Lake Guntersville

[drfish]

I will be fishing Guntersville second week of May for panfish. What should we be looking for to catch quality fish? What should water conditions be like? Will spawn be over? I have never been here before so any info would be most helpful. I fish1/32oz jigs, a lot of squirrel tail, will I need to tie up something else. What about colors? Last question is about snakes, should we expect to see a lot? I thank you in advance for helping out thi Indiana boy.

[Snapperking]

The second week in May if the weather hasn't gotten to hot to quick will put you in the middle or toward the end of the first Bluegill spawn. A rule of thumb here is they are on bed on the first full moon in May which usually occurs the first week.(More urban legend than truth) If its a late warm up you may be in the beginning, either way the gills should be hot and still on bed then. There are always a few straggler Redears (Shellcrackers) still around too as they tend to bed earlier than bluegills . Your squirrel tail jigs will work great . Get some keystone minnow jigs too. And don't rule out Crickets as they are hard to beat day in and day out for good gills.As to Snakes they are always here and there.I have fished days in the spring and summer and never seen one then I may go and see many in one day, but just stay out from under any overhanging tree limbs and you should be fine. They should have all emerged from hibernation and dispersed by then. The area you fish in usually will dictate if you have a chance of seeing one(They tend to stick to the shore line) and they usually run from you as fast as you run from them.

[WileyG]

Crickets under a float OR on bottom cast right into beds for Bream and worms fished the same way for Shellcrackers

[Hitek]

Hard to really say. We were loading the boat with crappie the second week of May 2 years ago, longlining jigs in 10-12' of water on post spawn pattern. This year, those fish were about 3-4 weeks ahead of that schedule. Weather and water temp has a big effect year to year. Shellcrakers and bluegill fishing should be good as mentioned above.