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Bass fishing is the most popular fishery in Wheeler Reservoir. Largemouth bass are the primary species, but smallmouth bass are common from Decatur to the west end, especially from Elk River down. The northern subspecies of spotted bass are also common, and spots are found primarily near the main channel.

This reservoir is home to quality fishing for a variety of fish. Catfish fishing is excellent; and William McKinley caught the previous world record blue catfish, 111 pounds, from Wheeler Reservoir on July 5, 1996. Bream (bluegill, redear sunfish, and longear sunfish) fishing is excellent, also. Crappie grow exceptionally fast here. Sauger run upstream during the winter and early spring, and are caught below Guntersville Dam. Striped bass, hybrids and white bass make spring runs, and can be caught schooling during the summer.

Common baits for bass include crankbaits, Carolina rigs, plastic worms, spinner baits and shaky-head rigged finesse worms. If you are fishing the Decatur flats, you better try throwing a frog/rat type lure in the milfoil. Dark jigs cast on points and along bluff walls at night are good for smallmouth bass in the lower reservoir. Bream are found in shallow-gravelly areas during the spawn. Look for bream along the bluffs and banks during the occasional willow fly hatches during the summer.

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