Fishing Report Neely Henry Lake Alabama — Gadsden's Coosa Pool
11,200 acres of narrow, river-run Coosa reservoir below Weiss Dam — Gadsden-anchored, ABT-tested, home water for Wes Logan's first Bassmaster Elite win.
This fishing report Neely Henry Lake Alabama anglers bookmark covers 11,200 acres of Coosa River reservoir near Gadsden — built river-run between Weiss and Logan Martin dams, famous for grass, docks, and Wes Logan's 2021 Bassmaster Elite win.
Every Neely Henry Lake Alabama fishing report starts with the same four ingredients — docks, water willow grass, rock banks, and constant current. Neely Henry is the second Alabama Power reservoir on the Coosa chain: Weiss Dam above, Neely Henry Dam below near Ohatchee, then Logan Martin south of that. The dam closed in 1966 and backed up 77.6 miles of winding Coosa water between Gadsden, Southside, and Rainbow City, so the lake fishes more like a big river than an open reservoir. Coosa-strain spotted bass hold on current breaks off Canoe Creek, Big Wills Creek, and Ohatchee Creek; largemouth stack in the flatter creek arms when the water's right. Wes Logan grew up thirty miles away in Springville and won his first Bassmaster Elite here in 2021 with 57-9, fishing a black-and-blue flipping jig between Cove Creek and Minnesota Bend. The Alabama Bass Trail runs multiple events out of the Gadsden City Boat Docks each year.
“Neely Henry Lake holds fish in patterns you can set your watch to. The bite isn't a secret — it's what most fishermen don't know about where the grass thins onto a hard ledge.”
Alabama Fishing Atlas Editorial
Fishing Neely Henry Lake on video
Wes Logan Wins Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry Lake
Bassmaster
02 · Live
Today's Bite
—
Bite Score
Unavailable
Based on water temp, barometric pressure, moon phase & solunar window.
Major and minor solunar windows shift daily with the moon’s transit. Fish the windows above, or check the Seasonal Playbook below for Neely Henry Lake’s current pattern.
03 · The Calendar
Seasonal Playbook
March through May is the signature Neely Henry window. Water climbs from the low 50s into the 70s, pre-spawn largemouth stage on secondary points off Canoe Creek and Big Wills, and spotted bass push onto current-affected rock points on the main river. Mid-March through mid-April: a jerkbait on ten-second pauses works staging fish on 6-12 foot points near Black Creek and Ballplay. Late March into April the ABT often runs its North Division event here — 2015 took 21-02 for a five-fish bag on upriver spawning water with sight-fishing potential before a 30-degree cold front. Late April the shad spawn hits rip-rap at Rainbow Landing and bridge pilings near Greensport; a walking bait or small buzzbait at first light cleans bags. Wes Logan's 2021 Elite win was wire-to-wire spring fishing between Cove Creek and Minnesota Bend on a 5/8-ounce flipping jig plus a Dirty Jigs No Jack swim jig and a frog.
June through August Neely Henry fishes on current. When Alabama Power runs water between Weiss Dam above and Neely Henry Dam below, Coosa spots stack on current-affected rock and wood in two to eight feet and will eat a square-bill crankbait or a buzzbait all day long. Slack water scatters them. Shallow largemouth hang in the back of Canoe Creek and Big Wills on dock-to-grass transitions; a green-pumpkin tube or Finance Jig flipped to dock corners is Jimmy Mason's published summer pattern, and Dustin King once caught a near-8-pound August largemouth on a Jackall Muscle Deep 15+ when the current kicked on. Stripers slide to deeper main-river water near Ohatchee Creek and the Neely Henry Dam approach — live shad on down-rods. Night fishing under the Gadsden bridge lights pulls big fish through July. Thermocline on this shallow pool stays shallow — deep crankbaits rarely need to tick past fifteen feet.
September through November shad pull into the creek mouths and every species follows. Largemouth and spotted bass chase shad on seawalls and secondary points up Canoe Creek, Big Wills, Black Creek, and Ballplay — a lipless crankbait ripped through grass and a ChatterBait in shad color work all day. Topwater on the seawalls is a classic Neely Henry fall pattern per Jimmy Mason's published comments: buzzbaits, Zara Spooks, walking baits, and a single-blade Colorado spinnerbait over Coosa grass. Crappie reload on brush in 8-14 feet at the mouths of Canoe Creek and Ohatchee — long-line small jigs to cover water, then vertical on marked schools. White bass school on main-lake points on calm mornings near Greensport. October is the peak month for numbers; November turns bigger as the grass thins and fish start feeding up before winter.
