LAY LAKE FALL FISHING
By Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
Impounded 1914
Lake Level: Normally near full pool in Fall (Lake level varies) Call 1-800-lakes 11 / Normal full pool level is: 396.0
Its a Lake that's been around a long, long time. As a matter of fact (unknown to many anglers) Lay Lake will be 100 years old soon (Impounded 1914) in the year 2014. Lay Lake is over 50 miles in length and Fall Bass Fishing throughout the entire lake for both the famed Coosa River Spotted bass (Trophy spots exceeding 7 pounds) and Lay Lake's ever growing largemouth bass (some now exceeding 10 pounds) is as good as it gets (See: " 5 Bass - 30 pounds on Lay Lake" at the 'articles link' on the cover page of my website: www.fishingalabama.com) The cooler it gets the more active these Lay Lake trophy sized bass get.
Lay Lake has been good to me. In terms of trophy bass -- Two Coosa River Spotted Bass exceeding six pounds. Both taken during the fall and early winter seasons. Several six to seven pound largemouth's, with many taken during the fall season. The cooler it gets the more you will see me on Lay Lake.
Lay Lake in terms of fishing bass tournaments, has helped me make a living over the past 25 years of tournament fishing. Winning such major bass tournaments as the March of Dimes, the Shriners Annual Bass Tournament, including many Major Buddy Tournament Trails like Airport Marine's Trail
(See: www.AirportMarine.com), Including winning dozens of Bass Solo Trails and placing in the top three dozens of times in such major annual events as, "the Lay Lake Tournament" held by Marks Outdoors (See: www.marksoutdoors.com for more info), featuring over 500 boats and held each spring season.
Lay Lake has also sent hundreds of clients, many from all over the world, my way. Fishing Lay Lake with my guide service "Reeds Guide Service" guiding for bass on this entire Lake for over 30 years.
So you could say, " I know Lay Lake very well." Why, Bassmasters Magazine February 2007 issue even featured me and my guide service with my predictions on what it would take to win the 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic...and I did not miss it by very much at all.
* See Bassmasters website for more info and the archive article.
So, back to Fall Bass Fishing. To me, for many reasons, the fall to early winter period is the best time to be bass fishing anywhere on Lay Lake. Actually, a much more longer period of time when big bass are shallow and feeding more and more each month. It is also a time when the entire lake can be broken down into three sections and an angler can determine the best time to be on certain places on this 50 mile long lake...for the most fishing success.
Lay Lake's Lake Headwaters
This is a section of Lay Lake that features what we call, "just plain old river water" considered from the lakes headwaters just below Logan Martin Lake dam, to down river Wilsonville Steam Plant (formally called Gaston Steam plant on older maps) situated in the mouth of Yellowleaf Creek.
The Lakes headwaters features rocks and some wood cover such as laying trees in a shallow flat less than five feet deep, all within one mile of upriver Logan Martin dam tailrace waters. Idling the boat as you pass the mouth of Kelly Creek (the last feeder creek on your left heading upstream, as you pass a mid lake island, just before actually seeing the dam), is suggested.
Fall fishing in these lake headwaters generally targeting spotted bass, largemouth bass and striped bass during the fall period always involves some schooling action. At times, some big bass!
As most anglers know schooling fish are fish busting schools of baifish on top of the water. This feeding and frenzied action can be seen from hundreds of yards away and at times it can last all day long. Anglers can use heavier line in the 14-20 pound test and lose less lures and most importantly lose less big bass.
Topwaters are many and the list grows more and more each year with the introduction of new topwaters that can be manipulated to walk, jerk, twitch and pop in every form and fashion. Too many lures to list, but I do have my favorites.
Often, as said by most trophy bass hunters, "bigger is better." This goes for each bass species found here during the fall period and on into early winter. Zara Super Spooks and walking type Sammie's are good lure choices, fished on 20 pound line. So are smaller topwaters like Heddon's Baby Torpedoes, Rebel Pop-R's, The Excalibur Spittin' Image and the Excalibur Popping Image.
Both suspending and floating jerkbaits are good in Lay Lake's baitfish infested headwaters. Fishing these lures on 14-15 pound test line with a fast and erratic stop and go action, is what generates reaction strikes, often from some very big bass. A loose drag is suggested until you see what you've got! Some of my favorite suspending jerkbaits are a two hook model made by Rapala, its suspending slash baits with a feather on the tail, their Husky Jerkbaits and a bigger model made by Heddon, a Tim Horton's signature series three hook, suspending jerkbait.
Spinnerbaits and rattling lipless lures, shallow running crankbaits, soft jerkbaits and loads of lures fished on bottom are all good choices for fall fishing the wood and rock cover found in these upper lake headwaters. Bring plenty of lures for the rocks have a way of eating them up when hung on bottom.
In Lay Lakes headwaters there are many feeder creeks for anglers to explore during this fall period. After all, its always been said, " the bass invade the creeks in the fall season" and this defiantly holds true in Lay Lakes small to large feeder creeks. But fall rains can suddenly swell and muddy up some of these creeks, so timing is everything.
