Alabama River will host Bama Division Super Tournament
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
Sept. 14-15
Prattville, Ala.
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
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.”