As of December 28th, Lake Guntersville in Alabama is offering some of the best bass fishing of the year, especially with the cooler weather triggering an aggressive feeding pattern among the bass.
### Weather and Conditions
Today, the weather is expected to be around 65 degrees with cloudy skies, similar to the past week, which has prompted a significant movement of bass into feeding areas. This mild weather is ideal for bass activity.
### Sunrise and Sunset
Sunrise is at approximately 6:43 AM, and sunset will be around 4:43 PM, giving you a good window for both morning and afternoon fishing.
### Fish Activity
The bass are highly active, with reports of big catches in various depth zones. Yesterday, guide trips yielded an average of 17 fish per day, with an average size of 4 pounds. The fish are distributed from as shallow as 1 foot to as deep as 30 feet, but the larger ones are mostly found around creek ledges in 12-19 feet, following bait.
### Types and Amounts of Fish
The lake is home to a diverse population of bass, including largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, and hybrid bass. Recent trips have seen catches of up to 50 fish per day, with the best five fish weighing around 19 pounds.
### Best Lures and Baits
For deep fishing, a nicotine shad has been highly effective. For shallower waters, jerkbaits and freeloaders are producing excellent results. Crappie fishing is also strong, with tight-lining Bobby Garland type baits in monkey milk or blue ice colors on a 1/16 oz jighead being very successful.
### Hot Spots
Some of the best spots to target bass include Brown Creek, Town Creek, North Sauty, and South Sauty. Siebold Creek is also a hotspot, especially around the channel markers, islands, and humps. Fishing near the Guntersville and Nickajack Dams can also yield significant catches.
### Tidal Report
Since Lake Guntersville is a freshwater lake, it does not have tides. However, the water levels can fluctuate based on dam operations, but this does not significantly impact the fishing patterns.
Overall, Lake Guntersville is in prime condition for bass fishing this time of year, and with the right lures and knowledge of the hot spots, you're set for a productive and enjoyable fishing trip.