Article can be found at Spinnerbaits101
The Mulberry Fork
The Mulberry Fork is a 102 mile long river located in northern Alabama that joins with the Sipsey River to form the Black Warrior River. With its proximity to Birmingham, Alabama, the Mulberry Fork can sometime draw ample crouds canoeing, kayaking, fishing, or just plain sight seeing. The river is a beautiful piece of water.
While I caught a lot of spots wade fishing as a teenager in rapids at the upper end of the Mulberry Fork, I would like to concentrate on the lower end of this fishery where a bass fisherman can find big spotted bass at times. I have caught spots up to five pounds here.
Spotted Bass Habitat
The lower end of the Mulberry Fork is prime spotted bass habitat. Fallen tree tops, small log jams and some piers are the dominate cover making a spinnerbait a good lure choice. At the mouth of the river, there are plenty of boathouses and docks to fish. With an ample current generated from the Corps of Engineers down the Black Warrior River, the spotted bass fishing can be at times intense to say the least.
The water color is usally staind a little bit making a chartruese spinnerbait or a shad colored rattle trap deadly. The Sipsey River supports tailrace rainbow trout below the Lewis Smith Reservoir dam so don't be surprised if you catch a rainbow around the mouth of the Mulberry Fork. I know I have.
Where to Fish
With the water temperature being warmer in the Mulberry Fork than the Sipsey River, I stay in the Mulberry. I usually fish the many boat docks around the mouth of the river (1) and the tree tops on the left side going upriver. I generally do not go past the County Road 61 bridge (3).
While traveling upriver, you will eventually pass under some powerlines (2). On your right side, there will be a 1/2 mile stretch of boat docks and piers that are very productive ending at a second set of powerlines. The piers are built like most are on a small river, somewhat shallow until the end where the depth drops off dramatically into the channel. When the current is flowing, you can catch the spots laying on the downriver side of these piers and really clean them up.
Conclusion
Fishing the Mulberry Fork is a severe change of pace from the large reservoirs found in most states. I have spent a whole day there and not seen a soul. It can be very relaxing. My favorite time to fish this place is in late September through November when the leaves are changing and the spotted bass are biting. For a change of pace, you can't find a better place.
Good fishin'
No comments:
Post a Comment