AKRISONER Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 Hey Guys, We have been eyeing this one for a while, but the boys and I are thinking of making the drive down to guntersville at the end of March early April for a few days of fishing. We are thinking we are going to tow our small boat down, camp, fish a ton, and then drive home. A few questions...1. any issues hauling boats over the boarder? Anything that I need to consider? The boat has proper plating etc, anything else I need to know? 2. Campgrounds on the lake, there are plenty, it is hard to get info off of the websites about boat launches although i imagine all of them will have one considering the fact that it is guntersville after all. 3. Guntersville seems peaceful and a common tourist destination, I imagine there are not a lot of concerns about theft etc at the campgrounds? 4. Tips about fishing the lake? Feel free to PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garnet Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 I went to Gunterville 2 years ago. You will see more bass boats in 1 day than the rest of your life here. You are about the time frame of the big bass challenge. Weigh bass every hour for great prizes. Defiantly a tourist town didn't see any low end areas. We stayed a the motel just threw town. Could see bridge Randy Howell won on. Best tackle stores are gas stations. The thread fin shad are 14 inches long so bring your big stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeh Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 you should pm adam lancia , he just moved down to Alabama from Toronto, not sure where he lives.(just incase he doesn't see this post) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 I have never been there. If your boat is legal in Ontario you should be good to go here, unless they have changed things? It's a big lake, 75 miles long? Try to get as much info on areas to fish for what you are targeting? A lot of those southern lakes are valleys with dams, some are deeper than you may expect. https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/USAL0255:1:US Their weather is a good deal warmer than ours, you may only need your cold weather gear for part of the way down and back? http://fishing.about.com/od/bassfishing/a/lake_guntersville_bass.htm http://www.outdoorhub.com/news/2014/02/17/boyd-duckett-lures-hot-spots-2014-bassmaster-classic/ http://www.bassmaster.com/blog/lake-guntersville-school-bass-fishing-part-1 http://www.lakeguntersville.info/Maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 I have brought my boat across a few times into NY State. Federal registration, trailer ownership and insurance is what I showed and Passport obviously. Check Alabama's State website for out of state or non US registered boating requirements, there may not be any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 https://www.boat-ed.com/alabama/studyGuide/Requirements-for-Out-of-State-Residents/10100201_700048603/ http://www.outdooralabama.com/boating-equipment-checklist http://www.outdooralabama.com/alcohol-and-boating http://www.outdooralabama.com/boating-education-and-operator-certificationlicense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 http://www.outdooralabama.com/nonresident-freshwater-fishing-license-and-application-packets http://www.eregulations.com/alabama/guide/fishing-daily-creel-possession-size-limits/ " Guntersville Reservoir and Its Tributary of Town Creek – It is illegal to possess any largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 15 inches in total length. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grimsbylander Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 I would seriously consider finding a rental option for a boat. I'd be shocked if you couldn't find a boat perfectly laid out for bass fishing without the hassle of towing that far. With only a few days of fishing planned, one mechanical breakdown could ruin the whole deal. I'd even go as far as looking for a guide for day 1...you'll learn enough to carry you through the other few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKRISONER Posted February 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 thanks for all of the reading material ohio ill have to dive into this and look at more questions as they come up. I rarely keep fish neither do my homies, so we are all good there on the size restrictions. I doubt we'd guide, one buddy doesnt believe in spending money for someone to teach you how to fish. Its somewhat fair because aside from reading a lot and talking to helpful people we have figured out everything related to bass on our own. Part of the enjoyment of fishing really. We dont mind being skunked if we are learning, and we have yet to totally fail, perseverance (aka a heck of a lot of time on the water) always pays off. Guaranteed if we go end up going its going to be 12 hour+ days on the water every day. Grimsby, thats the debate, what is cheaper, towing a 14 foot tinner with casting decks and bow mount down or just renting a boat for 3 days. Id imagine towing the tinner in my eco diesel for the 14 hour drive would still be cheaper than renting a bass boat but further research will tell. Because the trip is only going to be a few days, and we are canadian's in Alabama, I am sure a rain suit and some hoodies, a couple clean pairs of undies and socks will be all we need in that regard. Doing this trip on the absolute cheap is the key. most of our food can be bought down there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 http://www.alapark.com/sites/alapark.com/files/Town%20Creek%20Boat%20Rates%2001716.pdf 210 bucks to rent a 17 foot bass boat at this place for 8 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKRISONER Posted February 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 http://www.alapark.com/sites/alapark.com/files/Town%20Creek%20Boat%20Rates%2001716.pdf 210 bucks to rent a 17 foot bass boat at this place for 8 hours. figured it'd be steep, tinner magic it is! 200 bucks in gas far exceed the extra gas id burn towing a boat vs just driving the ram. