It’s a fishing day

Lake Guntersville fishing conditions · Alabama

Today, 10 am–12 pmSmallmouth bass

The bite peaks at 74.

Log a trip here
Right now: 64 for smallmouth bass, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Smallmouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 642 am
  2. 64
  3. 64
  4. 645 am
  5. 64
  6. 64
  7. 648 am
  8. 64
  9. 74
  10. 7411 am
  11. 64
  12. 64
  13. 642 pm
  14. 64
  15. 64
  16. 645 pm
  17. 64
  18. 64
  19. 648 pm
  20. 64
  21. 64
  22. 6411 pm
  23. 64Tue
  24. 64
  25. 642 am
  26. 64
  27. 64
  28. 645 am
  29. 64
  30. 64
  31. 648 am
  32. 64
  33. 64
  34. 6411 am
  35. 64
  36. 64
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Smallmouth bass range 55–78°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Flow
14.6 cfs

steady · -3% in 24 h

Light
Dark

Sunrise 6:59 am

Sky
Clear

No rain expected

Air
53°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Alabama regulations for these waters.

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

74Worth the tripToday, 10 am–12 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Alabama: no more than 5 smallmouth within the 10 black bass daily limit, no statewide minimum. Guntersville, Pickwick, Wheeler and Wilson are 15".

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Alabama

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

68MarginalToday, 10 am–12 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Alabama: 10 black bass a day combined (no more than 5 smallmouth), no statewide minimum. Guntersville and Pickwick are 15" on largemouth and smallmouth; Lewis Smith protects largemouth, Alabama and spotted bass from 13 to 15".

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Alabama

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

68MarginalToday, 10 am–12 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

9" minimum · 30 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Alabama: 9" minimum, 30 crappie a day. Weiss is 10"; impoundments under 500 acres and the Chattahoochee reciprocal waters have no minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Alabama

Season here: Feb–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

68MarginalToday, 10 am–12 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Alabama: no limit on catfish under 34"; only 1 catfish over 34" a day. The 34" rule does not apply in the Perdido, Conecuh, Blackwater, Yellow, Choctawhatchee, Chipola and Chattahoochee basins.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Alabama

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

68MarginalToday, 10 am–12 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Alabama lists carp as a commercial or non-game fish (Rule 220-2-.45). Carp are not named in the statewide creel and size table (Rule 220-2-.35), so no daily or size limit applies, and seasons for commercial fish are open year-round.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Alabama

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • River14.6 cfs · steady · -3% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.40 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today6:59 am
  • Sunset today5:58 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:00 am–8:00 am
  • Major solunarToday 11:40 am–1:40 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:30 pm–6:30 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Outdoor Alabama (ADCNR) has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

Alabama's largest lake and one of the best big-largemouth fisheries in the country — 69,000 acres of the Tennessee River blanketed in milfoil and hydrilla. A perennial national tournament stop, with strong crappie and catfish too.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Weiss Lake44 mi · AlabamaBest now until 5 pm
86Go
Wheeler Lake46 mi · AlabamaBest today 10 am–6 pm
68Marginal
Lewis Smith Lake52 mi · AlabamaBest today 8 am–12 pm
68Marginal
Tims Ford Lake56 mi · TennesseeBest now until tomorrow 2 pm
64Marginal
Chickamauga Lake95 mi · TennesseeBest today 2 pm–6 pm
84Worth the trip
Chattahoochee River (Atlanta tailwater)109 mi · GeorgiaBest today 1 pm–7 pm
96Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake Guntersville?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake Guntersville you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Guntersville?

Lake Guntersville is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lake Guntersville?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake Guntersville against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lake Guntersville have?

Lake Guntersville has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Guntersville?

state agency regulations apply at Lake Guntersville. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lake Guntersville tidal water?

No. Lake Guntersville is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.