Alabama River will host Bama Division Super Tournament
5m • Tyler Brinks • Phoenix Bass Fishing League
Saturday’s upcoming BFL tournament on Kentucky/Barkley Lakes postponed due to flooding and extreme weather
17h • MLF • Press Releases
Lake View’s Shields wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division Opener at Lake Guntersville
1d • MLF • Press Releases
2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League – Lake Guntersville weigh-in (2/15/2025)
3d • Phoenix Bass Fishing League
BFL tournament on Toledo Bend postponed due to high winds
6d • MLF • Press Releases
Mississippi Division starts the season on red-hot Pickwick
1w • Jody White • Phoenix Bass Fishing League
North Carolina Division kicks off at Norman
1w • Jody White • Phoenix Bass Fishing League
Fishing Clash again rewarding AOY winners at every level in 2025
1w • Mitchell Forde • Industry News
Abu Garcia “Fishing 4 FREE!” promotion slated for each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division’s fourth event of 2025
1w • MLF • Phoenix Bass Fishing League
LBL Division readies for start on Kentucky Lake
1w • Justin Onslow • Phoenix Bass Fishing League
Chouteau’s Allen posts first career win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League event at Grand Lake
1w • MLF • Press Releases
Local angler Seabolt wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Gator Division opener at Lake Okeechobee
1w • MLF • Press Releases
Bristol’s Neece picks up third career victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League at Lake Chickamauga
1w • MLF • Press Releases
2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League – Lake Okeechobee weigh-in (2/8/2025)
1w • Phoenix Bass Fishing League
2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League – Grand Lake weigh-in (2/8/2025)
1w • Phoenix Bass Fishing League

Alabama River will host Bama Division Super Tournament

Image for Alabama River will host Bama Division Super Tournament
The Alabama River is a unique fishery with a good shallow bite. Photo by Jacob Fine. Angler: Terry Tucker.
August 27, 2024 • Tyler Brinks • Phoenix Bass Fishing League

The final event for the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Bama Division will occur on the Alabama River out of Cooter’s Pond in Prattville, Alabama, on September 14-15. The extensive river system should provide excellent fishing for the anglers as they wrap up the 2024 season.

Tournament details

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Bama Division Super Tournament

Alabama River

Sept. 14-15

Prattville, Ala.

SIGN UP NOW!

About the fishery

The Alabama River is a large river formed by the Coosa River below Lake Jordan and the Tallapoosa River, which come together north of Montgomery near Wetumpka, Alabama. It eventually connects to other rivers and flows into the Gulf of Mexico in Mobile Bay.

Like the famed fisheries of the Coosa River chain of lakes running into it, the Alabama River has excellent fishing for both largemouth and Alabama bass. Wetumpka native and Bass Pro Tour angler Greg Vinson says the river has much to offer for the bass angler.

“It’s your typical river fishing and is fairly narrow compared to the reservoirs,” he said. “With it being a river, current is key here. We haven’t had much rain lately, so there’s not a lot of current except when they generating out of either the Bouldin or Jordan dams on the upper end or Jones Bluff on the lower end. When they turn the water on, the fish will feed heavily. Any water movement will fire those fish up.”

Vinson said the river has well over 80 miles of fishable water, and more if you count the tributaries. He also said there are plenty of targets to pick apart.

“There’s a lot of wood with laydowns, stumps, and things like that,” he said. “You also have a lot of bushes along the bank that create shade, it’s got some good bluff style rock called soapstone, and there’s also some water willow in certain places that is great for the largemouth. All of the little tributaries coming into the river are good to fish because they’ll form an eddy on both sides with current breaks; it’s a neat place to fish with a lot of possibilities.”

What to expect

Topwaters like a buzzbait could be a good bet in this one. Photo by Jacob Fine.

Spotted, or Alabama bass are prevalent in the river, and Vinson expects them to be a major factor but says the largemouth swimming here will likely appear in many weigh-in bags at this event.

“It’s not uncommon to catch quality largemouth and spots in the same places, which is a cool thing about fishing here,” he said. “Some of the biggest spotted bass I’ve ever caught have come on this river, but there are also some giant largemouth. But, I expect the winners to have a mix of both since they live in the same places.”

Blake Davenport of Jemison, Alabama, won last year’s Super Tournament with 26 pounds, 10 ounces over two days. Vinson is predicting better results this year.

“September can be tougher if there’s not a lot of water movement, and a good weight this time of year is around 16 pounds,” he said. “20 pounds is always possible, but 16 a day will be strong and give you a chance to win. The key will be who can run a pattern and adjust to the current and water levels.”

Vinson predicts topwater as a player but says other approaches could also be a factor.

“This is when you start that early fall bite and can get on a decent topwater bite with walking baits, buzzbaits, and frogs,” he said. “It’s also one of the places in the country where a jig and crankbait are still the best ways to catch quality fish. There will also be some finesse fishing, and you always have to have a shaky head rigged up whenever you are in Alabama.”