Alabama fishing reports
318 reports for Alabama — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Cooling water sets up a steady fall pattern on Guntersville and Wheeler
A USGS gauge (03582000) reads 57°F water with 262 cfs of flow, a clear sign the region has settled into its fall cooling phase. Water in the upper 50s tends to push bass and panfish to feed more actively through the day, and shifting forage usually pulls fish toward the same areas. A second USGS gauge (03575100) shows 117 cfs, a modest flow that leaves the water relatively settled. Among the sources we follow, Tactical Bassin (blog) is focused on fall bass this week. Its coverage points to bass chasing baitfish and recommends adding a blade to a swimbait through an underspin for extra flash and vibration, and a jerkbait seminar covers retrieves and colors for changing water conditions. Fishing the Midwest says the fall bite can be downright hot as waters cool, and suggests looking for living green weeds as a starting point since fish relocate as other weeds die off. On the tournament side, MLF News reported Team MillerTech weighing 40 pounds, 9 ounces on Tims Ford Lake in Tennessee on Tuesday, a reminder that fall bass are feeding well across the Tennessee Valley.
Fall bass window opens as Alabama rivers cool into the upper 50s
Gauge readings across the Coosa watershed show water temperatures between 57 and 59°F this evening (USGS gauge 02338523, 02413210, 02413205), the range where fall smallmouth and other bass start feeding more actively and chasing baitfish. The larger downstream gauge (USGS gauge 02339500) is moving 6,010 cfs, a healthy current. B.A.S.S. News and Tactical Bassin both have fall bass content this week. Tactical Bassin's coverage of paddle-tail swimbaits on an underspin notes that a blade adds flash and vibration when bass are chasing baitfish. Its fall jerkbait seminar is the other technique guide worth a look. MLF News is covering the Heritage Cup on Tims Ford Lake in Tennessee, a reminder that fall bass tournaments are running in the region.
Fall bass bite builds as Alabama waters cool into the low 50s
Small Piedmont creeks feeding the Tallapoosa and Coosa system are reading 53 to 54°F this morning on USGS gauges 02413210 and 02413205, with the other small-stream gauge, 02338523, also at 53°F. That is cool enough to pull baitfish into tight schools. B.A.S.S. News notes that as water temperatures drop, baitfish activity rises and bass begin their fall feed, with the bite window opening through much of the day. Smallmouth Bass and the other fall feeders should be following that bait.
Guntersville and Wheeler bass set up for the fall feed
Water temperature at USGS gauge 03582000 reads 56°F with flow near 262 cfs, a cool, steady setup that fits the fall shift. B.A.S.S. News notes that as water temperatures drop, baitfish activity climbs and bass begin their fall feed, with fish gathering around tight schools of bait. Per B.A.S.S. News, the bite window opens wide in fall, often stretching through much of the day, and fish are open to a wide range of lures.
Coosa cools into the 50s as fall feed builds
Water on the Coosa side is cooling into the upper 50s, with gauges 02413210 and 02413205 both showing 59°F and 02338523 at 57°F. That is the range where baitfish start schooling tight and gamefish follow. Per B.A.S.S. News, bass are on the move as falling temperatures trigger the fall feed, and the bite window opens wide through much of the day. Tactical Bassin (blog) points to jerkbaits and bladed underspin swimbaits as go-to fall choices when fish are chasing bait. Fishing the Midwest adds that finding live green weeds is a good starting point as other cover dies off.
Fall bass bite builds on the Tennessee River lakes
Fall feeding is the story this week for Lake Guntersville and Wheeler. B.A.S.S. News notes that as water temperatures fall, baitfish activity rises and bass begin their fall feed, because baitfish gather in tight schools and become easier targets. Their advice is simple: find the bait and you find the bass. The bite window also opens wide, running through much of the day instead of a short dawn slot. The USGS gauge at 03582000 reads 58°F water with 258 cfs of flow, a temperature in the range where that fall movement is typically well underway. Tactical Bassin points to jerkbaits and swimbaits on underspins for bass chasing shad in fall, and B.A.S.S. News covered the Toyota Owners Tournament on Lake Guntersville, where Team Bragg won with 24 pounds, 1 ounce of largemouth.
