JORDAN LAKE By Reed Montgomery Reeds Guide Service 12/8/11
JORDAN LAKE - ALABAMA'S LOWER COOSA RIVER SYSTEM
By Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Birmingham, Alabama (205) 663-1504
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
" Over 40 Years Guiding, Fishing and Exploring Every Lake in Alabama For Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass and Striped Bass "
Always Call on Reeds Guide Service...first! Alabama's (and Jordan Lake's) Oldest Professional, Freshwater Fishing Guide Service!
Impounded 1928
Lake level: Full Pool
Water Temperature: Mornings 52 / Evenings 56
Water Clarity: Clear main lake, some creeks stained
Air Temperature: High 62 / Low 58
Predicted Weather: 60-80 percent of chance of rain Monday, Tuesday.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6 2011
A VERY RAINY DAY WITH SEVERAL SHALLOW LARGEMOUTH BASS, A FEW SPOTTED BASS
AND ONE BIG, STRIPED BASS ALL ON ALABAMA'S JORDAN LAKE
I knew my day would be unique (although wet) as I pulled into the Jordan Lake boat dock, Bonner's Landing situated on the lower lake. I was here to catch some of those big, Coosa River breed of spotted bass, maybe a largemouth bass or two and possibly get a chance to luck up into a school of big, striped bass! All three bass species that thrive in the lake's headwaters, mid lake and lower lake regions. These three bass species are now constantly fattening up for the winter months ahead.
On rainy days even more so.
Jordan Lake has the Coosa River breed of spotted bass that range lake wide, from the lake's headwaters to the lower lake's dam.
Some visitors to this lake are not aware of the size of some of these spotted bass. Often, fishing in some great weather in the low-to-mid 70's during one of December's unexpected winter warming trends. But when it rains things change.
Some, anglers do not mind braving the elements, some do. Today, my intended client had postponed his fishing trip due to rain. So I just went fishing, all alone.
There were several types of lures that produced all of the bass I caught that day. As a matter of fact, I could have fished three types of lures only...on this cool, wet, but successful day, a rainy day that eventually just became a light sprinkle and a partly cloudy day! Of course I managed to spook up a few bass, a buzz bait produced several bass and a Zoom trick worm fooled the rest of shallow bass in the grass. Although a few spots came on rattletraps, spinnerbaits and jerk baits!
The weather that morning as the dawn broke, was light rain and in the upper-50's. It was in the low 60's by midday. The long, one hour drive and I had time to decide that I would launch down the lake about 6:15 a.m. It was well worth the trip, as I did find some cooperating bass, and on this day, one really big striped bass! Of course, as I launched the boat that morning I was all alone on the lake as well. My boat, its seats, the motor and the entire boat's carpet was covered in water!
I began the day fishing near the weeds in several creeks, also later fishing along boulder-strewn banks, nearby rock bluffs, including moving up the lake while fishing some small weedy cuts, standing timber, small pockets and main lake flats, mostly found in the upper lake, about 10 miles from where I launched.
To begin with, I tried the three hook zara super spook topwater lure and a number of lures, but for one hour no results. In all, I had tried a half dozen lures just to try and entice a bass to bite, and finally I did manage to boat a three pound bass on a Zara Super Spook fishing along thin weeds, the bass was by an isolated stump.
One more largemouth bass about 2 pounds and a small keeper sized spotted bass, both hit the buzz bait. Hoping a bigger bass would be next. But not after I poured myself a warm cup of coffee, wiped my wet face with a small hand towel, then covered myself in a rain poncho (I was already in my rain suit) and then had a sandwich. Then, well fed, much warmer and rejuvenated, I readied the net. Its a good thing I did! I was about to need it!
At midday a big fish blew up along a weedy flat, one that really got my attention. I hit the trolling motor on high and headed that way. I picked up the zara super spook (a heavy lure), that will cast great distances, and heaved it towards the pile of bubbles still lingering on the water's surface. Where the big fish had exploded on some poor unfortunate bait fish.
As I hoped it would, as my zara super spook met its target. One click of the reel, one walk of the enticing topwater lure, and then, bam! The fight was on...
