The Results Are In (With Pics)

[Biglerma]

Just got back from my trip to Mobile AL. Weather was beautiful with 72 degrees on Sat and 75 degrees on Sunday.

The fish had been out deep but the guy at the boat house told us that they had moved up between 4-8 ft of water. This lake isn't very deep, only 18 ft at the deepest part by the dam. Most guys on this lake throw soft plastics but we throw A-rigs.... everyday.. all day. We had been told that in January a guy had caught a 16 lb monster, only a few ounces from the state record. Needless to say our hopes were high that they would be biting.

So we take the 12 ft aluminum jon boat with a 55 lb thrust trolling motor and away we go. We pull up to an island that usually has produced good fish in the past. We throw a A-rig with 1/16 oz heads and a white trailers with a yellow hue on the tops. After a couple dozen casts and no luck, we decide to move to this area that is nothing but submerged cypress stumps from when they made the lake. My dad catches a small 2.5 lb fish on his 2nd cast. After about an hour we had landed a few more in the 3-4 lb range. We moved into this cove and started throwing, really having to burn the A-rig to keep it from going to deep and snagging up. I threw over by this dock.. bam.. fish on, only to have him come off 3 seconds later. I threw back.. got struck again by a diff fish this time I believe. Again, he comes off. 3rd cast I reel it back to the boat only to have a solid 7-8lb fish side swipe it in full view literally 2 feet from the boat. After a dozen casts I couldn't ever get him to bite. So we moved on to this point up the lake a bit.

We were throwing on some submerged stumps and I see a huge fish boil right up on the bank next to this stump that was sticking out of the water. I say "Hey dad, I just saw a huge fish boil there.. let's troll over and see if we can get him". Of course my dad is in the front of the boat so naturally he makes the first cast. The bait hits the water and 2 reels later he is hooked up. I could tell it was a big one because it wasn't coming up and it was running straight out to the side. It was pulling drag and after 8-10 seconds it comes up and tail walks.. we both start yelling and going crazy as it is the biggest bass we've ever seen. After a few more seconds it comes around to the other side of the boat and tail walks again. My dad is trying not to lose it. Finally we get it close and I lip it and pull it over. I'm pretty sure ever fisherman on the lake heard us yelling in excitement! It was my dad's biggest bass ever and it weight 11.3 lbs. What a monster and I'm so glad I got to see him catch it after all these years of fishing.

The 1st day we only caught 8 fish, with 4 I believe being over 5 lbs. The 2nd day we caught 7 with 2 being over 5 lbs, the rest were 3-5lb range. You don't catch a lot on this lake, but with every cast you really do have the chance of hooking a monster!

A funny part of the trip, at one point we were trolling into a cove and I said "dad, let's throw off that lay down tree over there". A few seconds later I realized I was looking at a 11-12 ft alligator! We asked the guy at the boat house and he said he was 12 ft and that they have been trying to catch him for a few years but he is smart and avoids their baits/traps.

Some of you may ask why are we throwing A-rigs in such shallow water. Well, to be honest it is just because they flat out catch fish. We've thrown everything else in the box and nothing produces like the A-rig does on this lake. They have an abundance of shad which is probably one reason the A-rig works so well.

All in all it was a nice trip with great memories. I was having trouble with photos being too large of file size so I posted them here.

http://s852.photobucket.com/user/markbigler/slideshow/

The place we fished was Steelwood Country Club. Check out the website if you want. http://www.steelwood.us/

[dtrs5kprs]

Well that definitely beats anything happening along K10. Sorry you had to come back.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Very nice, sounds like a blast.

[fishinwrench]

I'd love to flyfish that lake! What a Hoot!

[Biglerma]

I'd love to flyfish that lake! What a Hoot!

There are quite a few guys that fly fish for bluegill on that lake. The bluegill are so big you can filet them.

[jmes]

Sounds like you guys had a great time, Thanks for sharing

[Jerry Rapp]

fishing in a rain barrel. If that is what turns you on, so be it. I have fished many rain barrels over the years, just don't have a desire to do it anymore.

[Justin Spencer]

Looks awesome, 200 acres is a big rain barrel, looks like a well managed lake to me!

[Quillback]

Sounds like a great trip!

[Biglerma]

fishing in a rain barrel. If that is what turns you on, so be it. I have fished many rain barrels over the years, just don't have a desire to do it anymore.

It is very well managed. It is a catch and release lake and you cannot keep any fish over 18 inches. They also have some northern strain bass in the lake that are marked by having only one belly fin. You are not allowed to keep those either.