Guide Troy Jens Fishing Reports

Fishing on Guntersville is outstanding. Numbers of fish from 2 to 5 pounds are very good. At this time, fish are in all stages of the spawn. Most of the bigger fish are done, with many 2 to 4-lb fish on bed and many still on pre-spawn. Grass is growing fast now that the water temps have reached the 70s. Hydrilla is doing well on the ledges, and lots of milfoil is growing on ledges and in pockets. Top-water bite is getting started, with pop-rs and white buzzbaits working in 1 to 3 feet of water. Rattle traps, small cranks and jerkbaits are very productive on breaklines from 4 to 7 feet. A 3/4oz spinnerbait is getting them on the ledges for me in the hydrilla. My best bites have come on a black and blue jig/snake bite craw and SOS 6" lizards in melonseed, Texas-rigged with a 3/16oz weight. The SOS spider grub, (rootbeer green flake) Texas-rigged the same as the lizard, continues to be very good also this spring. When it slows down, the SOS shad in Watermelon/Pearl, with a little orange dippy die on the throat, and a little chartreuse on the tail looks a lot like the small bream, and bass are killing it in the shallow grass. I put a lead nail in the tail so it sinks down backwards, and it gets a good walking action. The main river ledge is holding some good fish, most are on top or just on the first drop to the channel. I'm starting to do well for quality post spawn fish on the TJ special, SOB 3/4oz spinnerbait on the back sides of the main ledge, and on old channel ledges where the hydrilla is starting to grow. Bream and monster shellcracker are now on bed in shallow pockets with hard bottoms if you need some light line action. Take time to go, Guntersville is coming back very strong.

Wheeler is in one of those on and off modes for me. I've had good luck on a 3/8oz TJ special spinnerbait around the shallow grass beds. A white buzzbait has also been productive, but it's been all about numbers and not much size. Lots and lots of 2-lb fish and an occasional good fish. A black and blue jig in the buck brush has been the best producer for quality fish for me, but it's been scattered. Wheeler has fish in all stages of the spawn, and I think that the bigger post spawn fish are just now starting to get on the flats. A few will still be bedding in the next few weeks, and the chance for a big female is still not out of the question. The milfoil is growing in many areas on Wheeler, but is still pretty short due to the nasty, long winter we had. The spotted bass are active up river in the ditto area and on bluffs and wood cover along the river banks. Good fishing!