I could not get a really good luck at the huge fish, but I did manage to see a big, white belly as it rolled up to the water' surface and then, just as fast, it dove for the bottom of the shallow water flat, only 4-5 feet deep. The 20 pound test line held tight. The reel's drag even slipped a little, giving a light whine. My spook rod was bowed up double! I was in heaven! I then netted the big striper after a very lengthy battle.
As you can see (if there is a picture with this article, if not, see it on my website www.fishingalabama.com) when compared to the other 2-3 pound bass in the picture, it was huge! In all, over a dozen nice bass while fishing weeds, wood cover and rock cover on a rainy day, while fishing all alone on Alabama's Jordan Lake.
* THERES NEVER ANYONE AROUND ON THESE RAINY DAYS, SO I JUST LAY THEM IN THE FLOOR OF THE BOAT AND TAKE PICTURES!
ALL BASS ARE RELEASED ALIVE!
Spinnerbaits, suspending jerk baits and Zoom's white trick worms were other lures that produced other nice 2-3 pound bass just about continuous action all day, in the pouring down rain. What more could an angler want?
* On Jordan Lake, even in December with the lake's winter water cooling down somewhat, there are always some cooperating bass to target.
Water temperatures can be close to 60 degrees right now. Especially if this southern reservoir has been under a few days warming trend. By evenings, like seen just recently, water temps can rise into the low 60's. That's over 10 degrees in one day and by midday to late evenings (although it may be cold in the morning), these feeding bass can get much more active in these much warmer waters by evening! Even on cool rainy days, the lake's water temperature may still rise as much as 5-8 degrees!
If anglers are not interested in fishing the lake's headwaters near the upper Mitchell lake dam, you can always choose to fish along Jordan Lake's stump-filled flats, creek flats and main lake drop-offs, around islands, or within any type of wood cover (like piers and boat houses), you can fish lures like worms, lizards, a tube bait, creature bait, or jig combo all around wood cover like laying trees, tree limbs, brush piles, around stumps and along Jordan's aquatic weeds and along rock bluffs.
Any point featuring wood, weed and rock cover especially those thicker, more matted-type aquatic weeds, like seen on Jordan Lake in the summer months, are good now for flipping or pitching various types of sinking, weedless type lures. Deep diving crankbaits can produce big bass that many other anglers often miss on Jordan Lake.
Or you can choose to fish with lures like spinnerbaits fished right up in the rocks, around wood or grass cover, or try shallow-to-deep running crank baits along deep weed lines, (shad colored) and lipless lures, also plastic worms, lizards and tube baits.
During winter warning trends try topwater lures like buzz baits, zara spooks, poppers and prop baits fished in and around the lake's grass and wood cover. Frog imitations are very weedless and one of the best lures in early winter fished around the lake's grass. But few anglers try using topwater lures in winter. To bad.
On this day I mostly had largemouth bass, around ten bass to be exact, some weighing up to 3 pounds. But even in mid-to-late December things can greatly improve, mostly with predicted weather in the mid-to-upper 60's! Then look for other techniques to fool these wintertime bass, like even seeing schooling bass!
* Jordan Lake has loads of schooling bass in the winter, seen around the dam, busting shad in open water situations, up in shallow creeks and along main lake flats that heat up fast on warm sunny days...all kinds of bass that can be fooled on a variety of lures!
Although many anglers may just choose to fish Jordan lake's headwaters and its cover-filled banks keep in mind to have lures like jerk baits, swim baits, crank baits, lipless lures and various types of topwater lures always rigged and ready! For some very unexpected and explosive action during these early winter feeding frenzies on Jordan Lake...always good throughout the month of December! Maybe January with warming trends!
Or you can always call on Reeds Guide Service...first! "Jordan Lake and all of Alabama's oldest, professional - bass fishing only - guide service for over 40 years."
* REEDS GUIDE SERVICE
Only one professional, Alabama fishing guide service can claim to be "Alabama's oldest professional fishing guide service." Guiding on Jordan Lake for over 40 years. Reed Montgomery, owner of Reeds Guide Service based out of Birmingham, Alabama has taken anglers from all over the globe to fish Alabama's many lakes, offering bass fishing state wide, year round. Targeting largemouth bass, spotted bass, small mouth bass and striped bass. (See: the pictures link on my Website www.fishingalabama.com).