The cooler it gets the more the baitfish find their way back in these lake headwaters and feeder creeks. Creeks are good for anglers fishing with lures that look like or simulate the actions of Lay Lakes end-of-the-year baitfish (some that have grown to sizable proportions by fall) and these lures in shad or baitfish colors with injured or erratic actions do get the attention of these foolishly, feeding fish.
Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, topwaters, jerkbaits and shallow running crankbaits, the same lures you use in the lake's headwaters, work here in these creeks as well. The same goes for fishing the mouths of these creeks (including more worming and fishing deeper diving crankbaits and jigging spoons), and targeting small cuts, pockets and especially all around the few islands found in these lake headwaters.
These lake headwaters are good all throughout the months of September, October and November as waters cool. Often, it gets even better as waters cool into the low 50's in December early winter on Lay Lake. But keep in mind when visiting these lake headwaters especially following several days of rain, timing is everything. It can get muddy real fast in these lake headwaters and creeks during or following one of fall's 2 -3 days of continuously rainy, weather.
Lay Lake Midlake
As anglers head downstream of Wilsonville steam plant they will notice something they saw very little of in Lay's headwaters. Weeds. Lining Lay Lake's banks, from here to the lower lake dam are some of Lay's thicker aquatic weeds, places that are homes to some big bass, catchable all throughout the entire fall season. Combined with wood cover such as stumps, laying trees, logs and brush and some rock bluffs and boulder strewn banks, this weedy habitat is perfect for prey and predator alike.
Thick weeds are found from Lays mid section to the lower lake and they hide the many minnows, crayfish, insects, and baitfish varieties that call these weeds homes. These thick and weedy places hide these smaller prey, providing security and protection from Lay Lake' s bigger predator fish. Like the largemouth bass. Tournament bass anglers and Lay's trophy bass hunters in general, fish the weeds most of time on Lay Lake. What they use is a closely guarded secret by many anglers, but there are favorites that most anglers do know about, that will work.
Jig Combos have aided many an angler in winning, or at least cashing a check in bass tournaments held on Lay Lake, with jigs often showing the results of -- big bass of the day -- in many major bass tournaments held weekly, year round on Lay Lake.
Most anglers hate stained or muddy water, which often happens following a sudden evening thunder shower or after an all day rain. Flippers don't. Jigs can be flipped in and among Lay Lake's thick and matted weeds and an angler can really get the boat in close to these bass, following heavy rains often muddying up the shallows.
Or they can pitch a jig combo into and around the weeds from a distance, especially if the bass are skittish and while fishing in sunny, clear water situations. One jigging technique that works in both stained and clear water clarity is swimming a jig, in an up and down motion along these weed lines.
Heavy line of 20-25 pound test or braided line in the 50 pound test category is the norm for these flipping techniques (that often involves quickly reeling in some big bass from some thick, weedy cover and fast), coupled with long 6-7 foot strong backboned rods, like flipping rods. Sharp hooks and a good net always ready, are the complete ingredients for the, "recipe for big bass success," when fishing jig combos on Lay Lake.
There are many other lures for targeting bass in and among these weeds during the fall period on the mid to lower lake. Texas rigged worms have always worked for trophy bass, especially bigger, 10 inch worms. So are Texas rigged lizards, shad imitations, crayfish, creature baits and tube baits.
The ticket is attaching a heavier weight to aid these lures in punching through the holes in these thick and matted weeds. This means using one ounce to two ounce weights and bigger 5/0 to 6/0 hooks.
Besides the weeds there are main lake stump flats, as the lake begins to widen just below several islands found a mile below Wilsonville steam plant. Boat houses, piers and marinas become more numerous as you head down stream towards the lakes lower end, where the waters get deeper and clearer. Numerous major feeder creeks adorn this mid to lower lake. They are good all throughout the fall and early winter season.
Lay Lake's Lower Lake
Anglers fishing the lakes lower end have a feature not found in the mid to upper lake region. Deep water. The entire fall season shows this end of the lake more dependable for returning to feeding fish, rather than seeing muddy water mess up a good spot following heavy rain. Other than Waxahatchee Creek, most of the lower lake from midlake to the dam, stays clear during the fall season.
There are also more evident schools of bass and plenty of schools of baitfish with schooling activity common during the fall season. Again lures fished on top are good, lures like crankbaits lipless lures and jerkbaits fished in the mid water column and all kinds of lures fished on or near bottom, can be the ticket on every outing, fishing here during the fall season.
If you are looking for plenty of both spotted bass and largemouth bass action this fall season, always consider giving Reeds Guide Service a call...first! (205) 787-5133. "Over 30 years exploring Lay Lake's many miles of weedy, rocky and wood covered waters" See my website: www.fishingalabama.com and its many website links for more on fishing Alabama's Lakes this fall season. And remember a guided fishing trip makes a great surprise gift for Birthdays, Father's day or a Christmas gift (certificates available), all for those loved ones that love to fish!
Good Fishin'
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery Radio Show
"6 Years on the Radio / Jan 2005"
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