APRIL
Crappie Weiss Lake
Weiss Lake's crappie attract anglers from not only Alabama, but also from across the nation. The fertile waters of the Coosa River in combination with an abundance of cover, excellent structure and plenty of backwater flats support a first-rate fishery.

With a 10-inch minimum limit, anglers can expect to catch heavy stringers in April, with the biggest fish weighing 2 1/2 pounds. Two-pound crappie are common.

Jigs trolled on long lines produce more limits on Weiss than any other technique. Rig your gear to fish 8 to 12 feet deep and troll near spawning areas, which have rock or sand bottoms.

For current fishing conditions or to book a guide, drop by J.R.'s Marina on Little River or telephone them at (256) 779-6461. Their web site is www.jrsmarina.com.

Other Hotspots: In the lower part of our state, Escambia County Lake has shallow flats that produce jumbo-sized shellcrackers during the spawn.

Not far from this public lake in road miles, yet worlds apart in size, you find cobia migrating near shore along our Gulf of Mexico beaches.

MAY
Bluegills Aliceville Lake
If you love hand-sized bluegills, Aliceville is the lake to fish. Known for great bass and crappie fishing, the abundant bluegills have remained in the background and a secret.

Lower Aliceville's expansive grass flats and wood cover provides a nursery for the young and protection from predators. These flats also attract concentrations of spawning fish, making May a perfect time to fill freezers with delicious bluegills.

Look for aggressive fish in areas around weedbeds with sandy bottoms on Coal Fire and Pumpkin creeks. If the fish are small, move deeper to locate the big bull bluegills.

To fish Alabama's section of Aliceville Lake, launch your boat at the Raleigh Ryan Access Area on the west side of the river across from Pickensville.

Other Hotspots: Little in bass fishing compares with the thrill of a topwater strike. On Jordan Lake, buzzbaits worked over weeds and wood attract vicious attacks by largemouths.

Also this month, anglers on the Cahaba River catch good numbers of flatheads, with big fish weighing 20 pounds.

JUNE
Red Snapper Orange Beach
The Red Snapper World Championship begins on June 1, which is also opening day for the species in the Gulf of Mexico. A combination of a shortened season, a reduced limit of two fish and the largest artificial reef program in the nation makes this the place to target big fish. Last year, the opening fell on a workday and caused many a boss to worry about employees sick with snapper fever.

With plenty of fish on the reefs, it's so easy to catch 16-inchers that anglers are happy to cull fish until they land a couple of pigs. The winning snapper at last year's tournament weighed 35.9 pounds.

For most conditions, rig a 4-foot leader of 40-pound-test fluorocarbon with a 3-ounce sinker and a 5/0 circle hook.

For tournament information, visit www.redsnapperworldchampionship.com.

Other Hotspots: For fast action with striped bass on Lewis Smith Lake, fish at night by trolling live shad near pier lights at depths of 20 to 30 feet.

There's also great fishing for bluegills on the Tennessee River this month as hatching mayflies stimulate a feeding frenzy.

JULY
Whiting Alabama Beaches
One way to beat the summer heat is an early-morning trip to the beach to catch whiting from the surf. An onshore salty breeze improves attitudes and expectations. A whiting looks like a redfish without the spot, and they are good fighters. The state record is 2 pounds, 15 ounces.