The lake is home to largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass, as well as crappie, catfish, and . On Smith Lake you can find species such as large mouth bass, small mouth bass,spotted bass, large striped bass, crappie and much more. This area can be fished by boat or shore off Lost Creek Road or Britton Bridge Boat Ramp. Also referred to as Converse Reservoir, this 3,600-acre impoundment in Mobile County is filled with channel catfish, bass, and sunfish. At Smith Lake dam you have water over 200 ft. in places. 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. 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. A number of guides on the major north Alabama lakes can put anglers on these monster catfish. Click to see the full listing, complete with all the lovely pictures. Captain Brian reminds us that most of these big catfish have spines that are not nearly as sharp as the ones found on five-pound or smaller catfish, but the trophy-sized fish have a lot more weight and muscle to propel their spines. How do you fish for blueback herring lakes? The lakes deeper holes and areas with heavy currents are your best bet for locating channel catfish. Filled with brush piles and submerged trees, Pickwick Lake also has multiple deep water holes and is rich in minnows, shad, and crawfish. This is where and how these big fish are targeted on Lay Lake. Farther downstream, anglers will find success angling for flatheads along the Alabama Rivers banks by fishing along the heavily forested shoreline and working deep corks over submerged structures. Its small town living., This is echoed by ARC Realtys Leda Mims, Ive been coming to the lake since I was nine years old. Fish must be identified by a Fisheries Section biologist or other certified fisheries biologist. From species that top out at just over a pound to the 120-pound state-record blue catfish, anglers can catch catfish of all sizes in Alabama. In the 1800s, tales of serpents abounded in both rivers, including a legend in which anyone spotting the creature was cursed and soon would die. Other prime-time fishing locations include the mouth of Fourmile Creek, Trousdale Hollow, the intersection of Shoal Creek, and the mouth of McKiernan Creek. 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. The $29 million project was formally dedicated on May 23, 1961, and named for Alabama Power Company president Lewis M. Smith, who had been closely involved in its planning and design. A 15-inch bass might be an average four-year-old, a fast growing three-year-old or a slow growing five-year-old. Gulf sturgeonThe Gulf sturgeon is the largest fish species ever recorded in Alabama. Michael Houseknecht/Mobile, Chris S. Fuller, AthensBobby Lee Davis, Bessemer, Paddlefish This photo was taken by Ed Mashburn. A fisherman reported seeing a 20-foot-long creature with large fins slithering near the banks at Ball Play Creek before it slipped beneath the surface. Rumor has it, country music superstar, Billy Ray Cyrus, has a place on Smith Lake. The fishing here is good. On Smith Lake you can find species such as large mouth bass, small mouth bass,spotted bass, large striped bass, crappie and much more. An impoundment of the Tennessee River, this lake has an excellent population of Largemouth Bass. In addition to big stripers, catfish, crappie, bluegill, white bass, sunfish and largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass all thrive here. 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. This lake snakes its way across the forested northwestern Alabama Hill Country with various creeks and small channels filled with cover, making it a flathead paradise in addition to an excellent bass lake. 16229 HWY 42 Big catfish can be quite dangerous if not handled properly. There are numerous different species of fish to find on this body of water. 90% of his catches are channel cats and about 10% are blue catfish. Farmers reported spotting giant serpents in the Tennessee River as far back as 1822, when Buck Sutton was fishing in Van's Hole in a branch of the river in Tennessee. Located between Lake Martin and Thurlow Lake along the Tallapoosa River, Yates Lake has earned a reputation for big striped bass, but its hidden gem is its quality catfish population. On June 2nd, 1932, George Perry caught the current world record bass out of Lake Montgomery, an oxbow lake off the Ocmulgee River in southern Georgia. On the Alabama River, some of the best catfishing occurs on the William "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir, better known as Millers Ferry Lake, near Camden. Get outdoor trends, data, new products, and tips delivered to your inbox. All in all, this area is a solid choice if youre looking to hammer some big blues or channel cats. They just take the bait and go.. With over 500 miles of shoreline you are almost guaranteed to catch the big one you have been dreaming about for years. In both of these Coosa River locations, anglers can catch big blue and channel cats on bottom rigs. Scientists believe people likely were witnessing exceptionally large species of fish that live in Alabama rivers. Armstrong Creek, Wash. Co. Henry Merritt, Deer Park Smith Lake Park has some great walking and bike trails, suitable for kids and big kids! Stacker compiled a list of record fish caught in Alabama using data from Land Big Fish. Keep the two pounders for a fish fry.. 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). Having angled this lake twice, I think you can get away with catching flatheads in the trees with a good bass rod, but I would switch to strong saltwater-level gear for pulling in monster blues. Captain Brian Barton specializes in guiding anglers on catfishing trips. 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. When trophy fishing for any species, we have to be aware that these extra-large fish are powerful animals. 