Alabama began stocking Atlantic-strain striped bass in many of the state's reservoirs back in 1965. At first, the stocking was limited to Lake Martin, near Montgomery. Within a few years, 24 reservoirs were receiving them. Only seven, however, continue to be stocked.
Striped bass are very sensitive to temperature variations, preferring 68 degrees. If the oxygen level is poor or nonexistent at whatever depth serves as the striped bass sanctuary, the reservoir is probably better suited for hybrids
Smith Lake and Lake Martin are indeed on the list of reservoirs receiving stockings of striped bass. Weiss Lake is also on the list. Others getting them are most of the reservoirs along the Warrior, Tombigbee, Alabama, Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers. Some of the best striper fishing in Alabama can be found on Demopolis, Holt, Gainesville, Neely Henry, Jordan, Lay, Yates and Thurlow lakes. On the other hand, the shallower and warmer reservoirs, like Lake Eufaula, are stocked with hybrids.
Veteran striper guides say the best bait is gizzard shad, not the threadfin variety. If you can catch the shad out of the lake in which you plan to fish, chances are even better that they will live longer and entice more strikes. If you can't catch or buy shad, use shad-like artificial lures.
Alabama Striped
Bass fishing reports
Alabama
Fishing Regulations
Alabama
striper fishing hot spot topograhical maps:
Attention Guides Alabama Striper Fishing Guides Add - Your Link here
Alabama Coosa River Lake levels at Weiss, Heny, Jordan, Logan, Lay, Mitchell, Bouldin
Alabama Power
Alabama Power's automated Reservoir Information System
Alabama Power's toll-free Reservoir Information System at 1-800-LAKES-11 (525-3711), you can access information on lakes, including generation schedules of our hydroelectric facilities, current lake levels and river and stream flows. .
Alabama Coosa River = Spawning stripers Self sustaining population
Alabama State Record Striped Bass Alabama
Freshwater Stripers Records
Charles Totty Tallapousa river 1955 55 Lbs
Hybrid Striped Bass fishing record
25 lbs 15 oz -- 9/13/96 Sipsey Fork E. H. Hodges/Chelsea
Alabama Saltwater Striper Fishing Record
55 lbs Billy Henderson Hometown Fairfield Al
Alabama boasts a healthy population of stripers. They can be found in major lakes including Lake Eufaula, Guntersville Lake, Lake Harding, Lay Lake, Logan Martin Lake, Lake Martin, Lake Neely Henry, Smith Lake, Lake Tuscaloosa, Lake Weiss, West Point Lake, Wheeler Lake, Wilson Lake and Lake Woodruff.
When fishing for stripers concentrate on the deeper waters in the lake. If you can locate schools of shad, stripers are often close by. When the baitfish are shallow over the deep water, you can catch stripers on crankbaits or by swimming spoons at appropriate depths. And for the ultimate thrill try large topwater baits if you see any surface feeding action. When the stripers are deep, jigs and jigging spoons work well. Live and cut bait will also take striped bass when they are in medium to deeper water. Fish nearby or in the river channel if it is a defined depth change. Trolling is also an excellent way to fish for stripers. Use flashy lures in bigger sizes
Lake Eufaula Weather for Lake Eufala (Walter E. George) Reservoir Noted for its excellent largemouth bass population, as well as an outstanding hybrid striped bass fishery. 45,180 acres.
Smith Lake
Weather For Smith lake Alabama
Smith lake record striper
Sandra Stewart 45 Lb Lake Record
Smith Lake impounds 20,120 acres in the hills of Walker, Winston and Cullman counties The deep waters leaving Smith Lake provide a fishery unique within Alabama. The Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River below Lewis Smith Dam remains in the fifty to sixty-five degree range all year. These temperatures are too cold for native populations to thrive, but the cold water provides an opportunity for anglers interested in rainbow trout to test their skills. The tailwaters also provide a seasonal skipjack herring fishery (March-April) and a fishery for both large "saltwater" striped bass and white bass / striped bass hybrids (also known as wipers). The Alabama record hybrid striped bass came from the Smith Lake tailwaters. This fishery is located in a tailwater, and water is released to generate power on an as-needed basis. That means the water levels can fluctuate and fluctuate quickly. For information about intended release times, call 1-800-LAKES-11 (1-800-525-3711). Remember these release schedules are subject to change without notice. When water is released, one should Immediately get out of the stream and to a point of safety above the vegetation line. On the east side of the Sipsey Fork, there is a paved road running north off Hwy 69. This road runs for 2 miles to the Birmingham water pumping station. Many access points to the river are available from this road. To fish above the pumping station, dirt road can be walked by walking around the pumping station. Waders and felt sole boots should be used by waders because of the water temperature and the slick algae-covered rocks. This area is close to the dam, and the water may rise very quickly without warning. One can also fish at the dam from the west side of the river with access provided by Alabama Power Company. Boat access is available downstream off County Road 22 near the town of Sipsey. A recent study analyzed the food habits of striped bass. More than 2,400 prey items were retrieved from striped bass stomachs. Almost 2,300 of the prey items were shad, the primary forage of striped bass. Only twelve prey items, six bluegill and six crappie, were game fish. This is important information because many anglers assume that striped bass often prey on game fish. The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division manages, protects, conserves and enhances the freshwater resources of Alabama including 47 reservoirs larger than 500 acres that cover 551,220 acres, 23 State Public Fishing Lakes , and 77,000 miles of perennial rivers and streams
Weiss Lake
Both Alabama and Georgia first stocked Weiss Lake, the uppermost impoundment on the Coosa River, with striped bass in the early 1970s
Electrofishing samples in March 1994 netted four 1-year-old striped bass near the Alabama-Georgia border. DNA analysis revealed that all four were Atlantic-strain fish. Since Georgia was stocking Gulf-strain fish, Alabama officials concluded that natural reproduction of striped bass was occurring in the upper Coosa River.
