# Leon Brooks Hines AL State Lake tips



## slackwolf (Oct 23, 2007)

I've been up a couple times with my son and have never been skunked out. We've just never done that well out there compared to what we see coming out of the lake during the same days. Usually just come back with a few bluegill or shellcracker. He catches all the fish, I just steer where he wants to go and untangle him or help him when needed. 

I was curious if anyone had any tips for this lake? Areas to focus on, baits, times of day/year? Not really picky on what we catch, just wanting to put my son on some fish. Have yet to catch a crappie, bass, or catfish out of this lake but seen plenty caught.

Have been just renting their state lake boats every trip. May try night bank fishing one weekend soon.
Sometimes hard to put in a lot of time on the lake to get a better idea with a 7 year old. He doesn't mind 8-10 hours on the water in the heat but he isn't an early riser and doesn't like to stay in one spot long. Usually wants to head due west across from the launch first. Then work along the bank all over on the west to southwest side of the lake. Finally was able to venture up to north end of the lake late yesterday for a few minutes, but didn't really fish it. He was done at hour 9.5 and was ready to just cruise around to catch a breeze and head back to the launch. 

Any help would be much appreciated.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Fish the southwest side and you’ll catch all the cats you care to catch. Find the drop off and stay around it. Look deeper for bluegill right now.


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## slackwolf (Oct 23, 2007)

Splittine said:


> Fish the southwest side and you’ll catch all the cats you care to catch. Find the drop off and stay around it. Look deeper for bluegill right now.


Thanks. Do you mean the last main drop off on the contour map? Working without a bottom machine so just having to kinda feel my way around by a marked piece of paracord with weight on it, and the bottom contour map. 

I've fished around some of the shallower drop; first bigger drop away from bank on contour map, and just before the second drop on contour. 7-12' deep mostly and around submerged logs/stumps. Also the little drop around the tree growing up out of the water 30ft from the bank on the SW end, 8-9' deep. Was not fishing on bottom though. Red worms and chicken liver went untouched everywhere except getting picked off by little bluegill. Felt like my first few trips for sheepshead feeding the thieves.
Forgot my old greasy snack sticks Saturday.

My son is wanting to go back soon to try again.


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## slackwolf (Oct 23, 2007)

Got skunked yesterday.
Fished all around the dropoffs in southwest side yesterday until about noon. Had 1 solid hit on chicken liver early on and ended tied into a stump.
Nothing the rest of morning on red worms, various dip baits, and more chicken liver.
Hell I even tried a piece if greasy turkey snack stick that left an oil slick in the water. 

Mostly on bottom and up to 5-6ft off bottom with 10-15lb fluorocarbon leader. My son tried with red worms suspened a little higher up all over the lake. 

Fished north side a bit after lunch and gave up with the heat. Only saw 4-5 folks catch anything all day which was unusual. 1 nice bass early from someone and the rest were mostly bluegill.
Looked like some nice catches for the night bank fishing so might have been the heat which was miserable after 1.


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