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This week’s Mobile-Tensaw Delta Fishing Report features three voices covering three very different angles on winter fishing in and around the Delta. Capt. Patric Garmeson (Ugly Fishing LLC) breaks down how to read river gauges and forecast what rising water will do to clarity, current, and bite windows. Justin Dunham (Eight Mile Drifter) shares a cold-weather, low-tide redfish pattern that’s tailor-made for kayaks and small boats in skinny, back-creek water. Matthew Frazier provides an update on the ongoing Big Creek Lake access dispute and what anglers should watch for next, plus a quick on-the-water report.
Conditions Recap
The story this week is winter volatility: a hard freeze with morning temps in the 20s, strong winds, and a statewide rain event that rapidly pushed river levels up the system.
The key takeaway from both the freshwater and inshore perspectives is that the Delta is a funnel, and what falls across central and north Alabama shows up downstream a day or two later as higher, dirtier, faster water. When the water is still rising, expect the toughest combination of increased current, more debris, and reduced visibility. Once levels crest and begin to fall, conditions tend to improve day-by-day as flow eases and the system gradually cleans up.
Inshore and tidal areas also fish “smaller” in winter. North winds can pull water out of back bays, forcing bait and predator fish to concentrate into deeper ditches and creeks.
That low-water compression can create some of the most consistent action of the season if you’re willing to explore and keep moving until you find depth.
Delta Water Levels and Reading the Gauges with Capt. Patric Garmeson
Capt. Patric Garmeson (Ugly Fishing LLC) laid out a simple, repeatable way to make better decisions in the Delta during winter and spring: zoom out, look north, and stop relying on only one local gauge. His first step is watching big rain coverage across the state, because the Mobile River watershed is massive and upstream rainfall is what drives the biggest downstream swings. Often, the Delta doesn’t feel the full impact the same day it rains; it can take one to three days for that water to show up in force.
Patric’s practical approach is to start up-river and work downstream mentally, using upstream gauges to forecast what you’ll see later near the causeway. He specifically referenced Coffeeville Lock and Dam and Claiborne as early indicators, then watching how the surge eventually presents farther south. One important point for Delta anglers is that you can see a noticeable hit to clarity and debris even when your “go-to” local gauge still looks normal or tidal. In other words, the river can look “fine” on paper while the water is already trending chalky, trashy, and harder to fish in key stretches.
His rule of thumb on timing is straightforward: fishing is generally worst while the water is still rising, and it becomes more manageable once the system crests and starts to fall. Every day after the crest, current slows and water can begin to clean, which helps fish behavior stabilize. When the main rivers get too pushy and dirty, he recommends sliding just off the main flow into creek mouths and offshoots where you can often find a sharp mud line and cleaner water surprisingly close to the river.
Gear and lure notes from Patric’s segment leaned toward visibility and feel. In dirty water he looks hard at colors that stand out like white and chartreuse, and he’ll experiment on both ends of the spectrum: bigger, louder soft plastics that move water versus smaller, quieter, slower presentations that look like an easy snack in cold, low-visibility conditions. One product he repeatedly trusts across species in the fall (and one that can still play when the system sets up right) is the Slick Lure Slick Jr., which he’s seen catch speckled trout, redfish, and bass as tides and current change.
Low-Tide Creek Redfish with Justin Dunham
Justin Dunham (Eight Mile Drifter) described a winter pattern that’s simple in concept and deadly when conditions line up: find deeper cuts and ditches inside shallow bay systems during extreme low water, especially after a north wind blows water out.
Bait pushes into the remaining depth, predator fish follow, and once water drops far enough those fish can be effectively “stuck” until levels rise again. The biggest key is not overthinking the first spot you try. Keep moving, explore, and commit to finding one creek with enough depth to hold fish.
When you find it, the action can feel like fish-in-a-barrel, especially in narrow ditches where there simply isn’t anywhere else for them to go. Justin noted that muddy bottoms can absorb heat and create slightly warmer, more stable water, which helps keep fish comfortable during cold snaps. He also emphasized how well this approach fits kayak anglers and small-boat fishermen, because you can slip into water that larger rigs can’t reach without a long, miserable push.
Gear and lure notes were specific. Nick had success with a Z-Man Jerk ShadZ, while Justin leaned on a Vudu Shrimp and other soft plastics worked slowly along the bottom. For cold-water trout opportunities, Justin suggested targeting deeper back creeks with roughly 10 feet of depth when available and keeping your retrieve subtle, avoiding overly aggressive paddle tails. He called out the older style Stingray Grub profile as an example of the more muted tail action that can shine when the water is cold and baitfish aren’t darting around.
Justin’s cold-weather comfort setup was about staying dry and blocking wind. He recommended a budget-friendly rain suit like Frogg Toggs to handle both rain and paddle drip, plus quality waterproof boots such as NRS Boundary Boots.
For hands, he mentioned Fish Monkey wool gloves with exposed fingertips as a strong option for tying knots and handling tackle without sacrificing all warmth.
Big Creek Lake Access Update with Matthew Frazier
Matthew Frazier returned with a status update on Big Creek Lake access and the broader legal fight around whether the water is public or private. He outlined the timeline from the lake’s closure and the ongoing court delays tied to related proceedings, and he reiterated his concern that the outcome could set precedent for recreational access on other waters in the state. He also described booms being placed farther upstream and framed that as a major sticking point for anglers who view the creek as navigable.
For those wanting to follow along as updates come out, a central hub for discussion and posted updates has been the Take Back Big Creek Lake From MAWSS page:
facebook.com/61573053381369.
On a lighter note, Matthew reported he got on the water and caught more than 20 bass in roughly an hour and a half, leaning on a spinnerbait bite and focusing on efficient, high-percentage fishing.
When conditions allow, it’s still hard to beat covering water with reaction baits in winter transitions, especially as fish begin to feed ahead of spring.
