Crappie, spotted bass and sauger add to the action. What is the name of the largest fish found in Alabama freshwater? Anyone interested in fishing Lewis Smith Lake or waters within the wider area around Jasper should consult with local resources before heading out to fish. Fish must be weighed on certified scales. Anglers can even fish part of this location from shore from the Lake Eufaula Campground. Rich with juvenile bass, sunfish, and crappie, this lake is the perfect feeding ground for monster catfish. "At end of the day, there certainly is some truth to these stories but people also enjoy telling stories. Another reason for the massive number of catfish is the crash of the commercial catfish market. 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. Price: $330,000. Anglers who are fishing from a boat often stick with a cork baited with bait fish. Aside from Cedar Creek Dam, angling the I-49 bridge and the cut west of it are viable options for targeting channel catfish. The jig of a jig and pig is usually a lead head jig with a fairly big hook. When a big catfish strikes, its important not to jerk but simply apply pressure and start reeling.. Campgrounds: YES He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. Bham Now top tip The Sunflower Bakery & Eatery does the best biscuits in the history of biscuits! In both cases, bait your hooks with shad. This is a myth, along with age-old claims that giant anacondas or piranhas eat men. How many rods can you fish with in Alabama? Yellow and chartreuse are fish-catchers because, simply put, they get seen. 403 Co Rd 386 The earth- and rock-filled dam is 2,200 feet long and 300 feet tall, one of the largest dams of its type in the . Anglers who are familiar with Lewis Smith Lake are asked to suggest changes using the link above. At Smith Lake dam you have water over 200 ft. in places. This has led to more and larger fish in the entire Tennessee River system. Make Short Casts. Some anglers also recommend around dusk or dawn, on a cool day, during peak or slack tide. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The lakes deeper holes and areas with heavy currents are your best bet for locating channel catfish. We used my Hummingbird 1198 to locate the fish, Captain Brian says. Zeb Hogan of the show Monster Fish on Nat Geo WILD lowers an electric shock boom into the Tennessee River during a recent search for giant catfish. Catfish also find their way into marshes, coastal estuaries, and river deltas. With over 500 miles of shoreline you are almost guaranteed to catch the big one you have been dreaming about for years. 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. 256 756-7946if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'aa_fishing_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',131,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aa_fishing_com-leader-1-0'); Duskin Point Marina Boat Rentals Millers Ferry Lake runs about 105 miles along the river to the Claiborne Dam in Monroe County. There are five major species of catfish in the state of Alabama. But if youd like to up your game, check out our complete guide to catfish fishing techniques, including the best baits, tackle and plenty of tips. Anglers can catch plenty of decent-sized catfish from shore, but they often catch the largest catfish in the cut to the right of the Bartletts Ferry Hydro Dam or in the dams tailwaters in the Chattahoochee River below the dam itself. With five significant species in Alabama, catfish are one of the most sought-after fish in the state. 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. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Like any other trophy trip, the route to trophy catfish takes some planning and arranging for success. There are two dozen species of freshwater fish larger than 6 feet and weighing more than 200 pounds, which is as big as a person, and some weigh up to 600 or 700 pounds.. 205 384-6942, Grace's Retreat Yates Lake is a 2,000-acre lake located in east-central Alabama on the Tallapoosa River about 30 minutes northeast of Montgomery. Hoover resident Carol DiPlacido talked with me about her familys decision to purchase a weekend lakeside cabin on Smith Lake, and it turns out being easy and quick to get to was an important factor. Duncan Bridge Marina Boat Launch Ramp Guide To Fishing At Lewis Smith Lake AKA: Smith Lake Known for monster striped bass, Smith Lake AKA Lewis Smith Lakeis a 21,000-acre lake located in north-central Alabama about an hour north of Birmingham. Supposedly, the record is a 123 lb. Because channel catfish love deep holes and currents, its essential to locate deeper holes with fast-moving water to target these hungry catfish. Competed in international coastal rowing championships and followed Wales throughout Europe in their Rugby and Soccer endeavours. Cullman, Alabama 35057 Guntersville Reservoir, Jeremy S. White, Alexander CityJack Grant, Altoona, Richard Johnson, Bay Minette 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. A