My buddy Gage and I fished the American Baitworks tournament on Guntersville. This used to be the Snag Proof tournament where you can only use frogs, but now you can use any lure in the American Baitworks lineup. Our main two lures were frogging and punching. They have a beaver style bait with baitfuel that works nicely. We flipped grasslines with ounce and a half tungsten weights and caught around 15lbs. Finishing up around top 20 in the tournament. We never had that real big bite this day. We had a great time.
If you would like a guide trip call or text me (256) 508-5260
Tight Lines,
Ryan Salzman
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Lake Guntersville is absolutely loaded with fish. This was the best fall season of bass fishing I have ever experienced on Guntersville. We routinely caught 50 to 60 fish every guide trip. NOW. A lot of these fish were a pound to 2.5 pounds. What does this mean?
This means that we have had two years of VERY successful SPAWNING from the largemouth bass. We have had two very stable weather springs the last few years and Lake Guntersville is starting to show out. In a few years I predict it could be close to the best bass fishery in the world if we don't have a bad attrition rate from the tournaments.
If we could have a little more regulation on the tournaments on Guntersville throughout the year this lake would stay at number one. I fully believe that. It has an unreal number of 2-3 pound fish. The key is just getting those fish to live and mature until they reach 7 to 10 pounds! When they get caught as much as they do on Guntersville they eventually die from infection or getting a hook to the gill. A lot of times they will die after being released from a livewell after a tournament. This is especially true during the summer.
Having fewer tournaments in the summer would be a great start. We don't have the technology or regulation for everyone to do catch, weight, release tournaments. With the cheating that seems to be going on with just 5 fish tournaments it would be extremely hard to regulate that. There would be ways, but for now we aren't there.
In the mean time capping the number of tournaments on Guntersville each year would be a great start. I believe this starts with the tourism places that you have to reserve the ramps through. Even if we don't do any of this it amazes me the fish still get pumped out of Guntersville like they do.
The main reason that so many fish are able to survive on Guntersville is the grass. We have so many kinds of grass now. Notably the eel grass has taken over the lake. I believe this is giving the fish a place to hide from anglers. They are able to spread out and roam. They don't seem to stay in one place very long anymore. Other kinds of grass on Guntersville is star grass, milfoil, coontail, naiad, and hydrilla.
Hydrilla and milfoil were the staples of Lake Guntersville until the eel grass arrived some years ago. Still, where you find these grasses mixing. You will surely find bass. Bluegill, shad, and bass love this vegetation. This is why Guntersville will remain one of the best lakes in the country. Hopefully we can make it the best!
If you want to book a trip call me!
Ryan Salzman
256-508-5260
]]>I just recently had the best Alabama Rig bite i've ever been on this fall. Fish were scattered around on flats chasing bait. The bait was incredibly small and the best bait that was working was a down sized Alabama Rig with True Bass Swimbaits Minner 3.5 swimbaits on the back. Paired the swimbait with the true lock head in 1/8 ounce.
I would search for bait balls with my active target. The key for me was scattered grass. It didn't matter too much what kind of vegetation that was there, as long as there was bait. The bass weren't very far away!
I would roam the flat fan casting the Alabama Rig. Once I would get a bite I would hit the anchor button on the Lowrance Ghost. Then I would begin casting in a 360 all over the boat. We were getting into big schools of fish! Catching multiple in a row with several doubles. We even caught TWO triples this fall and into early winter so far.
I really don't think there is a better swimbait for an Alabama Rig than the Minner 3.5 from True Bass Swimbaits. Its action is so tight and subtle they cannot tell that its fake. Check out some of these pictures!
If you want to book a trip give me a call or message.
256-508-5260
]]>Major League Fishing BFL Super Tournament
Guntersville has been fishing pretty good this 2021 Fall season! There have been a lot of fish caught in the 3-4lb range. This tournament was super fun. I really committed to the frog bite and I would catch a fish here and there with the flipping stick. Fish came out of the really thick matted up grass mats. The water temp was in the upper 70s. Water clarity was around 1 to 2 feet. Total weight for the event was 34lbs and some change.
We just had a pretty good cold front come through as I am writing this. This should really get fish moving around chasing some baitfish and kick off the fall feed. We have been overdue for a nice fall cold snap. It is perfect fishing weather with a hoodie on in the mornings. There is still a lot of frog fishing to be done. After the frog bite starts the swimbait bite. If you would like to go fishing give me a call!
Capt Ryan
256-508-5260
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Fishing during the winter for big smallmouth can be some of the slowest fishing you have ever endured; while also being some of the most rewarding fishing you have ever done! I want you to start your day out fishing expecting to get 2-5 bites. That way you are already mentally prepared for fishing as hard as you need to get those few bites. Accept it, and you will be one step closer to catching some 6lb smallmouth!
Its all about the grind during the winter when fishing for smallmouth. The fish feed unpredictively and the baits they decide to eat change daily as well. That combination leaves you with a new code to crack each day you drop the boat in the water. I am going to pass on the most consistent baits and times I have found for catching these big smallmouth in the winter months on Pickwick Lake.
The Baits
Crankbaits
Lets dive in to the crankbaits. There are two types of crankbaits that I am going to have in my box during the winter. I am going to have a hard wobbling, x'ing motion crankbait, such as a wiggle wart style. Or I am going to have a tight wobbling crank like a shad rap. My favorite option for the hard wobbling is a Hardcore Medium Runner (MR) in Crawfish.
