Guntersville Lake
Impounded 1939
Lake level; Down one foot
By Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Website www.fishingalabama.com
Catching big bass becomes a real challenge when the hot days of August arrive. Late summer on any Alabama impoundment shows hot, midday 100 degree temperatures and Guntersville Lake is no exception. However, there is one very important factor many Alabama lakes are missing, that Guntersville Lake has plenty of. Aquatic weeds.
Sure, its a given fact any angler can dredge the lakes bottom in their frantic search for Guntersville Lake's deep dweeling summertime bass.
These deep water bass can be fooled with such lures as deep diving crankbaits, heavy football head jig combos, heavy spinnerbaits slow rolled or dropped in deep water, lipless lures, big Texas-rigged worms and Carolina-rigged plastics. Or these deep water largemouth bass can even be finesse fished with small plastic offerings rigged on jig heads.
But keep in mind, Guntersville's deep bass are often dormant bass and most bass holding in these deep offshore hideouts are off the feed when resting in deep water. Some are hard-to-catch bass, bass that may suspend in mid water depths. Other deep water bass may bunch up in preferred locations, often holding in a small underwater hideout the size as your boat.
So if thats your choice for a certain style of summer bass fishing thats ok. But many anglers (like myself) prefer to fish Guntersville Lakes shallow grass like millfoil weeds, hydrilla weeds and Lilly pad fields all of which can be found lakewide, usually growing in water less than 5 feet deep.
Shade is big factor, especially during the heat of the day during August, the hottest month in Alabama. Bass will seek out the cooler water provided in shady places and they enjoy the security of being well hidden in the shade.
There are many hiding spots within these places that display shade where a bass can reserve its needed energy, rather than be right in the hot open water. It can be 10 degrees cooler in the shade, thus creating more active bass at midday. Active bass exert more energy, so they eat more on a regular basis.
On Guntersville Lake an angler may have trouble finding shade at midday. Most anglers find themselves fishing far away from any shady bank, even though they are still probing shallow water far from shore.
This means applying lots of sunscreen or fishing under bridges, under shady causeways, around piers and boat houses, or fishing along shady banks bordering deep water, like around rock bluffs.
But keep in mind this shade we are referring to is shade for the bass. Not for the bass angler.
So often, you may have to get right out in the hot summer sun, whether your fishing in deep water or shallow water. Protect yourself with a good wide brimmed hat, light colored clothing, sun glasses and always apply sun screen at least twice a day.
So as you see it does not matter if an angler fishes deep water or shallow water during the summer on Guntersville Lake. Either way he/she is going to be in the hot summer sun, so get used to it and adjust accordingly.
Above all, unknown to many anglers, always keep in mind there are always some big bass feeding in shallow water, year round on Guntersville Lake.
Its rather easy to narrow your search for these shallow summertime bass. They are either hidden under a thick canopy of aquatic weeds or around some bridge, causeway, pier or boat house.
So here's some of my "summertime lure suggestions" for fishing for these big largemouth bass this summer on Guntersville Lake;
* Zara Super Spooks (20 lb. test Trilene Big Game line is suggested).
No matter where you fish on this lake there are always some bass willing to hit this big oversized topwater lure. The original zara spook was created almost 100 years ago.
Today's zara spooks come in five sizes and the newest model, "the Jimmy Housten signature series Zara Super Spook" displays 3 hooks, has internal rattles and it has a thicker and much heavier body, thus casting further and walking easier than zara spooks of the past. (See "Everything you need to know about fishing the Zara Spook" on my website www.fishingalabama.com home page.)
* Buzzbaits (20 lb. test line)
Covering water fast and fishing for big bass always calls for the uses of a buzzbait. Never fish these irritating lures without a trailer hook for short striking bass.
I always fish a buzzbait on Guntersville lake no matter what time of the day. Make sure you cast these lures at least ten times to a likly looking spot, to really aggravate these bass into hitting.
* Frogs and Rats (20 pound test line)
These lures can imitate the little creatures these bass feed on, and they are deadly in the hands of a skilled angler during summer.
Utilize short hops with these lures while fishing around the thickest weeds available on Guntersville lake. This is all it takes to get a blow up, a boil or to see a big bass create a wake, even during the heat of the day. They are also good lures when skipped up under shady piers and boat houses.(See; "Fun with frogs and rats" link at "articles" link on www.fishingalabama.com)
* Spinnerbaits (17-20 pound test line)
Although these bass do see a lot of spinnerbaits, reaction strikes can occur at any time, especially during low light situations.
I prefer "trailer hooks" rather than plastic trailers on these lures. Trailers like grubs or twin tail plastics make a lure look bigger. Without plastic trailers a smaller lure profile is created. Trailer hooks get bass that slap or roll at the lure.
Experiment with various skirt colors, different blade hues and blade sizes and always try small to large size spinnerbaits. There are some days they prefer certain types over others.
* Floating Worms, Senkos and Soft Jerkbaits (12-15 pound test line) These lures all fall in the slowly fished catagory. At times they will generate strikes when no other lures will work.
* Floating worms such as Zoom's famous "Trick Worm" can cover water fast while still fishing slow. Include rattles, make long casts and always keep this lure in sight utilizing polorized sunglasses and bright colored worms.(See; Floatings Worms article at Articles link on www.fishingalabama.com)
* Senkos are made to be fished slow, very slow. This slow sinking, Gary Yamamoto blunt end plastic lure, entices otherwise sluggish summertime bass into striking your lure.
Simply make a long cast along weedlines or around piers and allow the Senko lure to sink on a tight line, for as long as you and the bass can stand it. They can be rigged Texas style or rigged with no weight or Senkos can be rigged "wacky style" for an even more enticing wiggle as the lure falls. Rattles add needed weight and noise.
* Soft Jerkbaits come in all shapes, sizes, colors and actions. They can imitate shad, bream, minnows or oversized shad, like threadfin shad and gizzard shad. Erratic movement, short twitches of your rod and imparting as little action as possible are the secrets of fishing soft jerkbaits.
* All 3 of these lures are very weedless and can be very enticing for bass hidden within thick matted weeds or around man made cover like piers and boat houses when its very hot.
* Shallow Running Crankbaits (12-15 lb. test line)Although not weedless, shallow running crankbaits do fool their share of summertime bass on Guntersville lake. These are deadly lures around shady piers and boat houses and along man made rip-rap rocks lining bridges and causeways.
Shallow running crankbaits can also be fished around wood cover like laydowns, stumps, brush piles and they are good lures all summer long along the edges of aquatic weeds. Try both shad colors and crayfish colored shallow running crankbaits.
* Floating and Suspending Hard Bodied Jerkbaits(12-15 lb. test line)
There are times to fish both kinds of these types of jerkbaits. During early light like at dawn, during late evenings, or on rainy, cloudy days bass are more active and may prefer a floating model jerkbait. Retrieved with a fast, jerk and pause action, these lures trigger shallow feeding bass into striking.
Some bass suspend during the day and often they must be enticed to hit your lure. Thats when a suspending model jerkbait is at its best. Fished with long casts and utilizing long pauses, they fool bass into biting when other lures don't.
* Lighter line will allow these lures to go deeper.
These are just a few lures for fooling Guntersville Lake's largemouth bass in shallow water this summer. Try a few of your own or call on Reeds Guide Service(205)787-5133 to see how its done...day or night!
Thanks and Good Fishin'
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
