Weekly Fishing Report
Straight from the water — Capt'n Coop's firsthand report on what's biting, where, and how.
Sept. 7th 2026
Fall Transition Is Upon Us
Monday morning you could feel it in the air again! Fall is here and the extreme heat has broken. Fish are starting their fall transition. The key is finding bait. You can great days in the fall if you stay with the bait throughout the day. On Lake Guntersville we all know what the Fall means = they're heading into the mats!
Start of the Fall Transition
Last week was slow during that heat wave of a week. Was not hard to locate fish but you had to work to get the bite. With the cooling nights again, that changed like a flick of a light switch! We are still finding bait before fishing whether its a shallower grass bite or offshore shell bed bite and that will only become more and more important as we go into fall. We continue to catch fish all morning on shallow water flats with grass that are adjacent to deep water. Much of the morning there are schooling going on everywhere we're fishing. Flats are ranging from 4'-8' with at least 15' of water nearby. Jerkbaits, crankbaits, minnow, and small shakeyheads have been our go to again this week. After the early morning bite cools we are still moving out to deeper shellbeds and dragging worms and shakeyheads on the bottom catching fish the remainder of the day. We're targeting secondary shellbeds in 12-16' on the upper half and 16-24' on the lower half of the lake. These fish are getting aggressive and size has gotten a little better this past week but I do expect these fish to move with the bait very soon back towards the grass.
Top Lures
- Jerkbait
- Shakeyhead
- Minnow
Capt'n Coop's Pro Tip
"Find the bait and hardbottom. Drop the trolling motor and fish! With the cooling temps and Fall's arrival the bite should get better and better throughout the day in days to come!"
Matt with a nice 3lber!
Photo updated weekly — all fish caught and released
Pro Advice
Capt'n Coop's Tips This Week
Look at the TVA Generator Info - Current is Key
Ledge Fish are so much more predictable when there is steady current. When TVA is generating current, bass position on the up-current side of ledges, shell beds, and grass edges to ambush baitfish being swept past them. Instead of roaming, they group tightly in these feeding spots, making them much easier for anglers to locate and catch consistently.
Don't Overlook the Grass Edges
When the ledge bite slows or there is minimum current, punch/frog the hydrilla mats in 2–6 feet of water. The biggest fish of the day often come from under the thickest mat you can find. Use heavy braid and don't give them an inch.
Beat the Heat
If you haven't tried a night trip on Guntersville this summer, you're missing out. Great bites all night long. Book the Summer Night Special and experience it for yourself.
Live Data
Lake Guntersville Conditions
Live water levels, weather, and gauge data — updated every 5 minutes
Water Levels & Generation
Unofficial. Always obey posted dam safety warnings. Data may be delayed.
Local Weather
Local weather conditions for Guntersville, AL.
Report Archive
Past Fishing Reports
August 28th 2026
Great numbers to catch - Find the bait!
All week stayed the same patterns and areas until Friday. Full moon and slightly cooled temps in the evenings moved many of the schools I had located. Relocated majority of the schools and they were fired up!
Top Lures
Outlook: *Key Note to take away. On Friday right after the full moon and after we had started getting cooler nights; many of the schools moved all at one time. Relocating them is not too hard. Search for the bait, they are following the bait into late summer/early fall transition
Read Full ReportAugust 23rd
Big Numbers of Fish!
The schools of bass are setup and predictable now with the constant current. From morning grass bites to afternoon schooling, we're getting after them!
Top Lures
Outlook: They are set up where you can see them using electronics in both shallower and deeper water right now. If you're struggling, give Capt'n Coop a call and learn a ton to catch fish for a lifetime!
Read Full ReportWe moved off the shallow flats in the mornings to deeper grass transitions for morning bites and found big schools of offshore after the morning dies off.
Top Lures
Outlook: Its Hot, Get out there early for a better bite! Stay hydrated and be safe! Its the time of year to use those electronics and find those schools of fish offshore. Want to get better with your electronics? Book a Trip with Capt'n Coop today!
Read Full ReportReady to Get on the Water?
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