Link> https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Duel_Hardcore_MR_Crankbait/descpage-DMR.html
This crankbait is amazing and has caught several in the 5-7lb class for me this winter. It is actually a blend of wiggle wart and dt 6. Its a beautiful crankbait that runs true out of the package. The best part of this crankbait is its weight transfer system. It is the farthest casting medium runner that I have ever thrown. Another color that is amazing is the Chart Blue back when the water gets stained.
The reason a crankbait does so well in the winter is because it truly gets a reaction bite out of a fish not wanting to feed. Bang it into rocks as irregular as possible, and bring a lure knocker to get it out when it hangs. Because it is definitely going to hang up!
SETUP: Throw it on 12lb Yozuri Topknot on a 6.3:1 gear ration, or anything with a 28 inches per turn (IPT). I use a 7'6'' Medium Crankbait rod, Dobyns.
The Alabama Rig
The Alabama Rig is one of the all time best lures to commit to during the winter time because it catches suspended fish so well during the winter months. To keep this short and sweet lets talk about baits on the rig. Throw as light of jig heads as you can get away with. I throw 1/16th ounce or 1/8th ounce heads. We want to fish it as slow as possible. The baits I put behind the jig heads are the True Bass Swimbaits 3.5, Keitech 2.8, and a smoke grub. Sometimes I will mix and match, but generally I stick with one all around bait with the rig. I throw it on the original Andy Poss Alabama Rig available on www.trueswimbaits.com.
link https://trueswimbaits.com/products/the-original-alabama-rig
SETUP: 65lb Yozuri Super line, 6.3:1 reel, 7'6'' Heavy rod with Moderate action.
Finnesse Lures
The last option is going to be to finesse the fish into biting your bait. The best option I have found for this is a light shaky head or a ned rig. Its super simple. Throw green pumpkin and fish it slow on light line. 1/5 ounce is usually the weight I go for during the winter. Bring a lot of jig heads and neds because the rocks on this lake are going to eat your bait alive! The smallmouth will too... oh and the drum!! Yikes! They are fun to fight though.
SETUP: 10lb hi vis yellow Yozuri Super Line, 7' medium action spinning rod, with 2500 series spinning reel. 8-10lb Yozuri top knot leader
I hope this helps narrow down your selections for lures to fish when chasing big brown fish during the winter!! I have a hard time slowing down so I tend to crank and throw the Alabam Rig for them, but I know people that catch them great going finesse. Choose your strength and GRIND IT OUT!
Tight Lines.
CPT Ryan Salzman
Alabama Bass Guide
256-508-5260
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We had a blast this year fishing the Rex Chambers memorial Black Friday Tournament. My partner Josh Butts and I had a fun day for sure catching fish on True Bass Swimabits and Hardcore Jerkbaits! This was the first year I have been able to fish this tournament. It was super foggy that morning and the sun only came out for a few hours in the middle of the day. When the clouds came back we culled a few more times with the swimbaits. Alabama Rigs and single swimbaits were the big fish baits!
Water temp 58 degrees
Water clarity 2-3 feet
First place had a whopping 25lbs! Which is a big ol bag this time of year for sure. We didn't even have a chance at that with our bites. Big fish for the tournament was an 8.70 lb BEAST! Always a chance of catching a giant when fishing Lake Guntersville!
I have days available so lets go fishing!
Ryan Salzman
256-508-5260
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Early Winter Fishing Tennessee River can be super tough, but it can be one of the best times to get out and hook into a big Guntersville or Pickwick Lake giant! Big fish are starting to move from their hiding places into more predictable places to feed, and become vulnerable to being caught this time of year.
Key baits for this time of year are going to be a big spinnerbait, crankbait, and swimbaits! Something not a lot of people do is fish the depth one layer down from the bank. What I mean by that is think of the bank in two stages. The place where you throw to the bank and work the initial break into the water. Most people work baits out to 10 foot or so then reel their lures back to the boat. I find that a lot of big fish will hangout in that 8-12 foot of water. If you're reeling your bait back to the boat at 10 foot you were not in the strike zone very long!
This is why I go for these little bit bigger baits this time of year that have more weight. It gives the fish a big meal with this cooling water and I can stay in the deeper water more efficiently. I start out throwing 3/4 ounce spinnerbaits and will go up to 1 1/4 ounce spinnerbaits. True Bass makes one called the BA Spinner that will really catch some giants this time of year. I will start out throwing a 1/2 ounce swimbait, but I will let the bait go to the bottom before reeling it back to the boat to get to that target depth of 8-12 foot of water quicker. Remember to pay attention to the bait while its falling! Then I just steady reel the swimbait back to the boat. I will do the same thing with an Alabama Rig. My go 2 Alabama Rig setup is the True Bass Swimbaits 3.5 minner on the outside with a little head 4.5 on the inside.
For the crankbait I opt for the Hardcore Lures 3+ and 4+. Available on Tackle Warehouse! The reason being is that those crankbaits cover that depth zone, and the most important is that these are subtle finesse deep diving crankbaits. These fish have seen so many lures this time of year they can become lure shy! When you go to a finessee power fishing approach with your crankbaits you can really catch some giants now through the spring. They aren't vibrating extremely hard and they dive very quickly. A cool thing you'll notice about those cranks too is their weight transfer system. You'll hear a click every time you cast!! I love it, and it casts into the wind like a bullet. My favorite color is Citrus and Ghost Pearl Shad this time of year. I throw it on a 7'6'' Dobyns Champion Crankbait Rod with a 6.3:1 gear ratio reel on 12lb Yozuri Topknot Fluorocarbon. All of these are important with casting distance, diving depth of the crankbait, action of the crankbait, and speed of retrieve. The right rod allows you to throw these baits a long ways and land big fish.
