Alabama River

[AdamG]

I will be there on the 10,11 of April launching out of Montgomery fishing a college tournament. Anyone know what kind of weight wins tournaments this time of year?? Im trying to figure out what size fish I need to be on to be in contention. Thanks

[snake050479]

I am fishing the same one and would like some info also. The other question is can you get a good map for the Alabama River? If so, where?

[Gotsum]

Anything in the 13 to 18 should do pretty well. good luck and let me know how you do i have one comming up on the river at the end of the month.

[snake050479]

Can someone suggest a place to stay. Here is the info for the ramp for better location of a place.

Official Launch:
Montgomery Riverwalk Docks

Official Fishery:
Alabama River

Official Ramp:
Powder Magazine

[AdamG]

Does anyone know of any tournament results on the river recently still trying to figure out the quality of fish it will take to win.
Thanks

[Shoofly]

Carto Craft has a map of R.E. Bob Woodruff Lake which is the Alabama River to the locals. I don't think it has contours but you can get the general layout of the river and creek locations. If your putting in at Powder Magazine Park it is just up river from Maxwell AFB. I hope ya'll have someone watching ya'lls trailers because it is not a very good part of town. Bass put in there and had a security guard there during the TX. Upriver from there is mostly river back stuff ledges, bends and a few creeks and sloughs. My choice like Chad said would be to make the run down river where there are a lot more bigger creeks along with flats and lots of grass. Most of the Bass TX contenders went this way. KVD went way down and fished a flat below henderson's landing. There is no problem running the river either way. There is one place around Possum Bright Bar where you will see the bouy markers guiding through the shallow parts, but it's no big deal. As far as a place to stay...my choice would be Holiday's Inn in Prattville (334-285-3420). It's not too far and has room for your boat. Lots of eating places and Bass Pro within a mile. Places in Montgomery will be on the other side of town.

[AdamG]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fish recycler &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Biggest fish you can find Why settle for less than the best fish you can find?
Most everytime it takes 15+, but closer to 18-20.</TD></TR></TABLE>

because if it's a tough fishery and only takes 10 lbs to win usually then I would be happy with catching 10lbs a day however if I'm catching 10 lbs consistently and it takes 15- 20 then I would need to go look for bigger fish. IMO

[need5biguns]

Skeeter, the Corp of Engineers has a map but it's just a lay out. Shoofly is right, stay at the Holiday Inn in P'ville. We also have an Academy Sports. I might would consider lauching from Cooters Pond and run to Mtg. if they will let you. Someone will get broke into at Powder Mag. park unless someone is watching. 15 lbs will get you close to winning. Spots will most likely be your primary catch unless your back in the creeks. 334-682-4896 will give you the generation schedule for the dam below you. When the water is moving the fishing is better. I think a Lake Jordan Map may have the river on the back side. Hendersons landing is a 40 min run from Montg. If you can prefish I would trailer to Swift Creek if you want to try the lower end. Good luck

[dr]

Not to down talk the city of Montgomery, but the Salvation Army is next to Powder Mag ramp. This is where all the homeless/drifters roam. Also some camp/live near the river in this area. As mentioned above safety/security is a concern.

[AdamG]

Thanks for all the advice. However we wont be fishing the tournament because my partners boats lower unit got backordered 2 weeks. Hopefully next year we can get out there and give it a try. Thanks again

[snake050479]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by need5biguns &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Skeeter, the Corp of Engineers has a map but it's just a lay out. Shoofly is right, stay at the Holiday Inn in P'ville. We also have an Academy Sports. I might would consider lauching from Cooters Pond and run to Mtg. if they will let you. Someone will get broke into at Powder Mag. park unless someone is watching. 15 lbs will get you close to winning. Spots will most likely be your primary catch unless your back in the creeks. 334-682-4896 will give you the generation schedule for the dam below you. When the water is moving the fishing is better. I think a Lake Jordan Map may have the river on the back side. Hendersons landing is a 40 min run from Montg. If you can prefish I would trailer to Swift Creek if you want to try the lower end. Good luck</TD></TR></TABLE>

I am still headed to this tournament. Do you guys know the address for these places so I can GPS them. I am going to use it so know what time to leave florence friday. I am like you guys I want to fish down river so I perfere to put in down there on practice day.

[jsanders159]

Here is a link that may help you, http://corpslakes.usace.army.m...08590 . If you want to fish the upper end your best place is in wetumpka-city ramp called gold star park. If you want to fish the middle part put in at cooter's park in prattville, and there are two places I know to put in for the lower end.....swift creek landing in autaugaville and Prairie Creek which I think is off of us80 before you get into selma. If you need to you can also lock through the dam. I was just fun fishing the other weekend and wound up with #15 pounds of spots on a shakey worm 1/4 head because of the current but that was up river towards wetumpka. I couldn't get a LM bite for anything. The water temps were in the 58 to 62 range but I imagine they are higher now with the warm weather we have had....Good Luck, hope this may help.

[Gotsum]

its all over now -- how did ya do? where did ya find them?

[snake050479]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Gotsum &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">its all over now -- how did ya do? where did ya find them?</TD></TR></TABLE>

The Alabama River was interesting. I found some good fish on crankbaits during practice at the mouth of pockets with sand bars down close to swift creek. I had 3 and 4 pound spots fighting over my crank bait. I had multiple places like that. The next day on day one I could not get any of them to hit. The bite was completely gone. I spent way to long tring to make it work. With that said I had a shot a decent bag but I broke a big largemouth off in lay down and my partner lost a big one on a jig. That would have put us there with the leaders. With not getting them in we caught 6.66 lbs and all that came on Jigs on main lake rock piles down river near swift creek. On day two we had way better luck. We had limit in an hour with Shaky heads and jigs on rocks piles on main lake. We had about 10 lbs. We could not get the big largmouth to bite. We found some in pockets cruising but nothing locked on the beds yet. The top five from day one all fall off and the team from Georgia came from 8 th to win on a spinner bait. We came in 27 th. It was fun hooking up with some many spots just wished I could have got the ones that hits during practice.

[Gotsum]

sorry they did not bite for you -- thanks for the info -- that will be very helpfull in the comming days.