Fall bass bite builds as Alabama waters cool
Gauge readings across the Coosa system show water in the mid 50s this week, with 54°F at one station and 55 to 56°F at three nearby sites. That is a clear step into fall patterns. Per B.A.S.S. News, Jade and Caige Bragg won the Toyota Owners Tournament on Lake Guntersville with a one-day weight of 24 pounds, 1 ounce, a reminder that Alabama fish are feeding well as the water cools. Tactical Bassin is also leaning on fall baits, with jerkbait seminars and a swimbait-on-an-underspin comparison for bass chasing baitfish.
Guntersville and Wheeler fall bass bite tied to cooling water
USGS gauge 03582000 read 57°F water on a flow of 262 cfs early this morning, a cool reading that points to fall feeding patterns taking hold. B.A.S.S. News reported the Toyota Owners Tournament on Lake Guntersville just wrapped, with Jade and Caige Bragg winning on a one-day weight of 24 pounds, 1 ounce. That is a strong bag for mid-October and a sign the lake is fishing well. Tactical Bassin is pushing fall swimbait and jerkbait content right now, including the idea that bladed underspins add flash and vibration when fish chase baitfish.
Cooling Alabama rivers set up a steady fall bite
Water is cooling across the Coosa and Tennessee drainages, and the gauges show it. USGS gauge 02413210 and gauge 02413205 both read 58°F with flows near 29 cfs, while gauge 02338523 sits at 56°F on a trickle of under 4 cfs. Gauge 02339500 is moving more water at 898 cfs. That spread matters: the small, low-flow reaches are clear and stable, and the bigger flow is where current will concentrate fish. Per Tactical Bassin, October bass are chasing baitfish, and adding a blade to a paddle tail on an underspin is a productive way to cover water. The same outlet highlights shallow jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater as overlooked fall tools. Field & Stream adds that turnover does not hit a lake all at once, so clean, clear water is the priority. Tims Ford Lake in Tennessee hosted the Heritage Cup this weekend, per MLF News, with Omori and Rojas winning Elimination Match 1 by power fishing shallow.
Fall redfish and snook patterns set up on the Gulf
Salt Strong's mid-October coverage points anglers toward a fall opening for big redfish. Their latest piece says massive schools of large redfish are moving into certain areas, and that the same fall pattern is putting tripletail in front of anglers right now. Salt Strong also lists redfish and snook among the main targets for popping cork rigs, a setup that suits the shallow, grassy edges where fall fish feed. Redfish status is Active on that reporting, though it comes from a single non-forum source, so we hold off on calling anything hot. NOAA CO-OPS station 8735180 read 71.1°F and station 8736897 read 71.6°F on the morning of October 19. Water at that level is comfortable for inshore fish and well above the point where feeding slows, so the bite should not be temperature-limited this week.
Alabama's Coosa tailwaters set up for a clean fall bite
Water on the Tennessee and Coosa side of Alabama is running cool and clear for mid-October. Gauge 02413210 and gauge 02413205 both read 61°F on modest flows near 30 cfs, while gauge 02338523 shows 59°F. Those temperatures sit in the range where fish start feeding harder ahead of winter. Gauge 02339500 is moving 808 cfs, so larger water is carrying real current while the smaller creeks stay low and stable. On the competitive side, MLF News reports the Heritage Cup on Tims Ford Lake was won by Takahiro Omori and Dean Rojas, who power fished shallow for 17 scorable bass and 29 pounds, 2 ounces. That is Tennessee water, not ours, but it shows shallow fall bass can still be caught on moving baits. Tactical Bassin points to October bass fishing with jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater around subtle shallow cover.
Big redfish schools move in as fall settles over the Gulf
Per Salt Strong, fall is one of the best times of year to fish, and massive schools of big redfish are moving into certain areas right now. That is the headline for anglers working Mobile Bay & Gulf this week. Our two NOAA CO-OPS stations (8735180 and 8736897) both logged water temperatures in the low 70s on the afternoon of October 18, at 70.3°F and 73°F. That is comfortable for redfish, which tend to stay active and feed well as the water eases down from summer highs. Salt Strong also notes that popping corks remain one of the most effective rigs for redfish. A little preparation before the trip lets you swap leader lengths and baits without re-rigging on the water. Check state regulations on size and bag limits before keeping any fish.