It’s a fishing day

Lake Guntersville fishing conditions · Alabama

Now until 7 pmSmallmouth bass

The bite peaks at 61.

Frost Advisory until Sunday 7 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 61 for smallmouth bass, marginal · inside the best windowTap 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. 613 pm
  2. 61
  3. 61
  4. 616 pm
  5. 47
  6. 47
  7. 379 pm
  8. 37
  9. 37
  10. 37Sun
  11. 37
  12. 37
  13. 373 am
  14. 37
  15. 37
  16. 376 am
  17. 37
  18. 37
  19. 379 am
  20. 37
  21. 37
  22. 3712 pm
  23. 47
  24. 47
  25. 473 pm
  26. 47
  27. 47
  28. 376 pm
  29. 37
  30. 37
  31. 379 pm
  32. 37
  33. 37
  34. 37Mon
  35. 37
  36. 37
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Smallmouth bass range 55–78°

Wind
10 mph

From the north

Flow
91.1 cfs

falling · -46% in 24 h

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:46 pm

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
62°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

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

61MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

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

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No smallmouth under 15"; no more than 5 smallmouth in the 10 black bass a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Guntersville, Pickwick and Wheeler

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

57MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

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

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No largemouth or smallmouth under 15"; 10 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Guntersville and Pickwick

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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.

57MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

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

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

57MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

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

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

57MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

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

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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 20 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
  • River91.1 cfs · falling · -46% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.08 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:46 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:11 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:10 pm–4:10 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 9:40 pm–11:40 pm
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:20 am–6:20 am

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 7 pmFrost Advisory
71Worth the trip
Wheeler Lake46 mi · AlabamaBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory
57Marginal
Tims Ford Lake56 mi · TennesseeBest now until 7 pm
96Go
Chickamauga Lake95 mi · TennesseeBest now until 8 pm
84Worth the trip
Chattahoochee River (Atlanta tailwater)109 mi · GeorgiaBest tomorrow 1 pm–7 pm
84Worth the trip

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.