Fishing Wheeler Lake

Massive Wheeler Lake, situated in North Alabama on the Tennessee River System, can be awfully intimidating for first timers. Even the locals never find enough time to thoroughly explore its waters. Most anglers that visit this lake every week never really, entirely learn the whole lake...not even in a lifetime!

I know, for I have spent over 40 years fishing mostly Wheeler's mid-to-lower lake section. My father and uncle fished it for many years prior to that and between the 3 of us, we rarely even fished the upper lake's 40-50 miles of water, water that is mostly untouched. Yes, its that's big. You can literally spend an entire life fishing this huge impoundment and never fish the same places twice!

Breaking it down into thirds (upper lake, midsection and lower lake) shows a much better way to explore this lake, than trying to learn the entire lake in one summer. So here are some suggestions for day and night fishing for Wheeler Lake's famed largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass and an occasional spotted bass. Proven tactics for fooling these bass species, while fishing both under the sun and beneath the stars...this summer.

Wheeler Lake's Headwaters (Upper Lake)
Ask any angler about fishing from the tailrace waters of Guntersville Lake (in Wheeler Lake's headwaters) to the Interstate 65 crossing at midlake and most will simply say, "Sorry, I haven't fished that portion of the lake before." To bad, for if they would venture out and explore, they would soon discover an entirely different lake, often a lake all to themselves. This even goes for the dead of summer when boat traffic is at its busiest.

After launching at famed Decatur boat launch, and heading upriver and going under the Interstate 65 crossing, you will immediately notice the lake narrows down to more of a river-type appearance, than a wide open lake.

As a matter of fact you will see Flint Creek on your right, just before you go under the Interstate 65 crossing, and then Limestone creek on your left, just after going under the bridge. These will be the last major feeder creeks you will see in Wheeler Lakes headwaters, with over 40 miles to go, to reach upper Lake Guntersville dam.

The mouths of these two creeks hold bass of all species all summer. This goes for day and night fishing. Fishing the upper and lower creek mouth points, up in the creek a few hundred yards and along the banks on the main river found here, will show quality bass.

During the day, try all sizes of spinnerbaits, various topwaters, shallow to deep diving crankbaits and worms, lizards, crayfish imitations, tube baits and jig combos. These lures all produce quality smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and even striped bass. Experiment with lure colors, lure sizes and lure actions.

When a few bites are found, check the depth you got the most bites in, return and rework the spot, and thoroughly cover an area with lures that cover water fast and get the anxious biting bass. Lures that simulate the baitfish they feed on during the summer months in these creek mouths, like floating and suspending jerkbaits, spoons, topwaters and especially rattling lipless lures like rattletraps, Spro's Viv series, Rapala's Rattlin' Raps, and Cordell Rattlin' Spots. Then return and slowly rework the area for stragglers and missed strikes.

At night these same creek mouths can produce numerous bites. For often huge schools of smallmouths, largemouth's, spotted bass and some huge striped bass congregate here under the security of darkness. Dropping heavy spinnerbaits, has got to be the number one tactic for all these bass species on Wheeler Lake, especially after the sun goes down.

Utilizing spinnerbait models with weights of 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce can show quality bass while dropping, slow rolling, or waking big bladed spinnerbaits after dark. Stick with dark colors on the spinnerbait skirt. Purple, black, brown, dark green, are all proven favorites for trophy bass (at night) on Wheeler Lake during the summer months. A contrasting trailer is suggested to entice bass in the dark that have trouble seeing the lure. Lighter color choices may be necessary during the day.

Some bass are shallow at night, right up on the bank, calling for 1/4 to 1/2 ounce models. Deeper bass often 5-20 feet deep, can be found using a lift and drop method, with 3/4 to one ounce spinnerbaits. Always use single #5 to #7 Colorado blades for the best feel and vibration. Stout line in the 17-20 pound test is suggested for night fishing. Missed strikes may call for the use of a trailer hook.

Heading on up the lake can show many pockets, cuts, sloughs, smaller creeks and streams. Use these same lures and tactics in the mouths of these out-of-the current refuges as well. Be sure to explore deep river bends, rock bluffs, logjams, laydown trees, weedbeds and wood or weedy cover.

Midlake on Wheeler Lake
Its not hard to find the middle portion of Wheeler Lake during the summer...just look for all the boats! Launching at Decatur launch you will immediately see hordes of anglers fishing the famous Decatur flats a mile or more downriver. If you will join them you will soon see why they are bunched up here, just like the bass.

Millfoil grass hold schools of largemouth bass found here all summer long. Some of it is very shallow and very thick grass in 1-2 feet of water. Along the edges are drop-offs that drop into the main river channel and bass move here constantly throughout the day and night. So no matter how many boats you find company with, the bass down below still cooperate.

There are many lures that penetrate this thick aquatic weed, some that slide along the top or others that run along the weedy edges, too many types to list, but there are a few favorites. Day or night the frogs and rats of today can be the number one choice.

My favorite is the Scum Frog. It is very appealing to Big Bass, very weedless and has very sharp Eagle Claw hooks. During the day any color will work. White, chartreuse, black, brown, green will all provoke strikes. At night its much simpler, stick with black. At night adding rattles or fish attractants to your lures always entices extra strikes from skittish followers.

Buzzbaits are also a good lure choice for big bass found in this millfoil, whether you day or night fish Wheeler Lake this summer. Always include sharp trailer hooks for short strikers.

Many anglers don't like the fuss associated with fishing thick, stringy weeds, so some just worm the weed edges. Tube baits, lizards and soft plastic crayfish are also very weedless. During the day choose these soft plastic lure colors according to water clarity. At night stick with darker colors and swinger tails or tails that emit lots of vibrations. Again, rattles help bass home in on these bottom dragging lures and fish attractants not only show a trailing scent, but also allow the lure to slide in the weeds better with lubrication.

Stout equipment and strong line in the 14-17 pound test category, show big bass bites in the boat, not broken line and broken hearts.

Wheeler Lakes Lower Lake
Its an entirely different lake, especially if you head up the Elk River that feeds the lower lake. Anglers find plenty to fish in this huge feeder river, that runs for miles and miles in the scenic mountains. Around the mouth of the Elk River, scattered logs, trees, logjams and rock bluffs show habitat for both largemouth bass and smallmouth bass for both day and night fishing trips this summer.

Head up in the Elk River, but with caution, for there is floating debris found here all summer long. Fishing here during the day is not to bad, at night, calls for a good spotlight and knowing where your going. Logjams, laying trees, stumps, and logs floating in main river channel are c

Member Comments…