The fish featured in this article was caught on the Hardcore Lures 3+ in Citrus shad. It was a high pressure windy day. I decided to start fishing that deeper zone with that crankbait and it payed off! The fish was right at 7lbs. There are other crankbaits that will work too. If the water gets really dirty go with the wide wobbling crankbaits.
I hope these tips help you catch a few more fish this winter!
]]>Guide Talk Podcast - Ryan Salzman
]]>Make sure to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel, Alabama Bass Guide.
Winter time fishing Pickwick Lake can be very challenging! However, it can be the best time of year to fish. I believe that goes for any lake. If you can crack the code for fishing the lake during this time of year you will usually catch some of the biggest fish. Different patterns on the lake right now change day to day with the flooding, grass, and changing of water color.
High Water and Flooding
Every year during the month of December or January you can make a hard bet that we are going to have some kind of flood on the Tennessee River. I don't think I can remember a year where we didn't have some kind of flood. The reason for that is we usually get some gulf moisture that pushes cold air out around Christmas time each year. When its flooding you want to definitely look at the water color. If its clear the only thing I am going to throw is a shad style bait. The Alabama Rig, scrounger with a Shiver Glide ( Reaction Innovations ), and a single True Bass Swimbait in 4.5 and 5.5 inch on a 1/4 to 3/4 ounce True Lock Head.
If the water is dirty while the lake is flooded which is most of the time; you're going to want to stick with some more vibration baits. These kind of baits are going to big spinnerbaits, YOZURI rattle baits, Duel Hardcore Crankbaits, and even chatterbaits.
Grass on Pickwick Lake this Winter
The grass on Pickwick this winter is hanging on tough!! David Allen and I have been super impressed with how much grass overcame the lake this year. We talk about that in the video above. Some really great content in our conversation. In conclusion to our conversation in the podcast the grass will be here in 2020. The spring should be phenomenal and we are going to start seeing even bigger stringers of fish on Pickwick Lake because of the grass. It provides a greater habitat, oxygen, and makes the lake very healthy. Hopefully the TVA doesn't destroy it all. There will be a lot of events won out of the grass this year. If you are fishing this winter use a jerkbait or crankbait around grass edges, and I bet you put some fish in the boat. If its dirty use the craw pattern colors, and if the water is clean use the shad or translucent colors.
Make sure to watch the podcast above and SUBSCRIBE to the channel.
Ryan Salzman
alabamabassguide@gmail.com
256-508-5260
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If you bass fished in Alabama in 2019 you most likely realized how different the fishing was this year! Bass patterns changed and the rule book went out the window!.. What rule book right? December fishing was no different. We had one of the warmest Octobers, coldest Novembers, and back to warm and rainy for December. That usually sets up for confused fish. What does that mean for the fisherman? By the way if you enjoy bass fishing check my podcast out "Guide Talk Live" on iTunes and YouTube!
Well, whenever you go fishing it means you can't rely on any past history on how you plan on catching your fish that day. Some years you can predict the fish are on certain spots to the week and even day sometimes. In 2019 i'm not sure I caught them the same way any given day I went fishing! Except for when they were spawning and on the ledges. Everywhere in between they followed a different path.
Lake Guntersville
The eel grass on Lake Guntersville has shifted considerably. Mainly from deeper areas like 10-12 to shallower 2-5 feet. The most interesting aspect of that is how its blending into the traditional grass areas of milfoil, hydrilla, and coontail. Other areas its filling in where there used to not be any grass. The newest grass that is taking over during the warmer months is naiad grass!! It looks like this...
I personally cannot stand this new grass. I'm optimistic about different habitats for bass, but this one is very inconsistent for me. You CAN catch fish out of it, but its very inconsistent. They don't seem to school up in this new naiad grass. It tends to be one here and one there. Going into 2020 I would definitely be looking to target more grass fish than offshore. You even saw the dominance of that pattern during the Bassmaster Elite series tournament in 2019. The tournament was won shallow when normally it is DOMINATED deep. Keep that in mind going into 2020. Make sure to throw your finesse crankbaits like your Duel Hardcore Shad during the winter months... its a sleeper bait. Check em out on Tackle Warehouse. The trap bite is going to be on fire this year, and if the water is clear throw your True Bass Swimbaits!
Pickwick Lake and Wilson
Pickwick Lake was the one of the most fun lakes I got to fish all year!! The smallmouth fishing was phenomenal. The lake is fishing very strong. When its tough everywhere else to catch 15lbs its taking 21lbs to win events. In the BFL two day this fall there were some of the highest weights we have seen during a fall event. All this is in part to the GRASS BOOM that took place this year. Mostly hydrilla and sparse eel grass. I didn't really see any milfoil this year. The grass is bright green and thick stalks. Signs of a healthy lake... Guess what? Its still there and bright green after Christmas. Watch what happens this spring on Pickwick Lake. Just sayin. Going to be an awesome year for catching big bags on this lake. I bet there is a bag over 30lbs weighed in this spring. Wilson is always awesome. Big smallmouth below the dam and on bluff walls, and giant largemouth everywhere. Literally is one of the best lakes in the state.
Wheeler Lake
Wheeler is like the red headed step child of the Tennessee River System. It doesn't get talked about if there isn't a big tournament on it. However, it can be one of the most fun lakes to catch numbers of fish. There is actually some big bags being caught more consistently over the last few years. Over 30lbs was weighed in during an Alabama Bass Trail event. 25lbs won the BFL there two years ago. One thing in common with both of those bags were big smallmouth. It is a sleeper lake for sure for catching big fish. They aren't as common as say the other lakes, but giants live there. Its also less pressured than any of the other lakes, so fish are more ready to bite! Good techniques on Wheeler Lake are going to be crankbaits in the winter, swimbaits in the spring, and a shaky head/jig during all months of the year.
