Some anglers also recommend around dusk or dawn, on a cool day, during peak or slack tide. I have always thought. For instance, the water between the twin spans between Eufaula, Alabama, and Georgetown, Georgia, is a prime catfish location. 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. Bluegills | Duck River Lake The commercial pond catfish culture supplies the demand for catfish fillets, so commercial fishing in the lakes is a lost art. This 5,850-acre reservoir off the Chattahoochee River makes for some excellent catfish angling. Dont be stingy with the bait. March 06, 2019 By Eileen Ann Davis. Anglers can make their way to the R. F. Henry Lock and cast from the rocky shoreline on either side of the lake with heavy tackle and bottom rigs to catch these monster catfish. They include Lake Guntersville, Lewis Smith Lake, Pickwick Lake, Wheeler Lake and Wilson Lake. 4 pounds 12 ouncesThe Biggest Bluegill in the World The world record bluegill recorded by IGFA or the International Gamefish Association was caught in 1950 at Ketona Lake, Alabama. Although there is a fish consumption advisory, anglers will have no trouble catching plenty of whiskered predators off the river bottom made up of gravel and sand. Bald eagles are breathtaking to see flying across the lake, and ducks and geese are aplenty. Let it rest a couple of minutes.. What is this? Because shad and sunfish fluctuate in number and size throughout the year, check the waters to see whats schooling before baiting your rig. A 280-mile-long tributary of the Alabama River, the Coosa River is a heavily developed body of water with multiple impoundments, dams, lakes, and of course, lots of big catfish. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). to catch striped bass. May. What'S The Largest Flathead Catfish Ever Caught? A favorite spot for Carol and her family is The Grille at Trident Marina, she told us, Its a friendly place to go that you can get to on a boat, tie up, sit out on the lawn, have some great food, and listen to live music. The decision to stay in the hunt earned the family team the first place check of $10,000 from King Kat USA. You can find these baits at just about any local fishing bait and tackle shop. A typical northern-strain five-pounder might be anywhere between six and 16 years old, McHugh reports. Lewis Smith Lake was created in 1961 by the Alabama Power Company as a result of the company's construction of Lewis Smith Dam to produce hydroelectric power. Cody Mullenix of Howe Texas caught the fish on January 16th, 2004 which became known as Splash while fishing at the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge on Lake Texoma. The best fishing for big cats occurs when the dams are generating maximum current. Its possible to hook very large catfish on standard-issue fishing gear. In addition to big stripers, catfish, crappie, bluegill, white bass, sunfish and largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass all thrive here. (Aha!). Some are big and others are small. 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. Why you should care, the quality of the air you breathe depends on it. Just below Lay Lake, Lake Mitchell is where anglers should go on the Coosa River to catch giant catfish from the bank. The father/son team had a two-day. Towns on the lake include Bremen, Crane Hill and Dodge City in Cullman County; Curry and Jasper in Walker County; and Addison, Arley, Houston, and Double Springs in Winston County. After a short fight, the 75-pound catfish was in the boat.. Cut bait, liver, or small sunfish are top baits in these swift current areas, sending out scents that attract catfish to your hook. flathead catfish caught in Kansas. They include Lake Guntersville, Lewis Smith Lake, Pickwick Lake, Wheeler Lake and Wilson Lake. Know before you go Cullman and Winston County are dry (no alcohol is available) while Walker County allows alcohol sales with the limitation that no alcohol may be purchased on a Sunday. When we made our first stop, we landed the huge fish after about an hour., We caught the big fish in 52 feet of water just downstream of Elk River, he adds. Captain Brian shows the proper two-handed grip when handling big catfish. The blue catfish caught by Mullenix weighed in at 121.5 lbs, which was not only a Texas state record but also a world record. "My job as a scientist is to separate fact from fiction but 'fact' is already amazing and unbelievable enough," Hogan said. Amenities. This 45,180-acre reservoir straddles the Georgia and Alabama line and is rich with angling opportunities for blue and channel catfish. Bankhead Lake is best known for catches of largemouth bass and spotted bass. Home to striped bass and catfish, this area is rich with shad and features a stiff current over plenty of deep holes where anglers can hook into some truly impressive fish. Today, commercial catfishing is rarely done in the lakes. Zeb Hogan of the show "Monster Fish" on Nat Geo WILD swims with the fishes in River Giants exhibit at the Tennessee Aquarium (Contributed by Nat Geo WILD). Because blues prefer stiffer currents, deeper holes, and sandy bottoms, the main channel is a better bet to catch these massive catfish. Big catfish can be quite dangerous if not handled properly. WHNT News 19 viewer Larry Stephens sent in photos of his wife April fishing on the lake. High, dingy water always makes for a better catfish bite. Lake Mitchell has several feeder creeks whose mouths are excellent catfish holes, including Chestnut Creek, Weoka Creek, and Shoal Creek. In addition to big stripers, catfish, crappie, bluegill, white bass, sunfish and largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass all thrive here. And the water a smith lake damn according to TVA is 320 feet in deepiest point. At Smith Lake dam you have water over 200 ft. in places. Alternative locations anglers can target include the cuts on the northern portion of the lakes western shoreline. Finally, anglers are faced with what to do with a monster catfish. Fish must be identified by an Alabama Fisheries Section biologist or other certified fisheries biologist. But when I took the rod out of the holder, the fish began to pull really hard. 1560 County Road 4022 Keep the two pounders for a fish fry.. The Mobile-Tensaw Deltais inhabited by more than 130 freshwater and marine species. Floyd chronicles others whose experiences mirrored Suttons: Billy Burns died in 1827 after seeing the serpent; Jim Windom in 1829. 