Powered by RedCircle
In this week’s Mobile-Tensaw Delta Fishing Report, host Nick Williams is joined by Shannon Wood for a Mobile-Tensaw Delta bream, goggle-eye, river-level, and local tournament report, followed by Matt Frazier with a Big Creek Lake update focused on crappie, spotted bass, kayak access, and the ongoing push for more public fishing access.
The big theme this week is that the Delta is finally setting up for a better summer panfish window after heavy rain, flooding, muddy water, heat, and humidity. Shannon expects the water around Cliffs Landing to be close to right for bream, while Matthew says Big Creek Lake remains a reliable option when the river system is high and dirty.
Shannon opens the report with a strong goggle-eye bite, improving bream conditions, Mayfly hatch talk, local bait shop updates, and details for the Tensaw River Delta Panfish tournament at Cliffs Landing. Matthew closes the show with a deep-water Big Creek crappie report, custom soft-plastic bait notes, deep spotted bass action, and an update on kayak and rental-boat use at the lake.
Conditions Recap
The Mobile-Tensaw Delta is moving out of a stretch of heavy rain and flooding and into the hot, humid start of summer. Nick and Shannon both noted that the dog days are beginning to show up fast after a long, pleasant spring. Shannon said some areas went from flooding, rain, and water in parking lots to heat waves in a hurry, which has made early starts more important for anglers trying to avoid the worst of the humidity.
Water levels are still a major part of the story. Nick checked the Barry gauge during the conversation and said it was projected to drop from around 6.7 feet to roughly 5.9 feet over the next several days. Shannon believes the water around Cliffs Landing can fish very well when the Barry gauge is around six feet, especially if the water is high enough to put fish near the bank but not so high that they are scattered deep into the woods.
Water clarity has been muddy in places, but the outlook is improving. Shannon thinks the dropping water, recent full moon, and more stable conditions could line up well for bream. He said the best fishing may come for anglers willing to cover water, fish close to the bank, and adjust until they find where the fish are actually bedding this year.
Mobile-Tensaw Delta Bream and Goggle-Eye Report with Shannon Wood
Shannon Wood says the bream and goggle-eye bite is becoming one of the better options in the Delta right now, especially for anglers fishing tight to the bank. His best recent pattern has been keeping the boat about 10 to 12 feet off the bank and pitching a cricket or small lure right to the edge. When the fish are there, he says anglers can catch them quickly.
The strongest bite Shannon has found lately has been goggle-eye, especially around Steel Creek and nearby afternoon fishing spots. He has been catching them on a black Beetle Spin, and he said the goggle-eye have been hard on those baits. Gear mentioned in this section includes black Beetle Spins, crickets, worms, size 8 and size 6 bream hooks, small jig heads, needle-nose pliers, and ultralight panfish tackle.
Shannon has caught some fat bream, but he still has not found a true full-blown bed where an angler can sit in one place and catch a pile of fish. Instead, the pattern has been more scattered. Some beds that produced in past years have not been active this year, while other areas have fish where they were not found last season. His approach is to catch a few fish, move along, and then circle back if the area feels right.
Nick and Shannon also discussed using a Beetle Spin as a search bait. The idea is to cover bank quickly with the trolling motor, locate fish with the Beetle Spin, and then slow down with live bait such as crickets once the fish are found. Nick mentioned that Darren Shirah has had success using a custom black Beetle Spin this way, and Shannon agreed that the technique can save time when fish are scattered.
Mayflies, Bedding Bream, and Cliffs Landing Tournament Notes
Mayfly hatches are starting to become part of the conversation, but Shannon has not seen the same activity around Steel Creek that some anglers have reported around Cliffs Landing. He has heard that Cliffs and nearby areas may have already had one or two hatches, which could help pull bream shallow and improve the bite.
Shannon said the last Tensaw River Delta Panfish tournament at Hubbard’s produced lower weights than some past years, but it also produced new winners. Two high school students from Saraland High School won with 5 pounds, 13 ounces on 20 bream, edging out Tim Holland’s team by two ounces. Shannon said most of the field went north, while the winning team went south of Hubbard’s and found slightly heavier fish.
The next Tensaw River Delta Panfish tournament is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, out of Cliffs Landing. Shannon said registration and entry fees should begin around 4:30 to 4:45 a.m., with anglers launching around safe light, hopefully around 5:30 a.m. Everyone needs to be back at Cliffs before noon, with weigh-in beginning at 12:00 p.m.
Shannon expects this could be one of the better weekends the group has had in a while because of the water level, recent moon phase, and improving conditions. He also noted that Grandpa Cotton has a kids tournament scheduled at Live Oak the same weekend, making it a busy local fishing weekend around the Delta.
Local Bait Shops and Simple Panfish Gear
Nick and Shannon both encouraged anglers to support local bait and tackle shops, especially after rain and flooding slowed business for several of them. Shannon mentioned Miss Becky at Boutwell Bait and Tackle and Josh at Steele Creek Bait and Tackle, noting that these shops get up early, keep bait available, and help anglers with local knowledge.
Miss Becky was expected to open at 4:00 a.m. Saturday for anglers needing crickets, worms, or other supplies before the tournament. Shannon said local bait shops are part of the fishing community, and anglers should let them know they are appreciated.
