Remember, you can always check water levels at the TVA Web site

(Monday 09/29/03) Well, water temps have finally got into the 70's again, as fall is here. (77/79) Water level was right at full pool with only a slight drop Saturday night. The level seems to be on a down one week and not the next, as last weekend was very low. On average fishing is tough. Oh sure there is always a big stringer here and there but most folks appear to be struggling. Water color is quite stained in most places with only shallow sheltered areas remaining clear. Lots of wind and current has the main river stirred up but should be clearing all week. River channel grass has began it's fall break up. Big mats can be seen floating down river. However, as a whole most river grass does remain in place but this will not likely be the case for very long. Ideal flipping lines still remain but most bass are simply not there. Shallower grass has been disappointing this year. While there are tons of it, growing like the bass like it just didn't happen as it has in years past. Coontail grass clumps are flourishing as usual for this time of year. This is a very strange vegetation and seem to be the bass' least favorite. However, as the river grass breaks up these clump need to be checked as they may become the thickest cover available.

(Monday 09/15/03) Sorry to be slacking on the water updates. But I did not get to fish very much in August. I look for this fall to be very good. I do hope it is as good as last year. Water temps seems to drop to lower 80's over night then move up to 84-85 or so during the day. River channel grass has improved tremendously. I am not sure why but the slim has backed away from the grass edge making for ideal flipping. Even with the flipping bite being much slower now you can still get bit and it is usually a nice size bass. Ratting water can be found all over the shallows, but it still can take hours to find active fish and you might still not find any. I feel the rat bite will need a few more 50 degree nights to kick it in for most anglers. Milfoil points seem to hold fish the best right now. I only manage 3 fish on Sunday but they all were between 3 and 4 pounds. Little current due to little rain as well as no water level changes during the weekend. Water was below full pool but not by much. Water color was mostly clear in the pockets as the grass provides perfect filtration. Main lake had great color to it but someone forgot to tell the fish.

(Monday 08/04/03) I hope you like hydrilla and do not mind the slimy kind. That is what you will find on 75% of the river channel. So look for the other 25% to find that flipping bite. Nice amount of milfoil along the lake shore but that too needs some looking over to find the better grass. Check out any shore mats you find with a rat as well a fishing the slight deeper scattered milfoil with worms and spinnerbaits. Lake level seems to never go below full pool. Either full or over appears to be normal. If it does go much below full during the week I envy the folks fishing then, because I can bet they have a better day. Low water really helps when fishing this lake. Water color is also normal for late summer. Many places are very clear, especially the sheltered areas in pockets. Seems to be more current in the morning and it tapers off during the day. However, as high as the water was this morning there may be current all week as they drop it back to full pool. Man, I miss the days when low was the normal trend during summer. The good ole days I guess.

(Monday 07/14/03) Water temps mid to upper 80's. Lots of river current most of the time. Nice flipping line found along most places of the river channel. And the green slime is back in some of the river hydrilla. I have found many patches of milfoil mixed in with the hydrilla, a flipping dream come true in many cases. Water is very clear to only slightly stained in most places. Nice ratting water in the back of the pockets and main lake points, but we need a water drop to turn this pattern back on. People who fish during the week get the luxury of the lowest water. Plenty of untapped deep hydrilla to fish in 10 - 14 feet if you are willing to look for it.

(Monday 06/16/03) Man our lake is in it's prime right now. Temps running from 80 - 85 nice color and grass everywhere. River channel grass is doing nicely with a few mats showing up. However, on the lover end, there is some grass you still cannot see. I have seen more milfoil than last year and several patches of coontail. Back water grass is growing very fast, at the rate of 6 inches or more per week. Good looking mats for ratting can be found as well. Water level is still falling on Sunday every week. I look for many grass filled pockets to become too clear for my fishing habits.

