Impounded in 1966. Neely Henry Lake has endured fishing pressure (for all fish species), bass tournaments (held weekly year round), new lake residents (more piers, boat houses, ramps etc.), water pollution (Industry run-off, gas and oil from boats and people in general throwing trash in the water), low lake levels (no weeds for 6 months, this water drop deteriorates wood cover), wintertime shad population die off and in the past, a poor spawning season. So how does a lake that is over 77 miles long, featuring 339 miles of shoreline get treated this way and survive?
Despite what man does our lakes do survive, somehow. Even Neely Henry Lake that is an excellent lake today for targeting largemouth bass, the Coosa River spotted bass and some hefty size striped bass, has made a tremendous comeback recently. Some lakes have a down cycle for years and some lakes peak every few years displaying some excellent bass fishing throughout the spring months.
On Neely Henry Lake spring officially gets underway in March. One problem that does exist throughout the month of March is low water. During winter the lake is drawn down and will stay down for about six months. In past winter drawdowns Neely Henry Lake has been down as low as 6 feet below normal, full pool (508.0) levels. You can check lake levels and water generation schedules by calling Alabama Power Company at 1-800-lakes-11.
Neely Henry Lake will be brought back up to full pool (for another six months), usually starting the first week of April. By late April the lake is traditionally back to normal, full pool level. April and May will also display new growing aquatic weeds in the shallows. This is where loads of bass are taken by astute anglers targeting this oxygen-rich cover, near bedding sites each spring.
There is a good side to this low water situation in March. Low water of only 1-3 feet displays future spawning grounds (along the lakes original shoreline) that will be spawning homes for hundreds of bedding bass in April and early May...so do your homework bass anglers! Look around. Catching bass in the prespawn month of March can include utilizing dozens of ideas, fishing locations, lure selections and various retrieves needed to even get a bite.
The lakes upper reaches of Neely Henry Lake is mostly a river in March. Creeks that normally have navigable depths to idle in with the outboard motor are hard to even fish with a trolling motor. However creek mouths, the mouths of small pockets and even slight indentations on the main river, all hold bass moving into those first move up spots along drop-offs, holding along rock cover, wood cover or bottom irregularities. Baitfish can be found escaping the rivers swift current in these eddy spots as well in March.
Rock cover found along river bends in these lake headwaters (like rock bluffs or boulder strewn banks out of the main river current) heat up the surrounding waters with an all day sunshine. This activates both bass and baitfish in these shallow to deep water hangouts, from mid morning till late evenings. Wood cover in these lakes headwaters (such as stumps, laydown trees, washed in debris and log jams) calls for the use of four lures that cover water from top to bottom.
LURES - On bottom, a jig combo fished all throughout March will get the big bass bite around wood cover. This goes for over sized worms and lizards, crayfish imitations, finesse fishing small offerings, big tube baits and creature-type plastics as well.
In that middle water column mid-to-deep diving crankbaits will help an angler discover bass other anglers overlook. Bumping various types (experiment) of crankbaits into wood and rock cover, followed with a short pause, then an erratic jerk and another pause, will induce bass to strike in March. This is the time they are usually a bit sluggish and not to eager to chase a lure.
Spinnerbaits are excellent lures, especially since most water in this lake's mid region to the lakes headwaters is stained, due to constant current and spring rains. Even during late winter bass will hit a well placed topwater lure on Neely Henry Lake. Rising water temperatures coupled with cloudy days calls for the use of buzzbaits and zara spooks around wood and rock cover. Like other lures fished during March on this lake (when water temps are in the upper 50's to low 60's), a slow presentation will induce more bites on Neely Henry Lake during these prespawn times.
April will show a major change on this lake. The small creeks in Neely Henry Lakes headwaters (that were previously high and dry) will show bass bedding in flats from 1-3 feet deep. Mid-to-lower lake creeks will explode with male and female bass invading miles of newly flooded shallows. Not only will they be feeding on baitfish and crayfish, but making beds and preparing for 4-5 weeks of famine as they protect the beds and newborn fry in late April throughout May.
Weeds will begin to appear in April and anglers that concentrate on banks out of the wind that receive an all day sunshine, will discover aquatic weeds that will be greener earlier in the season, than other places on the lake. Green new growth in these weeds, clears surrounding waters, creates lots of oxygen in the water, and new weeds in water as shallow as six inches, gives bass an ambush spot near bedding areas or a resting spot when they are not feeding.
The month of May shows both male and female bass feeding and some bass act as if it was their last meal. Actually it is the "first" meal for many (in weeks) that have not fed due to tending to their springtime duties. The male bass has been busy guarding the bed running off intruders, in between being caught by every angler that can fool them on a daily basis. The female bass is always nearby. After laying her eggs in the bed (previously prepared by the male bass), the female bass will stick around a few days, visit the bed and help run off egg eating intruders. Afterwards (when newborn fry get out on their own) these bass cruise the shallows holding on nearby cover and recuperating and regaining their strength. These bass are very susceptible to a variety of lures, mostly fished in shallow water from 1-5 feet deep.
LURES - Topwater lures are the lures of choice, for aggressive bass will jump at the chance to attack a slow moving meal in late April, on into May and early summer. Spinnerbaits (like year round), are good search lures and spinnerbaits cover lots of water fast, get lots of strikes in April and May and are they weedless. Spinnerbaits come in an array of colors and you can add enticing trailers to really dress them up for a different look. Spinnerbaits are excellent lures for showing bass various underwater vibrations and lure flash and they come adorned with (or you can change them to) different types of blades, different blade colors or hues, and various sizes of Willowleaf, Colorado, Indiana or some other type of blades. For short strikes add a trailer hook to your spinnerbait
Floating worms, swimming a lizard, swimming or flipping tube baits and even swimming jig combos can entice bass to bite, even spooky bass in water less than one foot deep. But only with stealth. Even in late spring, bass in very skinny water are skittish and can they can run for the deep, when other anglers guady-type lures just spook them out of the shallow water.
Jerkbaits (floating, suspending and soft bodied types), rattling lipless lures and shallow running to mid running crankbaits, all simulate those irritating bream and baitfish that constantly harass these bass when they are bedding. These type lures, like the spinnerbait, are great search lures and they cover a lot of water fast. Keep in mind, to avoid a lot of frustration and lure hang-ups or lost lures, these type lures do have cover-hanging treble hooks, dangling from their bellies. They are not
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Reed Montgomery
