Feature Story

By Jason Duran 

The Alabama Bass Trail North Division is set to compete at Lake Guntersville this weekend for its second tournament of the season. The tournament, initially scheduled for Saturday, has been rescheduled to Sunday due to anticipated storms. However, with clear skies and mild temperatures forecasted for Sunday, anglers can look forward to ideal conditions for a successful day on the water.

“Lake Guntersville is on fire.” This statement has been repeated frequently since October of last year when anglers were regularly catching over 30 pounds a day. Reports continued through the end of the year as more and more fishermen traveled to Guntersville to experience some of the best fishing opportunities available. When the ABT 100 visited in January of this year, expectations were high for monster bags exceeding 30 pounds. However, the weather negatively impacted the bite and changed the outcome. Whitehead and Adams managed a weight of 28.49 pounds, resulting in a solid finish, with 18 other teams also weighing in over 20 pounds.

The lake has continued to show out over recent weeks including last weekend, with 31.34 as the winning weight. With weights like that, it begins to raise the question: Will the ABT Record Weight of 32.02 from 2014 be broken this year?

In 2018, the team of Donny Beck and Tony Harvey won at Lake Guntersville with a total weight of 30.02 pounds, which included an impressive big fish weighing 8.56 pounds. Reflecting on that memorable day, they stated, “We had the best practice we ever had and felt it would take over 30 pounds to win. We got lucky and arrived at the right spots at the right time.” The key to their victory was their patience and positive mindset. With this approach, they managed to get a bite approximately every hour and a half, and each bite was crucial. Once they secured their limit, they decided to head back toward the weigh-in while stopping one last time at a particular spot. There, they caught over 20 fish, although none were significant enough to improve their weight. In the years that followed, whenever they needed a bite, they would revisit that spot. However, they have yet to catch another fish there since that day.

Lake Guntersville, one of Alabama’s most iconic fishing destinations, covers over 69,000 acres, making it the largest lake in the state. The lake features a diverse range of fishing structures, including thick grass beds and rocky shorelines. Renowned for producing impressive bass, Guntersville has long been a favorite among tournament anglers. This weekend, anglers will have the opportunity to showcase the outstanding fishing that Lake Guntersville has to offer.

Donny and Tony reported that fish are beginning to move into pre-spawning areas. As water temperatures rise, fish are entering shallow regions to prepare for spawning, creating an excellent opportunity for anglers to find hungry bass staging close to the banks, in creek channels, and around submerged structures. Grass beds are also crucial areas to focus on, as bass often position themselves along the edges or within thicker grass while preparing to spawn. It's well-known that the bridge pattern has been successful in many fishing tournaments, along with fishing near riprap.

The team advised that, keeping in mind the seasonal patterns, anglers should come prepared with a variety of baits, including crankbaits, chatterbaits, and lipless crankbaits. Deep-running crankbaits are excellent for targeting bass in deeper waters near grass or submerged structures. Chatterbaits in natural colors are effective for attracting aggressive strikes, while lipless crankbaits can be used around grass flats. Additionally, the team emphasized that if you're not using red, you may not be using the right color. From January to May, red is the preferred color at Lake Guntersville, as it resembles the color of crawfish that bass are feeding on in preparation for the spawn.

Will the record weight be broken this weekend? Beck and Harvey think it will. They predict the winning weight will be around 32 pounds, with 20 or more teams exceeding 22 pounds. They also mentioned that it might even require 20 pounds just to earn a check in the top 40.

With the forecast looking promising, Sunday is shaping up to be a great day for catching 30 or more fish. The calm conditions and favorable temperatures will give anglers an excellent chance to fish at various depths and patterns. Lake Guntersville’s size and diverse fishing opportunities will ensure there's something for every angler. However, success will require careful strategy and thoughtful decision-making.

For Beck and Harvey, this tournament will be another shot to demonstrate their skill on the lake. For the rest of the field, it will be an opportunity to claim victory at one of Alabama’s most renowned bass fishing lakes. As the ABT North Division heads to Lake Guntersville, anglers are in for an exciting and competitive day of fishing.

Launch and Weigh in will be March 16, 2025 at Lake Guntersville State Park, 1155 Lodge Drive, Guntersville, AL 35976. All friends and family are welcome to attend this event. Bring lawn chairs and see some of the best bass teams in the country cross the stage. Everyone can watch the live weigh-in and over 4 hours of on-the-water live coverage on the ABT Facebook page, YouTube, and the ABT website.

The 2025 Alabama Bass Trail Sponsors Include: Phoenix Boats, AMFirst, Landers – McLarty Chevrolet, McGraw – Webb Chevrolet, Rapala, VMC, Crush City, Buffalo Rock, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Jack’s, Garmin, Lew’s, Strike King, Southern Protection Agency, Alabama State Parks, Halo Fishing, Snag proof, NetBait, Bait Fuel, TH Marine Supplies, Power-Pole, Pro Guide Batteries, American Trailer Rental, Yamaha, Anheuser-Busch, American Baitworks, E3 Sports Apparel, FishAlabama.org, Sweet Home Alabama, and Alabama Mountain Lakes.