Lake Guntersville Mid-Winter Fishing Report: Crankbaits, ChatterBaits, and Jigs Dominate the Bite
11 January 2026

Lake Guntersville Mid-Winter Fishing Report: Crankbaits, ChatterBaits, and Jigs Dominate the Bite

Lake Guntersville, Alabama Fishing Report Today

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Name’s Artificial Lure checking in with your Lake Guntersville fishing report.

We’re locked in a classic North Alabama mid‑winter pattern on the Big G. Air temps are starting cold at daylight, riding up into the upper 40s to low 50s this afternoon under partly cloudy skies with a light north to northwest breeze. Local forecasts around Guntersville are calling for stable barometric pressure and no big fronts, so conditions should stay pretty steady through the day.

Sunrise this morning is right around 6:50 local, with sunset near 4:55, giving you a tight but productive winter window. According to FishingReminder’s Guntersville tables, your best bite windows today line up with a **minor** period from about 6 to 8 a.m. and again around 5 to 7 p.m., with a **major** window late morning to early afternoon. We’re on a new‑moon phase, so low light and mid‑day current are your friends.

Guntersville is a TVA reservoir, so we don’t deal with true tides, but current below the dam fishes just like one. When TVA is pushing water at Guntersville Dam, those bass and winter stripers pin bait to the seams and eddies and the bite jumps. If the water’s moving, get below the dam or in the mouths of creeks with any noticeable pull.

Recent reports and tournament results out of the Bass Pro Tour stop and college events on Guntersville show fish still coming from that classic grass-and-hard-spot combo. Anglers have been boating solid bags of largemouth in the 2–4 pound class with the occasional 5‑plus, along with some bonus smallmouth and spots below the dam. Major League Fishing coverage from Guntersville keeps highlighting just how consistent the lake is this time of year, with full limits common when you dial in the grass edges and current breaks.

Best winter producers right now are no surprise for locals:
- A **red lipless crankbait** burned and yo‑yoed over dying grass flats in 4–8 feet.
- A **green pumpkin or red ChatterBait/Jack Hammer** with a matching craw or swimbait trailer along the outside grass line.
- A **3/8–1/2 oz jig** in natural bluegill or green pumpkin on hard spots and shell beds.
- Below the dam, a **swimbait on a jighead** or small fluke‑style bait in shad colors slow‑rolled through the current seams is putting fish in the boat.

For live bait, if you’re chasing crappie or just want some steady action for the family, minnows over brush in 10–18 feet in the backs of creeks are doing work. A simple crappie jig tipped with a minnow around bridge pilings and marina docks will also produce.

Couple of local hot spots to consider today:
- **Brown’s Creek and Buck Island area**: classic winter grass, rock, and channel swings. Work lipless cranks and ChatterBaits across the flats, then drag a jig when the sun gets up.
- **Seibold and Honeycomb Creek**: steady producers with grass edges, ditches, and some cleaner water when the main lake muddies up. Great places to slow down with a jig or finesse worm.
- If you like current, **below Guntersville Dam** can be lights‑out for mixed bags of bass and stripes when they’re pulling water.

Water clarity is typical winter stain on the main lake with some creeks showing better color. Slight stain is your friend for those red reaction baits. As the sun climbs, expect the bite to slide a touch deeper and get more oriented to hard cover and edges.

That’s your Lake Guntersville rundown for today from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss tomorrow’s report.

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