Lake Guntersville Bass Fishing Reports

[CouchTater]

I didn't see a topic for the Big-G so i made one.   I haven't visited the Big-G since New Years day, with hunting, work and the kids, makes it a little hard to hit the river.

1-1-05 

Started off  Crappie fishing at a hole that produces year round.  The water temps were between 43-49.  The spot didn't produce, so i was gonna troll down the channel a bit to a spot that i like to bass fish.  The past few years that spot would produce fish with a bleeding shad Rat-L-Trap.  Caught several nice fish last year there. 

 That day, no such luck, except for the 1/16th oz jig with a black body and chartruse tail crappie tube...   My fishin' partner and his friend caught 2 a piece.  Although the length limit on G-Ville is 16", these fish would barely make it.   I tried a chartuse 7 in culprit worm with no takers.  About 45 min into the trip, my depth finder goes off.  I check the cable and turn it back on, as soon as i hit the trolling motor, it died again. 

 Turns out the battery just died all of a sudden.  I guess its time, because it has been a good battery for the past 2 years, theres no telling how old it is.  Was on it when i bought the boat.

About 2 weeks before the trip, we had so much rain that the lake level was waaaay up.  The ramp i normally use, the water was in the parking lot.  Made it ahrd to get in the water when it was right at the door of your truck.  So i  didn't get to go until new years.  Next weekend is me and my wife's anny. so i figure it will be next week before i get to visit the lake again.  Unless my boss lets me off early. (yea right) :D

Tater

[Mike]

Thanks for adding the lake, didn't realize we didn't have it. Thanks for the info too. Sounds like the fishing was a little tough though, a couple good warming trends and it should be on fire.

[CouchTater]

Mike,

I normally fish the upper end of the lake, mainly cause its closer to the house, and the lower end is usually covered up.

The main creek i fish is called Crow Creek.  There are a few places that when the water temps get over the 50 deg mark, they turn it on.  BUT, its like a mine field for lower units back there.  there is a stump there about the size of a Yugo.  Gotta watch it back there, if the water gets low, only a flat bottom will go back there.

There is an old road bed that used to be the main road before TVA flooded the area.  You can tear em up there, but only after the temps get out of the 40's.


Tater

[Mike]

Sounds like an awesome little hole, and with the yugo's in the way it will cut down on the traffic... Looking forward to hearing about this when the water warms up. Hope you get pletty of time to fish it

[CouchTater]

You know Mike, The Big-G gets alot of attention from the Big Tourneys and what not, but to tell you the truth, id rather fish the upper end cause everyone else is at the lower end.

Some people say its over fished, but i don't believe it is.  As soon as deer season is over (next monday the 31st :D) hopefully ill be able to get into my "winter" pattern.
Alot of people only fish the river during the warmer months.  Then when the milfoil starts coming  up, watch out.  :D

With all this rain and flooding, im surprized that the grass from last summer is still here.  And actually the bass that my partner caught, were still suspended in it.
Of course, the "mat" is gone, but the reminates are still holding fish.

What was good about this area is that they opened some of the Waterfowl areas to Bowhunting.  I had the chance to hunt and fish the same day, i just didnt feel comfortable leaving my boat on the back while im up a tree :D

I would encourage anybody that can make the trip to Guntersville make it.  Its worth the while.  Especially when the "mat" is on...


Tater

[CouchTater]

 We held a small tourney last year at the Big-G.

A group of hunters from the forum, Aldeer .com, put on a small bass/bream tourney.  Thats right, i did say bream... but hey, it was for charity, so it was a fun day.  The Tourney proceeds went directly to the Toys-4-Tots program.  The winners even decided to donate their earnings. 

I was bass fishing and my partner bream fished.   IU was throwing a bubble gum trick worm, when i thought i had a decent bass.  Got it to the boat and it was a good sized slab of a bream!!!  So i ditched the trick worm, picked up my light takle and we fished a hot bream area for at least 2 hours.

Caught numerous fish, but we only kept the slabs.  Ended up with 8lb. 4oz of bream and second place, we missed first by 1lb 3oz...

Bass winners had 18lb 3oz.

Here are the Bass Winners:



Here is one of the smaller bream i caught...  One of my buddies was giving me heck, saying that i couldn't even catch a bream on a Rooster Tail, took this pic just to prove him wrong.   




Tater

[Mike Noble]

Sounds like a fun time and for a good cause.  Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[champfisher]

Finally went to Guntersville on February 12th.  Caught two 5 lb. fish, two 4 lb. fish, two 3 lb. fish, and a 2 lb. fish.  Was a great sunny day.  When the clouds came out, the bite slowed.  All were hard bites, I mean blasting the bait.  Fished gold trap, and orange/ tiger striped flat crank in 3 to 6 feet near feeding flat and rock banks.