Read More On Alabamas Coosa River Stripers
Lake Weiss (pronounced "Wice") is an Alabama Power Company hydroelectric impoundment covering 30,200 acres in northeast Alabama on the Alabama - Georgia border. The Weiss lake fishery is the major economic influence in Cherokee County. Four free public access areas and 37 privately run marinas service Lake Weiss. The lake known as the "Crappie Fishing Capital of the World" has other fish to boast about these days; largemouth bass and striped bass are making a name for themselves.
Mark Collins a professional guide on Weiss lake in Alabama for 16 years says Weiss is fast becoming known as a awesome striper lake. "I average 10-20 in a 4 hour trip 6-15 lbs each. The state of Georgia is now netting all there brood fish for their stocking program in the head waters of the Coosa River ! Weiss is definately worthy of mention as a striper fishery. They might not get as huge here but NO other lake in the state can produce the numbers that are caught here!" Check out some of the catches on his striper reports page
Lake Andrews: This 1540-acre navigation lake is on the Chattahoochee River near Columbia in southeast Alabama. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which jointly manages it with the DWFF, Striped bass numbers are at the highest levels in year. Most weight 2 to 3 pounds, but fish up to 20 pounds show up.
Neely Henry Lake: Shoe-homed in between Logan Martin and Weiss lakes on the Coosa River, 11,235-acre Neely Henry is fast becoming a prime destination for stripers. Fish of up to 7 pounds are abundant during spring runs and when power is being generated at Weiss Dam. Most of the action is in the headwaters of the lake near that dam.
Yates and Thurlow Reservoirs: Two little known and small impoundments on the Tallapoosa River below Lake Martin and in Montgomery's backyard, Thurlow (585 acres) and Yates (1,980 acres) both offer good striper prospects. This is particularly true in the upper end of Yates at the foot of Martin Dam. The cool water released during power generation makes this possibly the best site in the Cotton State to catch a 40-plus-pound striped bass. --
June 2001, Thomas Greene of Birmingham
with this 44-pound, 8-ounce striped bass
from little known Lay Lake
Alabama Operates 3 fish hatcheries
Carbon Hill Fish Hatchery - Eastaboga Fish Hatchery - Marion Fish Hatchery
Water
Temperatures
Eastern
Gulf of Mexico
Major
River Basins
County
Temperature
Conversion
Enter a number in either field, then click outside the
text box, or press the tab
This
script converts from celcius to farhenheit and vice versa
Steve Smith, District II
Fisheries Biologist,
Alabama's Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries
With the cooler weather, striped bass begin to feed more readily. Several lakes in Alabama are noted for their striped bass fishing, including Smith Lake and Lake Martin, but Lake Weiss and all the Coosa River system reservoirs have striped bass fishing opportunities also.
Been fishing on the Coosa River lately? Throwing that rattle-trap, cast after cast when all of a sudden you get a strike that you swear will be the new state or maybe even world record, only to find that you landed a saltwater stripe. This scenario is occurring more frequently on Coosa River reservoirs. Why? The Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (ADWFF) has documented natural reproduction of striped bass in the upper Coosa River basin. Evidence shows that these fish are well on their way to establishing a self-sustaining population in Weiss Lake, a feat that has occurred in only a handful of landlocked river systems.
**********************************
Alabama auto owners have a new specialty tag option when they renew their license plates. The Forever Wild license plate became available in county probate offices on September 1. The tag is $50 above the renewal cost with personalization available at no additional charge. Best of all, the specialty tag fee goes toward the purchase of public recreation lands.
For more information about the Forever Wild specialty tag, contact Joe Copeland at 256-287-1652; or e-mail the Friends of Forever Wild organization at joec@powernet.org
Alabama Geographical Information
East Gulf Coastal Plain: The East Gulf Coastal
Plain covers the southern two thirds of the state, except
for the
Prairie Black Belt. On the western side
of the state the East Gulf Coastal Plain runs north almost to the
Tennessee border.
Longitude / Latitude |
Longitude: 84° 51' W to 88° 28' W
Latitude: 30° 13' N to 35° N |
|
Length x Width |
Alabama is 330 miles long and 190 miles wide at its most distant points. |
|
Geographic Center |
The geographic center of Alabama is located in Chilton County , 12 miles SW of Clanton .
Longitude: 86° 38.0'W
Latitude: 32° 50.5'N |
|
Borders |
Alabama is bordered by Tennessee on the north, Georgia on the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico on the south and Mississippi on the west. |
Total Area |
Alabama covers 52,423 square miles, making it the 30th largest of the 50 states . |
Land Area |
50,750 square miles of Alabama are land areas. |
Water Area |
1,673 square miles of Alabama are covered by water. |
Highest Point |
The highest point in Alabama is Cheaha Mountain at 2,407 feet above sea level. Cheaha Mountain, from the Creek Indian word meaning "high place" is located in Lineville, Alabama. Visit Cheaha Mountain State Park . |
Lowest Point |
The lowest point in Alabama is sea level where Alabama meets the Gulf of Mexico. |
Mean Elevation |
The Mean Elevation of the state of Alabama is 500 feet above sea level. |
Major Rivers |
Tombigbee River , Alabama River, Tennessee River , Chattahoochee River . |
Major Lakes |
Guntersville Lake , Wilson Lake , Martin Lake, West Point Lake, Lewis Smith Lake
|
Lay Lake
Stripers247.com
All Stripers All The Time!!
