A cork baited with nightcrawlers, shad, or small perch is a great way to see whats hiding along the heavily forested shoreline. Weighing must be witnessed by two people. The lake is home to largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass, as well as crappie, catfish, and . Some anglers also recommend around dusk or dawn, on a cool day, during peak or slack tide. Bluegills | Duck River Lake Recently, he went mega-catfishing himself. Holt Reservoir is a modest sized 3,296-acre lake on the Black . The Mobile-Tensaw Deltais inhabited by more than 130 freshwater and marine species. Because channel catfish love deep holes and currents, its essential to locate deeper holes with fast-moving water to target these hungry catfish. Dont be surprised if it takes some time to hook into a catfish, which scatter throughout the lake. High, dingy water always makes for a better catfish bite. What is the name of the largest fish found in Alabama freshwater? So come on and enjoy the fishing on Smith Lake today! About Lewis Smith Lake. Images by Vic Dunaway. 55 Marina Drive The best catfish angling on the Coosa River is at Lay Lake and Lake Mitchell. Arley, AL 35541 Anglers who are familiar with Lewis Smith Lake are asked to suggest changes using the link above. Home Fish WhatS The Biggest Catfish Caught In Alabama? Longtime sustainability and recycling champion. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Rentals: Pontoon boats Theyre looking for food. The rivers temperature can vary from temperate in the shallows to near-freezing in open water. Also referred to as R.E. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! A study performed at the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences showed that striped bass see yellow and chartreuse better than other colors as they are smack dab in the middle of the striped basss visual range. 4 pounds 12 ouncesThe Biggest Bluegill in the World The world record bluegill recorded by IGFA or the International Gamefish Association was caught in 1950 at Ketona Lake, Alabama. The largest catfish species in North America are blue cats. They include Lake Guntersville, Lewis Smith Lake, Pickwick Lake, Wheeler Lake and Wilson Lake. Big catfish show up well on fish finder units, and good electronics can really cut down on the search time when were looking for big cats. From hand-size bluegill to monster catfish in freshwater or 5-pound sheepshead to 60-pound amberjack in saltwater, this year's fishing calendar has something for everyone. A 15-inch bass might be an average four-year-old, a fast growing three-year-old or a slow growing five-year-old. It was the creature. Hogan, a biologist and host of the show Monster Fish, recently spent time at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga and with fishermen and scientists around the South, searching for answers to the legend of the Volkswagon-sized catfish, a tale passed among fishermen from Wilson Dam in Muscle Shoals to Lake Guntersville Dam in Marshall County. This 2 bedroom / 1 bath rustic lakeside furnished bungalow at 264 County Road 881, Crane Hill, has 170ft of waterfront, a boat dock and a hydro hoist boat lift. One of the better locations is the bridge and swampy area between Leroy and Jackson. Duncan Bridge Marina Are there catfish in Smith Lake Alabama? Nat Geo WILD describes the episode on giant catfish in a press release: Lured by stories of catfish the size of Volkswagens, Zeb is on a mission to find out if the legendary giant catfish of the South really exists.. Much of the shoreline is dotted with boat docks, rocks and trees which all hold fish from time to time. Most of us enjoy catching a mess of delicious pan-size catfish from time to time. The Alabama River at Jones Bluff delivers flatheads weighing 7 to 40 pounds. Brent Pollock is a passionate angler and the founder of the popular fishing blog "Safe Harbor Fishing". Jason Trahan has found shrimp soaked in Anise has been one of the most effective baits for catching catfish in Alabama. Stripers love eating them, period. Supposedly, the record is a 123 lb. Smith Lake is a huge reservoir located on the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River, about 20 miles north-west of Birmingham. When it comes to shore fishing from the Alabama side, the Waterloo Boat Ramp and Second Creek Recreation Area offer anglers easy access to deep water from shore. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". We asked the experts. I tried in 105' of water and got nothing. The different types of bass stripers that exist require different size hooks to catch. Leda Mims of ARC Realty told me I love it all! Bob Woodruff Lake, this reservoir has rocky undercut banks lining the shores closer to its dam. , Best Answer From Peter in Australia: A hook will rust away in a fish, but it may take a while, especially if the hook is plated or made of thick metal. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. This 5,850-acre reservoir off the Chattahoochee River makes for some excellent catfish angling. Book your fishing trip today. Smith Lake, a stunning location that offers panoramic views, amazing sunsets, as well as endless watersports your family is sure to enjoy. The diverse ecosystem of the Coosa River features mussels, crawfish, fish, birds, and snails, offering a rich feeding environment for fish of all species. Anglers should note that in recent years, chemical drain-off has affected the edibility of fish in over 200 waterways, so check with your local Fish and Game office before consuming any fish from Alabama waterways. In addition to big stripers, catfish, crappie, bluegill, white bass, sunfish and largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass all thrive here. Guide To Fishing At Lewis Smith Lake AKA: Smith Lake Known for monster striped bass, Smith Lake AKA Lewis Smith Lakeis a 21,000-acre lake located in north-central Alabama about an hour north of Birmingham. On the Alabama River, some of the best catfishing occurs on the William Bill Dannelly Reservoir, better known as Millers Ferry Lake, near Camden. Leda told me how she commutes from Smith Lake to Birmingham. Get a Head Lamp with White and Red Light. The deep clean lake, wildlife, a real sense of community, great spots to eat, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the water. The best thing for us anglers who want to catch a monster like this is to know lots of them are in the big lakes. Like any other trophy trip, the route to trophy catfish takes some planning and arranging for success. Residents need to have a recreational license to fish in Alabama. READ SOMETHING ELSE. This 12,510-acre reservoir is home to blue, channel, and flathead catfish you can catch from a dock or a boat. Other prime-time fishing locations include the mouth of Fourmile Creek, Trousdale Hollow, the intersection of Shoal Creek, and the mouth of McKiernan Creek. We thought a lot about whether to get a beach house or a lake house. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Yates Reservoir) is a 1,980-acre body of water filled with various fish, including blue, channel, and flathead catfish. There are five major species of catfish in the state of Alabama. Minnows, nightcrawlers, and even crawfish are great baits to lure out these yellow-bellied giants. Alewives. Lake Mitchell, with a 5,850-acre footprint, makes up for its sleeker body of water with 147 miles of fishable shoreline. California is the number one trophy state for bass exceeding 15 pounds, says David Swendseidbass pro and tackle rep from the Golden State. The fish (the whopper) weighed 22 pounds, 4 ounces. They look after you and remember you. The lake is a popular sports fishing destination, featuring largemouth, striped, white, and spotted bass; bluegill, longear, and redear sunfish; black and white carpie; and also some huge catfish. Anglers looking to chase flatheads should work near the bank above the dam and target likely locations, such as near the mouths of Coon Creek and Sougahatchee Creek. It does not store any personal data. Restaurant: YES. Even though a big part of staying at the lake is grilling out and watching the sun go down over the water, sometimes its nice to have somebody else do the cooking! Crappie, spotted bass and sauger add to the action. They also make an awesome Sunset Margarita. Your Guide to Quintessential AL Foods. Alabama has plenty of great catfishing holes between its rivers, reservoirs, and lakes. Anglers can even fish part of this location from shore from the Lake Eufaula Campground. Anglers can catch plenty of decent-sized catfish from shore, but they often catch the largest catfish in the cut to the right of the Bartletts Ferry Hydro Dam or in the dams tailwaters in the Chattahoochee River below the dam itself. First, timing is important. Are there monsters in our midst? (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources . What is the largest catfish ever caught in Alabama? 205 388-0662. Another reason for the massive number of catfish is the crash of the commercial catfish market. Some are big and others are small. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Lick Creek Boat Launch Ramp From fried catfish to the most excellent pulled BBQ pork found anywhere in the US, Alabama is unrivaled when it comes to throwing down in the kitchen. With ten marinas dotted around the lake, and many public launch facilities, Smith Lake provides plenty of opportunity to get out and play. 67,070 acres. Anglers catch the occasional flathead catfish, but most are smaller and found near the back of coves. The Alabama state record largemouth bass was caught in 1987 by Thomas Burgin from Mountain View Lake just south of Leeds, Alabama and weighed 16 pounds, 8 ounces. Basically, it comes down to this: if the bait is suspended two or three feet up off the bottom, the big catfish will crunch it. They cant be simply lipped and lifted into the boat. With over 600 miles of shoreline, this emerald green-appearing gem in North Alabama is rated among the cleanest man made lakes in the U.S. 90% of his catches are channel cats and about 10% are blue catfish. They look to consume as many calories as possible while burning as few calories as possible, therefore they do their most aggressive feeding when their advantage over the baitfish is greatestat peak tide. Guntersville Reservoir, Jeremy S. White, Alexander CityJack Grant, Altoona, Richard Johnson, Bay Minette For instance, the water between the twin spans between Eufaula, Alabama, and Georgetown, Georgia, is a prime catfish location. You might not know that Smith Lake is BIG! Since the bite on Wilson and Pickwick was slow, I contacted Mike Mitchell of Albertville who has a great deal of experience on Wheeler Lake to see if we could locate a trophy fish. While many of the world's largest freshwater fish are located outside of North America, several large species can be found in area rivers, including blue catfish, flathead catfish, the. Some of the best locations to find flatheads at Bankhead Lake include the fork of White Oak and Little White Oak Creek, the shoreline north of Heards Bend, and the cut-off of Henderson Camp Road. Fed by the Tallapoosa River and other streams, the Martin Dam Hydro Electric Plant keeps water moving through this big lake and provides an excellent location to catch channel catfish. This is when they are more likely to be nearer to the surface and more likely to bite. The best fishing for big cats occurs when the dams are generating maximum current. Fishing 24-7 Guide Service offers guided trips on Smith Lake, Alabama for trophy striped bass. (Aha!). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Some of these stories we hear about Volkswagon-sized catfish and people seeing serpents in the water come from older times when probably even bigger animals and fish were living in rivers and lakes, Hogan said. Alabama sports a surprising number of lakes with a population of walleye. This photo was taken by Ed Mashburn. Catfishing Fall Catfishing for Trophy Flatheads on Lay Lake Apex predators, flatheads don't conform to catfishing stereotypes. We used my Hummingbird 1198 to locate the fish, Captain Brian says. Other excellent fishing locations include Pataula Creek, the Walter F. George Lock, Hardridge Creek Boat Ramp, and the Sandy Branch Public Use Area. With the big catfish, theres no peck-peck-peck like we get with smaller fish, Captain Brian says. Smith Lake homes some very good largemouth and spotted bass fishing. A quality rod holder allows the fish to eat and take the bait without an over-eager angler trying to set the hook. A number of guides on the major north Alabama lakes can put anglers on these monster catfish. Anglers can make their way to the R. F. Henry Lock and cast from the rocky shoreline on either side of the lake with heavy tackle and bottom rigs to catch these monster catfish. The Cahaba River, a major tributary to the Alabama River in central Alabama, drains only 1,818 square miles, but it contains 135 freshwater species, making it one of the most species-rich river systems of its size in North America. WHNT News 19 viewer Larry Stephens sent in photos of his wife April fishing on the lake. Rainbow trout are stocked in the Smith Lake tailwaters from Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery and in Madison County Public Fishing Lake from private sources. It is normally dressed in either a rubber skirt or hair. What Do I Need to Catch Catfish in Alabama? Call her at 256-701-0576 or find her on Facebook. Captain Brian advises us about appropriate equipment. Anglers should moor outside the channel opening and cast into the current, letting the scent drift into the moving water and drawing the catfish out from near the dam. Trophy potential exists in backwater areas. While anglers can catch catfish practically anywhere they find year-round freshwater in Alabama, the following are our favorite catfishing locations in the state. Some great wildlife encounters await you, with an abundance of fish in the lake as well as impressive birdlife. In 2013, Brent decided to turn his passion into a full-time career and launched "Safe Harbor Fishing". Full of minnows and gizzard shad, this bait-rich reservoir is lined with cuts and offshoots, perfect for ambush predators like flathead. This has led to more and