Water Level: 482 (You can always check the current lake level here.)
Surface Temp: 60
Clarity: Clear to lightly stained
December was awesome striper fishing. We were catching them every single day- and lots of them! Yep it’s cold, but that just turns Lake Martin Stripers on!! The colder it is, the better the bite. Our best day ever so far (quantity wise) was 3 Januarys ago. I had 5 clients on my boat and they boated 92 in 5 hrs. (And no, we did not keep all of them.) This month I don’t see any reason we can’t do that again, or possibly even break that record catch. One of the many things our clients like about January fishing is we don’t have to go as early because the bite is good all day long-and it’s not an issue if we aren’t on the water at daylight. I’ll personally be doing two different types of approaches to catch these beasts. One is down lining live bait in water approximately 40-60 feet deep. The other approach is for the clients that want mainly big quality stripe. For them, I’ll be pulling planer boards with huge shad in shallow water. Believe me, there’s some giants waiting for some big baits in that shallow water! As in many different months here on Lake Martin, January is another month that stripers will be roaming the entire 44,000 acres and 800 miles of shorelines. There isn’t a bad place this time of year to try your luck at the stripers.
As always please wear your PFD, because if you unfortunately end up in the frigid waters here, you will not make it long before you cramp up and find yourself in a world of trouble. Also this year the lake is down 10 ft + or – and for those not used to these changes in water depth, the shallow and dangerous areas can catch you off guard quick. One thing I always do is let someone (if not several people) know where I’m launching from, and what area I intend to fish in just in case I have an accident. That way, they would at least have a starting point to look for me.
-Captain David
Thank you very much to David Hare with Alex City Guide Service for providing our monthly fishing report.
January Fishing Tournaments at Lake Martin
January 8-Wind Creek Bass Trail Event #3-OGS
January 9-Reel Money Team Trail
January 29-Alabama Bass Nation-High School Students
January 30-Alabama Bass Nation-College Students
Planning a Fishing Trip to Lake Martin? Here’s Some Of Our Most Asked Questions From Anglers
Q. Where can I stay while in town for my fishing trip?
A. Local accommodations can be found here
Q. Where can I grab a bite to eat while in town?
A. Local places to eat can be found here
Q. Where can I find non-ethanol gas?
A. Riverbend Gas and Grocery 9120 US-280 Alexander City
What’s Curb Market 2802 Dadeville Rd. Alexander City
Kowaliga Marina 255 Kowaliga Marina Road Alexander City
The Ridge Marina 450 Ridge Marina Road Alexander City
River North Marina 250 River North Road Alexander City
Patriot on the Corner 6507 AL Hwy 63 South Alexander City
Q. Where can I find tackle?
A. Riverbend Gas and Grocery 9120 US-280 Alexander City
Wind Creek State Park Marina 4325 AL-128 Alexander City
Walmart Supercenter 2643 Hwy. 280 Alexander City
Q, Where can I go if my boat is having problems and needs servicing?
A. Alex City Marine 2190 Cherokee Road Alexander City
Russell Marine Boating and Outdoors 19 Russell Marine Road Alexander City
Kowaliga Marina 255 Kowaliga Marina Road Alexander City
The Ridge Marina 450 Ridge Marina Road Alexander City
River North Marina 250 River North Road Alexander City
Q. Is there anyplace in town that rents bass boats?
A. Yes, Wind Creek State Park rents bass boats year round
Q. Is there a local fishing guide that can take me out? A. Yes, Alex City Guide Service.
If you need more information in planning your trip, you can order your FREE Lake Martin Vacation Guide here.
