Lake Tuscaloosa Next Week

[SmallJaw]

I've been getting some help from various persons on what this little lake is all about and it sounds tougher than a 3 day old biscuit. Last 2 weeks tourney's on the lake have taken 7.5 and 8.5 lbs to win. Put 2012 boat loads of high school kids on it fishing and you are going to see some serious pressure. If anybody has any last minute revelations please let me know!:banghead:same ole song:laughing

 

[GotMyAlly]

It's a tough lake. I lived in Tuscaloosa for a couple of years and fished club tournaments there regularly. Most every tournament could be won with 10-12 lbs and all that was needed to get a check was 5 fish that measured 12". I honestly liked fishing it at night better......you could get on the numbers pretty good sometimes but size was usually hard to come by. My go-to tactic was a watermelon red baby brushhog on a t-rig for numbers. Throw that around the main lake points. That would usually put a quick limit in the boat. Then I'd switch to an inline buzzbait around the lilly pads for a bigger bite. Not sure why, but an inline buzzbait would outfish a traditional buzzbait 3:1 on that lake.

 

[GotMyAlly]

Just checked and I've still got a Lake Tuscaloosa paper map with a bunch of my old notes scribbled on it. If it'll help, it's yours. Send me your address and I'll drop it in the mail to you.

 

[eddie8597]

I fished the federation national championship there a few years ago. Shakey heads and jerk baits were the key baits then. Good luck to ya...

 

[SmallJaw]

Just checked and I've still got a Lake Tuscaloosa paper map with a bunch of my old notes scribbled on it. If it'll help, it's yours. Send me your address and I'll drop it in the mail to you.

That is a super offer you made. I'd love to have a map just to look at and get familiar with if for no other reason that it makes it more fun. I'm sure your notes are treasures as well. My address is: Johnny Maxwell 7, Greg Avenue. Decatur, AL 35603. Thank you and God Bless. Johnny

 

[GotMyAlly]

Dropped it in the mail today. Hope it helps at least a little.

 

[SmallJaw]

Dropped it in the mail today. Hope it helps at least a little.

I appreciate the help. I'm sure it will be a big moral booster if nothing else. I wonder how a C-rig with a finesse bait would work on some of those deep water points? From what I read that lake gets a lot of pressure. Most folks just don't go deep much and I wonder if anybody has tried getting down there to a few un-molested fish.

 

[GotMyAlly]

I lost what would have likely been my personal best ona c-rig there. It was on a long point and hung him on the end of a long. With that much line out, he threw the hook on the first jump. So yeah, I'd say it would work.

 

[SmallJaw]

Dropped it in the mail today. Hope it helps at least a little.

I got the map today. Man! What a blessing. I can't thank you enough. I'm going down Thursday for an extra day of getting acquainted:very happy and I'll check out all the spots you marked. Thanks and God Bless. Johnny

 

[GotMyAlly]

Good luck. Keep in mind those notes are 10 years old. I'm sure some of the laydowns and stuff have deteriorated by now. But the pad fields will regenerate every year (unless they've sprayed) and the same good points probably still produce. But I lived down there prior to side imaging technology, so you may be able to find much better spots offshore than what I had access to.

 

[SmallJaw]

Good luck. Keep in mind those notes are 10 years old. I'm sure some of the laydowns and stuff have deteriorated by now. But the pad fields will regenerate every year (unless they've sprayed) and the same good points probably still produce. But I lived down there prior to side imaging technology, so you may be able to find much better spots offshore than what I had access to.

Heck, if I don't catch a fish on any of those spots you mark it is a moral uplifter at least having a map! I'm betting a light weight C-rig with a floating worm or a Do-nothing type stick worm will do very well on those points. I'm going to find out! Thanks once again. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[SLOmofo]

Keep a BIG june bug brush hog or lizard handy also.

 

[SmallJaw]

Keep a BIG june bug brush hog or lizard handy also.

Will do. I'm going with a bazooka of tackle. Something has to catch those fishe's fancy. I got on a good smallmouth bite Sunday afternoon and it was only after down sizing to a tiny worm. I can up-size to bigger baits just as easy! LOL:very happy

 

[SmallJaw]

I fished the federation national championship there a few years ago. Shakey heads and jerk baits were the key baits then. Good luck to ya...

I've got the shakey heads and jerk baits loaded up ready to go. That and about everything else in the garage. LOL. Thanks for the help. I'll give it an honest go tomorrow and Friday with the boys.

 

[SmallJaw]

Hey guys, thanks for all the help on Tuscaloosa. We did not do well in the tourney but it wasn't you it was all me. I blew it for the kids. We caught a ton of fish. Just not the good ones. If I can eve help you just let me know. It is a beautiful lake. Pristine!:very happy

 

[GotMyAlly]

Hey guys, thanks for all the help on Tuscaloosa. We did not do well in the tourney but it wasn't you it was all me. I blew it for the kids. We caught a ton of fish. Just not the good ones. If I can eve help you just let me know. It is a beautiful lake. Pristine!:very happy

Just point me towards some of those big nighttime smallies on pickwick this summer and we'll call it even :beer: LOL

Sounds like ya'll had fun anyway! Didja catch a buncha small spots? Not sure why, but that lake sure produced a lot of small spots, but they just never seemed to grow up to the spotzilla's that AL is famous for. 12" spots were always plentiful for me....but catching those gets boring real quick...kinda like bream fishing.

 

[SmallJaw]

Just point me towards some of those big nighttime smallies on pickwick this summer and we'll call it even :beer: LOL

Sounds like ya'll had fun anyway! Didja catch a buncha small spots? Not sure why, but that lake sure produced a lot of small spots, but they just never seemed to grow up to the spotzilla's that AL is famous for. 12" spots were always plentiful for me....but catching those gets boring real quick...kinda like bream fishing.

You count on some Pickwick time. We'll sure go after them. As soon as we finish up the HS State Championships on Lay in 2 weeks it will be all about nighttime Pickwicking! I can't wait. BTW, we did catch a ton of those little spots. I actually got on some with the drop shot in about 30-40' of water down near the spillway. Had some around 1-1/2 lbs. On 4 lb test and light spinning gear that was a blast though.