First trip to Guntersville 11/23-11/25

Three of us headed to the big G after Thanksgiving for the first time. We stayed in a nice little cabin w/ a boat house right on the water.

The weather was rough as a serious front passed through on Thursday. Air temps were in the low 40's with a 15-20 mph wind. Brrrr. Water temps were in the low 50's.

My friend Rick and I were in Rick's boat, and Chris was in his boat. Chris' partner had to back out at the last minute. We bundled up and hit the water around 10:30 Friday morning. I have never seen so much milfoil in my life! We tried to find the edges of the grass, but there just were no edges! We threw just about everything...SB, JB, traps, spooks, worms and more...to no avail. Rick managed to nab one 13" LM, but that was it for our boat for the day. I didn't get a bite. When we met up w/ Chris, he had boated 3 slicks and 2 "little" drum, about 5 and 6 pounds.

SAT was a little cooler, but there was less wind. We started in the creek we started in on FRI, as it was the only place that we had seen baitfish the day before. After about 1/2 hour of skirting around this good-sized school of baitfish in 10-12 FOW, Rick pulled out a 3-pounder (his new PB), but he slipped it back into the water before I could get a pic. Within the next 20 minutes, he had caught a couple in the 1.75 to 2-pound range. All 3 were on a black SB w/ purple worm trailer. I still had not gotten bit. It was 4 PM and we were working the edges of the creek channel when I FINALLY got a hit...a 14"er on a crankbait. At least I wasn't going oh-for-Guntersville! Chris had landed a few more LM and a 10-pound cat...bass on a trap and the cat on a spoon.

Rick and I decided to get back out SUN morning and delay our return home. Chris saw the rain and stayed in. We went to a new spot and in the 1st hour I had boated 3 13-14" LM on a big jerkbait, catching Rick at 4 LM each. Of course, I was nowhere close in weight. But Rick would have nothing of it, and landed 2 more slicks for good measure. SUN was drizzling, but a bit warmer. I think that we had a pattern working, but it was time to get home.

We learned quite a bit about the lake, and will be ready to slay 'em this Spring! Final tally: Chris 10 LM (no keepers), 2 drum, 1 cat...Rick 6 LM (3 keepers)...me 4 LM (also no keepers).