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. This is a blue catfish that weighed 23 pounds and measured 36.5 inches in length. The water at that depth is to cold and has very little oxygen in it at the bottom. Get a reliable, big landing net. It was caught out of Lake Neely Henry. The blog quickly gained a following, thanks to Brent's engaging writing style and extensive knowledge of the sport. Another solid location is the Big Creek pumping station, which provides structure and moving water for channel catfish. Arley, Alabama 35541 Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. However, the largest catfish in North America are blue cats, and the world record blue catfish caught in North Carolina in 2011 weighed 143 pounds. Rich with juvenile bass, sunfish, and crappie, this lake is the perfect feeding ground for monster catfish. "My job as a scientist is to separate fact from fiction but 'fact' is already amazing and unbelievable enough," Hogan said. Marina: YES Anglers may be able to catch shad at the back of the lake by cast net or buy them from a bait shop. 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. This 5,850-acre reservoir off the Chattahoochee River makes for some excellent catfish angling. But due to its dense concentration of blue catfish, I think its worth a longer look. Bham Now top tip The Sunflower Bakery & Eatery does the best biscuits in the history of biscuits! The trick to locking into catfish is selecting the areas that each species is most likely to inhabit. 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. Sutton and his friends were alarmed because people along the river knew that anyone who looked upon the serpent was cursed. Fishermen tell tall tales.". In Alabama, we have three residents: the Alabama sturgeon, the Gulf sturgeon and the Lake sturgeon. I love that were just an hour away from Birmingham on the Cullman side of the lake. (now protected, The Tombigbee produces excellent catfish angling along its path, which includes five dams and locks before joining the Mobile River and emptying into Mobile Bay, where the attention turns to redfish and other saltwater fishing. Weve gotten to know people at the marina and at local stores. 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. I catfish up at the Cullman end of the lake. Fishing for trophy catfish is a bait and wait process. The deep, clear water of Smith Lake and its sheer size make it the perfect water playground. Youll hear it from scuba divers and fishermen, he said. Choose from multiple campgrounds around the lake as headquarters for a family vacation or a weekend fishing trip. But fishs stomachs are , Use large-sized baits such as dead bluegill, live chubs, water dogs, crayfish and frogs when seeking larger catfish. Captain Brian adds, I use a Hi-Tek rod holder, and then I wait for the fish to bite. Home; . Flatheads and blue catfish are the two most common species caught here. What is the best time of year to catch striped bass? Crappie, spotted bass and sauger add to the action. It does not store any personal data. Always look for moving water and watch your fishfinder for deep holes to help you find the best site. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. I caught several small fish, but I had no luck on a fish over 30 pounds. Price: $330,000. Located in southeastern Alabama, Lake Harding is home to various species, including channel catfish, blue catfish, and a host of bass. Located in the northwest section of the lake, off County Road 3919, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with gravel parking. 205 669-0077, Triple Creek Marina 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. See ARC Realtys huge inventory of stunning homes for sale on Smith Lake. Procedures For the Certification of Alabama State Record Freshwater Fish Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. RV Hookups: YES The different types of bass stripers that exist require different size hooks to catch. Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. 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. It has a maximum depth of 29 feet. Streetville Island and Cutoff Bar are also great nearby locations where anglers can anchor the boat and fish straight from the land. They look after you and remember you. Smith Lake Park Campground - 256 739-2916, Speegle's Marina & Campground - 256 734-0698, Hidden Cove RV Resort Campground - 205 221-7042, Lakeshore Cabins & RV Campground - 361 438-4811, Smith Lake RV & Cabin Resort - 256 709-1820, Lewis Smith Lake Smith Lake Park & Campground Finally, Fishing Lake is an oxbow off the rivers main flow downstream from Lower Cutoff. Some are big and others are small. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. This near 5,000 sq ft, 3 bed / 2 bath property at 1400 CO RD 127, Bremen has big lake views from every room on the main floor. I slide a one to two-ounce egg sinker up on the line, and then I place a bead between the sinker and a barrel swivel. Catfish dont have sharp teeth like pike or mackerel, but they do have rows of very rough and abrasive teeth in their jaws, and when they bite down and twist and turn, these rows of small teeth can remove the skin from a thumb or the back of a hand within seconds. 205-435-4009. Blue catfish are not as common as their two cousins at Lake Martin. 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. For us anglers who want to go after the mega-catfish, there are some things we can do to improve our chances. Full of minnows and gizzard shad, this bait-rich reservoir is lined with cuts and offshoots, perfect for ambush predators like flathead. 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. Fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, white bass and striped bass at Smith Lake in Alabama. When a big catfish is brought aboard, anglers need to resist the temptation to immediately lift up the fish and take pictures. 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. Geneva County is a prohibition or dry county. Largemouths | Lake Eufaula. Thats important. He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. Ball Play Creek before it slipped beneath the surface slipped beneath the surface superstar Billy. Some things we can do to improve our chances security features of the lake complete with all the pictures. Three-Year-Old or a slow growing five-year-old exist require different size hooks to catch striped bass to help you the. 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biggest catfish in smith lake alabama