(Monday 06/02/03) Only fished yesterday but must say, fine looking lake. Shallow grass is really growing well, better than in many years with a lot more milfoil than last year. Found mats in many areas of pure green milfoil, man I love seeing this. Water temps ranging from mid to upper 70's and water color is nice being just a little muddy on the river. River grass growth has been set back due to the recent flooding, but is growing fine now and very rapidly. Water level seems to be at it's lowest on Sunday and Monday, rising about a foot during the week so it can fall the next weekend. AHHH perfect.

(Friday 05/30/03) Mats of grass are coming along nicely in the shallower pockets, even some rat bites are being reported. Water level in fluctuating as usual, up a few days, then back down a few days. Level is normal but I do which normal was lower. River channel grass is running behind due to the rain runoff, but not too much. The grass is touching the surface in a few places while in other areas it can not even be seen yet. Fine with me I am just as happy slow rolling a spinnerbait over deep grass as I am a buzzbait over the thicker grass. Conditions are near perfect, as is the fishing. Still taking a big sack for a high finish in tournaments.

(Tuesday 05/20/03) Returning to normal real fast. Water is near normal level with only slightly stained water to be found. I have not fished since the water level reached it's crest, but I hear this fishing is right on track. I do visit the lake often even when I do not have time to fish, it hurts but I do it. Water was clear enough to see the submerged grass from the road and looking excellent to me. Big rains coming tonight but I think it should be much less than the 2 weeks ago monsoon we had. This rain will bring a little more high water and mud but don't let that intimidate you, get out there!

(Thursday - 05/08/03) Well water temps in the mid 70's is the only good news I have. Water is high, muddy and the river channel looks like the Amazon River during the monsoon. Water level was over most docks from a few inches to a couple feet. "Rumor" has it a crest will come Friday with another foot or so of rise. To all that may not know the boat ramp at Water Front is closed for repair, I am not sure what repair is being done or how long it will take. "Rumor" also has it that many boathouses on the far upper end of Guntersville were nearly completely submerged. I am sure this will slow the grass growth anywhere that the current is hitting directly. Some grass areas that where near top water ready will be washed clean.

(Monday - 04/28/03) Summer is fast approaching. Water temps moving from high 60's to mid 70's with the cool nights and hot days. Temps will hit upper 70's this week with air temps starting at 82 today. Water level seems to be following the pattern of rising late in the week and dropping during the weekend. I do hope they keep this up because fishing Guntersville is much easier on dropping water. Water color is perfect for Guntersville with exception to the main lake being a little on the muddy side, but this will change in a few days. Milfoil is growing at a tremendous rate and can be seen in many deeper areas now. Hydrilla seams to be running behind quite a bit, but once it gets going I am sure it will prevail in most areas as the dominate vegetation.

(Friday - 03/28/03) I am receiving many reports of water temps in mid 60's and many bass are bedding as we speak.

(Monday - 03/24/03 posted on the 26th) Not much has changed over last weekend. Water temps averaged 59º in most places with the shallows touching 62º or so with the warm sun. The warm beginning to this week will only help. Water level was up about 6 inches from last week. Water color again, was perfect. I suspect a huge wave of spawning for both bass and bream over the next 2 weeks. This cold snap coming up next weekend should have little to no affect. The time of year for spawning is here. We will now start to post grass conditions with each update. All grass in turning green fast. Even the river channel hydrilla is growing very well. Many shallow pockets seem to have more milfoil than last year. It is too early to tell, but I would like to see more milfoil and less hydrilla than last year. Either way Any Grass = Many Bass.

(Monday - 03/17/03) Well, I was wrong about the water temps. They were still averaged upper 50's in the pockets and mid 50's for the main lake. Water color is perfect, slightly greenish color in most areas. Main lake slightly stained from current that must occur to keep the water level low. And speaking of water level, it was about as low as it gets. Which is normal for this time of year.

