Eat, Stay And Explore Lake Guntersville Fishing History
A Lake Guntersville fishing trip does not have to start at the boat ramp and end when the rods go back in the locker.
Whether you are coming in for one day or spending several days with us, there are plenty of ways to make a fishing trip into a full Guntersville experience.
You can grab a big meal after a day on the water, stay close to restaurants and the lake at City Harbor, and even drive past a few places that played a part in some of the biggest moments in Lake Guntersville tournament history.
This is not meant to be a giant directory of everything around the lake. These are a few places and pieces of fishing history we think are worth knowing about when you come to Guntersville.
Two Local Stops Worth Knowing About
After four, six or eight hours on Lake Guntersville, nobody in the boat usually needs much convincing to go find something to eat.
These are two different kinds of stops. One is casual, big portion comfort food in Scottsboro. The other is a Guntersville favorite when you want to sit down and have a nicer meal.
50 Taters | Scottsboro
If the goal is a casual meal and plenty of food after fishing, 50 Taters is an easy one to put on the list.
They are known for loaded baked potatoes, barbecue, Southern comfort food, a salad bar and the kind of portions that make sense after spending most of the day on the lake.
It is also convenient for anglers staying or fishing on the Scottsboro side of Lake Guntersville.
1497 County Park Road, Scottsboro, Alabama 35769
Rock House Eatery | Guntersville
Rock House is a good choice when you want to clean up after fishing and turn dinner into part of the trip.
The restaurant is located in an old stone home on Gunter Avenue and serves Southern influenced American food with steaks, seafood, burgers, prime rib specials and a full dinner menu.
Dinner reservations are a smart move, especially during busy weekends and special events around the lake.
1201 Gunter Avenue, Guntersville, Alabama 35976
Phone: 256-505-4699
Stay At City Harbor And Keep The Trip Simple
For anglers who want to stay in Guntersville instead of farther out around the lake, City Harbor has become one of the easiest areas to build a trip around.
You are close to downtown, restaurants, the waterfront and the rest of the City Harbor development. There are two very different lodging styles right there, depending on whether you want a traditional hotel or something closer to a waterfront condo.
Home2 Suites By Hilton Guntersville
Home2 Suites is the hotel option. It works well for individual anglers, couples and multi-day trips when you want the consistency of a Hilton property and an easy location.
- Suite style rooms
- Free hot breakfast
- In room kitchen area
- Outdoor pool and fitness center
- Free parking
- Walking distance to City Harbor
2577 Paddle Wheel Drive, Guntersville, Alabama 35976
City Harbor Suites
City Harbor Suites gives you more of a condo style setup right on the waterfront.
The suites offer two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a kitchen, washer and dryer, waterfront balcony and enough room to make a multi-day fishing trip feel more like home.
- Two bedroom suites
- Two full bathrooms
- Full kitchen
- Washer and dryer
- Waterfront balcony
- Restaurants and entertainment nearby
2469 Paddle Wheel Drive, Guntersville, Alabama 35976
Phone: 256-202-1644
Planning A Fishing And Lodging Trip?
We have a full Lake Guntersville lodging page with additional options, plus a trip builder that can help you compare fishing days, trip lengths and lodging before you lock everything in.
Lake Guntersville Has Some Serious Tournament History
Lake Guntersville has been one of the best known tournament bass lakes in the country for decades.
Bassmaster Classics, FLW events, Alabama Bass Trail tournaments and countless regional events have produced moments that anglers still talk about years later.
A few of those moments happened in areas you can still drive by or fish around today.
These Are Historical Reference Areas
The coordinates below are retained from the original version of this article as historical reference points. They are not a promise that bass are sitting there today. Lake Guntersville changes constantly with season, grass, current, water temperature and fishing pressure.
Four Pieces Of Guntersville Fishing History
Randy Howell’s Comeback
Randy Howell entered the final day of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic well behind the lead and then produced one of the most memorable championship days Lake Guntersville has ever seen.
Howell weighed 29 pounds, 2 ounces on the final day, including a 7 pound, 3 ounce largemouth, and finished the three day event with 67 pounds, 8 ounces.
That final day comeback turned this part of Guntersville into a permanent piece of Bassmaster Classic history.
Paul Elias And The Alabama Rig
Few tournaments have changed bass fishing as quickly as Paul Elias’ 2011 FLW Tour win on Lake Guntersville.
Elias used the then little known Alabama Rig to dominate the event from start to finish. His four day total reached 102 pounds, 8 ounces, and he won by more than 17 pounds.
The tournament helped launch the Alabama Rig into mainstream tournament bass fishing almost overnight.
Hank Cherry’s Classic Victory
Hank Cherry won the 50th Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville in March 2020.
Cherry led the tournament wire to wire and finished with a three day total of 65 pounds, 5 ounces.
The win added another Bassmaster Classic championship to Lake Guntersville’s already long tournament history.
Steve Hatfield And Capt. Jim Leary Win Guntersville
This one is a little more personal for Guntersville Bass Guides™.
Steve Hatfield and Capt. Jim Leary won the 2021 Alabama Bass Trail 100 event on Lake Guntersville with five bass weighing 27.35 pounds.
The victory was their second straight ABT 100 win that season after also winning at Lake Eufaula, and the Guntersville win capped an outstanding year for the team.
Their Guntersville fish came from an area where bait, eelgrass, current and a nearby creek channel all came together. It is a good example of why understanding what is happening around a location matters more than simply saving a waypoint.
The Spot Is Only Part Of The Story
Fishing history is fun, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to see where a major tournament was won.
But there is an important lesson in all four of these stories.
Those anglers did not win simply because they knew a set of coordinates.
Randy Howell recognized an opportunity and made one of the greatest final day comebacks in Classic history. Paul Elias matched a new presentation with suspended bass and current. Hank Cherry put together three consistent days when the pressure was at its highest. Steve Hatfield and Capt. Jim used bait, current, eelgrass, a creek channel and electronics to understand exactly how their fish were positioned.
A Waypoint Is Not A Pattern
Lake Guntersville changes every day. The real value is understanding why a bass is in a certain place, what it is feeding on, how it is positioned and what conditions made that location productive.
Plan The Rest Of Your Lake Guntersville Trip
If you are coming to Guntersville to fish with us, there are a few pages worth checking before you make the drive.
Come Experience Lake Guntersville For Yourself
Lake Guntersville has a lot more to offer than one good day of bass fishing.
Come fish the lake, eat somewhere local, stay a few nights and take some time to see the places where a few memorable pieces of bass fishing history happened.
Then get back in the boat and start working on a few fishing stories of your own.
