How to Fish Offshore Grass on Lake Guntersville in May
by Mike Gerry
If you are looking for one of the most consistent ways to catch quality bass on Lake Guntersville in May, offshore grass fishing should be near the top of the list. May is one of the best months of the year on Guntersville, and the offshore grass pattern only adds to the lake’s reputation for producing strong numbers and big fish.
It is easy to spend May focused on the bank.
The shallow bite can be good, and there are always fish close enough to catch.
But many of the biggest and most aggressive bass begin setting up offshore, where bait is more concentrated and the fish have access to grass, current, hard bottom and nearby depth.
The key to becoming successful offshore is learning what to look for.
Grass edges are always a good place to begin.
Baitfish use those edges for cover, and bass use them as ambush points.
Holes in the grass can be just as important. Those openings give bait a place to hide and give bass a place to sit out of the bright sun while waiting to feed.
Electronics can make all the difference.
Side scan is one of the best tools an angler can use when searching for offshore grass.
It can help identify bait, groups of fish and clean grass edges without having to fish every stretch blindly.
Once you learn what productive grass looks like on your electronics, you can eliminate unproductive water much faster.
Hard bottom is another major part of the offshore grass pattern.
Shell beds often collect along grass edges as current pushes them into place.
Those shell areas create firm bottom, hold bait and provide the kind of oxygen-rich environment that bigger bass prefer.
Learning how shell bottom appears on your electronics can help you focus on the most productive stretches of grass.
Finding offshore grass on Guntersville is not difficult once you know where to look.
Milfoil and hydrilla generally grow best in water shallower than about 12 feet, so anglers can often focus on the 6- to 15-foot range away from the shoreline.
Creek channels, river ledges and breaks shown on your mapping are excellent starting points.
These areas often lead directly to offshore grass beds that hold fish throughout May.
May also brings strong feeding activity around the shad spawn and bluegill spawn.
While many bluegill beds are associated with shallow water, some of the best offshore opportunities come from beds located near creek edges, ledges and grass.
Bass will move into these areas to feed, and those places can produce both numbers and quality fish.
Becoming a good offshore grass fisherman takes time, but it is not complicated.
Study your mapping. Use your electronics. Look for grass edges, holes, shell bottom, bait and nearby depth.
Once you commit to learning the offshore pattern, May on Lake Guntersville can become one of the most productive times of the year.
Captain Mike
