MITCHELL MARCK 2003

MITCHELL LAKE
By Reed Montgomery
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787- 5133
Impounded 1923
Lake Level: Full Pool
Water Temperature: Low to mid 60's
Water Clarity: Stained to muddy and clearing

THE FIRST WEEK OF SPRING
ON MITCHELL LAKE

Late March, felt like normal mid-April conditions this spring season. Unseasonably warm nights in 60's and mid to upper 70's during the day, have water temperatures soaring on a daily basis. The only condition, that really slowed the warmth of the shallows, was the week long, cloudy period we had, following a three day torrential down pour, taking place state wide.

On the other hand, the heavy rains showed swollen water as most of our lakes flooded. This cleansed them of wood debris (natural), garbage (man) and oil, gas and pollutants (again man), that would otherwise become stagnated and welcome the mosquitoes of the upcoming summer.

Also a factor many anglers often forget, stained to muddy water, heats up faster than clear water, due to particles in the water retaining heat longer. As most anglers know, shallow water in the 1-3 foot range, where most bass spawn, heats up very fast with constant sunshine. So these conditions have set the stage as this week's first full moon of spring takes place and the first wave of Mitchell's big, female bass begin constantly cruising the shallows.

This normal, early spring flooding in turn, brings in all types of washed in prey for the bass, fattening up and awaiting an easy meal. So now on Mitchell Lake, more desirable conditions are returning to normal. Anglers are finding the feeder creeks and lake headwaters, slowly returning to their normal water clarity (light stain), and the current is back to normal (until the next heavy rain), created in these places.

During the last few weeks, anglers that avoided the creeks due to muddy conditions, soon found out they missed out on some early, spring female bass action. As reported by those that braved the muddy shallows, finding trophy sized bass, as some big fish continued to feed and prepare to spawn.

On several trips to Mitchell Lake during March, I've seen many largemouth's in the 4- 6 pound range. Dozens of bass, mostly small males or 2-3 pounders (that could be either gender) and in turn, (if you can count these bass) many lost fish at or near the boat (before we could net em') that may have been even bigger.

This is the largemouth bass population of Mitchell Lake, many anglers really don't target due to the conditions. Although constant muddy water invaded the many feeder creeks of Mitchell Lake, largemouth bass still hit many lures with authority.

Lures such as spinnerbaits, crankbaits, rattletraps and jig combos, were annihilated by some very evidently strong prespawn females fattening up, as they fed on the constant, incoming meals washed down these tributaries. Most bass, weighing from 2-6 pounds I've seen recently, came from water less than 3 feet deep.

They were found (often after constantly casting to fishless water) in places like first and secondary points, around new growing grass and brush, laying logs and trees or stumps. Many were fooled in the shallows in backs of flats, pockets and small cuts (out of the muddy water and main current flow), places out of the wind that are calm and bathed in an all day sunshine.

Most of these spring bass can be fooled on a variety of lures that include many types of topwater lures as well. Anglers that will give it a try early in the season, find some very anxious or irritated bass, that just can't resist blasting a well placed topwater lure.

Lures such as buzzbaits, zara spooks or other walking type lures, pop-r's, prop-baits and even floating worms, soft jerkbaits and swimming a lizard, can all bring surprising results in and around Mitchell's variety of aquatic weeds.

The new growing weeds of Mitchell Lake (that remains at or near full pool all spring), are getting thicker with each passing week. Many anglers cuss some of Mitchell's thick, stringy type weeds, when getting hung with conventional lures.

But experimenting right now, with weedless lures (that's why they call them that) such as spinnerbaits, topwater frogs and rat imitations, various air injected plastics, weedless spoons, worms, lizard crayfish imitations, and even swimming a light bodied jig combo, will bring amazing results.

Anglers that do so, are getting the jump on others. Fair weather anglers, that will invariably soon follow, as they slowly find bass that just invaded the weeds, eager to bite, later in the season. These early season prespawn bass, will feed and foolishly hit your offerings now, before the hordes of spring time anglers really give them a good pounding in April and May.

So as April approaches look for bass shallow, with water temperatures now above 60 degrees, and rising fast each week, soon to be at that perfect spawning temperature of 72 degrees. Keep in mind, unless fishing for spotted bass, stripes, or other fish species, the lakes headwaters, below upper reservoir dam Lay Lake, is the last place to warm in the spring.

When fishing for largemouth bass, concentrate your efforts in small pockets, along main lake and creek flats, the mid to backs of creeks, and cuts with flat, spawning type hard or sandy bottoms. These places will show the first of wave of early spawning bass to move shallow. Others, will follow with another late spawning bunch, on or near the next full moon.

This report provided by:
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery Radio Show
Sunday Morning's 9-10 A.M. Central Time
Radio Station WJOX 690 AM Birmingham, Alabama
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
"Over 40 Years Fishing Alabama's Lakes for Bass and Stripers"
E-mail: ALABASSGYD@aol.com
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com