December through February the lake empties out and a handful of locals clean up. Bass group on current-fed main-river rock and deep bluff banks from Ohatchee Creek down to the Neely Henry Dam approach — drift a finesse jig or a float-and-fly through the eddy line on light line, or throw a suspending jerkbait on long pauses on sunny afternoons after a warming trend. The Weiss Dam tailrace at the very top of the pool holds concentrated shad, stripers, and big spots most of the winter; Mark Collins runs Neely Henry trips on this current-driven tailrace pattern out of his Weiss base. Crappie stack on deep brush in 15-22 feet off Canoe Creek and Ohatchee — tiny 1/32-ounce jigs tipped with minnows, fish vertical, wait for the tick. Alabama Power's winter drawdown usually drops the pool a few feet through January, concentrating fish and exposing shoreline structure worth scouting for next spring.
12-month calendar
Tap any month to expand pattern notes. Legend: B = Bass · C = Crappie · S = Striper · Cf = Catfish.
Tournament pros have been decoding Neely Henry Lake for five decades. Every tip on this card is cited to the original weigh-in recap or angler interview — no paraphrased fluff, no invented quotes.
2021 · spring
Wes Logan
2021 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry (May 2021)
I started tournament fishing with my dad when I was 5. We'd come here, Logan Martin and Weiss … I went into practice trying to not put pressure on myself. I wanted to fish like I'd never seen the place before. I wanted to figure out a pattern.
The pattern: Logan's 57-9 four-day total and first-career Elite blue trophy came on his home water thirty miles from the Gadsden City Boat Docks. Every one of his 20 weigh-in bass came between Cove Creek and Minnesota Bend. The lesson: fishing home water works when you practice with open eyes instead of defaulting to old spots — treat it like you've never seen it.
2021 · spring
Wes Logan
2021 Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry — Day 3 turning point
I caught two bass under a bridge right by the Gadsden City Boat Docks on a crankbait...I caught a 2 1/2 there, and then two casts later, I caught a 5 1/4.
The pattern: Logan's Day 3 bag jumped to 16-15 and put him in the lead going into Championship Monday on the back of two bridge pilings at Gadsden City Boat Docks. He threw a custom-painted crankbait (black/chartreuse variant) he kept on deck as a confidence bait. Neely Henry lesson: downtown Gadsden bridge pilings hold big bass in May when the main pattern slows — don't run past them looking for glamour water.
We found a large backwater area up river that had laydowns on the bank, and we believe the fish were spawning there.
The pattern: Strickland and Hemm took the 2015 ABT North Division event on Neely Henry with a five-fish 21.02-pound bag and a $10,000 first-place check plus a $7,000 Phoenix Boats First Flight bonus. A 30-degree cold-front temperature drop the day before the event killed the sight-fishing bite most of the field planned on; they won upriver on spawning fish the cold hadn't fully pushed off yet. Neely Henry lesson: when a front rolls in on tournament eve, run the upriver spawning water — the current keeps it slightly more stable than the downriver end.
2012 · fall
Jimmy Mason
Wired2Fish Neely Henry feature — fall topwater pattern
There is nothing like the way a Coosa spotted bass savagely attacks a topwater plug.
The pattern: Mason's fall Neely Henry move is a buzzbait or topwater walker over Coosa grass and seawalls when the water is cooling and shad are piled in the creek mouths. Coosa-strain spots are the species of interest here — aggressive by reputation, and the fall topwater bite is the payoff on a lake most visiting anglers overlook. Neely Henry lesson: run seawalls and water-willow grass with a buzzbait in October when other people are offshore chasing ledges that don't really exist on this shallow pool.
2012 · winter
Jimmy Mason
Wired2Fish Bass Fishing on H. Neely Henry Lake feature (published 2012, guide perspective)
It's really a fun lake to fish. It's the lake I don't get to fish as some of the others, but I love to come over here and fish because it's like a throwback to how fishing used to be before we all had these technically advanced fish finders and big boats. You can honestly just drive the lake and pull in and fish what looks right.