Another huge topic of Wheeler Lake has been the GRASS in 2019. The grass on the Wheeler flats is back... This means that this may be the new power house on the Tennessee River over the next 2-3 years as long as TVA doesn't kill it. Once the fish adjust to their new habitat its going to be reminiscent of the golden days if you ever experienced it. You didn't go to Guntersville, you went to the Wheeler Flats.
2020 Fishing Forecast
With the current weather pattern and going off of what happened in 2019 i'd say we are in for some awesome bass fishing in 2020! I would absolutely keep an open mind when going fishing. When I say that, I mean try looking in more non traditional places during the stereotypical times of the year. Meaning pre spawn, spawn, and post spawn. Look shallow when they should be deep and look deep when they should be shallow. Then kind of comb over in between and you're going to find fish. Keep it simple, throw a True Bass Swimbait and you'll be just fine ;-) For real, if you're fishing the dam on the Tennessee River throw a True Bass. We have some new colors for 2020, Sexy Rexy and Rexy. Check em out. Also the best cold water offshore swimbait because of how tight it swims. Its very much a natural hollow body swimbait.
If you're looking for a guide trip send me a message or give me a call! See you on the water.
Ryan Salzman
alabamabassguide@gmail.com
256-508-5260
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Don't miss my WINTER SPECIAL!*** $375 for an 8 hour guide trip with a pro!
Alabama Rig fishing has become a huge staple in the bass fishing industry. Andy Poss, the inventor, out of Muscle Shoals, Alabama started winning everything he entered around 10 years ago. Rumor was that he a had a new bait that was better than anything that has ever been invented in bass fishing. Some of us were skeptical... Wondering, "What could possibly be that good..??" Whats so genius about the Alabama Rig is that it defies logic. I delve into this topic quite often on guide trips.
Human logic vs Bass logic. It really is an oxymoron. We as fisherman try to impose our logic onto a bass, and it just doesn't work. The bass is a creature reacting to his environment. He is built with natural instincts to reproduce,kill, and destroy. That's basically my opinion of a bass. He wants to be as comfortable as possible doing these things. Now within this parameter there are countless patterns that you can operate within this paradigm shift. I really stopped thinking they're doing this because of this, this, and this. I just started accepting they're are just here right now to either reproduce, kill, or destroy. When you start being more open minded like this bass fishing, it opens up exponential opportunities for patterns you wouldn't have otherwise considered. Hence, the Alabama Rig Paradigm Shift.
Before this concept of the Alabama Rig, we never before considered that we could get away with throwing gaudy visible wires to fool a bass! We have been trending towards finesse, natural, and subtle presentations to catch more bass. Then here comes some 3 ounce rig splashing into the water every cast catching them better than anything that has ever been cast 2 catch. Catching doubles are common, even triples, and quadruples! All based on the principle of 5 wires and 5 swimbaits.
WHY IT WORKS!
The Alabama Rig works because of slight of hand. Just like humans our brains can only track and focus on so much; taking in whatever information presented to us. The bass species is no different. The Alabama Rig works as an illusion to a fish! I explain it to clients like this... "Imagine you saw 5 Boeing 747s in a tight formation low to the ground. If those airplanes were being pulled by a cable would you even notice? You would be totally freaked out and 9 out of 10 people would probably not even notice the cables. They would just see the planes! The bass only see these swimbaits swimming through the water, and they are blind to the actual harness dragging them through the water. To that note, the bigger the swimbaits on the Alabama Rig the better the illusion.
My top three go to Alabama Rig setups are as follows.
Now all of these Alabama Rigs can be outfitted with the heads and swimbaits I am going to discuss. My number 1 favorite rig 80% of the time is going to be the True Bass Swimbaits 1/8 ounce heads and 3/0 hook. My two baits are The Minner 3.5 by True Bass, and the Reaction Innovations Little Dipper! If you throw these on any of those three Alabama Rigs listed above you will be successful! My second favorite rig is a slightly heavier version, BUT it is based on the principle of greater illusion. I throw all 1/4 ounce True Lock Swimbait Heads with all Little Head 4.5 inch True Bass Swimbaits! Both of these triples pictured below were caught with this setup and on True Blue color.
First we are going to need the right rod and reel combination! There are a lot of people out there throwing TOO HEAVY of a rod for this application. Yes if you are throwing the 1/4 ounce little head 4.5 inch baits you need a 7'8' Heavy action rod. If you are throwing my go 2 setup which is 1/8 ounce heads you will need just a 7'3'' Medium Heavy or 7'6'' Medium Heavy. If I am targeting bass around cover and making precise casts to boat docks or grass clumps I am going with the 7'3'' MH. Mainly because I can manipulate this rod way more efficiently and put the bait exactly where I want it. If I am fan casting and covering water I am going to opt for the 7'6'' medium heavy rod. My favorite one so far is the Mark Rose Ledge Series Swimbait Rod. Beautiful parabolic bend and enough backbone to hoist in 3 big fish at once when you have that triple! The reason for the longer rod is that I can cast it farther.
The reel is a huge factor in this. If I have to choose one gear ratio for swimbaits in general for the end of time it is a 6.4:1 gear ratio real. You can slow down when you need to and speed up when you need to. If you're throwing a 5 and you have one knock 4 foot of slack in your line good luck getting a hook in him. I would rather discipline my hand to reel the bait slower and have the ability to take up slack when I need to. If you are throwing it shallow over 3 foot of grass thats when you want a 7 or 8 to 1 type reel Just know its going to be harder to turn the handle because of the drag of the bait. I'm a big Lews BB1 Pro fan. Best 6.4:1 swimbait reel on the market.
