But on a fishless day when you couldn't buy a bite from old bucketmouth, Windham decided to switch to bream, so he could pass down some of his own father's techniques to his sons Mark and Matt.

"So we got out the bream busters and began fishing the backs of sloughs," said Windham. "We found some excellent fishing holes. Matt caught a bream that weighed a few ounces over a pound, while Mark was catching them as fast as he could re-bait."

What had been intended as a lesson in panfishing turned into a memorable adventure for all. That was three years ago. Now the entire family enjoys frequent bream fishing trips to Lake Eufaula, which straddles the Alabama/Georgia border.

Windham's discovery confirmed the upward trend in Eufaula's bream fishery observed by the fisheries biologists in Alabama and Georgia. Historically, it was uncommon for them to see bream greater than 8 inches long, but in the last few years they report seeing a much greater number of fish exceeding that length. Many even approach 10 inches, which is a really good hand-sized fish.

Most of these bigger fish are shellcrackers. In a lake like Eufaula with a shad-driven food chain, young bluegills suffer, as they must compete with shad for food. Fortunately for the shellcrackers, they do not have to share the mollusks they eat.

"In the last few years," reported Ken Weathers, fisheries biologist for District VI, "we have had good rainfall in the summer, so lake levels remained fairly constant. This has allowed submergent vegetation - mainly coontail and najas - to flourish. In fact, there is more submergent vegetation on Eufaula than I've ever seen.

"As a result, snail populations have expanded and fishing for quality-sized shellcrackers is a lot better."

Since Eufaula lies well south of Guntersville, the shellcracker spawn occurs sooner.

"Redear usually spawn when the water temperature reaches 70 to 72 degrees," Weathers offered. "The old rule of thumb that says shellcracker bed when the red clover blooms works pretty well."

Even though the shellcracker may have completed the spawn by the time you read this, Windham recommended that anglers start fishing shallow.

"The most productive areas we have fished are in the backs of coves," he said. "But if you don't find them there, work your way out, fishing every pier, rockpile and blowdown. And don't overlook deeper water.

"One of the very best spots we found was a pier in the back of a cove. We caught more than 50 fish. There was fast action just under the pier in 3 feet of water, but the biggest bream were holding 12 feet deep."

The Windhams use long poles while searching, and then once they catch a couple of fish they switch to ultralight spinning rods to avoid spooking the fish. Both roads are rigged with small No. 10 hooks, filled with wigglers, and fished just inches above the bottom.

Windham and the biologist agree that the lower part of the lake on the Alabama side offers the best fishing. To target big shellcrackers, find coves with large areas of aquatic vegetation. Windham finds these from White Oak Creek downstream to the dam.

For current fishing information, call Rhett Taylor at Taylor Citgo in Abbeville at (334) 585-5197.

"My favorite time to fish the Mobile Delta is winter," Zolczynski said. "The bream congregate in deep holes and creeks to offer phenomenal fishing.

"Spring, however, comes early to the Delta," he continued. "As soon as we get a few warm days in late February, the bream began to move toward the shallow bays where they spawn. Farther into spring, any shallow open water with structure will hold fish."

According to Zolczynski, good numbers of bluegills and shellcrackers thrive in these waters, with the former being the dominant species.

"Don't come to the Delta to catch monster bream," he said. "Come to catch large stringers. Limit catches of good 1/3-pound bluegill are possible, with redear weighing up to a 1/2 pound. These are a good size for eating."

Regardless of when or where you fish in the Delta, the first requirement is bait.

"The bait of choice is grass shrimp - a small brackish-water shrimp that is 1 to 1 1/2 inches long," Zolczynski advised. "Locally they are called seed shrimp, and sometimes they are available at bait shops. Most anglers, though, use a fine-mesh dip net to collect them."

Grass shrimp are easy to catch, but you must hunt for them. One day you can find them and then the next day you cannot.

"Any grass may hold these shrimp," Zolczynski said, "but they are not everywhere. I've found them at the mouth of Gustins Creek and Chuckfee."

To catch these small crustaceans, Zolczynski smoothly rakes his dip net in a scooping motion from deep to shallow under grassbeds or grassy undercut banks. A smooth movement captures shrimp, provided the water is not clear.

After catching grass shrimp, keep them in a 5-gallon bucket with an aerator and fish two or three on a bream hook.

In winter, Zolczynski recommends fishing Mallard Fork, the mouth of Little John, Mudhole Creek and Sardine Pass, which is also known as Game Warden's Ditch.

During their migration from deep water, he fishes Hurricane and Lizard creeks and bayous Zeast and Chicory.

Zolczynski's favorite fishing holes for spawning and post-spawn bream are Mudhole and Gustins bays and the east shoreline of Chuckfee.

"When you enter a cove," he explains, "look for structure - a duck blind or a submerged tree. Stake your boat close enough so you can reach the blind with your pole, then drop your cork straight down next to the old blind."

Zolczynski has one last tip for anglers ready to fish the Delta.

"All fish respond to the tide," he said. "In my opinion, the fish are in an environment where they are triggered to feed by moving water. To take advantage of this feeding response, plan to fish the first two hours of an incoming of outgoing tide."

For current fishing information, visit Quint's Hardware & Sporting Goods in Saraland, or call them at (251) 679-1300.

Maps of the Mobile Delta are available from Keith Map Service in Mobile by calling (251) 633-5588 or 1-800-342-6722.