Bill Nolen (l.) and Charles Whitehead of Alexander City show off a spotted bass double on Elkahatchee Creek at Lake Martin. Photo by Stephen E. Davis

By Eileen Davis

Alabama offers bass anglers the best fishing in the nation. With largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass action almost too good to believe, it's no wonder four of the five waters featured in this year's forecast are regularly chosen as national tournament sites.

After speaking with a number of fisheries biologists and anglers, and reviewing the quality rankings provided by the Bass Anglers Information Team (B.A.I.T.) report, Alabama Game & Fish selected the best of the best in our state. Electrofishing samples and tournament results show an up trend in three of our picks, with the remaining two offering exceptional fishing for spotted bass.

Located near the city of Guntersville and stretching 82 miles to the northeast of the city along the Tennessee River, Lake Guntersville covers 69,100 acres. Not only is it our largest lake, but it also is by far the most popular fishing destination for Bama tournament anglers. According to recent B.A.I.T reports, 75 percent more anglers compete there than on our second-most-popular water.

All other factors being equal, Guntersville's success is linked to its aquatic vegetation.

"The grass provides nursery areas and acts as a refuge for smaller fish," says Catchings. "However, too much grass makes it difficult for bass to feed and results in slower growth rates. For several years, the coverage rate has remained constant at 20 to 22 percent, which is optimal."

So just how good is the fishing? The heaviest total weight in BASS Master tournament history was taken in April 2002 on Guntersville, where pros brought in an astonishing 5,645 pounds, 4 ounces of bass. One could easily claim Lake Guntersville as the best bass lake on the continent.

In both local and national tournaments, five-fish limits weighing more than 20 pounds are common. And the fishing continues to improve.

"With the numbers of 15- to 18-inch fish that we saw in our last electrofishing samples," Catchings reports, "the lake should now have a lot of fish above 18 inches. We will begin to see a number of trophies too. The lake is at a peak that we would like to prolong as long as possible."

One of the best times of the year to fish, which is confirmed by the record-setting weight from the tournament pros, is April. Given typical weather conditions, you find bass in pre-spawn, spawn and post-spawn patterns on various parts of the lake.

With all three phases of spawning occurring, just about any style of fishing produces bass. However, one of the most consistent and effective patterns is to fish the ditches and creek channels the bass use to move to and from the spawning areas. These act as funnels to concentrate the fish before they scatter on the flats. Equally important, these locations are constantly replenished with bass as more fish make the transition.

Depending on where the majority of the bass are in their reproductive cycle, fish primary and secondary points leading into the flats. Select a crankbait or spinnerbait that's effective for searching the water where the sides of the point drop off.

When you find fish, switch to plastic worms or lizards to thoroughly cover the point. Texas-rig your lures for depths less than 9 feet; deeper water requires a heavier-weight Carolina rig.

For current fishing information on Lake Guntersville, visit Waterfront Grocery and Tackle on State Route (SR) 79, or call (256) 582-6060. For guide service, call Charles Slaton at (256) 593-7249 or (256) 572-6217.

Lowery has spent 26 years researching and analyzing Pickwick. It's also where he fishes for smallmouths when he is not working.

"We sampled eight of the past nine years there," he said, "and we have seen a steady upward stair-step trend in our catch rates. Using our electrofishing gear, the catch rate in 1999 was 27.5 bass per hour. Last year it increased to 53.6 bass (per hour). That's almost a fish per minute!"

Additionally, reports from tournament weigh-ins show a steady increase in average weight since 1999. Except for Guntersville, the B.A.I.T. report shows that anglers spent less time at Pickwick to catch a bass weighing greater than 5 pounds than anywhere else.

In the northwest corner of the state, and downstream on the Tennessee River from Guntersville, Pickwick Lake flows northwest for most of its 49-mile length. About 25 percent of its lower waters belong to Mississippi and Tennessee. Fortunately, the best smallmouth fishing is in Alabama.

The best times to fish are spring and fall, according to Lowery. The best fishing for trophy bronzebacks is the last week of February and the first two weeks of March.

"The first 10 to 12 miles below Wilson Dam are prime smallmouth water," says Lowery. "It's a long tailwater that includes Seven-mile Island, which is partially submerged and provides an abundance of good habitat like gravel bars and stumprows."

As you might expect, successful smallmouth anglers know how to read and fish current.

"When the dam is producing hydropower," Lowery notes, "fishing is great for smallmouths - they love current. Like all black bass, the smallmouth is an ambush feeder. The flow stimulates feeding activity because it moves baitfish near rocky points and gravel dropoffs.

"If the current is rolling, look for structure near deep water," he continues. "Even when they feed in the shallows - they run in to get shad off the flats - dropoffs and ledges are always nearby."

The best lure for spring is a 4-inch smoke-colored grub rigged on a 3/16-ounce jighead. Small crankbaits and spinnerbaits are effective search baits. For clear water, use spinning gear to cast these lures on 6- or 8-pound-test line. Use 8- or 10-pound-test in stained water.

In the fall season, look for tight balls of shad and then cast topwater lures or spinnerbaits over, through and under these schools. Use 12-pound-test line on bait-casting gear for this pattern.

For current fishing information at Pickwick, drop by Gray's Tackle Shop in Sheffield or give them a call at (256) 383-2716. For guide service, contact Steve Hacker by telephone at (256) 760-8090, or e-mail at info@smallmouth.com.