Spring Fishing - How to Fish Lake Guntersville in February

Alabama Bass Guide - Ryan Salzman

Contact: (256) 508-5260 & alabamabassguide@gmail.com

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)

• Rattle Bait (Any of them will work. Pick your favorite. Make it red or bright yellow.)
• Square Bill (Red or OXBOE)
• RAPALA DT Series (ANY OF THEM!)
• JIG (Guntersville Special with black/blue trailer) (Reaction Innovations - SWEET BEAVER)
• Big Spinnerbait (Chartreuse and White)
• Chatterbait (Black and Blue/ Chartreuse and White, True Bass Swimbaits 4.5 Hot SauceTrailer)
• Soft Plastics - Drag a kinky beaver or sweet beaver around lilly pad stems.

Best baits for February Clear Water:

• Alabama Rig (Reaction Innovations Skinny Dippers/Little Dippers. True Bass Swimbaits "The Minner 3.5 and Little Head 4.5", Pair with true lock head. Baits will last all day(S).)
• Rattle Bait (Any will work. Tend more to shad patterns, however red always works).
• Chatterbait (Shad Patterns or Green Pumpkin, also throw just a True Bass 4.5 removing the skirt off of a chatterbait. You're welcome.)
• Jigs (Guntersville Special - Green pumpkin trailer (Reaction Innovations - SWEET BEAVER) **like I said keep it simple.
• Scrounger - put a cute lil shad bait on it. haha!
• Soft plastics - Drag a sweet beaver, skinny dipper, or kinky beaver shallow.
• Last but definitely not least... SINGLE SWIMBAIT!! My personal favorite. I love the 1/2 ounce true lock head on a True Bass Swimbait 4.5 and a 3/4 ounce head on the Perfect Head 5.5. Pick your favorite color. Mine is 99 Problems. They all work.

***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