Now on to actually fishing the Alabama rig... This is where most people start over thinking the fishing aspect. If you have the setup that I described above with the heads I listed above. You want to throw it on 50 to 65lb braid and just use a normal steady retrieve over whatever cover or structure you're targeting.
There are really three types of retrieves. The one where you start reeling when it hits the water, a countdown, lastly letting it hit the bottom before starting your retrieve. When you start reeling when the rig hits the water I want you to think what pace do I need to retrieve to hover this bait a foot over the structure. This is a big key. Once you finally get a bite remember the pace at which you retrieved the bait. Always remember this with any of the three techniques. When you're counting down the bait for suspending fish you want to know how many seconds equal how many feet. An Alabama Rig is generally sinking about 2 feet per second, and even faster with the 1/4 ounce head rig. A good starting place is a 5 second countdown to get it to 10 foot and then begin your retrieve. I opt for the last option of letting it hit the bottom if the fish are really positioned on the bottom and not wanting to come up to the rig itself. The other is that I am fishing it extremely deep as in 20 foot or more. Now if you're on the west coast or even a highland reservoir you're going to have to master the countdown for suspending fish.
Lastly, I want you to play with using fluorocarbon on your deep clear reservoirs. For some reason it seems to get more bites. They can't see the dang wires to the Alabama Rig, but they can see the line it seems.... However the line of sight to the line is a lot farther removed from the illusion of the swimbaits, so it does make sense.
In the end the Alabama Rig is a bait that shook up the entire industry, and certain anglers even have made their career off of this singular setup. They have mastered the art of The Alabama Rig. It catches fish so well that it has been banned in every top tier professional circuit as of now. Pro Am circuits let you throw two dummies and three hooks. All in all if you're not throwing it starting in the fall you are really costing yourself a great fishing experience, because there really isn't a bait that can hold a candle to it when they start chasing shad. Go buy what we discussed above, and send me a picture of your triple!
Don't miss my WINTER SPECIAL!*** $375 for an 8 hour guide trip with a pro!
If you want to book a trip to fish with me just give me a call or send an email. God bless!
alabamabassguide@gmail.com
Ryan Salzman, Alabama Bass Guide
256-508-5260
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This is my one frog rod. Do yourself a favor when you decide to come to Guntersville to fish. Have one rod on the deck, keep a spare in the locker in case you break it hoisting a 10lber out of the thick hydrilla mat. Color doesn't matter too too much. My go to choice is rain forest black. I keep it stupid simple.
You can decide to frog fish at anytime of the year on Guntersville if you want to. If you want to become a successful frog fisherman the best way to do it is to keep this one rod in your hand all day long. Pick your favorite frog. Tie it on and don't look back. Buy some glass rattles if you are fishing thick matted grass, and shove them inside your frog. Several frogs already come with rattles. There are many options, but the best I have found are:
You will not go wrong by choosing any of these frogs, especially if its brown or black (hint hint). Don't make it complicated. What matters is your persistence and your cadence.
STOP. Thats right stop. That is what you need to do while fishing a frog. Too many people fish it steady in a mat. Of course if they are aggressive you will draw strikes, but they will miss it, or you'll fish right through them most times. If you are covering water give it a 2 second or so pause in between cadences, and if you have found fish give it a 3 to 5 count. Trust me. Make sure to let the fish take the frog fully under the mat of grass before setting the hook. This will greatly increase your hook up ratio. Rule of thumb is a 2 Mississippi.
If you are fishing open water or scattered grass I use the spro popping frog. A steady walk the dog cadence is my favorite. I trim the tails up to about an inch and a half from the butt of the frog. Don't make one longer than the other, just pop on slack line and she will pivot back and forth making the walk the dog action. This is a great way to target fish with a frog. I will have several shad options in the popping series. Can't go wrong with Sexy Shad.
Other than that cover water cover water to find them then STOP! when you do.
I hope these tips help put more frog fish in your boat. To book a frog fishing trip call Ryan!
Ryan Salzman,
Alabama Bass Guide
256-508-5260
]]>Pickwick Lake will always have a special place in my heart. Because that is where I cut my teeth tournament fishing, and because of these beautiful brown fish called smallmouth!
This time of year on the Tennessee River, especially Pickwick, is prime time for throwing topwater for chasing fish. My favorite lure to target these fish is a Vixen by Reaction Innovations. Bone is the go to color, but the translucent colors work great when the water is calmer.
Pickwick Lake goes through transitions of having grass to not having grass about every 3 years or so. This was a year when the grass decided to make a comeback. The primary areas for chasing fish this year was scattered and topped out hydrilla mats. Once you got into an area you could PowerPole down and catch fish for hours. You would visibly see the bass chasing schools of shad.
If you didn't want to target the bigger groups of fish you could go down the grass line working your spook quickly down the edge to locate and catch fish. Sometimes I will switch to throwing a belly weighted True Bass Swimbait on an 1/8 ounce Owner Beast hook. I would reel that through the grass and over scattered hydrilla. They would knock slack in your line a lot of times when they would hit it.
We had an Alabama Bass Trail tournament at the beginning of October where I ran these patterns and weighed in just under 17lbs fishing by myself. My partner was deployed overseas for this event.
Once the water draws down in the middle of October the topwater action gets even better. The tail race below the dam really heats up with hundreds of fish eating up there every morning. Sometimes they can be finicky on what topwater they want. If you want to learn the tips and tricks on fishing Pickwick give me a call!
