The mouth of Havoc Branch or the cuts on either side of Seales Nursery are upstream from the dam but still have a decent current with relatively deep channels. Weve gotten to know people at the marina and at local stores. No, despite what you may have heard, there arent. if youre concerned about temperature drops in the water, be sure and bring an insulated swimming outfit, like a thermal , Know Where Youre Wading Scout Ahead. Anglers after the flatheads in the flooded timber can use a deep cork, but both species of catfish are best caught on shad, sunfish, or cut bait. Arley, AL 35541 Instead, the usual mega-catfish battle is very intense but fairly short. Located in the southwest section of the lake, at the east end of the State Route 41 Bridge, this is a three-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking. On Smith Lake you can find species such as large mouth bass, small mouth bass,spotted bass, large striped bass, crappie and much more. However, boat anglers can moor out of the main river flow by ducking behind the small concrete structure on the dams right side and casting into the stronger current. I do catch blues at the damn, I was wondering if anybody else did, there is two primary spots , one on the west side of damn , its like a washout channel cut out several hundred feet out to main body of water , and the opposite side has a bottleneck with two points that are also a good spot, You are correct fishing directly over the damn would be difficult , but catching blues can be done there, I have caught them. Geneva County is a prohibition or dry county. Known for monster striped bass, Smith Lake AKA Lewis Smith Lake is a 21,000-acre lake located in north-central Alabama about an hour north of Birmingham. Sutton and his friends were alarmed because people along the river knew that anyone who looked upon the serpent was cursed. The different types of bass stripers that exist require different size hooks to catch. The fishing on Smith Lake is like no other! Bluegills | Duck River Lake Alabama has plenty of great catfishing holes between its rivers, reservoirs, and lakes. For the past 10 years, Hogan has been working to find, study and protect the worlds largest freshwater fish. The fishing here is good. Anglers may be able to catch shad at the back of the lake by cast net or buy them from a bait shop. After all, big baits catch big fish. Wes I have never catfished below Smith Lake dam. White Oak Creek is another spot where anglers can trace its tributaries far past the campground and into murky, structure-filled water perfect for flatheads and largemouths. April and May are the prime time. All in all, this area is a solid choice if youre looking to hammer some big blues or channel cats. Good quality electronics are just as important for finding and catching trophy catfish as they are for bass fishing. Read the story of the Alabama State Fossil here. Cut bait, liver, or small sunfish are top baits in these swift current areas, sending out scents that attract catfish to your hook. What pound test should I use for striped bass? Like any other trophy trip, the route to trophy catfish takes some planning and arranging for success. Are there catfish in Smith Lake Alabama? Another reason for the massive number of catfish is the crash of the commercial catfish market. A cork baited with nightcrawlers, shad, or small perch is a great way to see whats hiding along the heavily forested shoreline. "My job as a scientist is to separate fact from fiction but 'fact' is already amazing and unbelievable enough," Hogan said. Located in the northeast section of the lake, off County Road 386, this is a six-lane, concrete ramp with docks and massive, paved parking. What is the name of the largest fish found in Alabama freshwater? 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. April. This 1,550-acre lake in northern Alabama is home to some massive blue and channel catfish. Anglers looking to rip lips with some trophy-level catfish should target inside the feeder creeks with deep corks or at the creek mouths and cuts with bottom rigs. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Before heading out in search of your trophy Alabama catfish, make sure to purchase a fishing license and check all state and local regulations. Fishermen tell tall tales.". The really big catfish are not nearly as good to eat as the smaller ones, and the big ones are the brood fish that continually re-stock the lake with more catfish. He said she caught her bi For more on how to catch catfish, please see our how-to article about catfish fishing linked at the bottom of this article. 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! After the big fish is hooked, its largely a matter of holding on when the fish tries to run and then steadily applying pressure and taking in line when its possible. 