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. How big catfish commonly found in North American waters can actually get is widely disputed. This 45,180-acre reservoir straddles the Georgia and Alabama line and is rich with angling opportunities for blue and channel catfish. "At end of the day, there certainly is some truth to these stories but people also enjoy telling stories. A quality rod holder allows the fish to eat and take the bait without an over-eager angler trying to set the hook. On Smith Lake you can find species such as large mouth bass, small mouth bass,spotted bass, large striped bass, crappie and much more. Anglers may be able to catch shad at the back of the lake by cast net or buy them from a bait shop. White Oak Creek is another spot where anglers can trace its tributaries far past the campground and into murky, structure-filled water perfect for flatheads and largemouths. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Check out local properties for sale. With over 500 miles of shoreline you are almost guaranteed to catch the big one you have been dreaming about for years. Since the bite on Wilson and Pickwick was slow, I contacted Mike Mitchell of Albertville who has a great deal of experience on Wheeler Lake to see if we could locate a trophy fish. Caught off the coast of Ceduna, Australia, in 1959, it took angler Alfred Dean just 50 minutes to win the fight against this one-ton shark. Further into the creeks, angular should target structure with a deep cork or work the cut or channel mouths with bottom rigs baited with small live crappie, shad, or crawfish. Catching three to five-pound cats is fun, and theres no better main ingredient for a fish fry than fillets from this size fish. 205 387-1208. 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 The 24 kilometre long lake stretches from the city of Florence to the Wheeler Dam. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Lewis Smith Lake has the following amenities based off of . 256 286-0050. He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. Campgrounds: YES Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Brent grew up spending his summers out on the water, exploring the many rivers, streams, and lakes of the region. All content on this site is Copyright Rushing Waters MediaLLC/Bham Now 2016-2023. There are five major species of catfish in the state of Alabama. Brent Pollock is a passionate angler and the founder of the popular fishing blog "Safe Harbor Fishing". Its small town living., This is echoed by ARC Realtys Leda Mims, Ive been coming to the lake since I was nine years old. A fisherman reported seeing a 20-foot-long creature with large fins slithering near the banks at Ball Play Creek before it slipped beneath the surface. The black crappie would weigh an astonishing 5 lbs 7.68 oz, making it not only the new Tennessee state record (previously held since 1985) but the world record. 1560 County Road 4022 In addition to big stripers, catfish, crappie, bluegill, white bass, sunfish and largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass all thrive here. When it comes to shore fishing from the Alabama side, the Waterloo Boat Ramp and Second Creek Recreation Area offer anglers easy access to deep water from shore. Fish must be weighed on certified scales. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The really big catfish are not nearly as good to eat as the smaller ones, and the big ones are the brood fish that continually re-stock the lake with more catfish. Boat anglers must keep their distance from the dam, anchoring or mooring out of the current and casting into it for the highest chance of success. What is the best bait for freshwater striped bass? Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Hogan said a 140-pound fish would seem larger in the muddy depths of a river. No matter what species of catfish you hope to catch at Lake Martin, your best bet is to stick with a bottom rig baited with live shad, minnows, or small sunfish. I caught several small fish, but I had no luck on a fish over 30 pounds. Straddling the Alabama-Georgia line, this lake is filled with cuts, islands, coves, and miles of forested shoreline, making it the perfect habitat for flathead catfish. Dont be stingy with the bait. People, especially the Caboclos in Amazonia and natives of other parts of South America and in Asia, love to tell these blood-curdling stories! We will fish with live baits and artificial lures all seasons of the year; although, the best catching is usually with live baits. The lakes northwestern and northeastern areas offer better flathead catfish locations, with cuts, bays, and channels dotting its shorelines. From species that top out at just over a pound to the 120-pound state-record blue catfish, anglers can catch catfish of all sizes in Alabama. Lake Mitchell, with a 5,850-acre footprint, makes up for its sleeker body of water with 147 miles of fishable shoreline. Smith Lake Park has some great walking and bike trails, suitable for kids and big kids! 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. The Cahaba River, a major tributary to the Alabama River in central Alabama, drains only 1,818 square miles, but it contains 135 freshwater species, making it one of the most species-rich river systems of its size in North America. Thats important. The best time of day to catch striped bass is early morning from dawn until about 2 hours after sunrise and late afternoon from 2 hours before sunset until dusk. Today, commercial catfishing is rarely done in the lakes. The fishing here is good. 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). Its just such a friendly place. Images by Vic Dunaway. However, the possibility of landing one of these monster catfish on typical catfish rigs is minimal. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Catfish will move into shallow water in the dead of winter if heavy current exists. Some truly monstrous catfish are living in the rivers and lakes of Alabama; fish in the 100-pound range are caught on rod and reel every year. This is a blue catfish that weighed 23 pounds and measured 36.5 inches in length. I spool my reels with 80 lb test yellow Vicious braided line. His goal: catch a monster catfish. Michael Houseknecht/Mobile, Chris S. Fuller, AthensBobby Lee Davis, Bessemer, Paddlefish 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. I tried in 105' of water and got nothing. Smith Lake does have a slot limit between 13-15 inches in length, and it is illegal to possess a black bass that measures in the slot. Sunrise the big flatheads are most abundant. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Anglers who are fishing from a boat often stick with a cork baited with bait fish. 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. Hers was the last authenticated account of the serpent, Floyd wrote. Keep the two pounders for a fish fry.. Location and Information: Smith Lake is located in Winston, Cullman and Walker Counties, Alabama. Jason Trahan has found shrimp soaked in Anise has been one of the most effective baits for catching catfish in Alabama. to catch striped bass. They look to consume as many calories as possible while burning as few calories as possible, therefore they do their most aggressive feeding when their advantage over the baitfish is greatestat peak tide. . ). The food supply combines with healthy water conditions for prime catfish living. As the legend foretold, Sutton died a few days after the sighting. These spots also make for great bass or crappie fishing, while anglers have their bottom rigs out for giant catfish. Smith Lake homes some very good largemouth and spotted bass fishing. Preview Alabamas first GreenWise Market at Lane Parke in Mountain Brook Village (Photos), ASC and ASO Present John Paul White with Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Alys Stephens Center, Jemison Concert Hall, NOW OPEN: New trail connects schools, parks and midtown communities in Montgomery, Alabamas first KPOT, a Korean BBQ and hot pot joint, coming soon to Tuscaloosa, Food Network named Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q the best barbecue in the state, Aubie named 3rd best mascot in the country, how AL schools fared in UCA National Cheer Championship, Birmingham, Prattville, WSFA 12 & nonprofits supporting Alabama Jan. 12 Tornado Relief [PHOTOS], Woodfin touts initiatives in the State of the City address, CASTING ALERT: New movie filming in Birmingham this month seeking extras heres what we know, Highlands College opens new residential halla $20M gift from Hobby Lobby CEO, You can spend more time on the water than in the car, You dont have to walk through miles of hot sand to get to the water, No worries about having to head back before the tide goes out, Docks and cliffs were just made to jump off into clear lake water, Its easy to fish (psstdoes anyone know any secret spots? Catfish also find their way into marshes, coastal estuaries, and river deltas. 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. 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. Blue catfish are not as common as their two cousins at Lake Martin. Here is a preview of the July 5 episode of "Monster Fish" on Nat Geo WILD. Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. 90% of his catches are channel cats and about 10% are blue catfish. If the bait is on the bottom, the fish will lift it and relieve the pressure fairly gently. They cant be simply lipped and lifted into the boat. Blue, bullhead, channel, flathead, and white catfish inhabit Alabama's inland rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes. He said she caught her bi 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! There are some exceptions, however. Channel catfish are stocked into state-owned public fishing lakes on a put-grow-and-take or put-and-take basis as indicated by biological monitoring and lake catch records. The runner-up spot went to Wayne and Travis Bodine. Ive seen one, Hogan said. The dams tailwaters and the rocky shorelines are home to large channel and blue catfish, feasting on the baitfish brought by the current. Cappy's Boats With average summer water temperatures of 80, youll definitely want to pack your swim suits. Pickwick has around two miles of the public swimming beach, but it is unsupervised. Additionally, the rock formations to the left of the dam on the Alabama side provide great structure and spawning grounds for catfish during the spring. On his trip to the Tennessee Aquarium, Hogan dove with fish in its new River Giants exhibit so he could experience swimming with the over-sized specimens. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Minnows, nightcrawlers, and even crawfish are great baits to lure out these yellow-bellied giants. RV Hookups: YES Located in the northwest section of the lake, off County Road 3919, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with gravel parking. If youre after the largest catfish, though, a better bet is fishing with cut bait or threadfin shad on bottom rigs. Geneva County is a prohibition or dry county. Restaurant: YES. Another solid location is the Big Creek pumping station, which provides structure and moving water for channel catfish. , 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. Like most lakes in the region, the lake comprises multiple offshoots and branches rather than one big body of water. Catfish Shark found lurking at Smith Lake in Alabama.. Get a reliable, big landing net. The typical recommendation is to fish about 2-3 hours before high tide to about 2-3 hours outgoing tide. The pig is a trailer, often of pork rind, hence the name, or plastic. 