roaminangler

The pier being fished from has had several Catfish over 40 LBS. caught from it . I couldn't pass up the invitation.

It's just a small 1.5 acre pond near Ashville , Alabama . An old friend of mine John Crowder bought an 18 acre piece of land with a small pond on it . About 10 years ago his dad caught a 10LB. Largemouth out of it , he did'nt throw it back . I was invited to fish there and made it to the pond around 10 A.M. It was 96 degrees already but about 35 Bass were caught on a Carolina Rig with 2FT. of leader . Before I left Iused a light spinning outfit and caught more fish . Around 2 P.M. it was about 100 degrees. I did eventually leave .

Lewis Smith Dam northwest of B'ham, Al. , you'll find the tailrace water is cold enough to support Trout . Every other month the State and ALA. Power stock @3500 Rainbow Trout in the Sipsey- Warrior Tailrace . The local chapter of TU and the local flyfishermenare petitioning for the stocking of Browns . Some improvements in the access to the water have already been made with what looks like more trails and clearing being done . I have met people from other states and countries there and it is refreshing to see the interest there . Midges, wooly boogers, small streamers , and the ultra-light work well there . I have caught a 20inch 'Bow and a 16 1/2 also . 14 inch fish are rather common too . The limit is 5 keepers over 12 inches but I throw back more than I keep . Hope to see you there .

This area of the creek is about a mile and a half from the Warrior River at I-65 . Eventhough I didn't have much to show for the waste of time and gas I still believe there are some fish to be caught . The water was still about a foot too high which is just a little too much . Ideally you want to see the rocks jutting out in the stream and letting worm , jig , or fly slowly come around the rock and the ambush is then done by the fish . I hope there are still some good fish left , it would be a waste to see this part of the creek go to the ' Iwouldn't fish there list' .

Some people know about this place and some shouldn't . Lake Ketona is really a quarry that flooded in the forties I believe . In 1950 it gave up the World Record bluegill . It is now 2011 and it's still down the road from my house. A friend and one of his buddies scuba dived in that hole in the eighties . They did'nt go back . The bottom never came in sight , it got very cold , and they saw a freshwater eel bigger than one's forearm . The fish they saw were huge but according to them the trip wasn't worth it . The average distance from bank to the water is about 30 feet , straight down . Average depth varies depending on who is telling you. The area is posted and may not be worth the risk of jailtime . Thus the 61 year old World Record Bluegill may stay here until someone is crazy enough to try. I will map it for that one crazy person , good luck .

The tailraces of Weiss , Neely Henry , Logan Martin , Lay , and Jordan Dams have been producing quality Stripes since the sixties but nothing like the Santee-Cooper system in SC . The Coosa however is closer to B'ham, AL and almost as good . If you have a rod that will reach out and touch 'em all can be fished . Neely is my favorite because if the discharge is just right one can wade out from the bank and cast farther out or use the flyrod . If you take a flyrod use 8wt and up , there are some 40 pounders behind Neely Henry as well as the other dams on the Coosa . There are alot of guys in boats that motor up to the backside and drift back down in the current bumping live shad off the bottom and then repeating that. There has to be cooperation in that circus of boats. There is a public launch about a mile down stream but navigate carefully , the are some rocks , but as the level of Logan Martin comes closer to full pool it's not too bad but be cautious . I know I talk too much about HNH but it is easier to fish than the others and Jack's Hamburgers is about a mile away , what more could one ask for ? From I-20 in AL look for the Lincoln-Talladega exit and take Hwy 77 north to Ohatchee and you can't miss it . As for the other Coosa River dams ,just Google it.

Before this river becomes unfishable , one should set a whole day aside and float the Cahaba . Canoe or small flatbottom will be suitable . Light tackle is best, kinda tight for flyrod . Plastic worms ,jigs small plugs and Mepps spinners work well .There are more different species in this river than any other in North America . A friend and I did this in the early nineties during early Spring . We put in at Grant's Mill Road bridge at 5 A.M. and made it to Liberty Park a little after sunset . We each caught a limit of Bass (10) and threw em back .