256 286-0050. All Rights Reserved. Also known as Walter F George Lake, is a bass angler's dream with almost 600 miles of shoreline to fish. Most of us enjoy catching a mess of delicious pan-size catfish from time to time. Its not like the beach where youre battling to find somewhere on the water that is quiet and calm. (Aha!). Most trophy cat anglers use either a whole skipjack or a really large chunk of cut shad. We will use blueback herring and shad legally caught on Smith Lake. California is the number one trophy state for bass exceeding 15 pounds, says David Swendseidbass pro and tackle rep from the Golden State. Home to striped bass and catfish, this area is rich with shad and features a stiff current over plenty of deep holes where anglers can hook into some truly impressive fish. Like most lakes in the region, the lake comprises multiple offshoots and branches rather than one big body of water. Whether fishing from a boat or the shore, Yates Reservoir allows anglers to set their hooks into a myriad of species, all from one location. Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. Wet, Nasty Crawlspace? Smith Lake is a huge reservoir located on the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River, about 20 miles north-west of Birmingham. 403 Co Rd 386 Bham Now top tip The Sunflower Bakery & Eatery does the best biscuits in the history of biscuits! Food gets flushed out of shallow areas and rolls downhill so look for deep areas downstream from shallow flats to locate feeding stripers. In the low light and during the frenzied feed, they hit just about anythinga zig-zagging Spook is a good starter, but sometimes its necessary to downsize a bit to some of the smaller floater divers like the Rapala or Rebel. Dale County Lake or Ed Lisenby Lake is a 92-acre (370,000 m 2) lake located 1 mile (2 km) north of Roy Parker Road (Dale County Road 36) in Ozark. In addition to big stripers, catfish, crappie, bluegill, white bass, sunfish and largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass all thrive here. Try fishing in deeper water during the outgoing tide. Hidden Cove Boat Launch Ramp Bald eagles are breathtaking to see flying across the lake, and ducks and geese are aplenty. This photo is an example of historic pictures Dr. Zeb Hogan studies when researching legends of giant fish. Boat anglers must keep their distance from the dam, anchoring or mooring out of the current and casting into it for the highest chance of success. Some anglers also recommend around dusk or dawn, on a cool day, during peak or slack tide. Sunrise the big flatheads are most abundant. The station is in the southeastern arm of the lake, which is full of creeks and cuts. Marina: YES We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Make Short Casts. 13 Best Catfish Fishing Lakes and Rivers in Alabama. Mike slowly pulled the rod straight down to about a half-bend. Never fear. Anglers who are fishing from a boat often stick with a cork baited with bait fish. A kayak fishing enthusiast, he loves paddling into those hidden honey holes in search of all types of gamefish. Fishermen tell tall tales.". Smith Lake Park has some great walking and bike trails, suitable for kids and big kids! By boat, anglers should also try the rocks lining Bumpass Creek Road, where they may find the occasional blue or channel catfish lurking amongst the boulders or near the underpass. Rentals: Pontoon boats Bankhead Lake is best known for catches of largemouth bass and spotted bass. Some are big and others are small. This 39,000-acre reservoir in Central Alabama provides some of the best fishing in the entire state. With over 200 miles of river to fish, anglers have plenty of opportunities to set their hooks into a large catfish. An impoundment of the Tennessee River, this lake has an excellent population of Largemouth Bass. For us anglers who want to go after the mega-catfish, there are some things we can do to improve our chances. Evidence of an Alabama sea serpent does exist in the fossilized bones of the zeuglodon, a prehistoric whale that grew to about 70 feet in length. Find out where the locals eat, shop and hangout. Choose from multiple campgrounds around the lake as headquarters for a family vacation or a weekend fishing trip. Caught off the coast of Ceduna, Australia, in 1959, it took angler Alfred Dean just 50 minutes to win the fight against this one-ton shark. Fishing 24-7 Guide Service offers guided trips on Smith Lake, Alabama for trophy striped bass. WHNT News 19 viewer Larry Stephens sent in photos of his wife April fishing on the lake. His goal: catch a monster catfish. Here, anglers will find a heavily flooded forest that shelters catfish from the stiff current of the river but is still deep enough water to rip into some big cats. Anglers will have the most success near these spots with bottom rigs, baited with small sunfish, shad, minnows, cut bait, or liver. They also have a warehouse district which feels very much like downtown Homewood.. The blue catfish caught by Mullenix weighed