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 http://www.gasbuddy.com/ Gas prices here are running from 2.00 to 2.20 a gallon, a bit more for diesel, I no longer drive so it's a search to keep up. 2009 since I went south to Florida, I - 75 wasn't a bad drive to Chattanooga Tn, not sure of the roads to Guntersville from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave524 Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Is Guntersville anywhere near Hog Swaller ? Where's GCD when you need him ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garnet Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 2 years ago construction in Ohio was brute. Was going tell you some baits that work but you will see all the red ones. I would walk a different direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKRISONER Posted March 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 2 years ago construction in Ohio was brute. Was going tell you some baits that work but you will see all the red ones. I would walk a different direction. Hey Garnet, when you reference red's im guessing you are referring to baits that mimic the red shiner? I sometimes feel that way myself, that presenting the same bait that absolutely everyone else is fishing on the lake is not the best option. I do know that some small lakes or at certain times of the year the fish become accustomed to one bait and will eat only that...ive seen that with smallies and gobies in the fall, schools of massive bass had moved into 2 FOW and were cruising in packs over the rocks scooping up every gobie in sight. But in this case the timing would have the bass on the beds shallow and very very aggressive. the good thing is that bass are pretty stupid, its not like you are fishing Permit or Browns in a gin clear river in the mountains of new zealand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Not sure what the deal is on red lures down south, you rarely see anyone using them here, rusty crayfish? http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/04/shad_madness--spawning_baitfis.html In a lot of those southern lakes threadfin shad are a primary food source, as are golden shiners. Golden shiners have been sold here as bass minnows since I was a kid, they are easier for bait stores to keep and are hardier than emerald shiners, because of this some if not most of our inland lakes here now have a " native " population of them. In one of those (maybe more) large southern lakes blue back herring are a prime food source. Chrome and black, chrome and blue, gold and black lures tended to imitate baitfish better for me in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garnet Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 (edited) On the 1st Sat I was there 11 tournament in progress with easily 1500 boats. Randy Howell won the Bassmasters Classic on a red crankbait and standard is red rattle traps ripped over the milfoil for spawners. Remember the shad are 14 inches long mim. It's something about the crayfish being Texas red. Edited March 1, 2017 by Garnet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKRISONER Posted March 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 On the 1st Sat I was there 11 tournament in progress with easily 1500 boats. Randy Howell won the Bassmasters Classic on a red crankbait and standard is red rattle traps ripped over the milfoil for spawners. Remember the shad are 14 inches long mim. It's something about the crayfish being Texas red. Ive seen a 1lb largie hit a twin 8 musky bait...so I definitely get what you are saying when there are 10lbers lurking below. Big baits, big fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKRISONER Posted March 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 We are officially booked for the weekend of April 22. This is gonna be a gongshow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 Have a great time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichan Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 If you are pulling your boat, make sure u do it with the drain plug out, its the law in some states Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave524 Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 If you are pulling your boat, make sure u do it with the drain plug out, its the law in some states I may be getting dense in my old age but could some one explain the logic of having to trailer with the drain out to me or is this an inside joke of some sort ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted March 6, 2017 Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 (edited) I may be getting dense in my old age but could some one explain the logic of having to trailer with the drain out to me or is this an inside joke of some sort ? To help stop the spread of invasive species, no water in the bilge to support them. https://mdc.mo.gov/wildlife/nuisance-problem-species/invasive-species/zebra-mussel-control Edited March 6, 2017 by OhioFisherman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKRISONER Posted March 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2017 we will be towing a tinner upside down in a box trailer, so no worries there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKRISONER Posted March 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) Hey Folks! the guntersville trip is quickly approaching. I am looking for some advice on: where to eat (I dont think we are going to bother trying to make dinners for the two days, we will just focus on fishing and drive to grab food at night). what the guntersville state park is like (anyone ever been?), specifically the boat launch? Crossing the border with a boat. Is there anything i specifically need to know aside from having my ownership? last but not least does anyone wanna throw me a couple of spots via DM? Ive been doing a lot of reading but maybe youve caught a 10lber there and would like me to have the same experience anything else i should be prepared for on the drive down to alabama via Nashville. Edited March 24, 2017 by AKRISONER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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