Lake Guntersville Fishing Report: April 2026
by Mike Gerry
April turned on in a big way on Lake Guntersville, bringing some of the best fishing we have seen all year.
The bite was strong throughout much of the month, but the weather continued to keep anglers guessing.
Constant change was the theme. We went from hot to cold, from calm to windy and everything in between.
The only thing missing was the normal amount of rainfall April usually brings, which often creates current and helps pull out dead grass.
That lack of rain created some challenges with the spawn.
Many of the normal bedding areas did not produce the way they usually do because dead grass pushed fish into different places to bed.
Water temperatures also climbed quickly, with warmer-than-normal conditions pushing the spawn ahead faster than usual.
Instead of smaller waves of fish moving up over a longer period of time, we saw a couple of large waves of spawning fish.
That changed the bite almost overnight, moving us quickly from a pre-spawn pattern into a spawn pattern.
Once that happened, anglers had to slow down. Dragging worms and jigs on the bottom became the best way to get bites.
Even with the changing conditions, April produced excellent fishing.
We had days with strong numbers and plenty of giant fish that made for outstanding trips throughout most of the month.
As April came to a close, the shad spawn arrived earlier than normal.
However, the bass were not as active during the shad spawn as they usually are.
Many of the fish had not physically recovered enough from the spawn to chase bait the way we normally see this time of year.
Looking ahead, May will bring the last of the shad spawn, though it will likely be small and less active as it winds down.
Bass will begin spreading out across the lake, giving anglers opportunities to catch fish at several different depths.
However, we may not see the large groups of bass chasing bait like we often expect in May.
Bait selection will begin shifting from slower dragging presentations to more moving baits, such as swim jigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
The key will be fishing where the fish are. Identifying bait and taking advantage of current will be extremely important.
In May, be a searcher. Keep your foot on the trolling motor and cover water. When you get bit, slow down, fish the area thoroughly and you will reap the rewards.
Captain Mike
