UTERStriped bass fishing in Alabama freshwater
In Alabama freshwater, striped bass peak October–May and are around year-round, spawning in March–April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Hair jigs for smallies in the TVA tailwaters; live shad for stripers.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Striped bass in Alabama freshwater, month by month
- JanuaryPeakPickwick smallmouth and Smith Lake stripers. Hair jigs for smallies in the TVA tailwaters; live shad for stripers.
- FebruaryPeakPre-spawn largemouth on Guntersville's grass. Lipless cranks over the grass; tailwater sauger below Wilson Dam.
- MarchSpawningBass and crappie on the beds. Weiss Lake crappie in the shallow brush; Guntersville spawners.
- AprilSpawning
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberPeak
- DecemberPeakWinter tailwaters. Sauger and stripers below the dams; float-and-fly for smallies.
Where to fish striped bass near Lake Guntersville, Pickwick Lake, Wheeler Lake
TVA reservoirs on the Tennessee River in the north, the Coosa chain's spotted-bass lakes, Eufaula on the Georgia line, and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta's bayous where fresh water meets the Gulf.
What to use for striped bass
- Live eelsHooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- BloodwormsA piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 42–80°F water, best at 50–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch striped bass in Alabama freshwater?
Peak season is October–May, with fish spawning in March–April (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Striped bass are here year-round.
Where do striped bass hold in Alabama freshwater?
Look on bridge, dock / pilings, river, reservoir, lake — around Lake Guntersville, Pickwick Lake, Wheeler Lake, Lake Eufaula, Weiss Lake, Lewis Smith Lake.
What is the best bait for striped bass in Alabama freshwater?
Live bait: live eels, menhaden (pogies), herring, bloodworms. Live eels: Hooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for striped bass in Alabama freshwater?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and change — read the current rule at https://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater-fishing-creel-and-size-limits before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.outdooralabama.com/license-information.
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