Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted, Shoay & Redeye Bass Fishing in Alabama.

The largemouth bass is the official Alabama state fish. And they grow big in Alabama due to the moderate temperatures in the south.

Bass Lakes In Alabama

You can find bass in most every lake in Alabama including Dannelly Reservoir, Lake Eufaula, Guntersville Lake, Lake Harding, Lake Jordan, Lay Lake, Logan Martin Lake, Lake Martin, Lake Mitchell, Lake Neely Henry, Pickwick Lake, Smith Lake, Lake Tuscaloosa, Lake Wedowee - Harris Lake, Lake Weiss, West Point Lake, Wheeler Lake, Wilson Lake, Lake Woodruff, and many other lakes as well as ponsd, creeks and rivers.

The Alabama state record largemouth bass came out of Mountain View Lake and Wheeler Dam Tailwater produced the AL state record smallmouth bass.

Bass are one of the most sought after of all the game fish. Its appeal spans cultures, age groups and genders to tap on the heart strings of anglers everywhere. Join us in our endeavor to offer information about bass fishing on your favorite bass lake in the Alabama area.

They are aggressive feeders and agile enough to chase down and catch most of their favorite foods. They are most easily caught during a feeding spree but can be enticed into striking an anglers bait for reasons other than hunger. They are predatory by nature and at times will strike at anything that enters their world. They are also territorial and at times strike anything that ventures into their domain. If it moves and they can get it into their large mouth, bass will attempt to eat it.

Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides

Also known as bucketmouth, this fish has a mouth that opens wide enough to swallow its own head. It will attempt to eat virtually anything it can catch and swallow. Growing to well over 20 pounds, it is much bigger than it's cousin the smallmouth bass.

Fishing For Largemouth Bass

SPRING
Top Baits: Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms.
Fish shallow to moderate depths as the bass move into the shallows for warmer water, spawning and food source activity. Try shallow-water flippin on cloudy days or in murky water.

SUMMER
Top Baits: Crankbaits, Jigs and plastic worms.
Fish shallow in the mornings and evenings and move deeper as the sun rises. "Deep" depends on the overall depth of the lake you are fishing. In some lakes you may need to go as deep as 60 feet while others seldom hold fish below 35 feet. Largemouth's often feed at night during the hot summer months.

FALL
Top Baits: Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and spoons.
Fish shallow to moderate depths in the mornings and evenings. As the bass move deeper during the day move to outside deep structure and use spoons or jigs.

WINTER
Top Baits: Jigs, pork baits and plastic worms.
Try shallow in the mornings then move deeper as the sun rises. Bass are not very active in cold water, so move your bait in a slow, easy to catch manner and fish deep cover and structure. "Deep" depends on the overall depth of the lake you are fishing. In some lakes you may need to go as deep as 60 feet while others seldom hold fish below 35 feet.

Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu

While the smallmouth only grows to about half the size of the largemouth, it is much more agile, faster and powerful for its size. It eats pretty much the same foods, just smaller specimens. It is without argument one of the finest game fish an angler can pursue. The thrill of the frantic runs and jumps are the source of many a fisherman's dreams.

Fishing For Smallmouth Bass

SPRING
Top Baits: Small crankbaits, small jigs and plastic worms.
Fish shallow to moderate depths as the smallmouth move into the shallows for warmer water, spawning and food source activity. Gravel points and submerged humps are prime holding areas.

SUMMER
Top Baits: Small crankbaits, Jigs and plastic worms.
Fish shallow in the mornings and evenings and move deeper as the sun rises. Use lures that mimic crawfish as this is a favorite food for smallmouth bass. Follow points and rocky or gravel structure deeper until you establish the proper depth.

FALL
Top Baits: Small jigs, small crankbaits and spoons.
Fish shallow to moderate depths in the mornings and evenings. As the sun rises move deeper toward outside structure and use small spoons or jigs.

WINTER
Top Baits: Jigs, spoons and plastic worms.
Try shallow in the mornings then move deeper as the sun rises. Smallmouth are less active in cold water, so move your bait in a slow, easy to catch manner and fish deep structure. "Deep" depends on the overall depth of the lake you are fishing. In some lakes you may need to go as deep as 60 feet while others seldom hold fish below 35 feet.

Spotted Bass
Micropterus punctulatus
World Record: 9.5 lbs
Easily identified by the dominant, spots along the lateral lines, they are found primarily in the southeastern states. Spotted bass are often called Kentucky bass, Kentucky spotted bass, Alabama spotted bass and Kentucky spots. It prefers warmer water temperatures from 70 to 78 degrees. They have a smaller mouth than the largemouth so use lure sizes similar to smallmouth tackle. They feed on smaller fish as well as insects, crustaceans, frogs and worms.

Shoal Bass
Micropterus cataractae
World Record: 7.8 lbs.
Closely related to the spots, it is often mis-identified as a redeye due to the red coloring in the eye. The coloring is brownish similar to smallmouth. It is found primarily in the warm waters of Florida, Georgia and Alabama. They populate lakes, rivers and streams. Fish for shoal bass as you would most bass and, as the name implies, look for them to congregate on shoals and similar structure. Prefers water temperatures from 65 to 72 degrees.

Redeye Bass
Micropterus coosae
World Record: 8.8 lbs
The redeye bass looks very much like a largemouth with a red eye and red coloration in the tail. Found in the southeast part of the US it is often confused with the shoal bass, because of the red eye. Prefers water temperatures from 65 to 70 degrees and is often found in cool streams and rivers. Fish for the redeye with conventional bass tackle favoring smaller baits and lighter tackle. If you like to fly fish, try fly fishing for the redeye bass.

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Alabama fishing information.

For information regarding bass fishing in other states, see the list of states to the left

AL Bass Fishing - All About Fishing for Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted, Shoal & Redeye Bass in Alabama.

22 lbs - 4 oz

16 lbs - 8 oz

60 - 80 Degrees

Prefers slightly stained to murky water with cover and little or no current.

11 lbs - 15 oz

10 lbs - 8 oz

58 - 72 Degrees

Prefers clear to slightly stained water and is comfortable in mild current. Prefers gravel and rocky areas.