“I don’t know how big, but even one in the 30s is a powerful fish. “That was a bigger one,” Mike said as he attempted to retrieve the pricey spoon. Like a steroid-stoked bodybuilder, it found another gear and literally began pulling the heavy boat to the side for several seconds before burrowing up in the trees.

Suddenly, the true power of the fish was on display. Instead of running away from the boat, the fish swam a fast oval as Mike scrambled to keep up with it by nimbly circling the boat. His first drop was interrupted by a big fish, and a few moments of chaos ensued.

The 8-inch models sank to the correct level in just a few seconds, and Mike suggested a steady retrieve back toward the surface. We dropped big spoons-the same Ben Parker Magnum Spoon that raged in popularity among bass fishermen along the Tennessee River in recent years-and dropped them vertically through the water column. The second spot demanded a little more attention as the arches on the Humminbirds revealed numerous big fish in the standing trees in about 80 feet of water. “Those are not what we are looking for,” he said. Mike repeatedly pointed out smaller fish as we cruised at about 5 mph over an offshore location near the dam. “We’ll look for a few fish (on the graphs), and if we see something we like, we’ll stop and fish,” Mike said. The boat was equipped with multiple Humminbird electronics units and a long-shaft MinnKota trolling motor among many other accessories for a specialized striper trip. I had met Mike, of Fishing 24-7 Guide Service, at the ramp at Smith Lake Dam, where he launched his big Carolina Skiff center console powered by a Suzuki 250. Pound-for-pound, stripes can hold their own in the hard-fighting category-and stripes grow large, so you’re apt to hook into a fish with a lot pounds. Mike fights a strong Smith Lake striped bass during a recent trip with the author. To illustrate the true muscle of the fish, the first hook-up of a trip with guide Mike Walker provides perfect evidence. Only the biggest catfish exceed the striped bass in size however, those fish fail to match the power of the stripers pound-for-pound. Smith’s stripers are the closest thing to a saltwater experience found in freshwater, especially for those anglers far removed from the Gulf of Mexico in north Alabama. The striped bass fishing on Smith is a long-established tradition and continues to evolve with the introduction of the blueback herring, a high-protein, invasive baitfish that fuels the rapid growth of not only striped bass but the spotted bass population, as well. Not only does the topography contrast sharply with the average state reservoir-depths down to about 300 feet are routinely found on the lake-but the fishing opportunities are unique, as well.īoating a saltwater-sized trophy is one of the unique opportunities on Smith Lake, located between Cullman and Jasper in north-central Alabama. Smith Lake provides a unique experience among Alabama fisheries.

Fish trophy shifty shafts