The pattern: Mason's published Neely Henry pattern relies on three shallow-water ingredients — docks, water willow grass (Coosa grass), and current — and all three show up in a wide variety of situations on this long, narrow pool. His confidence baits: a custom-painted pumpkinseed Bomber Flat A crankbait, a green-pumpkin Yum F2 tube, and a Booyah Finance Jig. Neely Henry lesson: this is a patternable, shallow-water lake — run shallow cover and let the current tell you what's active.
05 · Hire Local
Fishing Guides
Neutral listings — no paid placement.
Shane Ellis Fishing Guide
Lake Guntersville, Weiss Lake, Neely Henry Lake, Logan Martin Lake
Wes Logan Wins Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry Lake
Source: YouTube, Bassmaster
06 · Planning the Trip
Stay & Eat
Where to Stay on Neely Henry Lake
Lodging near the ramps. Some links below are affiliate partnerships (Booking.com, VRBO) — they cost you nothing extra and help keep the Atlas free. Full disclosure →
Hampton Inn Gadsden / Attalla
hotel · Gadsden
Standard Gadsden angler-friendly stop near I-59 and U.S. 431 — verify current rates and availability direct before tournament weeks.
Courtyard by Marriott Gadsden
hotel · Gadsden
Downtown Gadsden property within a short drive of the Gadsden City Boat Docks and Coosa Landing — common tournament-week base for ABT and Elite Series events.
Camping
Coosa Landing Area RV Options
rv park · Limited — verify current availability
Gadsden area has scattered private RV options near the river. Verify current availability before tournament weeks; chain hotels along U.S. 431 and I-59 remain the most reliable angler base.
Accessibility
Parking: Paved lots at Gadsden City Boat Docks and Coosa Landing serve the main Gadsden-side Neely Henry ramps.
Gadsden City Boat Docks is the most fully-equipped accessible setup on the lake — paved parking adjacent to the boat ramp and the Alabama Bass Trail weigh-in footprint. Other ramps vary; verify accessibility per ramp before trips.
Where to Eat
Top O' the River (Gadsden)
Gadsden · Catfish, Southern seafood
The regional catfish institution — Gadsden location anchors the chain. Classic post-weigh-in dinner stop.
Blackstone Pub & Eatery
323 Broad Street, Gadsden, AL · American pub, steak, pasta
Downtown Broad Street restaurant — sit-down dinner within walking distance of Coosa Landing weigh-in footprint.
The Coach House Restaurant
Gadsden · Southern breakfast + lunch
Gadsden-area breakfast and lunch standby — biscuits and coffee before a morning launch.
90-foot waterfall with a paved overlook, pioneer village, covered bridge, botanical gardens, miniature train, and mini-golf. Gadsden's defining family attraction and the rain-day default for Neely Henry anglers with kids.
Craft brewery and pizza kitchen in a restored 1940s downtown warehouse — Naked Pig Pale Ale and Truck Stop Honey Brown on tap. Tuesday-Saturday 11 AM-9 PM; brewery tours Saturdays at 4 PM. Standard post-weigh-in stop.
Downtown Gadsden art museum on Broad Street — rotating exhibits, permanent collection, and a short walk from Coosa Landing weigh-in. Free admission.
Downtown Gadsden (Broad Street Historic District)
historic
The Broad Street historic district anchors downtown Gadsden with restaurants, antique shops, and the riverwalk at Coosa Landing — worth a walk on off-days or before weigh-in.
Around Neely Henry Lake
Gadsden anchors Neely Henry. Gadsden City Boat Docks off Albert Rains Blvd hold the tournament ramp and the Alabama Bass Trail weigh-in footprint — the 2021 Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry launched out of this same footprint when Wes Logan took his first blue trophy. Coosa Landing on the downtown side sits steps from Broad Street restaurants and the riverwalk. Upriver in Ohatchee and Southside, Canoe Creek Access and Greensport Landing cover the upper Coosa arm and the U.S. 411 mid-lake bend. Rainbow City on the west bank puts you on the rip-rap and shad-spawn water below downtown. Chain lodging sits along U.S. 431 and I-59 — Hampton Inn and Courtyard by Marriott are the common tournament-week bases. After weigh-in, Top O' the River for catfish, Blackstone Pub on Broad Street, or Back Forty Beer Company downtown keep Gadsden's post-fishing scene honest. Rain-day backup: Noccalula Falls Park and the downtown Broad Street historic district.