To fish Pickwick or any other Alabama Lake call:
Ryan Salzman,
Alabama Bass Guide
256-508-5260
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Summer temperatures are still lingering. The days are getting shorter. The bait begins to bunch up on the surface in the afternoon and evening time. The start making their way toward the mouth of the creeks, and schooling activity begins in the grass. Water temperature has fallen from 87 to 83 degrees, and there is some hope of remorse from the heat. The fish are enjoying the cooler nights, and so should we!
During this time of year the weather patterns are wishy washy with the colder weather. We may have 2 to 3 days of sanctuary from the heat, before another southerly ridge builds, blocking the cool weather from entering Alabama. Much like Alabama's defense.
The fish are starting to chase and feed up with the temperature falling slightly, so here are some baits to target these fish during the month of August and September. I call it the Florida Rig... its a 1/8 ounce pegged skinny dipper from Reaction Innovations to reel through the grass. If you could pick one bait for the scattered grass this time of year this would be it! Guntersville shad and bad shad are my go to colors, and sexy shad for some off colored water.
Big Worm! When the heat kicks in and Guntersville Lake falls flat without any wind; dig in the tackle box, and pick up a 10 inch worm to throw on the edge of the grass. This will catch big fish, as well as small fish. Cover water and stay on the main channel grass focusing on steep drops of hydrilla. Best colors for the worm are watermelon seed, plum, redbug, and green pumpkin. Chartreuse dye on the tail doesn't hurt either!
Fishing deep! Yes, one of my favorite ways to still catch the fish this time of year is deep. They have seen a lot of lures over the summer, so pull out a drop shot with a Reaction Innovations Sliver Shot in morning dawn. Rig it on 8lb fluorocarbon and a 1/4 ounce drop shot weight. I prefer a ball or tear drop shape. Find them with your Lowrance drop down and...
Last, but not least is the FROG! This is where the transition into the all mighty frog comes in. I will save you time on where to look during this warm period. Go up river from Goosepond and North! This is where the grass tops out the quickest, so this is where it will thin out the quickest. Find those mats that are popping like rice crispy treats, then throw your hollow body frog of choice on 65lb braid as far as you can into the middle of it! Hold on. Once mid September hits this pattern is more prevalent across the entire lake, but it starts as early as August. f
If you would like to learn how to fish Guntersville, or any other Lakes in Alabama give me a call!
Ryan Salzman, Alabama Bass Guide
256-508-5260
]]>During the middle of summer when the temperatures are beating down on you there is no better way to catch a big fish than looking deep. You can go shallow and throw senkos and pop r type baits and catch quantity for sure, but if you want big mama your probability is higher probing the depths with your Lowrance Side Scan and Down Scan.
I spend days upon days idling, scanning, looking... for the beautiful dots that line the bottom of the lake that tell me bass are living there.
Once you find them you have to catch them. I offer a full service electronics course that teaches you how to find the fish, know they're bass, and then how to catch the fish that you find. Each ledge or hump can be different in the way you approach fishing the structure. There is no better lure than the Jig to get the job done day in and day out. A tight lines Muscle Crawler jig in 3/4 ounce with a Strike King Rage Craw is top notch. Keep your colors simple. Green Pumpkin. Line up with the fish, and drag it as slow as you can. Most of the time one will have it before it hits the bottom.
Once I catch one with the jig I immediate fire the True Bass Swimbait Perfect Head 5.5 on a 3/4 ounce True Lock Swimbait Head. Color - 99 Problems. Let it hit the bottom and begin the retrieve. My favorite reel for this setup is a Lews BB1 Pro in a 7 or 6 gear ratio with 15 to 17lb fluorocarbon. I use a Sinister Rods 7'8'' Heavy swimbait rod. It is one of the best in my opinion. Usually I will catch several in a row if I can get one to fire. After that I will begin rotation different baits in and out to maximize a spot before moving on. When I am out just playing I usually don't try to hurt them too bad because we can target fish so well these days they don't stand a chance deep. Unless there's a big event I don't lean on em too hard. I catch a handful and let them be. Usually the biggest ones are the first to eat anyways.
A buzzbait or bullshad over submerged hydrilla in the mornings and evenings on Guntersville this time of year can be dynamite as well. Braid is the go to choice for line type. Cover water and hold on! You are liable to catch a hydrilla gorilla.
If you would like to fish Guntersville or Pickwick Lake in the summer or like to learn how to target fish like this and enhance your ability to find fish year round. Feel free to give me a call. I would love to teach you.
Captain Ryan Salzman
Alabama Bass Guide
256-508-5260
]]>Alabama Bass Guide, Ryan Salzman 256-508-5260
When big bass go deep after spawning... They want to rest and recuperate.The quickest way for these fish to regain their strength is to eat a big meal. When you understand this you can fully take advantage of this time of year for big bass.
My go to baits for going big this time of year are:
I literally have these things tied on my deck for the first month of ledge fishing. I will add smaller baits to the line up to put fish in the boat if it gets slow. Then I will throw the True Bass 4.5 and 5.5 on 1/2 and 3/4 ounce True Lock Heads. Ill have a shaky head or drop shot rigged as well.
This picture a bass surfaced thrashing around right in front of us during a guide trip during the first week of May on a hot day. I thought my client had hooked this giant. He thought I had hooked this giant. We soon realized what was going on. We got over to the fish and saw this BIG shell cracker stuck in its throat. We scooped it up in the net, and saved both of the fish. I had to fizz the fish slightly for it to swim back down. It was an amazing sight to see, and really proved the principle I am talking about above. Go big or go home this time of year!
Give me a call and lets go fishing!
