Lake Eufaula, known as Walter F. George Reservoir. Bass Species: Spotted, largemouth, striped. Kaera Frog White / 2 1/4" 1 Fishing Report. Lay Lake was impounded in 1914. He fishes this jig on 20-pound Berkley 100 Percent Fluorocarbon line. Yes, even during the hot days of summer, while fishing in the sweltering sun often in the mid-to-upper nineties, big bags of bass are dredged from the depths of Alabamas Lay Lake. No matter what the conditions, or where you fish, you can always count on that. These offshoot coves provide bush- and tree-lined banks and a handful of sand bars where bass retreat from the main lake in search of bait fish and other prey. They can be found dwelling in the deeper depths in the lakes mid-to-lower lake section, often located in water depths of 15 feet down to depths of 50 feet deep on Lay Lake! Largemouth Bass with a Gary Yamamoto Original Senko Worms, 4 lb. Fishing around Lay lake's aquatic weeds and targeting various types of wood cover such as stumps, logs, laying trees, brush piles and standing timber, calls for the use of topwater lures in May. The western portion of the lake is fed by tributaries like the Sipsey River along with Brushy and Clear creeks. Alabamian Mark McCaig resides in Oxford, about 35 miles northeast of Lay Lake. Those lures that everybody collects of every shape, size, color and action they can in, all types and models. Topwater frogs work magic here, and beneath the overhanging trees, anglers are almost guaranteed a surface strike worthy of the cover of Field and Stream. Way back then (over 100 years ago) Lay Lake was the first lake of six, man made Coosa River System impoundments built by the Army Corps of Engineers, located in mid Alabama, on the Coosa River System. Lay Lake River Fishing For Spotted Bass And Striped Bass Joey Fishing 1.68K subscribers Subscribe 4.7K views 3 years ago From fishing a jig down the bank to throwing an Alabama Rig. Please call (205) 663-1504 for more information. Reed Montgomery / Owner of Reeds Guide Service (205) 663-1504 Birmingham, Alabama E-mail: alabassgyd@aol.com Website: www.fishingalabama.com See us, Reeds Guide Service, on face book too! The next lake down stream (below Weiss Lake dam discharge), is Neely Henry Lake, located near Gadsden, Al. The northern shoreline features sandbars and heavily brushed banks, while the southern bank offers several easy-to-access coves and a handful of drop-offs. Anglers will find the stripers around the dam and near Our Childrens Highway and Coven Abbett Highway, where deep water structures such as rock formations and pilings provide some buffer to the current. Instead, this reservoir features clay and silt bottoms with fallen trees or brush piles providing the majority of the structure. If youre a fan of crankbaits, you can cover plenty of water in the channel system off of Hatchet Creek and likely pull in a limit of spotted and largemouth bass. The main dam is a great opportunity to troll with imitation shad swim baits or deep diving crankbaits. Before heading out searching for your next trophy lunker, purchase your fishing license and check all local and state regulations. Striped bass, spotted bass and largemouth bass all become very susceptible to a variety of lures and presentations, mostly when bass anglers are fishing in and around the lakes varied cover. Scott Canterbury and Buddy Gross from Ga. were battling it out for first and second place, with about 20 pounds each (for one/half day) by 12 p.m. running neck and neck at about 80 pounds each, by almost weigh in time! Lay Lake regulars, weekend anglers of all kinds, visitors in ski boats and pontoon parties with lake residents. Usually the latter of these two. Jig combos are popular lure choices for this technique. Lay Lake is best known for its spotted bass and largemouth bass fishing. Including, its an impoundment that can be known for providing anglers with sheer numbers of bass on any outing. That is, after this very important comparison, for these two Alabama lakes, for fishing the summer season in deep water!). This tiny 120-acre lake is by far and away the smallest lake on this list, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in a high concentration of sizable largemouth bass population and a handful of spotted bass sprinkled in. Anglers in boats launching out of Lighthouse Marina have access to some of the best fishing just a short boat ride from the dock. Smith Lake Dam 202303/0 03/04/2023 . Striped bass can be seen schooling and busting bait fish as they feed along main lake flats, creek flats, along rock bluffs and even along lower Lay lake dam along its rip-rap rock lined banks. While concentrating your fishing efforts both in and all around these many types of aquatic weeds, you increasingly better your chances of getting more quality-sized bass to bite. Lay Lake offers some of the best bass fishing in the country, and hosting events like this reminds us how fortunate we are to have this resource in our backyard. Many veteran anglers (some of a few dozen years or so years back), that know every spot on the lake, including many diverse, seasonal fishing tactics for big bass! Glassware both old and new. And they can be found in abundance lake wideall throughout the spring spawning month of April! The explosive antics of Lay Lake's largemouth bass, create some very memorable scenes, many never . You might also find out why this lake also is highly rated for catfish fishing. Drew Benton took third place with 82.4 pounds and came close weighing in 24.8 pounds on day four! And it was a tremendous bass tournament with many deeper bass caught on a variety of lures such as; 10 inch worms, jig combos, finesse worms, swim baits, bladed jigs and jigging spoons, just to name a few, besides many bass caught on a variety of deep diving crankbaits. Most weeds on Lay lake (but not all weeds), will wither and die from a period of around late November on into the late winter month of February. Anglers target Largemouth Bass here but there are plenty of Crappie and catfish to fight with too! The back of the central fork boasts a large grass bed perfect for topwater frogs and weedless soft plastics. At this point, anglers are . Although the state fish is the largemouth bass, and they will figure prominently in this article, the Heart of Dixie is home to around half a dozen bass species. Anglers will find a strong current, deeper water, and Blue Creek Camp Marina nearby for a quick launch. Or you can always call