[Mike]

champfisher Wow that sounds like an awesome day. Thanks for share the specifics with us. Are you headed back there soon 

[CouchTater]

champfisher  was area was you fishing?  I know around Guntersville proper, alot of big fish have been caught here lately.  Febuary is one of the best times to boat a biggun' :D

 With that being said, i have yet to hit the water this month.    Plan on fixing that next weekend.  Glad you enjoyied your trip to the Big-G.  Next Time, give me a shout and we will do some fishing.

Tater

[CouchTater]

Chisenall Springs, upriver from Guntersville


 Me and a friend fished Chisenall Springs today.  The wind wasn't as bad today as it was yesterday. (30+ mph gusts)

Finally got to use my Bass Stalker jig today.  Fished some docks and boat houses on the river with no bites.

Moved to a cove that the wind had some shad moving, but no takers on the traps or crank baits.  Clouds rolled in thick around 1:45 and we switched to the spinnerbait, again with no takers.

Around 3, the sun came back out and i switched to a spinnerbait that my buddy laughed at me for using.

It is a color that doesn't get used alot here.  But it turned out to produce 2 fish when the sun came out again.  I asked my buddy if he wanted to tie one on, he said sure.  Too bad man, i only got one. :D

First fish i didn't get a good hook set and it got off about 4ft from the boat.  Three casts back to the same spot produced a 2 pounder that my buddy thought was the same fish. 

Water was stained and the temps went from 55-58 in the 4-6 ft range.  Actually found some 60 degree water, but the only thing biting was a submerged fence post. 

Front is coming fast, just heard a clap of thunder. Around 4 the breeze was starting to get cooler.  I was just glad to be on the water today.


 Some people refuse to use a spinnerbait this color here.  The picture ain't that good, i lost my digital camera hunting this year so i took a pic. with my webcam.  That's ok, i'll keep using the spinner...  :D

[Mike]

Thanks for the update  That is a great looking spinnerbait to me. And after today looks like you made a new believer out of your buddy.

[CouchTater]

3-19-05

Crow Creek/Tenn. River
windy/Overcast
water temp was from 51-57.


 Started around 10:00 this morning, started not to go, been sick and don't want to turn it into pneumonia...

 Went anyway and the ramp was packed, so i figured all my "honey" holes where full, which i was right.  So i hit a spot that is productive in the summer time.  Not a soul was around me, just the white caps and the wind.  :D    Fished about 30 mins before i got a bite, missed 2 fish and changed lures.  Back to my trusty spinnerbait  (pictured above). 

 That spinnerbait is excellent when the sun is out.  Right on cue, the sun came out.  I had been fishing a huge laydown, with no bites.   Caught the first fish in less than a foot of water.  Nice fish, but 2 in. too short for Guntersville.  Weighed nearly 2 pounds.  Fished on down around the laydown, fish #2...  Still a couple of in. short for G-Ville.  I don;t know what it was today, but i missed more fish today than i ever have.   

  Saw a young'un, probably 5 or 6 y/o fishing with his dad.  That boy probably caught atleast 30 bream and a few crappie before i left the area.  He would hook one and yell "i got another one dad!!!"   It was great to see kids enjoying fishing.  Reminded me of when i was a kid.

Tater

[DAWG]

Hey Tater sorry to hear bout the honey holes being taken up .But at least you were out fishing , more than alot of us can say. At least you got a few in the boat .And dont you just love to see the little ones out there enjoying themselves 

[CouchTater]

  Yea, i can't wait till my lil ones get a bit bigger so they can go with me.   

 My uncle and cousin was fishing there before i arrived.  My cousin boated a 5 pounder that looked like she was ready to bust.  It wont be too long now...

 I have got to get me another digital camera, i lost mine somewere in the deer woods this last season.  Had a bunch of pics of a small buck getting spooked by some turkeys. 

 Got home, went to get the camera, it was gone...  Went back the next day, never found it.  Oh well, check, check again, then after that check again.  :D  Thats my motto now.

  Gonna try to hit the water again tomorrow.

[CouchTater]

 Fished the same area again this morning.  The water level is down 3-4' and it showed big time.  Fishing was tough early until around 8:30.  I ended up boating 3 nice fish.  I HAVE PICS THIS TIME 

 First and all the fish where on a Rat-L-Trap in the Craw Fish persuasion.  Should be 4 pictures, but i lost a fish that would have went atleast 8 pounds easy.  All of these fish where full of eggs and ready to bust.  My uncle helped with the one photo, but i had to take the other 2.  All of the fish were caught and released, after they had there mugg shot taken.
 

[Mike]

Now those are some quality chunks, WTG  do you know the water temp?

[CouchTater]

Sorry Mike, the water temps started out around 59. As i moved thru the creek and the morning progressed, i found some 63 degree water and those fish :D   I wish the fourth fish was photoed, it was a big mama...  :D


Tater

[Mike]

Losing the big uns is what keeps us comeing back.... Looks like you did very well though. Thanks for the water temp

[bass1cpr]

Tater Looks like you were still catching some nice fish there dude.