guntersville

Headed to guntersville next weekend for 9 days. Surely I'll get on some crappie. I usually longline but if I gut on them I'll cast. Have the fish moved shallow yet?

Castle

9 days crappie fishing at Gville! You lucky rascal. I am guessing you will need a dump truck to haul your catch.

Dang that's a lot of fishing. Good luck

Here in North West Alabama on the Tennessee River the WT is 56-59F and no they haven't even moved into shallow water. Head a few miles east around Decatur and u can find them spawning in the backwater creeks. The water over here on Wheeler and Pickwick is relatively deeper. It will be another week or more before its full on spawn.

Guntersville is earlier than we are as it has a lot of shallow water that will make them spawn similar but not as shallow as Decatur.

I'm not much on cleaning fish! I'll clean some and the rest can swim around for some to catch again!

Water temperature yesterday was 52 degrees on guntersvile. The overnight temp is supposed to be 35 tonight and 38 tommorrow night. The fish are confused. They were not there yesterday. I would expect tough fishing until about Wed or Thur and even then. Deep water is likley to be the choice.
Just my thoughts.
Zero

Doubt they have yet, but they will have to soon no matter what the weather

We haven't found them shallow consistently in our normal spots yet. I agree they will have to move soon.

they do seem a little late moving in.

Ill probably start out trolling in the deeper water close to potential spawning areas first. Then go from there.

This could be the down year. You know about ever 4 years we have a down year. Just a thought. But by looking at the boat ramps you would think this is the only place to fish. LOL But I like that it helps the local business and the state. With the temps moving up the next few days should make it much easer to locate and catch fish for all. Just save a few for me.

I'll keep a few to eat but the rest go back. I'll have a 10 year old and 5 year old with me so I'd rather spend my time catching than cleaning. You guys see how this trip is going to roll.

Any recomendations for a guide?

http://guntersvillebassfishing.com/ Jason Tucker is one of the best. You also may want to PM jameslin he is a member here that guides but I'm not sure he is still doing it you will need to check with him. But if the weather keeps getting warmer you should not need a guide to catch crappie on bed.

I understand that the fishing will be good as it gets warmer. However, I want to make sure the kids catch fish. So hiring a guide might be a good option for me. The 10 yr old loves fishing better than anything and not to worried about him. But the 5yr old is just getting started. I'm taking my wife as well so she and the 5yr old will probably only be fishing half days. They will meet us at the dock every day around lunch time. I think it will be a great trip. I can catch fish really well once I get on them but I hate to hunt fish for two or three days before I get on them. Especially with the family with me.

All those 100's of boats at every launch site are thankfully 95% wanna be bass masters.If all of them were after the crappie there wouldnt be one left based on how crowded they ramps have been since the first of Feb!!