in at 121.5 lbs, which was not only a Texas state record but also a world record. With five significant species in Alabama, catfish are one of the most sought-after fish in the state. Its just such a friendly place. Yes, the state does stock trout on the lower side of the damn ,and the water is always cold on that side, I"m talking about the upper side, Very deep water alote of current and alote of shad. With coves, cuts, and inlets lining the river above the dam, small islands, and rock structures beneath it, catfish angling has never been better. For instance, the water between the twin spans between Eufaula, Alabama, and Georgetown, Georgia, is a prime catfish location. Finally, anglers are faced with what to do with a monster catfish. However, Sallie Wilson reportedly saw the creature in the mid-1830s and experienced no ill effects. The creature people reported seeing was about 25 feet long and had incredible speed. Leda told me how she commutes from Smith Lake to Birmingham. Wilson Lake is an all-around fishing destination, including one of the best places in Alabama to go crappie fishing. 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. Weighing must be witnessed by two people. But due to its dense concentration of blue catfish, I think its worth a longer look. Here in Alabama, we are known for our food. Weighing must be witnessed by two people. They also make an awesome Sunset Margarita. As with the dam, mooring outside the channel and casting a bottom rig into the mouth is the best way to avoid spooking the fish while still placing your set-up in the best position. 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. Each one is rare and protected by state and federal agencies. Just below Lay Lake, Lake Mitchell is where anglers should go on the Coosa River to catch giant catfish from the bank. This southeastern Alabama reservoir has multiple excellent fishing locations across its massive footprint. 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. Alabama sports a surprising number of lakes with a population of walleye. "At end of the day, there certainly is some truth to these stories but people also enjoy telling stories. This article offers a ton of great information on where to catch catfish at Alabamas best fishing holes. 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. Anglers can find plenty of sizable flathead catfish lurking around the submerged stumps and fallen timber in murky water. Jason Trahan has found shrimp soaked in Anise has been one of the most effective baits for catching catfish in Alabama. The commercial pond catfish culture supplies the demand for catfish fillets, so commercial fishing in the lakes is a lost art. I catfish up at the Cullman end of the lake. In years past, it was common to see 10 to 15 commercial catfishers on the lakes on any given morning. 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. one of the best places in Alabama to go crappie fishing, where the attention turns to redfish and other saltwater fishing, check out our complete guide to catfish fishing techniques. This 4,200-acre reservoir in northwestern Alabama yields excellent catfish angling, especially for flatheads and channel cats. Then up near a Creek in 35' of water and nothing there either. Location and Information: Smith Lake is located in Winston, Cullman and Walker Counties, Alabama. Bankhead Lake is dotted with log jams, creek miles, points, and thick weeds, perfect cover for ambush predators like the flathead catfish. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. Fish must be weighed on certified scales. Seumas Petrie is the world record holder, with a 44-pound, 5-inch brown trout that measured 38.58 inches long with a 34-inch girth. The car-sized catfish legend is widespread, he said. Especially when the sun goes down, catfish will school just beneath the tailwaters of the structure, and its a nightly feeding frenzy that anglers shouldnt miss. Early morning and late evening are the best times to target the feeder creeks and stump flats, where anglers can catch catfish, crappie, and bass side by side. Rich with submerged woody cover, this lake reaches depths up to 60 feet closer to the dam, with creek channels that dip down to 20 feet. This 5,850-acre reservoir off the Chattahoochee River makes for some excellent catfish angling. According to IGFA records, the largest fish ever caught was a great white shark that weighed an unbelievable 2,664 pounds (1,208.389 kg.). Stacker compiled a list of record fish caught in Alabama using data from Land Big Fish. Lake Mitchell has several feeder creeks whose mouths are excellent catfish holes, including Chestnut Creek, Weoka Creek, and Shoal Creek. In both cases, bait your hooks with shad. Located mid lake, on the south side of the lake, off Smith Lake Dam Road, this is a four-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking. 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