The conversation also turned to classic, simple panfish gear. Nick mentioned that his daughter’s first rod and reel came from Miss Becky’s shop, a Zebco 33, and Shannon said he recently re-lined a couple of Zebco 33 reels himself. Shannon also picked up an old pistol-grip rod from Leon Comey and planned to pair it with a Zebco 33 for tight-quarters fishing. Nick said a Zebco 33 on a short pistol-grip rod is hard to beat from a kayak or small creek because it is accurate, compact, and easy to fish under limbs and around cover.
Big Creek Lake Crappie Report with Matthew Fraser
Matthew Fraser says Big Creek Lake is fishing well since reopening on a limited basis, especially for crappie anglers who know how to fish deep, clear water. He called Big Creek Lake the crappie capital of South Alabama and said the lake is a dependable option when the river system is high, muddy, or otherwise difficult to fish.
Unlike the shallow river-system crappie patterns often discussed on the show, Matthew is usually fishing in 30 to 40 feet of water at Big Creek. The fish are often holding around structure, with some suspended roughly 20 feet down depending on the location. He fishes from a kayak and uses electronics on the kayak, thanks to a neighbor who loaned him a fish finder while waiting for more of the lake to reopen to boat access.
Matthew’s gear is simple but dialed in for the lake. He fishes ultralight tackle, single-pole jigs, vertical drops, and slow trolling from the kayak. Depending on depth, he may use jig heads ranging from 1/16 ounce to 1/8 ounce and up to 3/8 ounce to get down to the fish. Gear mentioned in this section includes ultralight rods, kayak-mounted sonar, jig heads, single-pole crappie setups, and homemade soft-plastic crappie baits.
Homemade Soft Plastics and Deep-Water Big Creek Bass
One of Matthew’s biggest edges at Big Creek Lake is making his own soft-plastic crappie baits. He uses a microwave, old soft plastics, and die-cast molds to melt down and re-shoot baits. He said he started with liquid plastic, but now he has enough old plastics saved that he can recycle them into new baits instead of throwing them away.
Matthew likes natural-looking green and silver colors because Big Creek Lake is extremely clear. He said anglers can see bottom in 10 to 12 feet of water, which means fish can also see anglers from a long way off. That clear water can make fish finicky, but once an angler learns the lake and finds the right structure, the bite can be excellent.
Matthew also ran into a strong spotted bass bite while crappie fishing. He found spotted bass grouped around structure in roughly 45 feet of water and caught more than 100 bass in a day on ultralight crappie gear. He said the bass are not holding especially shallow now, with the heat pushing them deeper.
Big Creek Lake Access, Kayaks, and Rental Boats
Matthew says the limited reopening of Big Creek Lake is a major improvement over having the lake permanently closed, even though many anglers are still pushing for more access. He has been fishing from a pedal kayak and says the exercise has been a real part of the experience. In about a month, he has been to the lake roughly 12 to 15 times and said he has lost 18 pounds from pedaling long distances.
Fishing from a kayak has changed the way he fishes the lake. A spot that once took only a few minutes to reach by boat may now take 45 minutes by kayak, and one day he pedaled about 16 miles. Matthew said he is warming up to the kayak, but he still understands why many anglers want more of the lake reopened to traditional boat access.
The rental boats are also being used heavily. Matthew said the lake has four Lowe “Scorpion” bass-style aluminum boats, two jon boats, and a couple of kayaks available, and some rental boats were booked out for two weeks. He has also seen plenty of people bringing their own kayaks and roughly 20 people fishing from the bank on some trips.
Matthew and Nick also discussed the importance of bank-fishing access. Matthew said some roadside bank access near Moffett Road has recently been posted with no-trespassing signs, which is frustrating because it has been a common place for young anglers to fish after school. Nick said good bank-fishing access is getting harder to find, and places where kids can safely catch fish from shore matter to the future of fishing.
Big Creek Lake News and Public Access Concerns
Matthew also gave an update on the ongoing Big Creek Lake access discussion. He said anglers understand that parts of the lake near critical infrastructure may need safety buffers, but he believes the current closure area near Hamilton Creek and the dam is much larger than necessary. He said anglers have conceded that a buffer is reasonable, but they still want the rest of the lake opened for broader public use.
The conversation also touched on recent news about a reported device found near the dam. Matthew said the story made national news but that local anglers still feel like they have not received a clear public explanation about whether the situation was a serious threat or not. His larger point was that closing water to law-abiding anglers does not necessarily stop someone with bad intentions, while it does keep responsible outdoorsmen away from a public resource.
What to Expect This Week
Bream anglers should watch water levels closely and focus on banks where the water is high enough to hold fish but not so high that they are scattered far back in the woods. Around Cliffs Landing, Shannon expects the six-foot range on the Barry gauge to be favorable, especially with the recent full moon and possible bedding activity. Crickets, worms, small hooks, and Beetle Spins should all be in play.
Goggle-eye anglers should keep working tight to the bank around Steel Creek and similar areas. A black Beetle Spin remains one of the strongest search baits mentioned this week, especially for covering water after work or during short afternoon trips.
Crappie anglers looking for cleaner water should consider Big Creek Lake, where Matthew says deep structure is producing. Expect to fish much deeper than in the Delta, use electronics if possible, and be ready for spotted bass to mix in on the same structure.
With summer heat building, both guests emphasized early starts. If it is already hot by 8:30 or 9:00 a.m., anglers may want to make the most of the first few hours, get off the water before the worst heat, and then support one of the local bait shops, restaurants, or river stops around the Delta.