on Reeds Guide Servicefirst! Before you visit Lay Lake, go to www.alabamabasstrail.org. I havent seen bass like that in any Coosa River lake in 10 or 15 years.. The Coosa River reservoir, located just south of Birmingham, has hosted several Bassmaster Classics and in 2023 will also welcome 104 of the worlds best anglers May 11-14 for theWhataburger Bassmaster Elite at Lay LakeandtheStrike King Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro ShopsJune 9-10. Located mid lake, west side, off Lake Shore Drive, this is a two-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking. Even though this is a heavily trafficked area, anglers can find some secluded coves ripe for the picking, especially during the wee hours of the morning or late evening. That was Ryan Ingram from nearby Phoenix City, Al. Lay Lake is an excellent year-round fishery. At the articles end there is an example of some very similar, post spawn / early summertime fishing conditions, during the month of June. Alabamas oldest professional bass fishing only guide service for over 40 years. Swimbaits and soft plastics are a solid choice, but anglers can use their fish finder to locate submerged structures in the creek and jig over them. 2023 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Lay Lake. Largemouth usually win, but there are big spotted bass there, too.. Fishing articles, fishing reports, guide service infoand more all at www.bamabass.com, * Need hunting and fishing items? You can do everything." Details. Bass Species: Spotted, striped, largemouth. New growing aquatic weeds are found all throughout Lay lake and they enhance the spring spawn as well. 13 oz. Sales going on right now at Marks Outdoors Sports in Vestavia, Al. As anglers catch their fish, they lay them on authorized measuring boards with the head facing left. Fishing for largemouth bass, spotted bass, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, striped bass and hybrid striped bass at Lay Lake in Alabama. These types of topwater lures are not-so-weed less. Finally, Blue Springs Branch and Blue Eye Creek offer plenty of sandbars and docks that anglers can target using spinnerbaits. A quick note: Weve included six reservoirs along the Coosa River in this article. Guiding on Lay Lake and all of Alabamas Lakes for over 50 years! There have been three largemouth over 10 pounds weighed in at Lay Lake in the past three years, McCaig said. The best fishing for largemouth bass occurs in creeks and shallow water sloughs. The creek has a heavily forested shoreline with plenty of downed trees for structure, and the pond is a known hideout for bass during the warmer part of the day in the winter. On the upper reservoir, just above the town of Eufaula, Wylaunee Creek boasts a solid crop of sizeable largemouth bass. Fish deep water this summer! A very weedy impoundment, very much like Lay Lake, known for its big, shallow water largemouth bass. Lay Lake is known for quality spotted and largemouth bass. Other popular baits include topwater frogs beneath docks, over lily pads, and around grass beds. Especially if these very susceptible prey venture to far from the security of their thick, green, oxygen-rich and very weedy, sanctuaries. Lay Lake provides some of the best spotted and largemouth bass fishing in east-central Alabama. I pitch it behind rocks that break the current where the waters 5 to 6 feet deep, McCaig said. * Plus, get your Lay Lake topo map! Other prime locations throughout the lake include Oakachoy Creek, with its miles of tree-lined banks with the occasional dock thrown in, and Parker Creek and its large population of spotted bass. This location is a favorite of spotted bass when the river is in flux, but the largemouth bite here is nearly year-round. While it is undoubtedly an aesthetic bonus, anglers will find the downside of this lake is that it tends to be very clear due to the influx of freshwater. The most productive stretches of this grass have deep water nearby. Fishing Alabama's Lakes for Big, Early Spring Season Pre spawn Bass. By most standards of that time this was big! Each team is accompanied by an adult boat captain. Even around piers, boat houses and especially around bass tournament release sites (where hundreds of tournament-caught released bass are let go each week) during the spring season, like Paradise Point Marina found at mid lake and Beeswax Creek public boat launch you can fish these lures and a variety of other types of lures on or close to the lakes bottom in water less than 10 feet deep. There are also five events slated for the North Division. Stretching from downstream Lay lake dam, going northward on the Coosa River System to upstream Logan Martin lake dam (in Lay lakes headwaters), is some of the fishiest-looking aquatic weeds, varied wood, and rock-infested, bass holding cover an impoundment has to offer. and Shimanos Helen Sevier Pioneer Scholarships for female anglers. Also a summer hot spot for stripers and hybrids, the main lake near the dam is a feeding ground for the non-black bass species during the warmer months. Or try Pitchin a jig combo along Lay lakes weedy edges, and around wood and rock cover. You name it! Lodging: YES A series of small overflow ponds near Lick Branch has an excellent track record for producing sizeable largemouths, which prefer to stay just out of the current and hammer the schools of shad that shelter here. View Map But at any time, Lay lakes striped bass can be located in any feeder creek. Nearly 300 miles of shoreline, scattered with brush, steep banks and boat docks, are ideal hangouts for bass. A favorite destination of boating enthusiasts and fishermen alike, Lay Lake is a popular lake for bass tournaments. So get your Lay lake map and mark these good ol spots for all summer long while deep water bassin! The best fishing for largem. (For those that still do not know when these six Coosa River Impoundments were built), these six Coosa River System Lakes, in order, from north Alabama to south Alabama are; Weiss Lake 1961, Neely Henry Lake 1966, Logan Martin Lake 1964, Lay Lake 1914, Mitchell Lake 1923 and Jordan Lake 1928. Here but there are plenty of sandbars and docks that anglers can catch bass any... Is Neely Henry Lake, known for quality spotted and largemouth bass call on Reeds guide Servicefirst jig combos popular... Lake for bass catfish fishing or brush piles providing the majority of the best fishing just a boat. 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