Same rates for either one or two anglers with discount rates available on two day trips, to any Alabama lake. We welcome (with several qualified guides and insured boats), corporate guided trips, family outing fishing trips, parent and child learning trips, lake residents, both the tournament angler and the novice angler. All are welcome!
Call today (205) 663-1504 or E-mail me alabassgyd@aol.com for more info. Or see my website www.fishingalabama.com for my guide service info, seasonal fishing tips and lake reports for all of Alabama's lakes, fishing articles, fishing links, pictures and more!
GUIDED FISHING TRIPS FOR ANGLERS FOR CHRISTMAS!
* KEEP IN MIND CHRISTMAS IS NOT FAR AWAY! A GUIDED FISHING TRIP WITH REED MONTGOMERY OF REEDS GUIDE SERVICE FOR, "THAT LOVED ONE THAT LOVES TO FISH" MAKES A GREAT GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS! E-MAIL OR CALL TODAY (205) 663-1504 TO RESERVE YOUR CHRISTMAS GIFT CERTIFICATE !
* WBRC FOX 6 T V "GOOD DAY ALABAMA" - Call in with your fishing questions (205) 741-7474 as Reed Montgomery answers with his, "Ask the Angler" question and answer session. Reed Montgomery (an Alabama native) is on this very popular morning T V show the last Tuesday of each month. Reed is on just after 8 a.m. Central time.
Reed has been on "Good Day Alabama" for over 6 years on Birmingham's WBRC Fox 6 Television (seen state wide). Mark your calendar and make plans to tune in to "Good Day Alabama" morning show! Reed's next live appearance will be on Tuesday morning just after 8 a.m. on December 27 of 2011!
* NEW! ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE SOUTH'S BEST BARGAINS? - Check out www.bargainssouth.com A great discount WEBSITE to find anything at a great low price! Order online! Christmas is not far away! Find those hard-to-find (and often very cute) gifts, for those hard-to-shop-for loved ones in your life..all at the best prices in the south! Check back often for new added items! We are working on new categories! Including. Fishing items, that will be added soon...
* HUNTING AND FISHING - Check out www.marksoutsdoors.com for all your fishing and hunting needs! Great gifts for Christmas, now on sale!
* NEW AND USED BOATS - See www.airportmarine.com for new and used boats, end-of-year boat clearance sales, great parts department and expert mechanic work!
* COMING SOON! - THE BIRMINGHAM BOAT SHOW! - See their website www.birminghamboatshow.com for more info on this huge, annual Birmingham Boat and Sport show, held in Birmingham each winter season for over 40 years! Scheduled for January 19-22 Thursday - Sunday of 2012!
* REED MONTGOMERY'S TENTH ANNUAL (FREE!) 2012 KIDS FISHING SHOW! - To be held on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 2 p.m. at the 2012 Birmingham Boat Show! (SEE THEIR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO.) * Donations are welcome and donators are promoted on stage by either you, a representative of the donating company, or promoted by Reed Montgomery!
REED'S 2012 KIDS FISHING SHOW DONATIONS - WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Come help us make this the best kids fishing show to date! Donations of anything shirts, hats, decals, stickers, pens, pencils, fishing lures, line, rods, reels, tackle boxes. Anything! In January of 2011 we had over 500 kids and their parents attend this very popular kids fishing show! Bring yours...its all free and lots of nice donated prizes!
* Call (205) 663-1504 or e-mail me alabassgyd@aol.com with your donations!
I will commit to giving a good "promotional plug" for all donators during the 2012 Kids Fishing Show!
Thanks and Good Fishin '
Reed Montgomery / Outdoor Writer
Owner / Reeds Guide Service
Alabaster, Alabama (205) 663-1504
E-mail: alabassgyd@aol.com
Website;: www.fishingalabama.com
" Over 40 Years Guiding, Fishing and Exploring Every Lake in Alabama For Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass and Striped Bass "
Always Call on Reeds Guide Service...first!
Alabama's Oldest Professional, Freshwater Fishing Guide Service!
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