Fall on Mitchell Lake

I look forward to fishing every Fall season on Mitchell Lake. For those anglers that are rather new to fishing this lake, a few facts may help.

This is the fifth lake of the six Coosa River Lakes, that run from north to south Alabama. It is located in mid Alabama near the town of Clanton. It's now been 83 years since Mitchell Lake was impounded in 1923. Although quite spread out, with 147 miles of shoreline, it is the smallest lake on the Coosa River. From Mitchell dam to the upper lake headwaters, situated just below Lay Lake dam, is only 14 nautical miles.

Mitchell Lake's 5,850 surface acres of water shows it to be loaded with all types of aquatic weeds, wood cover, rock cover, piers, boat houses, and lots of various depths for the versatile angler to probe along rock bluffs, flats and deep drop-offs. It features several major feeder creeks at midlake and loads of small incoming streams, hidden pockets, small cuts and winding creek channels, many that meander throughout the scenic hillsides for miles.

This mid Alabama Lake is among three lakes on the lower Coosa River System that is kept at or near full pool, year round. Mitchell lake offers anglers various types of fishing habitat to explore for largemouth bass and the Coosa River breed of spotted bass. It is an excellent lake for Fall and early Winter bass fishing. Year round, Mitchell Lake shows some very quality sized, catchable bass in both shallow water and deep water.

I have fished this lake for over 30 years. My father and uncle fished it before that. Although many anglers target shallow largemouth bass usually found around weeds, rock and wood cover, they can be found in deep water as well. I have caught largemouth bass on Mitchell Lake as deep as 25-30 feet.

Largemouth bass, some weighing from 5-7 pounds are common. The Lake is loaded with 3-4 pounders. Any largemouth bass bigger than 8 pounds is rare. My best largemouth bass, one weighing 8 1/2 pounds, came on a spinnerbait one cool Fall morning. It was suspended in a lone tree top, in 5 feet of water, in a small pocket in Weogufka Creek.

The Coosa River Spotted bass, so many anglers assume to be in and around deep water, can be in shallow water depths of less than 5 feet deep. "Spots" as they are known by Alabama anglers, are often found mingling right alongside largemouth bass and striped bass. They can be found in large schools voraciously feeding on baitfish in the far back ends of major feeder creeks, or bunched up along shallow points, islands, rock bluffs, the lakes headwaters, and around shallow flats near deep water.

The biggest spotted bass I ever caught in Alabama came off of Mitchell Lake one hot summer day, a few years back. It was fooled on a Zara Super Spook topwater lure on the Fourth of July at 10 a.m. A very memorable explosion. Like my biggest Largemouth bass on this lake, it too was released to live and fight another day.

Topwater explosions, jarring strikes with mid depth lures, and all kinds of bumps along bottom in deep water can occur on this lake, before it gets real cold this Winter. Lures with all kinds of tempting motions and actions can fool both the largemouth bass and spotted bass found lake wide on Mitchell Lake. Give it a try and discover the fantastic fishing on Mitchell Lake this Fall and early Winter seasons.

Or give me a call and see how I've learned this lake after over 30 years of exploring every hidden section, in all types of weather and every season, fishing for the fighting bass of Mitchell Lake.

This report provided by:
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery Radio Show
"6 Years on the Radio  / Jan 2005"
Birmingham, Alabama
Call Reeds Guide Service...First! (205) 787-5133
"Over 40 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers"
E-mail: ALABASSGYD@aol.com
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com

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