Pickwick lake is an outstanding bass fishing lake. Every year, the lake holds many tournaments, where you would need to catch at least 30lbs of bass to even have a shot at winning. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources uses electrofishing to monitor the bass population and size, and they've found the bass to be far heavier than other reservoirs in Alabama. The Alabama Bass Anglers Information Team reported,
“This reservoir had the highest percent success (97 percent) and accounted for nearly 50 percent of all bass over 5 pounds caught in Alabama"
While there are many large bass in Pickwick, if you don't understand the lake and what the fish feed on, you won't find much success. Timmy Horton, a Bassmaster Elite Series tournament angler and guide at Pickwick Lake shares important insights into the lake to help us understand the best bass lures to use, and how to fish Pickwick Lake.
Timmy Horton explains that when there's a lot of current in Pickwick Lake, largemouth bass will likely be feeding near the main river. If there is a light current, the fish tend to gather towards the back of the creeks.
We also know that there has been an increase in the hydrilla bass population at Pickwick lake. These fish will congregate in the area between Kogers Island to Pickwick Dam. The increase in hydrilla bass has also forced most of the largemouth bass into the middle of the main river.
Based on this useful information, and what we know about Pickwick lake we are able to recommend the right lures for landing big fish at Pickwick.
First Pickwick Lake Lure Suggestion: Heddon Zara Spook
The Heddon Zara Spook is an extremely successful lure in many bodies of water. In Pickwick Lake, however, this lure is especially effective. When the fish gather in the shallow creek they will frequently feed on the surface.
Timmy Horton explains that when he sees surface feeding fish, he'll throw a Heddon Zara Spook. It's not uncommon to see the bass surface feed in other parts of the lake as well. The legendary lure has landed some record fish in Pickwick, and it should be something you strongly consider purchasing before your next fishing outing.
If you aren't convinced by Timmy Horton's comments, take a look at the Amazon rating for this lure. This specific lure has an average rating of 4.8-stars on Amazon and has been reviewed by over 100 people. As of now, the lure currently hasn't received less than a 3-star rating, which is unheard of.
Check out the Heddon Zara Spook on Amazon: https://amzn.to/37vyCCk
Second Pickwick Lake Lure Suggestion: Bomber Deep A Crankbait
The lure manufacturer, Bomber, is known for its high quality and well-built crankbaits. The Bomber Deep A Crankbait is no exception and is an optimal lure choice for Pickwick Lake. The crankbait dives 4 - 8 feet, which is a perfect depth for both the shallow creeks of Pickwick Lake and the main section.
The Bomber Deep A Crankbait is another lure that professional fisherman and fishing guide Timmy Horton personally uses. It's likely that you've heard of this lure before, and you might already be fishing with it, but if not you need to add it to your collection.
One other way that Timmy Horton fishes a deep-diving crankbait is by cranking ledges. Tommy Horton finds success cranking ledges that are 14 to 25 feet in depth. He also adds that a good area for this is between the Natchez Trace Bridge and the State Line Island.
The lure currently has an average 4.9-star rating on Amazon and is listed as an Amazon's Choice Product. Out of all reviews, 93% of buyers have given this lure a 5-star rating. The Bomber Deep A Crankbait is known around the world as a go-to crankbait to catch big bass.
Here's the Bomber Deep A Crankbait on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3fsr9aa
Third Pickwick Lake Lure Suggestion: Yumbrella Flash Mob
The Yumbrella Flash Mob is an ideal rig to throw at Pickwick Lake. The lure is composed of 5-arms in an umbrella rig shape. The 4 flashers on the rig also create a tremendous amount of reflection that mimics an entire school of baitfish. The rig is also a smaller size than traditional trolling umbrella rigs, which makes it castable with any rod setup.
This lure should find success in any part of Pickwick Lake, however, it's known to be especially productive in the tailwaters. This is another lure that Timmy Horton uses, and he claims it's the only setup he'll throw when he fishes in the tailwaters.
If you try this lure out, take it to the tailwaters directly below the dam. Cast into the rapids and hold on! This spot is known to hold plenty of fish weighing up to 6 pounds. You'll run into a lot of smallmouth bass, but largemouth bass are also commonly caught here.
The Yumbrella Flash Mob is another incredibly successful lure on Amazon. The umbrella rig has a whopping 4.4-star average rating and has been rated by over 130 people at the time of this post.
Get a Yumbrella Flash Mob Rig on Amazon: https://amzn.to/37sugvV
