JONES BLUFF LAKE / ALABAMA RIVER
By Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
Impounded 1972
Lake Level: Close to full pool (fluctuates with winter rain)
Jones Bluff Lake situated near the mid Alabama capital of Montgomery, is not fished that much during the winter months. Other Alabama Lakes draw more interest from bass anglers looking for that trophy bass, or anglers just looking for some consistent action to help warm them up when its cold this winter. Its more like a river than a lake and fishes like one as well. But Jones Bluff can spell disaster for anglers planning a future bass fishing trip or anglers practicing for an upcoming wintertime bass tournament. Reason being, the lakes headwaters and its major feeder creeks can muddy up quite fast following a few days of heavy, winter rain.
Fishing the lakes mid to lower section will usually show a persistent angler more consistent success during this winter season. It will also aid an angler in his search for clear water, schools of baitfish and deep water retreats nearby, where often huge schools of both spotted bass and largemouth bass congregate. Winter conditions can bunch them up in some very predictable locations.
Fishing clear water during winter on this current laden river system gives a bass (using its eyesight) a much better chance at finding your lure. Fishing around evident schools of baitfish always shows more action, than when fishing places where no baitfish are seen at all. Fishing very slowly in or near deep water retreats, such as along creek channels, river channel drop-offs, outside bends and ledges, anglers will discover schools of bass...other anglers overlook.
Finding these deep water spots and successfully getting a few bites, will also aid an angler in finding other schools of bass, bass that are holding in similar depths, in similar places, catchable bass -- on any given day. The mouths of creeks, main lake flats, the upper and lower ends of islands, both sides of long, slowly tapering points and even bridge pilings, are all places close to deep water. These are dependable, wintertime spots, places dropping deep or leading into deep water and places you will find bass this winter on Jones Bluff Lake.
Even along deep, rock bluffs there are slight irregularities that hold or position Jones Bluff's spotted bass and some big largemouth bass all here during the winter months. One spot (that is very obvious but often overlooked by bluff beating anglers) is where the rock bluff bank first meets a different looking bank usually featuring small boulders, rocks, washed-out red clay bottom or a muddy bottom. Here anglers may discover a logjam (such as in a deep, outside, river channel bend), laying logs, isolated stumps or washed in wood debris like brush piles. Isolated trees found on deep rock bluffs are usually bent at an angle facing down river, due to recent current. The huge root jam at the base of these trees, the trunk of the tree or its isolated branches, can hold either one big lone bass or two, or it can position 50 bass in a spot as big as your boat along a current / eddy edge. When current is evident, positioning your boat downstream of this wood cover, thoroughly fishing each spot and always casting your lures upstream, will show a more natural approach for fishing these trees and logjams.
Broken off banks or banks where huge boulders are evidently washed out due to recent current, are also good places to target along rock bluffs during winter. Small, inobscure points or irregular banks, first and secondary ledges, and deep river channel drop-offs are places that take a lot of fishing and exploring, to discover the "sweet spots" often found along rock bluffs during winter on Jones Bluff Lake.
Fishing aquatic weeds found throughout Jones Bluff during the spring, summer and fall seasons will always show some cooperative bites from some decent sized largemouth bass. However, during the colder winter months, when water temps dip below 50 degrees (often into the low 40's), aquatic weeds begin to die. Dead, decayed and brown looking weeds, coupled with cold, muddy water situations are not as productive during the dead of winter as it is during the rest of the year. Its true (as most dedicated weed fishing anglers will tell), there are always a few big bass within or around these weeds during winter. But bites are few and your really just fishing for one or two bites, usually taking place within an hour or two of slow, steady fishing.
Targeting greener weeds usually found in areas where the sun drenches them all day (like northerly pockets) can show more consistent action during the winter months. This especially hold true when fishing in lightly stained water conditions or during very clear water situations (which is filtered out water) found around aquatic weeds that are still green and growing. Places showing evident baitfish movement and constant fish activity during the winter months are usually good for weeks at a time. For wintertime bass are going to stay with the food where ever it goes.
Lures? Well, this is a, "lake report." There are far to many lures and suggestions for fishing each and every one of them for writing about it for now. For lure suggestions and wintertime fishing tips go to the "fishing tips" link found at my website: www.fishingalabama.com Or you can call on Reeds Guide Service, year round, for bass and striper fishing on any Alabama Lake...and see how its done!
Dress warm, be safe and always wear your life jacket and outboard motor kill switch, the life you save could be your own! This lake report provided by: Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service - Birmingham, Alabama. E-mail: alabassgyd@aol.com Internet Website: www.fishingalabama.com
Thanks and 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