Alabama Tallapoosa River / Lake Harris and Lake Martin
Capt. Reed Montgomery
March 31, 2016
Birmingham - Freshwater Fishing Report
* Tallapoosa River System - Lake Harris (Lake Wedowee) - This lake was impounded in 1983 and it has given up some really big, largemouth bass in past Spring season's. There have literally been dozens of bass exceeding that seemingly,"magical" weight of ten pounds, caught on this 40 mile long lake. Most of these big, largemouth bass are fooled in the late Winter and Spring seasons.
* Lake Harris (known as Lake Wedowee by the locals in the nearby town of Wedowee, Al.), is Alabama's youngest, man made impoundement.
Bass weighing over 16 pounds have been recorded caught on Lake Harris, some almost beating Alabama's 16 1/2 pound state record largemouth bass. One bass found floating (was deceased), would have been a new state record largemouth bass, if it had been caught by some lucky angler!
Although Lake Harris is down a few feet for Winter pool, some bass are now bedding in shallow water, with water temps near 70 degrees. The lake will be returned to full pool by the end of April.
These shallow Lake Harris bass will hit a number of lures, some enticing offerings fished in water less than 5 feet deep! Topwater lures, spinnerbaits, shallow running crankbaits, lipless lures and a number of lures fished on bottom like worms, lizards, and jig combos. These lures all work great in April and May!
* Tallapoosa River System Lake Martin - This age old lake was impounded in 1926. Although it is lowered in the winter season and void of any aquatic weeds, it still holds some good sized largemouth bass, hanging around on wood and rock cover and big spawners can especially be found bedding along sandy, small pebble banks. This is an excellent bottom composition for spring spawning bass!
Largemouth bass weighing in the 5-10 pound range are fooled by some skilled (or lucky), angler each spring season, some even bigger!
Lures fished in shallow water can fool bedding bass! Worms, grubs, lizards, creature-type baits, jig combos and even very small, finesse plastics can fool some very skittish bass, often found in some very clear situations.
Other lures work too! From shallow one foot depths to deeper water around ten feet deep. Deep diving crankbaits, shallow-to-mid range crankbaits, lipless lures, both floating and suspending hard-bodied jerk baits and spinnerbaits and chatter baits too!
Staying in town in nearby Alexander city, Al. or camping out (or staying in provided cabins) in Wind Creek State Park, a family can have a week of fun in the sun, swimming, boating and fishing Lake Martin this spring and summer seasons!
But first...always call (205) 663-1504 on Reeds Guide Service! Guiding on Lake Harris since it opened and Lake Martin (and all other Alabama lakes), for over 30 years! Website: www.fishingalabama.com
Thanks and Good Fishin'! Reed Montgomery, Owner of Reeds Guide Service.
Birmingham Fishing Forecast:
Rain today and Friday with mid-70's today and all this weekend (and partly cloudy skies with no rain), predicted for all of next week, the first week of April.
Target Species:
Largemouth bass
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