number of guides on the major north Alabama lakes can put anglers on these monster catfish. Evidence of an Alabama sea serpent does exist in the fossilized bones of the zeuglodon, a prehistoric whale that grew to about 70 feet in length. Fish must be weighed on certified scales. Filled with brush piles and submerged trees, Pickwick Lake also has multiple deep water holes and is rich in minnows, shad, and crawfish. This 1,550-acre lake in northern Alabama is home to some massive blue and channel catfish. The cut that ends at Madwind Road is an excellent example of this. They look after you and remember you. Bait & Tackle: NEARBY Rentals: Pontoon boats Lay Lake is a 12,000-acre reservoir fed by the tailwaters of the Logan Martin Dam. All Rights Reserved. You might not know that Smith Lake is BIG! Catfishing Fall Catfishing for Trophy Flatheads on Lay Lake Apex predators, flatheads don't conform to catfishing stereotypes. Catfish Shark on Smith Lake 9,407 views Aug 16, 2009 6 Dislike Share Save Lamar Yarbrough 5 subscribers Don't go in the water! 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. Your Guide to Quintessential AL Foods. Theyre looking for food. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The best catfish angling on the Coosa River is at Lay Lake and Lake Mitchell. When fishing for blues in the main current of the Tombigbee River, anglers should stick to fishfinder or Carolina rigs that will keep your set-up pinned to the bottom and the bait in the water column. A favorite location of crappie anglers, the lakes stump field is best known for producing solid slabs consistently. These locations usually have a current and are best angled with a bottom rig, such as a Carolina or Texas rig baited with the cut bait or liver. to catch striped bass. Wes I have never catfished below Smith Lake dam. Catfish are versatile and can live in practically any body of water in Alabama. Some are big and others are small. This photo is an example of historic pictures Dr. Zeb Hogan studies when researching legends of giant fish. How do you catch striped bass on Smith Lake Alabama? A law was passed in 2017 meaning that marinas with restaurants can serve alcohol regardless of what the law is in the county. Theres plenty of spots to go for a peaceful swim, or if you want to get the adrenaline pumping, popular cliff jumping spots into the lake are Indian head jump (30 ft) and Castle Rock (4050 ft.). Fishing for striped bass can be even better in the hours before a major cold front or rain event arrives. I caught several small fish, but I had no luck on a fish over 30 pounds. Using a live minnow, shad, or crawfish, anglers should target submerged structures such as fallen trees or undercut banks to rip into massive flathead. Each one is rare and protected by state and federal agencies. While size matters in a lot of things, this smaller reservoir proves that good things can come in small packages. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. For us anglers who want to go after the mega-catfish, there are some things we can do to improve our chances. Rainbow trout are stocked in the Smith Lake tailwaters from Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery and in Madison County Public Fishing Lake from private sources. Armstrong Creek, Wash. Co. Henry Merritt, Deer Park This 12,510-acre reservoir is home to blue, channel, and flathead catfish you can catch from a dock or a boat. Boat Rental: YES The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". In Alabama, we have three residents: the Alabama sturgeon, the Gulf sturgeon and the Lake sturgeon. Line matters and Captain Mike recommends sticking with 10-pound or 12-pound test. Leda likes that on the Cullman side, you can be in downtown Cullman in 15 minutes and enjoy luxuries youd expect, while getting back the wilderness shortly after. Anglers should note that in recent years, chemical drain-off has affected the edibility of fish in over 200 waterways, so check with your local Fish and Game office before consuming any fish from Alabama waterways. If skiing or wakeboarding isnt your thing, and if youre feeling energetic, Smith Lake Paddle Boards offer rentals, and Smith Lake Park offers Canoe and Kayak rentals for a more relaxed approach to the lake. The Heart of Dixie is home to various species of freshwater game fish, and catfish are among the most popular Alabama game fish for anglers and chefs alike. 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. Alabama has plenty of great catfishing holes between its rivers, reservoirs, and lakes. Even though a big part of staying at the lake is grilling out and watching the sun go down over the water, sometimes its nice to have somebody else do the cooking! Mega-fishthe biggest catfish in the countryare right here in Alabama. It has 21,000 acres of some of the cleanest and deepest lake water in the USA (260ft) and over 500 miles of beautiful tree-lined coastline. They are no longer rare. 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.