Captain Ryan Salzman
256-508-5260
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Man what a great shad spawn... literally the best I have seen in years. It would look like the lake is boiling at times. If you paired your True Bass Swimbait on a chatterbait it was game over... like seriously. We caught so many giants on that matchup this year its not even funny. The would have it choked every time. When it would get calmer we would switch it up to just a plain True Bass Swimbait on the True Lock Swimbait head. 1/4 ounce works great for the SHAD SPAWN. You can really crawl around where they are spawning. Target new grass growth wherever that may be.
You always want to visually see some shad following your bait to indicate a good shad spawn area. Then the bass are never very far I promise. You just have to figure out how to catch them! Another bait that I have heard great things of right now is the new True Bass "The Minner" 3.5 on an Alabama Rig right now. If you like throwing a small Keitech these things will hang right with them if not catch them better at times. We don't throw many Alabama rigs on trips. However I threw that setup in a BFL and caught over 50 fish on one rig without changing baits.
If the weather is really calm I drag a sweet beaver and a tight lines football jig in these same areas. I like using it as a trailer as well this time of year.
Give me a call and lets go fishing.
Ryan Salzman
256-508-5260
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Guys Pickwick Lake is absolutely one of the best fisheries in the entire world. Especially during the spring time. Trophy smallmouth bass are teaming the waters feeding up for the spawn. Once April hits the spawn is in full swing. There are special ways and techniques used to catch these fish. My one two punch is a True Bass Swimbait on a 1/2 ounce True Lock Swimbait head. Color depends on conditions. 99 Problems, Hot Sauce, Green Bean, True Blue, and Citron are always consistent. I use a 6.8:1 gear ratio Lews Reel paired with a 7'3'' MH Team Lite Lews Rod. Line size varies on depth. I use 15 to 20lb fluorocarbon.
When they begin to spawn I throw a Reaction Innovations Flirt, Kinky Beaver, and Sweet Beaver on a shaky head. Everyone knows that these fish love the current. There are definitely better ways than others to pick apart the current. Come fish with me and learn how to catch some more fish during the spring!
Towards the end of April I always try to sight fish a few with my clients. It makes for a great exciting trip!
Lets go fishing.
256-508-5260
Captain Ryan Salzman
Alabama Bass Guide
]]>What a great spring all around... The water color has been great for a True Bass Swimbait 4.5 and 5.5. We have been pairing it with a 1/2 ounce and 3/4 ounce True Lock Head and slow rolling them deep for these pre spawn sals!
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Man oh man! They are CHOKING a True Bass Swimaits 4.5 and 5.5!! These brown fish can't stand to watch these baits swim by them. I love these swimbaits...
I was able to catch my personal best... an 8.00 lb even smallmouth! This thing was a brute... I'm going to make a more detailed post about it late. Our best 5 from this picture went 31.63 lbs.
This is my absolute favorite time of year to fish Pickwick Lake for smallmouth bass. The bites are ferocious. The fight hard as hell. They jump high as a kite. I live to catch these things.
Give me a call if you want a smallmouth fishing trip!
Captain Salzy,
256-508-5260
]]>This is the most fun bite of the year. When these smallmouth hit your bait it is surreal. They will jar your rod.
As the flood gates wined down the smallmouth started to bite. Amazing day with two fish over 6lbs. All fish caught on a True Bass Swimbait 4.5 and 5.5 in Citron and 99 Problems. 1/2 and 3/4 ounce heads! If you live close to Pickwick Lake Perkins Outdoors stays stocked with True Bass Swimbaits. If you're about to head down head over to www.trueswimbaits.com and buy there! Use promo code TRYUS20 for 20% off your first order.
If you would like a smallmouth trip call Ryan @ 256-508-5260.
This is my favorite time of year! Tightlines.
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Lake Guntersville is one of the most rewarding lakes I have ever fished, and it can be one of the most challenging lakes that I have ever fished. Hopefully I can pass some information along that can get you catching some fish and enjoy your time on Guntersville.
This February fishing started out frigid, and then had an unseasonable warm spell causing the water temps to rise mid month all the way into the 70s. Triggering several fish to spawn, as it happened during the same time as a full moon. We have caught several post spawn fish in March already.
Best baits for February Dirty water: (KEEP IT SIMPLE)
Best baits for February Clear Water:
***Throw a Topwater if you have a sudden warm up over 55 degrees.
Hopefully this list will help you narrow down your baits for early spring fishing on Guntersville Lake. Now lets talk about a few patterns to get you started.
Rattle Bait pattern: The most famous pattern for Guntersville. Target emergent vegetation for the spring. Find the new growth millfoil and eel grass. Eel grass has really became a player on this lake the last 5 years. You will find it floating on the surface. This will drive you mad. However put up with it, because eel grass is your friend. You will find this all over the lake from main river bars to backwater pockets. All hold fish this time of year.
Single Swimbait and Alabama Rig: My favorite pattern for sure. I love swimbaits. Hard to beat an Alabama Rig in sub 50 degree water. I enjoy the single because it is so low impact... until a fish hits it. Throw these baits around bridges, choke points, creek channel swings, flats, etc... Anywhere you think there may fish around. I even throw my single swimbait shallow with a 1/4 ounce True Lock head from True Bass Swimbaits. Throw it in the same places you would throw a trap. Interchangable with chatterbaits.
JIGS: One of the most universal baits all over the country. Guntersville is no exception. Drag em deep, drag em shallow, and skip some docks. Just make sure is Guntersville Special. LOL!
If you have any questions or would like a trip on Guntersville, feel free to contact me. My contact information is at the top and bottom. Tight lines.
