October 11 Lake Guntersville Fishing Report: Good Fish, Great People And A Changing Lake
This week’s Lake Guntersville fishing report has a lot more to talk about than just whether the bass bit.
We had returning clients, first time Lake Guntersville anglers, a few really good fish, a ten boat corporate outing and a couple of trips that gave us stories we will remember for a long time.
The fishing itself continued to make us think.
Some trips came together quickly. Others made us work for every bite. Fish are still holding in very specific areas, and the better feeding windows have not always happened exactly when we expected them to.
That is October fishing. Pay attention to what the lake is telling you, make the adjustment and keep fishing.
Our Friend Elise From Down Under Came Back
One of the best compliments a fishing guide can get is seeing somebody make the trip back.
Elise Sanders returned all the way from Australia and got back in the boat with Capt. Phillip for another Lake Guntersville trip.
People have plenty of places they can fish. When somebody travels halfway around the world and then chooses to come back and fish with us again, that means something.
Capt. Phillip kept Elise around fish and gave our friend from Down Under another good day on Guntersville.
Corrie’s Trip Meant A Little More
Some trips stay with you for reasons that have very little to do with fishing.
Corrie and her boyfriend had planned to make a trip to Lake Guntersville together. Before they were able to make that trip, he passed away in an accident.
Corrie decided to come anyway.
She spent the day with Capt. Phillip, and Lake Guntersville gave her an awfully good day.
A fishing trip cannot change what happened, and we would never try to make it sound like it can. But sometimes a day on the water can give somebody a few good hours, a few laughs and some memories to carry home.
We are grateful Corrie chose to spend that day with us.
Dale And Theresa Were Back With Capt. Jim
Dale and Theresa were back in the boat with Capt. Jim, and these are the kind of return trips we always look forward to.
It was just a really good morning.
Plenty of bites, a lot of solid fish and two people who are always fun to have in the boat.
Some days do not need a complicated explanation. You fish with good people, the bass cooperate and everybody has a good time.
Michael And Lott Put Together A Heck Of An Afternoon
Michael and Lott were new to Lake Guntersville, and one of the things that stood out immediately was how much they appreciated being here.
They enjoyed the lake, the scenery, the area and every fish that came aboard. They were simply grateful to be spending an afternoon fishing Lake Guntersville, and that kind of attitude makes a guide’s day pretty enjoyable too.
Michael’s first two Lake Guntersville bass came back to back.
Then he capped the afternoon with a 5 1/2 pound largemouth.
Lott’s afternoon had a different storyline.
The bite was tricky at first. Once he felt that first bite and understood what the fish were doing, things started clicking.
And his first Lake Guntersville bass was not a bad one to learn on.
It weighed right around four pounds.
Sometimes It Just Takes One Bite
Once Lott felt that first one and recognized what was happening, the whole afternoon changed. Watching somebody figure out a tricky bite and start putting fish in the boat is one of the best parts of guiding.
Capt. Scott Saw Both Sides Of October
Capt. Scott had fish coming aboard again this week, and his trips were a good example of how quickly Lake Guntersville can change.
Some stretches gave him better quality. Other days required more patience.
Scott stayed with it through both and kept his clients catching fish and enjoying their time on the lake.
Then came the tougher day.
The lake was strange and getting bites was the priority. That was true for a lot of boats that day.
Nobody needed to pretend every fish was a giant. You kept fishing, took the bites the lake gave you and made a good day out of it.
Capt. Myles Is Back In The Fall Rotation
It is good to see Capt. Myles getting back in the action.
His towboat work keeps him especially busy through the heavier boating season, but that side starts slowing down as fall arrives.
That means more Lake Guntersville guide trips and more availability from Myles as we head deeper into fall.
He caught more than he photographed this week.
These two were apparently enough to convince him to take the phone out.
And Then There Is Capt. Derek
Capt. Derek had trips too.
Pictures?
Of course not.
At this point we have accepted that Derek’s photo album is probably never going to keep pace with his trip calendar.
Planning To Play Hooky From Work?
Derek might be your safest choice. There is a pretty good chance the photographic evidence never makes it to the internet.
Joking aside, Derek fishes hard, takes care of the people in his boat and keeps sending happy clients back to the ramp.
We can live with reminding him about the camera.
