LOGAN MARTIN FEB. 03

LOGAN MARTIN LAKE
By Reed Montgomery
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
Impounded 1964
Lake Level: Down 6 feet
Water Temperature: Upper 40's to low 50's

Jan-Feb / Winter on Logan Martin Lake

The next two months will show less anglers on Logan Martin Lake, than at any other time of the year. Cold winter days, hunting season, and no major bass tournaments, keep the hordes of anglers away from now until March. All but the anglers that know. These can fantastic times for loading the boat with both Coosa River Spotted Bass and some nice largemouth's.

Like any Coosa River Lake, planing your trip, calls for knowledge of what took place a week prior to your trip. Cold nights of mid to upper 20's call kill the shallow water bite. So can muddy water, for fishing at any depth.

On the other hand it can be in the mid 50's at night and daytime highs near 70 degrees for days at a time, really increasing the shallow water fish activity. Heavy rains can muddy up the lakes headwaters and the mid-to-far back ends of major feeder creeks. Heavy rains, following a weeks warming trend, can turn on the bass lake wide for a day or two.

Logan Martin Lake is roughly 50 miles long. Interstate 20 that crosses the lake is situated at the lakes midway point. After you go under this bridge (and the railroad bridge just half mile away) you are heading upriver and see the lake begin to narrow down, about 10 miles upriver. Extreme caution is advised for navigation, especially with the lake down 6 feet. It will be down until mid April. This is mostly river fishing with Broken Arrow Creek, the only creek upriver with fishable water still remaining.

Down river from I-20 to Logan Martin Lake dam, shows clearer water, less current, warmer flats, more baitfish schools and generally better winter time fishing conditions, throughout January and February.

Resident built piers, boat houses and marinas, all hold bass relating to the wooden pilings and the sunken brush found here. Creek mouths and the small cuts and pockets are excellent places to target in winter for spotted bass and largemouth's.

Bridges, causeways and the lower lake dam, all have man made rip-rap rocks, that heat up and hold heat during sunny days. Active bass feed here around these rocks from mid mornings to late evenings, on sunny days. Crankbaits are excellent choices for covering lots of water around these rocks.

Old roadbeds, house foundations, cemeteries and blown out bridges and culverts, are all hidden underwater on the lower lake. These are great places for the deep water angler to discover that huge school of winter time bass, using these deep water sanctuaries.

There are plenty of places to fish, both upriver and downriver on Logan Martin Lake, usually with little company throughout the upcoming winter months. Use caution navigating, study your map and watch your depthfinder. Or call Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133 for lake conditions, updates and guide rates.

This report provided by:
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery
Sunday Mornings 9-10 A.M.Central Time
Radio Station WJOX 690 AM Birmingham, Alabama
Reeds Guide Service (205) 787-5133
"Over 30 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers"
E-mail: ALABASSGYD@aol.com
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com