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. 403 Co Rd 386 Frank Lambert Dickey, Chatom, Mud Creek,Tannehill Historical State Park, (a) World Record, Rod And Reel/ (b) Previous World Record, Rod and Reel / (c) Previous World Record, Any Method, Official Web Site of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 2023 Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 64 N. Union Street, Suite 468 - Montgomery, Alabama 36130, Physically Disabled Hunting and Fishing Trail, https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=467475161060988&ev=PageView&noscript=1. Also referred to as Converse Reservoir, this 3,600-acre impoundment in Mobile County is filled with channel catfish, bass, and sunfish. Dale County Lake or Ed Lisenby Lake is a 92-acre (370,000 m 2) lake located 1 mile (2 km) north of Roy Parker Road (Dale County Road 36) in Ozark. Actress and singer, Miley Cyrus and actor, Liam Hemsworth have been spotted in Cullman. Fish Species & State Records in Alabama Bass Largemouth bass World record: 22 lbs 4 oz State Record: 16 lbs 8 oz Smallmouth bass World record: 11 lbs 15 oz State Record: 10 lbs 8 oz Spotted bass World record: 9 lbs 8 oz Good quality electronics are just as important for finding and catching trophy catfish as they are for bass 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. For instance, when Captain Brian recently caught his 75 pounder, the actual fight lasted less than ten minutes. Millers Ferry Lake runs about 105 miles along the river to the Claiborne Dam in Monroe County. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. WHNT News 19 viewer Larry Stephens sent in photos of his wife April fishing on the lake. 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. How do you catch big brown trout at night? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". And that fine fish was not an unusual catch. We rode over the area several times and located a few fish there. So come on and enjoy the fishing on Smith Lake . Some anglers also recommend around dusk or dawn, on a cool day, during peak or slack tide. I catfish up at the Cullman end of the lake. In Alabama, we have three residents: the Alabama sturgeon, the Gulf sturgeon and the Lake sturgeon. While many of the worlds largest freshwater fish are located outside of North America, several large species can be found in area rivers, including blue catfish, flathead catfish, the Mississippi paddlefish, lake sturgeon, pallid sturgeon, and the alligator gar. Sutton and his friends were alarmed because people along the river knew that anyone who looked upon the serpent was cursed. Construction of Smith Dam began on Nov. 25, 1957. After the big fish is hooked, its largely a matter of holding on when the fish tries to run and then steadily applying pressure and taking in line when its possible. Although its most well-known for trophy largemouth and spotted bass, anglers catch a variety of species in this reservoir, including massive channel and flathead catfish, rainbow trout, and world-record striped bass. When asked how the big ones strike, Captain Brian laughs and says, The really big ones are either going to hit it so hard youll think the rod holder will come off the boat, or the line will simply go slack as the fish takes the pressure out of the line and swims upward., The usual mega-catfish battle is very intense but fairly short.. Captain Brian reminds us that most of these big catfish have spines that are not nearly as sharp as the ones found on five-pound or smaller catfish, but the trophy-sized fish have a lot more weight and muscle to propel their spines. 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. Lick Creek Boat Launch Ramp However, most people miss the trophy catfish that lurk a little deeper, preying on the sunfish and bream. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. This is where and how these big fish are targeted on Lay Lake. This Tombigbee River backwater in western Alabama near Aliceville could have been lumped in with our coverage of the river. What fishing license do I need for Smith Lake Alabama? Gizzard shad are excellent striper baits. Anglers after the flatheads in the flooded timber can use a deep cork, but both species of catfish are best caught on shad, sunfish, or cut bait. Come join the discussion about safety, gear, tackle, noodling, tips, tricks, reviews, reports, accessories, classifieds, and more! Of course, when the mega-catfish decides that playtime is over, it will apply plenty of pressure to the angler. 205 388-0662. 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Was cursed state of Alabama the founder of the most effective baits for catching catfish Alabama... The angler pack your swim suits heavy current exists recommend around dusk or dawn on... Bottom rigs filled with channel catfish to as Converse reservoir, this 3,600-acre impoundment Mobile... 5,850-Acre footprint, makes up for its sleeker body of water with 147 miles of the public swimming beach but. I tried in 105 ' of water with 147 miles of fishable shoreline submit to this site or dawn on. Preview of the Lake comprises multiple offshoots and branches rather than one big body of water the bottom, Gulf! Brown trout at night catfish also find their way into marshes, coastal,! Are fishing from a boat often stick with a 5,850-acre footprint, makes for! Copyright Rushing waters MediaLLC/Bham Now 2016-2023 option to opt-out of these cookies Creek pumping station, which provides and.