(Monday - 03/10/03) Water has returned to normal. Both water color and level have finally became recognizable again. Still quite a bit of river current which is making the main lake a little on the muddy side. That should stop in the next couple of days. And water temps are warming fast with this bright sun. Water temps of 58 - 60 in the afternoons for the shallows and 53-56 for main lake. The cool nights drop it back a chunk but it should rebound by a couple extra degrees all week long. I will not be surprised to see some as warm as 62-65 by the weekend, will be nice to see that. I believe it is safe to say spring has sprung.

(Monday - 03/03/03) Water was still quite high and on the muddy side. However, many areas were reaching the point of just being stained. Water temps varied greatly from the back of the creeks out to the river channel. Water temps in the shallows were 53 - 55 in most areas while the main lake was a steady 49.5 degrees. Looks like Monday there will be a shot of sun. We do remember what that was, right? The colored water will warm fast if the sun is out. Sunday afternoon the water appeared to be falling. I would be surprised if they don't take it down pretty far, since it is usually very low this time of year. All depends on rainfall. Anyway, I did find fishing was better in the 49.6 water than in the warmer pockets. The bigger fish just haven't moved up just yet, not for me anyway. The fish were deeper than last week. Won't be long.

(Monday - 02/24/03) Friday afternoon and all day Saturday, water level was around normal pool. However, Sunday morning it was up about 2 feet. Staying the same all of Sunday but will be dropping fast all week, I am sure. Water temps were 53 or so in the pockets and 49 on the main lake, and the temps did  not change much. All water was either very stained or resembled cream of potato soup. River current was quite strong, as expected. By next weekend all should be back to normal water color as well as levels. Wind was the big story for Saturday as it was some of the roughest I have seen, I know there were waves exceeding 6 foot. Sunday started out cold, cloudy and windy but turned into the ideal fishing day.

(Friday - 02/21/03) Water update: Well lets just say there is a lot of it everywhere. According to the TVA web site, looks like the lake is on a very slow fall, but that might not last after tonight's rain. I would guess it will be near or even over flood stage again by Sunday afternoon. Some of the other Tennessee river lakes are still there. So, if we get a lot of rain, there is no where for the water to be stored. If you fish do not take any chances with the lightening. But try fishing right next to the bank in some of the less muddy pockets. Fish should love this! Bank cover such as lay downs and stumps that are normally too shallow will be your targets. Main lake could be quite treacherous with debris and high current. Be safe and good luck!

(Monday - 02/16/03) Water was on the low side but rising fast and this was before the heavy rain on Saturday night. Water temps averaged 48 in the creeks and 46-47on main river. Lots of muddy water on main lake and heavy current. On Saturday the creeks on the lower end were fairly clear but I feel run off has change that by now as well as even more rising water. I look for water to be high for only a couple of days. They should try to get it back dawn fast since other heavy rain may just be around the corner. Big fish have been caught all winter but over all the best fishing is waiting on the next warm snap.

(Sunday - 02/02/03) Well Saturday started out cold and windy. Water temps were about 42 everywhere I checked it. Saturday afternoon the Sun came out and raised water temps to 45 - 46 in the creeks but river stayed virtually unchanged. Was not really a warm day. Sunday water temps came up nicely with the very warm sun and stiff southerly winds. Main river temps made it up to 48 or so while some shallow came to a balmy 50 - 53. Water was low but not as low as it was or will be soon. Water color was mostly stained with visibilities of about 2 - 3 feet. Some banks became more muddy with the south winds. Going to get cold a few more times before spring.

(01/01/03) Did slip out to look around on New Years Day. Couldn't stay long just got to run around a bit. Water was low but not as low as it will be most of the winter. Depending on rain. Water temps were 50-52 in the two creeks I checked and 48-49 along the main channel. The lake in littered with floating grass and runoff debris. Most all grass beds still have plenty of grass left and most can be seen. Water was mostly stained to even muddy in many areas. Lots of main lake current.

Remember, you can always check water levels at the TVA Web site

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