The Lake Is Still Making Us Pay Attention
Fish location and timing continue to be two of the biggest pieces of the puzzle.
The bass are not simply scattered everywhere waiting on somebody to show up. We are finding fish holding in specific areas, and being there during the right window has mattered.
Having five captains on the team helps during a stretch like this. Our Lake Guntersville fishing guides are seeing different sections of the lake, different groups of fish and different parts of the daily bite. That gives us more information to compare instead of judging the entire lake from one boat’s day.
Those guided bass fishing trips also give us a firsthand look at how quickly conditions can change. Some mornings come together quickly. Others take longer.
The grass remains a major part of Lake Guntersville, and changing weather will keep moving the fall transition along.
Water temperature is one of the things we continue watching closely because the fish respond to what is happening in the lake, not what date is printed on the calendar.
Ten Boats And One Strange Day On Guntersville
Friday was supposed to be the first day of a two day corporate outing.
We had ten boats on Lake Guntersville, and the incoming hurricane weather eventually took care of day two.
This was also a real example of why our Lake Guntersville corporate fishing trips are built around coordinated multiple boat outings. Ten boats were working through the same strange day, but different boats were seeing different things.
Friday was strange from the start.
Across the group, everybody was working to get bites. The fish simply were not in much of a mood early, and there was not one easy answer that worked everywhere.
This was not a situation where every boat was out hunting giant bass and ignoring smaller fish. Everybody was trying to get bit, keep people fishing and make the most of an unusual day.
As the morning moved closer to lunchtime, the activity started improving.
More bites started coming, the fishing got better and the group had a good time despite Lake Guntersville making all ten boats earn it.
Mother Nature Still Gets A Vote
You can have ten boats, experienced captains and a good plan, but you are still fishing. Some days Lake Guntersville makes you work harder. The job is recognizing the kind of day you have and making the most of it.
October Afternoon Special | Only A Few Dates Left
The October afternoon special is still available, but there are only a few opportunities left.
These are four hour afternoon bass trips for $250.
Once an afternoon is booked, that date is gone.
Outside this limited October special, anglers comparing Lake Guntersville fishing guide rates can review our regular four, six and eight hour bass trip options before choosing the amount of time that works best for them.
Do Not Forget About November
October gets a lot of attention, but November is a month we really like on Lake Guntersville.
It can be a big fish month.
As the water cools and the seasonal change continues, November can give anglers legitimate opportunities at the kind of Lake Guntersville bass everybody comes here hoping to catch.
That does not mean every November trip produces a giant. Fishing does not work that way.
But if somebody asks us whether November is worth putting on the calendar, our answer is yes.
There is still a lot of fall fishing ahead of us.
An Early Look At The Crappie
Capt. Phillip also got an early jump on our normal fall crappie push.
We may have started checking on them a little earlier than usual this year, but the first look gave us something to be excited about.
The crappie are beginning to show themselves, and if this early look is any indication, we could have a fun season ahead.
Our Bank Fishing Series Is Just Getting Started
We also started something new for the anglers who fish Lake Guntersville from shore.
The first bank fishing video has already gotten a lot of attention on Facebook, and it is only the first part of what we have planned.
We are going to continue the series with more bank fishing locations, more access information and more ways for people to enjoy Lake Guntersville without a boat.
If you bank fish Guntersville, follow along. There is more coming.
A Pretty Good Week To Remember
When we look back at this week, there are plenty of fish pictures.
But the stories are what stand out.
Elise came back from Australia. Corrie made a trip that carried a lot more meaning than an ordinary day of fishing. Dale and Theresa were back in the boat. Michael and Lott reminded us how enjoyable it is to fish with people who genuinely appreciate being on Lake Guntersville.
Scott worked through both sides of an October bite. Myles is getting back into the rotation. Derek managed to go another week without giving us much photographic evidence.
Ten boats worked through one of those strange corporate days when everybody was simply trying to find bites and keep the day moving.
And through all of it, Lake Guntersville kept reminding us why we spend so much time out here.
Some days the fish make it easy.
Some days they make you earn every one.
Either way, October still has plenty left, November is coming, and that is a month that can produce some special Lake Guntersville bass.
If you have been thinking about making a fall trip, come spend a day with us and see what the lake gives you.
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