Taking first trip to Guntersville

[calveryc]

I'm fairly new to bass fishing in this area and am taking my first trip to Guntersville. Its the same distance from my house to Chickamauga and Guntersville so I'm going to give Guntersville a shot to see which I need to hit up more often. My question is where would you start and what would you start with? After looking at the map I was thinking of starting around the Racoon Creek area and some of the slews around there.

 

[churly]

That whole lake is good. Just get out there and start learning. Top water bite around emergent grass should be good early and late.

 

[Hook1]

From the recent reports, the ledge bite is getting hot too with jigs cranks and big swimbaits. Theres tons of places down there where the grass beds stretch all the way to the main river channel. Good luck!

 

[calveryc]

Now I just need this rain to stop.

 

[churly]

Rainy days on gunny can be awesome for topwater!

 

[chillerman69]

Make sure you have an Alabama license and your boat registration is up to date. There seems to be 100 Wildlife Officers for every one we have here. Not sure exactly when but I think the Alabama license expires in August, not in February, like in TN.

 

[stratos21xl]

Not trying to discourage you at all but if you are unfamiliar with that lake then I would get some maps and get familiar with the channels and how they lay on the river. If you get on the wrong side of the channel markers in the main lake or in the secondary creeks, the water shallows up very fast and the lake is loaded with huge cypress stumps and hazards.

 

[calveryc]

Good suggestions. I was just about to buy my fishing license in Alabama. Sucks that it expires in August. I feel like fishing isn't seasonal and your license should be a year regardless of when you buy it. Oh well they didn't ask me.

As far as the topography and hazards of Guntersville; I've got a hds 5, can I buy a map that shows the channels, hazards and depths using my coordinates?

 

[stratos21xl]

yes, you can use the loaded maps or purchase a map card and that will certainly help but you are still depending on electronics for safe navigation. I realize there is no way anyone can ever know all the lake or lakes but just going out and buying a boat, graph, and hitting the water without at least knowing some details on that lake is an accident waiting to happen. I have seen it happen on that lake as well as on Chickamauga several times.

 

[chillerman69]

Ditto what stratos21xl said.

Guntersville is a very shallow lake, overall and you will find ground in a hurry. If and when you go, don't get suckered into running wide open across a flat like 50 other boats did. They know the stump locations and where the itty bitty channel is. Channel down there is a small drainage ditch here. Until you're sure, putt around like a chicken booty, your prop and foot will thank you.

 

[calveryc]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm looking at maps now.