Alabama Bass Guide
Ryan Salzman
256-508-5260
alabamabassguide@gmail.com
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Lake Guntersville fished great this past December! We caught fish all month, and tons of numbers. The health and wealth of Lake Guntersville is very promising... Several days over 22lbs. The best baits were the True Bass Swimbait 4.5 in R2D2 rigged on a 1/2 and 3/4 ounce True Lock Head. If you haven't had a chance to try the baits yet use the code TRYUS20 for 20% off your order on www.trueswimbaits.com . Or if you love our stuff take advantage of a limited time free shipping code "lastcast".
The fall bite lasted all the way through December. The fish were really shallow prior to the arctic blast we had at the beginning of the New Year. I always tell me clients everyday to have an open mind and lets go fishing! That was the key to our success throughout December. Some days we caught them on main lake channel swings in 15-20 foot of water and other days we caught them in the shallow flats chasing bait fish like it was October. On grass lakes this pattern usually holds on longer than non-grass lakes due to the shallow vegetation. The grass gives the bait a great source of food, and in turn the bass have a great source of food!
Key bait for us were the True Bass Swimbait, Jerkbaits, The Alabama Rig outfitted with little dippers with a True Bass Little Head 4.5 in the center. Always rig the 4.5 on the 1/4 ounce 4/0 True Lock Swimbait Head. I had some that lasted me two weeks fishing every other day. The baits are extremely durable, and when paired with the True Lock it becomes like a hard bait almost... If you have to chance one you're wrecking em. The best jerkbait color was a Clear AYU or Chartreuse Shad color. Use the Guntersville Shad, Bad Sexy, Bad Shad Green, and Sexy Shad with the Reaction Innovations Little Dippers.
If you want to learn new techniques and learn how to find fish better give me a call! I can help with your tournament and fun fish needs. I look forward to fishing with you! I will be doing a forecast video and long blog here soon about what this New Year holds for us with all of this cold air we've had at the beginning of 2018.
Take care and tight lines! Lets go fishing.
Captain Ryan Salzman USCG/ARMY
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Fall on Guntersville has been fantastic!! Best bait hands down is a True Bass 4.5 in ICU, Green Bean, Hot Sauce, and 99 Problems. Full report to come.
]]>Had a few clients from out of town just looking to catch fish! They were here for several days looking for tight lines, and tight lines we found! Best baits were the ICE Vixen and True Bass 4.5 on a 1/2 ounce True Lock Swimbait Head. We targeted chasing fish both days.
We actually would start each morning chunking a BullSHAD over the grass looking for a big bite. I had an absolute giant come off right at the boat on the 3rd cast of the morning. It was every bit of an 8lb class fish. Never expected to hook into one that FAST!! It was incredible. Happened so fast I couldn't even be mad about it... Now it stings a little. Then we transitioned to the schooling fish over grass flats and points. I know this they went and immediately bought a bullshad and several True Bass Swimbaits after seeing what they could do. We didn't have to change out our swimbait all day. Catching 20 fish a piece on it. Some big, most small, but had a BLAST doing it.
We did catch a couple on a frog, one being a 4lber. Didn't do it very long. Frog bite still going strong! Call me and lets go fishin!
]]>Ladies and Gentleman fall fishing is here and the bass are doing their routine afternoon gorging sessions. We have kept a topwater bait in our hand the past several days. Starting out throwing Bone Vixens down the edges of the grass, then transitioning into throwing a frog the rest of the day. Picking up the Flipping stick every once in a while and popping a few. Pick up a True Bass Swimbait, fire it down the main channel grass edge and catch a few. Classic fall fishing! Junk fishing grass at its best. Throw whatever looks right! Best frog colors have bee black, brown, and black and yellow. Reaction innovations swamp donkey has been a key bait to getting bit. It has a slimmer profile that the fish haven't really seen. We have also had some big bites on the King Daddy frog. I have a personal vendetta with this frog. Its my mission to catch a giant with it. Its personal.
But, the frog fishing has been GREAT! Give me a call to schedule a frog fishing trip today. It is popping off with the cool weather.
]]>I had met a displaced Floridian that was running from the hurricane, and told him to come hop in the boat before it hit! He loved to bass fish and even brought his boat with him. We got a good 6 hours in before the rain and wind drove us off the lake. We caught several fish frogging, but the best bite became the flipping bite up in the day! Flipping Reaction innovation sweet beaver in Green Pumpkin and Hematoma. Kinky Beaver put several fish in the boat as well. Just find the thickest stuff you can see and put a big weight on and go through it. Thump! Make sure to use braid! We use 65lb Fitzgerald Braid on all of our frogging and flipping outfits.
Made a great friend and great memories!
]]>We started out the morning with strong North winds, and cold temperatures. To adjust we went and threw traps and jerkbaits around grass edges to have some fun! We instantly put fish in the boat. He wanted to try for big fish. I said "lets wait till it warms up." Like a light switch at 11am the matted grass started popping like pop rocks and bass started busting through the grass eating blue gill, and our frogs. We were able to sit in two places for hours catching fish. Turned out to be a fabulous day on Guntersville dragging some big green fish out of the mats.
]]>We had a cool snap and the shallow bite went on FIRE for a few days. We caught fish on frogs, and a lot of them in one little area. One of the most fun days I have had in a while with one of the best clients I have ever had. Great guys. We caught fish from deep to shallow. Best bait was a black frog shallow and best bait deep was a True Bass Swimbait 5.5 inch swimbait on a 3/4 ounce True Lock Swimbait head. Let the bait hit the bottom then crawl it back to the boat, and BOOM!!!
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