Curt Staley's Pro Guide Service

Heading to the grass to see if I can't get a big one for my nephew this morning

The bite was really starting to turn on before this last cold front came through. The water temp was up around 60 and there was a lot of fish moving up and all the fish we were catching came from 6 feet or less on crankbaits and traps. After the cold front the water temp dropped almost 10 deg. Into the low 50’s and a lot of the fish backed out. Cranks and traps are still producing along with a big swimbait and a jig. This next week things should really heat up with all this warm weather that is forecasted and that big wave of fish should really start to move in. Good times are coming as long as another big cold front doesn’t come back in.

This is just a quick report since I had a little time and I am off to the lake for the afternoon. I will post some pics in my next report when I have a little more time and not in a hurry to get to the lake.

Curt Staley's Pro Guide Service
256-990-0376
Lake Guntersville, Alabama
Guntersville Bass, Guntersville Bass Guide
Mail to: [email protected]

This year has been so hectic that I just haven’t had time to get up any reports but I finally have some time so I thought I would give a little update on the fishing so far. We have been catching most of our fish in 8 to 10 feet of water on crankbaits in a milfoil and hydrilla mix. Most of the bites have been really subtle and you think you are pulling the bait out of a clump of grass and then it changes direction and you realize it’s not grass. A few have really slammed it. The other fish we are catching are on jigs and traps and those bites have been more aggressive. We have caught fish as shallow as 2 feet and as deep as 15. We are also catching fish off rock mixed with some stumps.
Somedays we have gotten bit off from almost every stop and then other days you will hit 3 or 4 places before getting bit but when you finally get bit there seems to be others.

I have days open if anyone wants to get out.
Just give me a call or text.

Curt Staley's Pro Guide Service
256-990-0376
Lake Guntersville, Alabama
Guntersville Bass, Guntersville Bass Guide
Mail to: [email protected]

The bite here as of lately has been pretty but we have had a few days that were tough but sometimes that is just how it goes. The flipping bite has been our main choice with a 1 oz. jig. We have also caught fish on topwater, a spinnerbait and a few on a frog. All of our big bites are coming flipping in around 10 feet and when you hit one get back in there as quick as you can because there may be 3, 4, or 5 fish sitting there. The biggest thing is finding if they are in the scattered stuff or up tight to the thicker edge. The time of day has been the biggest factor in the positioning of the fish and the current weather conditions. Bright sun is always the best for flipping.

I have days available if anyone wants to get out.

Curt Staley's Pro Guide Service
256-990-0376
Lake Guntersville, Alabama
Guntersville Bass, Guntersville Bass Guide
Mail to: [email protected]

Guntersville Lake Fishing Report 04.12.16 | Anglerweb A complete resource for fishing including fishing spots, maps, fishing photos, fishing reports, fish species, fishing guides, lodges, fishing forums, tournaments, publications, expos, classifieds

The fishing the past week has been up and down. We are catching most of our fish on soft plastics and jigs fished in 5 foot or less. Areas that have hard bottoms seem to be the best. If you get to fishing to fast you will blow right by them. There are a lot of fish that have spawned but I feel the bigger groups are still to come. We are catching some fish that are post spawn and a lot of the fish we are catching a peeing which are the males on beds. The bigger fish seem to be in a little funk right now with all the ups and downs in the weather. Every time I think it’s getting right another cold front comes in and sets it back but we aren’t far from it turning wide open.

Here are a few pics from one of my client’s better fish.

I still have a few days in April and May open if anyone wants to get out.

Curt Staley's Pro Guide Service
256-990-0376
Lake Guntersville, Alabama
Guntersville Bass, Guntersville Bass Guide
Mail to: [email protected]

I have been unable to post here lately due to not having any internet at the house but now that it is taken care of I will get better about posting.
I going to make this post over the past few weeks since I have posted.
When the past full moon hit I felt that every fish in the lake was going to hit the banks for the spawn. The water temp was up into the mid 60’s and we was seeing fish cruising everywhere and then the cold front hit and the water temp fell back into the upper 50’s and then we warmed up and this last cold front came in which keeps prolonging the big spawn. There are fish bedding right now and I have caught some sight fishing but they are not everywhere. Up in the shallows when you find them are mostly males. The big fish seem to still be on out in the 6 to 8 feet range but I really feel that when the new moon hits it’s going to be game on.
We have been catching fish on a variety of baits. A texas rig with creature style baits are working well, swimbaits, crankbaits, swim jigs are all producing.
I still have a few dates in April open since I haven’t been able to post. I have the 6th and 7th, 13th, 14th, 16th, 19th, 23rd and the 26th .
In May I have the 3rd through the 7th, 14th, 21st and the 23rd through the 27th.
Here are a few a pictures from the past few days.
Curt Staley's Pro Guide Service
256-990-0376
Lake Guntersville, Alabama
Guntersville Bass, Guntersville Bass Guide
Mail to: [email protected]

The water is still pretty dirty but you can find areas with some cleaner water in them. The past few days the bite has picked up every day. The falling water hasn’t helped anything though but over the next few days things should really improve as the water level gets back to normal and starts to clear up. Traps, jigs, crankbaits, and chatterbaits have been the way to go. We have been hitting our fish in little wolf packs. When you catch one you will catch more pretty quick. We have been having several short strikes over the course of the day but that is due to the falling water. The ones that get it are getting it.
These pics are just of a few of the better ones we had on Saturday’s trip.
I still have the 14th, 17th, 19th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th 25th, 26th, 28th and 29th open in March if anyone is wanting to get out. Just shoot me an email or send me a text or call if you need to set something up.

