Lake Level: 480 (You can always check the current lake level here.) Clarity: Lightly stained to clearSurface Temp: 52 degreesAs you see in picture of Brian Mancuso from Atlanta, we are already catching some trophy fish. This is one you would expect to be a springtime fish. The winter water temps have so far been warmer than normal, so we are catching very nice stripers both deep (downlining) and shallow (by pulling boards). The stripers are still feeding on smaller than normal bait fish, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon- probably not until March. In February there will be a few more sea gulls than usual, which is always a good thing because it’s another tool to use to locate the Lake Martin stripers. Never pass up an opportunity to graph for stripers when sea gulls are in the area. At some point in February, the Red Horse Suckers will start spawning here. They make an excellent striper bait, and when they are spawning it makes it much easier to catch them for a good day of fishing. If you come fishing on your own this month, don’t forget our lake is down an additional 3 feet from the normal winter pool. This means you are going to have many more hazard areas to avoid, so be careful and keep an eye out for the buoys. Also, I do not advise running anywhere north of the railroad trusell until we get much more water depth back in the lake. This is also the month to start booking your spring time trips with us as March, April, and May are some of our most consistent months to catch the 25-45 lb stripers Lake Martin has to offer. Who knows you might break our lake record of 52 lbs….. and yes, it was a March fish. In March of 2021, our biggest was 45 lbs and was a top water fish.
Until next time stay safe and warm!
-Captain David
A special thank you to David Hare with Alex City Guide Service for our monthly fishing report.
February Fishing Tournaments
February 5-Wind Creek Bass Trail Event #4-OGS
February 5-Southern Bass Anglers
February 6-Reel Money Team Trail
February 12-ASABFA Classic Qualifier-Students
February 13-Sylacauga Marine Spring Opener
February 19-Alabama Bass Nation-Adults
February 19-Bremen Bass Anglers
February 26-Alabama Bass Nation-Juniors
February 27-East Alabama HIgh School Bass Team
For a complete list of 2022 tournaments, click here.
Safe Boating on Lake Martin-Watching Out For the Buoys
At Lake Martin, our water level fluctuates between summer pool level and winter pool level. This year, the water level is down an additional 3 feet-for a total of 10 feet below summer pool. This can make fishing alot of fun because you can see some of those hot spots. However, with the water level lower, it is extra important to be safe and pay attention to the buoys that are there to tell you of hazards.
We are thankful that we have a wonderful non-profit group called Lake Martin Resource Association that works tirelessly to keep our water and land clean, and also to maintain our buoys.
You can check out a map of the buoys here.
And you can learn more about the buoy guidelines here.
Sometimes buoys are destroyed or move away from the hazard they are marking. LMRA requests that the public assist by contacting their office and reporting missing or damaged buoys.
Lake Martin Resource Association: 256-212-1422
As an extra safety precaution, please also use your GPS/Depth Finders and Chartplotters.