120 pound blue catfish caught in 2012. After all, big baits catch big fish. Good quality electronics are just as important for finding and catching trophy catfish as they are for bass fishing. Blue catfish are not as common as their two cousins at Lake Martin. But there is no physical evidence of car-sized catfish in Alabama rivers. Anglers looking to rip lips with some trophy-level catfish should target inside the feeder creeks with deep corks or at the creek mouths and cuts with bottom rigs. Campgrounds: YES Other excellent fishing locations include Pataula Creek, the Walter F. George Lock, Hardridge Creek Boat Ramp, and the Sandy Branch Public Use Area. Plus, it makes catching striped bass a lot more fun. This Alabama River reservoirs level fluctuates, resulting in changing catfish hotspots depending on the season. , Stocked trout waters are closed for taking fishbait and baitfish from March 1 to the opening day of trout season. Click here to see the full listing. The largest catfish species in North America are blue cats. Competed in international coastal rowing championships and followed Wales throughout Europe in their Rugby and Soccer endeavours. Millers Ferry Lake runs about 105 miles along the river to the Claiborne Dam in Monroe County. Each one is rare and protected by state and federal agencies. The flooded forest here creates small estuary-like pockets of deep water surrounded by structures off the main channel of the Tombigbee River. I do catch blues at the damn, I was wondering if anybody else did, there is two primary spots , one on the west side of damn , its like a washout channel cut out several hundred feet out to main body of water , and the opposite side has a bottleneck with two points that are also a good spot, You are correct fishing directly over the damn would be difficult , but catching blues can be done there, I have caught them. Convenience Store: NEARBY On June 2nd, 1932, George Perry caught the current world record bass out of Lake Montgomery, an oxbow lake off the Ocmulgee River in southern Georgia. Gizzard Shad. October is a good month for the big ones. Boat Launch Ramp: YES First on the list is the ubiquitous nightcrawler, favored food for all fish species. Youll find deep water surrounded by a rocky bank structure and a forested shoreline on one end. , Best Answer From Peter in Australia: A hook will rust away in a fish, but it may take a while, especially if the hook is plated or made of thick metal. That amounts to tons of fish being taken from the river and lake systems daily. Hot weather months are typically the poorest times to go after really big catfish. Live bait such as herring, menhaden, mackerel, eels, squid, clams, anchovies, bloodworms, shad, nightcrawlers and sandworms all make great bait for striped bass fishing. So come on and enjoy the fishing on Smith Lake today! We will use blueback herring and shad legally caught on Smith Lake. 16229 HWY 42 The largest Mekong cat ever caught weighed more than 600 pounds. A favorite location of crappie anglers, the lakes stump field is best known for producing solid slabs consistently. This 9,200-acre reservoir along the Black River in west-central Alabama is a catfish haven. No, despite what you may have heard, there arent. In 1877, reports appeared in The Gadsden Times of sightings of serpents in the Coosa River, a tributary of the Alabama River. "At end of the day, there certainly is some truth to these stories but people also enjoy telling stories. While many of the world's largest freshwater fish are located outside of North America, several large species can be found in area rivers, including blue catfish, flathead catfish, the. What pound test should I use for striped bass? With blue catfish regularly caught over 50 pounds, Wilson Lake has deeper holes in its lower half, and the upper end features a strong current due to Wheeler Dam. Holt Reservoir is a modest sized 3,296-acre lake on the Black . A study performed at the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences showed that striped bass see yellow and chartreuse better than other colors as they are smack dab in the middle of the striped basss visual range. Globally, there are 27 kinds of sturgeons. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. Alabama has plenty of great catfishing holes between its rivers, reservoirs, and lakes. One of the better locations is the channel that leads into the Big Creek Dam. Vernon. October 12, 2022 September 16, 2022 by Brent Pollock. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, Outdoor Hub, LLC (d/b/a Carbon Media Group), 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. Fishing can be done by boat or along the banks of the 6,272 hectare lake. Catching three to five-pound cats is fun, and there's no better main ingredient for a fish fry than fillets from this size fish. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! Even the very large75 pounds and overcatfish dont fight for an extremely long time. Read the story of the Alabama State Fossil here. Its easy to get out there on the lake and feel as if you have the whole place to yourself. However, certain times of the year can provide the opportunity for exciting top water action with artificial lures. 7 oz. However, the possibility of landing one of these monster catfish on typical catfish rigs is minimal. 13 Best Catfish Fishing Lakes and Rivers in Alabama. Anglers catch the occasional flathead catfish, but most are smaller and found near the back of coves. Catfish are versatile and can live in practically any body of water in Alabama. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. When a big catfish strikes, its important not to jerk but simply apply pressure and start reeling.. So, when a big catfish is caught, it should be released. But due to its dense concentration of blue catfish, I think its worth a longer look. The Solution. Choose from multiple campgrounds around the lake as headquarters for a family vacation or a weekend fishing trip. Fish include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike and Walleye. Check out local properties for sale. This 1,550-acre lake in northern Alabama is home to some massive blue and channel catfish. , Wheeler Lake and Wilson Lake because shad biggest catfish in smith lake alabama sunfish fluctuate in and... Upload or otherwise submit to this site for finding and catching trophy catfish they. And marine species it makes catching striped bass a lot more fun the northern portion of the River. The Alabama River the year, check the waters to see flying across the Lake Wilson. As if you have water over 200 ft. in places two-handed grip when big... Rarely done in the Coosa River to catch giant catfish from the bank rigs is minimal the. Is 320 feet in deepiest point at Lake Martin holt reservoir is a prime catfish location day of trout.. 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