NEWS

Neely Henry Lake Preview With John Kellet and Robert Storey

By Jason Duran

The Alabama Bass Trail North Division arrives at Neely Henry Lake for its third stop of the season. In this division, anglers can expect stiff competition, with weights often closely matched. Neely Henry has consistently proven to be a pivotal event where participants must do their homework to stand out from the rest and achieve a winning weight. In previous years, some teams have successfully made long runs to escape the crowded fishing spots, while others have discovered unique strategies that have led them to victory. This year, teams are welcomed with a perfect combination of favorable weather, fluctuating lake levels, and exciting pre-spawn bass activity, which promises both challenges and rewards.

Seasonal fishing patterns at Neely Henry Lake present a unique challenge and excitement for anglers. As bass emerge from their winter dormancy and enter an active pre-spawn phase, they become highly responsive to even subtle cues. Anglers who pay close attention to the lake’s conditions—such as water temperature changes, underwater structures, and baitfish activity—are often rewarded with a successful day of fishing. This careful observation of environmental details is what sets successful anglers apart from the rest of the field.

The team of John Kellet and Robert Storey provided a preview of what anglers can expect this weekend. Robert noted, “Typically, at this time of year, bass are in all three phases of the spawn. Some bass remain in deeper waters, some have moved to the shallows to spawn, and others are transitioning into post-spawn patterns. Many teams will find success catching fish in shallow areas this weekend, specifically around grass, boat docks, and other shallow structures.”

John mentioned that he recently came just ounces short of winning an event, having missed the 20-pound mark. He emphasized that a key factor this weekend will be the water levels. “The issue we faced from last weekend to this weekend is that they’ve dropped the water levels, and the areas where fish were spawning are now dry land. They’re raising the water back up, which complicates the spawning process. It’s frustrating to see this happen during the spawning season, and then we wonder why there aren’t as many fish in the lake.”

Robert added, “This seems to happen year after year. The water levels drop due to heavy spring rains. We have a key feature in the lake called Minnesota Bend, which helps hold the water back to prevent flooding in Gadsden. Unfortunately, this leads to the lower end of the lake being drained just when the fish are spawning.”

This weekend there will be lots of dragging baits around. The entire spawn has the fish in a funk right now, and it will be a struggle to get a bite. The fish are really shut down, and when you combine that with bright sunny days, the fishing becomes even tougher.

Currently, the fish are very shallow, and with 225 boats on the lake, they tend not to bite as well. When discussing which baits will be effective this weekend, the team mentioned, “It will really be a junk fishing event. Some teams might catch five fish using five different baits. There should be a good topwater bite in the morning. Additionally, there will definitely be a jig bite when flipping around docks or shallow wood. A shaky head can be productive near a shallow point, and moving baits like chatterbaits and spinnerbaits should work well in the grass. It’s important to note that at Neely, fish can be caught one day, and the very next day, they might not bite at all. While some fish are on the bed, teams may spend time trying to catch them without success.”

“This week, the weights will be competitive. Teams will find ways to catch fish throughout the day, and it may take all day to reach a limit. Some teams will weigh in a mix of spotted and largemouth bass. However, don’t be surprised if a team brings in a strong bag of all spawning spotted bass weighing around 17 pounds. Predictions suggest that it will take 20 pounds to win, while a weight of about 13.5 pounds should secure a check. There will be some impressive bags among the winning teams, but it’s likely that the quality will drop off after the top five teams.”

Launch & Weigh-In is April 19, 2025 at Coosa Landing, 1 Huff Drive, Gadsden, AL 35903. All friends and family are welcome to attend this event. Bring lawn chairs and see some of the best bass teams in the country cross the stage. Everyone can watch the live weigh-in and over 4 hours of on-the-water live coverage on the ABT Facebook page, YouTube, and the ABT website.

The 2025 Alabama Bass Trail Sponsors Include: Phoenix Boats, AMFirst, Landers – McLarty Chevrolet, McGraw – Webb Chevrolet, Rapala, VMC, Crush City, Buffalo Rock, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Jack’s, Garmin, Lew’s, Strike King,Southern Protection Agency, Alabama State Parks, Halo Fishing, Snag proof, NetBait, Bait Fuel, TH Marine Supplies, Power-Pole, Pro Guide Batteries, American Trailer Rental, Yamaha, Anheuser-Busch, American Baitworks, E3 Sports Apparel, FishAlabama.org, Sweet Home Alabama, and Alabama Mountain Lakes.