Wheeler Lake Bass Fishing

Wheeler Lake is located between Guntersville Lake and Wilson and Pickwick Lakes. It has been virtually overlooked by all but knowledgeable local anglers. But Wheeler has proven time and again, to be just as good as it's more famous cousins. It's one brief moment of national attention came in the mid-70's when the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society held its annual BassMasters Classic here. Afterwards, Wheeler generally sank back into obscurity.

Formed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Wheeler Lake stretches nearly 50 miles from the upper Guntersville Dam, meandering past Huntsville and terminating approximately half way between the cities of Decatur and Florence. During the course of its flow, the terrain and structure of Wheeler completes a total transition. Guntersville, which is upstream, is a shallow weed-filled lake with a mud and clay bottom; Wilson and Pickwick are deep, clear bodies of water with predominately sand and rock terrain. Wheeler abounds in all these characteristics, providing a diversity of fishing styles to suit the tastes of any angler.

The Spring spawning season finds the bass congregated in the backwater flats, where some of the finest spinner bait fishing in the world can be found. Other locations in these flats, where submerged creek channels and old ponds once existed, produce year round for the angler lucky enough to locate them. Diving crankbaits, in the Tennessee Shad finish, and purple plastic worms are proven bass catchers.

After completion of the spawn, and up until the onset of Winter, you will find the bass holding along the grass-laden river channel. It has the cover and readily available deep water necessary to hold big fish. Some of the most spectacular buzz bait fishing available anywhere exists here on Wheeler Lake in the midst of the Summer heat. Plastic worms and medium-depth crank plugs are also productive along the edges of the grass lines, particularly if the current is moving well or if the waters are being pushed against the channel edge by passing barge traffic.

Just before the nuclear plant and across the river lies Mallard Creek, an excellent fishing location. It is very crooked and there does not appear to be a straight stretch in it. The flats to the sides of the main channel are covered with stumps and milfoil grass. Possibly no other location on the entire Tennessee River chain offers bass angling like this one tributary of Wheeler Lake. The submerged channel, with its twists, turns, ledges, and giant stumps, provides perfect staging areas for lunker females waiting to move to the shallow nesting areas. Whether you are a dedicated plastic worm fisherman, have a decided preference for crank plugs, or love to chunk that old spinner bait, this is the place!

Around the nuclear plant area, you will find numerous flats covered with thick milfoil, even in the Winter months. Largemouth bass abound in this cover; however, it is too warm for smallmouth. It is an excellent place to use topwater lures year round.

Below Brown's Ferry and to Wheeler Dam, we start to get into Smallmouth country. The old river channel edge is very deep. Rock bluffs and deep water can be found in all over. Gravel banks, with numerous small coves, dominate the shoreline. Smallmouth bass spawn on the gravel banks which are out of the main current flow current. Even after the spawn, the smallmouth will continue to frequent these same locations because of the abundant crawfish population. Wheeler smallmouth bass are abundant and prefer two types of lures: small crankbaits and small jigs. Small is important here; they simply will not take a large lure unless he is an unusually large smallmouth. Both lures are best in darker colors.

There are four major tributaries in this lower section of Wheeler Lake - Elk River, an excellent area for largemouth; Spring Creek, deep and wide with nearly 100% gravel structure, and excellent for largemouth and Kentucky Bass; and, First and Second Creeks. These last two feeder streams are broad, clear and deep. Smallmouth abound in the lower ends of both, while largemouth prefer the shallow, stump-laden upper areas.

Joe Wheeler State Park Lodge sits near the mouth of First Creek and many trophy smallmouth have been taken from the steep gravel shores within sight of it. There are numerous facilities along the boundaries of Wheeler, with plenty of motel accommodations and boat ramps.

Come to Wheeler Lake for an incredible adventure in largemouth as well as smallmouth bass fishing!

Thanks for reading.

Good fishing.

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