07 · Launch Day
On the Water
Boat ramps
concrete rampOpen
Gadsden City Boat Docks
Gadsden
Parking
spots
Fee
Free
1000 Albert Rains Blvd area. Primary Alabama Bass Trail tournament launch — 2021 Bassmaster Whataburger Elite at Neely Henry host ramp and frequent ABT North Division takeoff.
5/8-oz Dirty Jigs Matt Herren flipping jig (black/blue) with Zoom Big Salty Chunk; Dirty Jigs No Jack swim jig with Zoom Super Speed Craw; frog; custom-painted crankbait
10 black bass daily aggregate (largemouth / spotted / smallmouth / Alabama) — Alabama statewide limit · No statewide minimum length on largemouth or spotted bass in Alabama general public waters — Neely Henry has no published special size regulation on black bass. Verify current ADCNR regulations before keeping fish.
Crappie
30 per day · 9-inch minimum
Striped/White Bass
15 per day combined temperate bass (striped + white + hybrid) — verify current ADCNR rules
Alabama Power publishes tailrace release and generation schedule for Neely Henry Dam — check before launching near either Weiss Dam (top of pool) or Neely Henry Dam (bottom of pool).
Alabama fishing license required for all anglers 16 and older (residents and non-residents).. Always verify current rules before your trip.
Coosa-chain bass fishing on a river-run pool near Gadsden. The lake fishes more like a big river than an open reservoir — docks, water willow grass, rock points, and current drive the bite year-round. The Alabama Bass Trail runs repeat events out of the Gadsden City Boat Docks, and Wes Logan won his first Bassmaster Elite Series title here in 2021.
Wes Logan caught every fish of his 2021 Elite win between Cove Creek and Minnesota Bend — both within a 10-minute run of the Gadsden City Boat Docks. Canoe Creek, Big Wills Creek, Black Creek, and Ballplay Creek are the signature creek arms, and the Ohatchee Creek / Neely Henry Dam approach holds stripers and summer deep-water fish.
Gadsden City Boat Docks is the tournament launch and the 2021 Elite Series host ramp, and Coosa Landing is the other downtown Gadsden access. Canoe Creek Access serves the upper Coosa arm, Greensport is the mid-lake US 411 option, and Rainbow Landing covers the west-bank Rainbow City shoreline.
Yes — all anglers 16 and older need an Alabama fishing license regardless of residency. Daily, weekly, and annual licenses are available online from ADCNR at outdooralabama.com or at any local tackle shop.
It's underrated compared to Guntersville or Weiss but has real tournament pedigree — Jimmy Mason has called it one of his favorite places to run a Bomber Flat A on spots, Wes Logan grew up fishing it from age 5, and the Alabama Bass Trail runs this water regularly. Coosa-strain spotted bass are the unique attraction: aggressive, current-loving, and common on topwater in the fall.
Fishing regulations, water conditions, and seasonal patterns change. Alabama Fishing Atlas provides informational content only. Verify all regulations with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources before fishing, keeping any fish, or launching watercraft. We are not liable for decisions made based on information published here. Full disclaimer →
Citation
Data sources
—Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) — Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (https://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing)
—Alabama Power Shorelines — H. Neely Henry lake and dam facts (https://apcshorelines.com/lake/neely-henry/)
—Wikipedia — Neely Henry Lake (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neely_Henry_Lake)
—Wired2Fish — Wes Logan Gets First Bassmaster Elite Series Victory at Neely Henry Lake (2021) (https://www.wired2fish.com/news/wes-logan-gets-first-bassmaster-elite-series-victory-at-neely-henry-lake)
—Wired2Fish — Strickland, Hemm Win ABT on Neely Henry (2015) (https://www.wired2fish.com/news/strickland-hemm-win-abt-on-neely-henry)
—Wired2Fish — Bass Fishing on H. Neely Henry Lake (Jason Sealock, 2012) (https://www.wired2fish.com/fishing-trips/bass-fishing-on-h-neely-henry-lake)
—Mark Collins Guide Service — Weiss and Neely Henry program (https://markcollinsguideservice.com/)
—Pentecost Fishing Guides — Neely Henry crappie program (https://lakeweissfishingguide.com/neely-henry-crappie-fishing-guide-tim-pentecost.html)
