Spring Fishing on Wheeler Lake

Its Alabama's second largest man made impoundment. Wheeler Lake is situated on the Tennessee River system just downstream of Guntersville Lake, Alabama's largest man made impoundment. Wheeler Lake is an excellent lake for targeting largemouth bass and smallmouth bass this spring season. Wheeler Lake offers a good population of striped bass, hybrid striped bass and white bass as well.

March showed a week long warming trend to start the prespawn season off right. Water temperatures were in the mid 60's by the first full moon of the spring season in mid March. March still displayed late winter, low water pool, on this lake. Navigation is hazardous for boaters and extreme caution must be used when navigating anywhere on Wheeler Lake when down, until the lake is returned to full pool in April.

March can also show heavy spring rains and Wheeler's main lake, the lakes headwaters and incoming rivers and feeder creeks can muddy up for a few days afterwards. Cold fronts, this is another thing that all anglers hate to experience, but cold fronts can occur at any time throughout the entire month of March. Bright, sunny bluebird conditions often follow these cold fronts and make fishing very slow for a few days.

March is still a good time to inspect potential spawning sites on Wheeler Lake. This is the flat and dry shoreline anglers are looking at, all throughout the low water period. When the lake is returned to full pool in April, these places will be flooded and a new wave of spawning bass will invade the 1-3 feet depths of newly, flooded shallows.

March is also an excellent month for big bass on Wheeler Lake. Targeting bass in prespawn holding spots may just connect an angler with the fish of a lifetime. Fan casting lures such as deep diving crankbaits along points leading into creek mouths and along the points and flats in the mouths of small cuts and pockets (such as along rock bluffs and along main lake flats) are excellent places and techniques (near deep water retreats) for both largemouth bass and smallmouth bass.

Bottom lures such as small worms, lizards and crayfish imitations, jig combos, small finesse plastics on jig heads, creature type plastics, tube baits, drop shot rigs and even jigging spoons and tailspinners in deeper water nearby, are all excellent choices for Wheeler Lakes often finicky and scattered bass.

Spinnerbaits, both smaller models for shallow bass and heavier bigger spinnerbaits for deeper water (New Spinnerbaits - See: www.the duce.com) are good choices anytime on this lake. Cordell spots, rattletraps, Spro's viv series, and other lipless lures, also both floating and suspending hard bodied jerkbaits should all be included in these lure line-ups for prespawn bass in March on Wheeler Lake.

April shows some major changes on Wheeler Lake. I failed to mention specific locations in March due to low water not allowing anglers in some spots. (See end of this article.) April shows Wheeler Lake being returned to full pool after being down several feet all throughout March (and down the last 6 months for winter pool). This rising water situation gives a lot of room to roam for both male and female bass both feeding and getting ready to spawn.

Miles of newly flooded shoreline cover, main lake flats, creek flats and river flats, first and secondary points, islands, and rocks such as around rip-rap lined bridges, dam areas, causeways and culverts are all flooded with 3-4 feet of rising water. Bass are looking for potential bedding spots in early to mid April as these waters are retuned to full pool.

In addition these newly flooded wood and rock cover shows many new meals for bass to feed on. Lures that look like or simulate new meals on the menu in these flooded shallows are good choices, lures other anglers are not thinking about.

Take a minute and think about all the worms, lizards and crayfish that must give up their flooded homes when waters rise. Shad spawn too and anglers fishing elongated lures like jerkbaits can really mop up during this 1-2 week period of rising water. This goes for any minnow imitating lure like soft and hard bodied jerkbaits, that simulate shad or the small minnows now forced to relocate as well.

Shallow diving crankbaits can be excellent lures, especially bright colored models that look and perform like egg eating bream, that bass really hate. So keep in mind to fish lures that look like these creatures for exciting action in April.

By the end of the month of April Wheeler Lake will be back to fill pool and displaying another hideout for bass and plenty of new meals on the menu in the shallows as well.

May shows Wheeler alive in the shallows, aquatic weeds are in full bloom after being high and dry for 6 months. This new oxygen rich greenery immediately has both prey and predator take up residence, even in water as shallow as 1 foot deep. There is a new resident in and around this bank lined weeds. Frogs.

Frogs are very evident in late spring. With their incessant croaking they can be heard throughout the shallows (both day and night) and they are high on the list of meals for bass recuperating from the spring spawn. Most big bass are still rather weak and do not want to exert much energy chasing small meals that may get away. They are looking for an easy to catch meal, like a slow moving frog...one that will fill their belly fast.

Small mice that run the banks of the lake are eaten as well when they happen to venture to close to the water's edge or when they fall in the shallows around these aquatic weeds. Lures apply named "frogs and rats" can be cast right in the weeds with weedless models and they should be fished on heavy line for big bass on Wheeler Lake in April and May.

Topwaters of all kinds such as walking types like Zara Spooks and Sammie's, or prop baits and popping type topwaters, that can be moved in short hops or left in one spot, are all good lure choices. Buzzbaits and spinnerbaits are also good lures, strong line is a must and trailer hooks may be needed for short striking bass. Mid to late spring calls for numbers of lures fished from top to bottom. Floating worms and soft jerkbaits are also excellent lures for springtime bass on Wheeler Lake, when fished in and around wood, rock and weed cover.

Try Wheeler Lake this spring. Your gonna like the variety of fish, big bass and many fishing situations this huge lake has to offer bass anglers for the next 3 months for some of the years best fishing.
Oh, places to fish?

* Lower Lake - The dam area and First Creek and Second Creek.

* Mid Lake - Elk River and its tributaries and Spring Creek

* Mid to upper lake - Just below the I-65 bridge crossing is Decatur flats, loaded with millfoil grass, just look for all the boats! Many creeks in this area too. Try Mallard Creek, Fox Creek, Bakers Creek, Flint Creek and Limestone Creek for spawning bass this spring.

* Upper Lake - There is over 50 miles of river type waters, all the way to Guntersville Lake dam in Wheeler Lakes headwaters. Many small creeks, cuts, pockets and flats, these are places that many anglers overlook in spring due to most anglers fishing the mid to lower lake.

* MAPS - Wheeler Lake (and other Alabama Lakes) Fishing Hotspots Maps - See: www.fishinghotspots.com for waterproof, tearproof maps, with G P S marked coordinates and fishing tips provided by Reed Montgomery.

Need help on Wheeler Lake? Always call on Reeds Guide Service...first! Phone (205) 787-5133 "Over 30 years of instructional bass and striper fishing, guiding statewide and enjoying taking bass tournament anglers to prefish Wheeler Lake and other Alabama Lakes." Several boats and professional guides available year round for multiple parties and corporate

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