Curt Staley's Pro Guide Service
256-990-0376
Lake Guntersville, Alabama
Guntersville Bass, Guntersville Bass Guide
Mail to: [email protected]

I really wish this weather would make its mind up. We have went from extreme floods and massive amounts of current and high muddy water to the water level being low and starting to clear up and then right back to flood warnings which then turned into snow and more high winds that have muddied the water back up. I am so ready for some warm weather.
Anyways I just wanted to pass a little info along from a few of the days I have spent out on the water preparing for the spring rush. I have been catching fish from 2 to 12 feet of water on a ¾ oz. trap and a spinnerbait and a ½ oz. jig. I have had better luck out of the stained water and not the clean or muddy. Most days a slower presentation has worked the best but on a few days they have wanted a faster retrieve. I have been targeting outside grass lines or deeper rock or shell mixed with some stumps and if you can find a few of those 50 yard sweet spots that have all of that then you have found the gold.
I will post again when I get back out some next week after this extreme cold moves out. I still have dates open for February, March and April and a few left in May.
If you would like to get out just send a text, email or give me a call. With having the longest running guide service on Guntersville and guiding since 1997 I can help with all your needs.
Curt Staley's Pro Guide Service
256-990-0376
Lake Guntersville, Alabama
Guntersville Bass, Guntersville Bass Guide
Mail to: [email protected]

With Christmas passing it is time spend my days scouting for the big girls of the big G for all of the spring and early summer trips. If last year is any indication of how this year is going to be than it will be another great year without any days away from the lake from January through early July. Last year during that time I run trips every single day of those months without a day off and even as busy as it was ,I still made time for everyone that couldn't book a full day due to it already being booked by offering to carry them out when the full day trip was finished. I would meet them and fish till close to dark just to get everyone on fish and to get them pointed in the right direction.

I would like to say thanks to all of 2015’s clients and special thanks to all the ones who have already booked their days for 2016 as it will be another awesome year of fishing and if the weather stays like it has been it should be a much milder winter and this years spring bit should be on fire.

Baits that I would defiantly have are crankbaits diving 2-4 feet and 8 to 14 feet and as always a good selection of rattle trap type baits. Last year the red eye shad in 1\2 to 3\4 oz. was a huge player along with the ever popular swimbait and a chatterbait. I also feel that the jig will be a huge player this spring.

As soon as all the holidays are over the lake will become my home as it is already stuck on my brain and wondering what all the rain has done. I have seen several pictures on Facebook and things aren't looking good. Just by driving around the lake is still extremely muddy and the water is still up. There is a lot of debris floating around so keep a careful eye out if you get to go. They are still pulling around 140,000 to 150,000 cfs which is a lot of current and it will have some fish grouped up on current related spots.

With 2016 being my 16th year of guiding full time and having the longest running guide service on Lake Guntersville I feel I can make you next trip a great success. There will be some photos coming soon.
Check out

Curt Staley's Pro Guide Service
256-990-0376
Lake Guntersville, Alabama
Guntersville Bass, Guntersville Bass Guide
Mail to: [email protected]

The flipping bite is the way to go right now and has been over the past few weeks. We are covering a lot of water doing this and sticking it out is key. We have some really slow times and it will get to feeling like you are beating a dead horse but it makes it all worth while when you hit that group and put 20 lbs in the boat in a short amount of time. We have hit groups here lately where we have caught as many as 15 fish in 20 or 30 min. Current as always helps and without it things can get tough. Big jigs are all we need right now and it is the only bait we can fish all day and it will happen. On Sunday we fished from 4 pm until dark and boated around 15 fish. On Monday we fished from 6 till around 11 and the bite was extremely tough and the lack of current didn’t help. We only boated 6 fish with the biggest being around 6 lbs. On Tuesday we fished all day and the current was moving pretty good and we had 30 to 35 bites and our best 5 went 22 to 24 lbs. I had yesterday off and it was yard work day and today I figured I would put up a report and then head out to check out some more of an area that was hot on Tueday.
I have days open if anyone wants to get out and do some flipping.
Curt Staley's Pro Guide Service
256-990-0376
Lake Guntersville, Al
guntersvillebass, guntersvillebassguide
Mail to: [email protected]

The bite the past 4 to 5 days has been on fire. We have had days with 50 to 60 bites a day. You can pick up your favorite bait and just go as long as it is fished slow and steady. Friday was our best day this week for really big fish. Our best 5 was in the low 30’s. Every fish that was caught was in 4 feet or less and some you couldn’t get shallow enough. The fish really ate ahead of the cool front we had. Saturday was a different story and you had to work a lot harder for your bites as even the pros found.

We have been catching the majority of fish on soft plastics and we have literally caught fish on everything we have fished. Taking your time and working an area when you get bit is huge right now. 80% of the time when you get a bite there are several more lying around. The biggest key is finding where that big wave of fish is moving in on and they will be there for a few days and the next day it may be 100 yards away.

I have the 20th, the morning of the 21st, 22nd, 27th of this month open and for May I have the 1st, 3rd, 7th,8th,9th,10th, The morning of the 12th, 27th,28th,29th, and 30th open if anyone wants to get in on the ledge bite.

Good luck out there.
Curt Staley’s Pro Guide Service
Lake Guntersville, Al
www.guntersvillebass.com
Email – [email protected]
Cell is 256-990-0376