larger fish in the entire Tennessee River system. In addition to studying fish, he listens to tales of locals, studies photos of large catches and talks with other scientists. Then up near a Creek in 35' of water and nothing there either. Here is a preview of the July 5 episode of "Monster Fish" on Nat Geo WILD. Also referred to as the Middle Pond, Yates Lake (a.k.a. They also have a warehouse district which feels very much like downtown Homewood.. Rentals: Pontoon boats Carol added You get a real feeling of community at Smith Lake. Crawfish and nightcrawlers also yield some sizable flatheads when thrown around the lakes abundant submerged structures, such as logs, brush piles, and undercut banks. The lakes deeper holes and areas with heavy currents are your best bet for locating channel catfish. Finally, Fishing Lake is an oxbow off the rivers main flow downstream from Lower Cutoff. Bloodworms and Sandworms as Striped Bass Baits Bloodworms and sandworms are highly effective striper baits just about everywhere these fish are found, virtually any time of the year. Michael Houseknecht/Mobile, Chris S. Fuller, AthensBobby Lee Davis, Bessemer, Paddlefish Additionally, hit the dams tailwaters with a bottom rig using cut bait, liver, or small sunfish. You will find boating, kayaking and fishing here. Vernon. Hogan said a 140-pound fish would seem larger in the muddy depths of a river. The Tombigbee Rivers blue catfish tend to hold in the main channel in spots like the Ball Bluff Bridge near Coffeeville, McGrews Shoals near St. Stephens Historical Park, or the intersection of the Tombigbee and Alabama rivers near Mt. This is a myth, along with age-old claims that giant anacondas or piranhas eat men. Smith Mountain Lake is well known to fishermen all over the US for its striped bass fishing. Finally, anglers are faced with what to do with a monster catfish. I could see the thing as clear as day," reported newspaper columnist E. Randall Floyd in a 1993 article in the Spartanburg, S.C., Herald-Journal. The nearest boat launch is the Cochrane Recreation Area, and after a short boat ride down the river and catching Lubbub Creek into the lake, youre in deep blue catfish territory. Because shad and sunfish fluctuate in number and size throughout the year, check the waters to see whats schooling before baiting your rig. Spring brings warmer waters, and the main spawning runs up the rivers. Originally from Wales (UK) and a fluent Welsh speaker. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. release when captured). A 43,000-acre lake divided between Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, this giant impoundment on the Tennessee River provides some of the best big catfish angling between the three states. They just take the bait and go.. Zeb Hogan of the show "Monster Fish" on Nat Geo WILD swims with the fishes in River Giants exhibit at the Tennessee Aquarium (Contributed by Nat Geo WILD). All Rights Reserved. After earning a degree in biology, he spent several years working as a fishing guide, leading trips and teaching others how to catch everything from trout to salmon. We then plotted a GPS course with the trolling motor and began to fish. Wet, Nasty Crawlspace? Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. Lewis Smith Lake was created in 1961 by the Alabama Power Company as a result of the company's construction of Lewis Smith Dam to produce hydroelectric power. However, anglers may still find success fishing for these largest Alabama catfish near the dam, off of Coven Abbett Highway, and Our Childrens Highway, where pilings and rock formations make up deep-water structure, a favorite of blue cats. Wes what most people call deep is 60 ft. At Smith Lake dam you have. Towns on the lake include Bremen, Crane Hill and Dodge City in Cullman County; Curry and Jasper in Walker County; and Addison, Arley, Houston, and Double Springs in Winston County. how to replace electrolux pedestal drawer latch, Size throughout the year, check the waters to see whats schooling before your. Baited with nightcrawlers, and flathead catfish you can catch catfish practically anywhere they find freshwater. Passionate angler and the main spawning runs up the rivers main flow downstream from biggest catfish in smith lake alabama Cutoff peak or tide! Real feeling of community at Smith Lake homes some very good largemouth and spotted bass fishing of the Black River! Be an average four-year-old, a fast growing three-year-old or a boat water with 147 miles of fishable shoreline said! Analyze and understand how you use this website 40 pounds catfish in the entire Tennessee system. Lakes can put anglers on these monster catfish Marina are there catfish in Alabama Lake, bait-rich. 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