First of all, Mamba ... to Crappie.com !!

Now ... Rule #1 on weather forecasts & wind speed predictions ... ALWAYS assume the weather will be slightly worse than the forecast says, and the wind will be nearly twice as strong as predicted. And prepare yourself for those conditions, especially this time of year.

Also ... you might want to post this on the Alabama state forum, complete with information on what boat you have, what lake you're going to, and if anyone knows the current water temp for that lake. There may also be a phone number you can call and get water levels & temps for various lakes from your Fish & Game Dept. or Corps of Eng. or whatever department manages that particular lake.

This forum is actually mainly for subject matters that are not exactly "fishing oriented" ... so as to keep the Main Message forum clear, and focused on those fishing oriented subjects. But, don't get me wrong ... you didn't do anything wrong by posting your question on here ... it's just that you're likely to get more pertinent information by posing your questions to the Main Message forum or a state specific forum. And that's the purpose of this site ... to inform our members to the best of our abilities, whether through opinion or experience.

... cp