Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett
Logan Martin
opefully, the cooler weather will drop the water temps on Logan Martin, and the fish will begin to eat up and fatten up for the wintertime.
November and December are my favorite months to fish on Logan Martin, and I hope my tips will help you become more successful during this time of the year.
Remember, there are a few things happening during these months. First, the lake should be at winter pool which condenses the fish into a smaller area. However, don’t forget winter pool for Logan Martin now is three feet down unlike previous years when it use to be five feet down.
The new winter pool level has changed the way I’ve fished Logan a little. Some places are not as shallow now with the extra two feet of water, and the fish have adapted quickly.
Another thing that happens during these months is the fish are feeding up for the winter months. What that means is that they’re heavily feeding on shad most of the time. Finding suspended fish in the creeks is one my favorite ways to catch them.
It’s an easy equation. You find the baitfish, the bass won’t be far behind. A small damiki rig and deep diving jerkbait are some of my favorite ways to catch them. Also, a square-bill and spinnerbait are a couple of great choices when covering shallow points or channel swing banks.
I mainly focus on the main river with these two baits. Typically, the banks with deeper water nearby are my favorite. During this time of the year to get a bigger bite, I am fishing a jig. This is especially true in the latter part of December when the water temp is below 55. It also helps if the lake has a foot of visibility or less.
These two months on Logan Martin offer anglers a lot of options to catch fish many different ways. The fish are getting fat, and there is less boat traffic, so go enjoy some fish catching action.
Neely Henry
Neely Henry is also great late fall/early winter lake. I mainly focus on the bottom end of the lake during these two months. There are a lot of bluffs, docks, and rip rap in this region of the lake that are some of my favorite places to fish.
Rain totals usually dictate where I spend the majority of my time fishing. If there has been a lot of rain, typically, Alabama Power will be generating water. This is when I will focus on main river points and docks.
A couple baits I always start out with are either a bladed jig or square-bill crankbait. The current should have the fish set up and ready to bite whatever eases past them. Now, once the water temp gets below 50 degrees, that’s when I will ease my way back into the creeks.
Usually, I want to be in the region of the creek where I feel like most of baitfish action is taking place. What I mean by that is either I’m seeing bait fish on my electronics or maybe a slight degree or two difference in water temperature. Once I find that, I’ll heavily depend on my forward-facing sonar and pick off bass that are maybe chasing bait in creek channel bends or just off the banks.
I’ll use either a damiki rig or jerkbait, depending on where the fish are in the water column.
Another way to catch fish once the water temp is 55 degrees or lower are in creek mouths. I fish the smaller creek mouths with either a squarebill crankbait or jerk bait depending on water color.
Another great choice is a bladed jig or spinnerbait. My bait choices really depend on the water color.
To find the most productive creek mouths, look for shad. The shad will keep fish there in the same general area until they decide to leave. Over the years, I have found that the colder mornings are, the more the shad will congregate together in the creek mouths.
This is when the bass will feed heavily in the creek mouths. It’s an easy meal for the bass as they fatten up for the winter months.
Keep your lure choices simple and keep moving during these two months and find that special spot where the fish are most active. The fish can change by the hour or even minute on this particular body of water.
Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide. Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com.
Coosa Riverkeeper is getting ready for a few events near Logan Martin Lake this November! Check out the events near you to participate in fun activities for kids, fishing groups, and more! Sign up and learn about Coosa Riverkeeper & our events by visiting our website below.
C.R.E.E.K. Birds & Wildlife of the Coosa – Join Coosa Riverkeeper & Anniston Museum & Gardens as we team up for a fun day of learning about native bird species on the Coosa, a chance to meet some special birds, crafts, and more! We can’t wait to soar the Coosa with you on Nov. 8, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Visit our website below to sign up and learn more! (Limited spaces available)
Coosa Riverkeeper Angler Focus Group – Calling all Logan Martin anglers! Join us Thursday, Nov. 13, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at St Simon Peter Episcopal Church, 3702 Mays Bend Road, Pell City, to talk all things fishing around the Coosa! We will provide dinner and a free gift for attending and participating in our focus group. RSVP sign up is required. Sign up today on our website!
Volunteer Cleanup at Highway 77 Boat Ramp – Keep the Coosa River clean with us! Jump it at Highway 77 boat ramp on Nov. 22, at 8 a.m. All materials are provided by Coosa Riverkeeper. We will have water, sports drinks, and snacks! An exact location will be sent to volunteers who have signed up!
Want to join us as we protect, restore, and promote the Coosa this Fall? Visit CoosaRiver.org/Events to sign up today!
Follow Coosa Riverkeeper on Facebook & Instagram @CoosaRiverkeeper For more information, swim over to www.CoosaRiver.org.
Oxford and Pell City Shine Bright for the Holidays
Two East Alabama communities are set to dazzle once again this holiday season, each offering its own take on the magic of Christmas lights — from snow tubing and Santa’s Village in Oxford to a community-driven wonderland along the shores of Pell City’s Lakeside Park.
Oxford Festival of Lights
The 2025 Oxford Festival of Lights returns for its sixth season with more sparkle, more snow, and an extended calendar that gives families extra time to take in the show.
New this year are two winter attractions inside Santa’s Village, the grand finale after visitors drive through more than 2.5 million lights arranged in glowing displays around Choccolocco Park.
Snow Mountain Tubing will deliver the thrill of a multi-lane, 20-foot slide built on a blanket of real snow, while Frosty’s Playground offers a hands-on winter experience where children can make snow angels, build snowmen or toss snowballs.
With more to do, organizers have extended the normal run of the festival which will now begin November 21, 2025, and run through January 4, 2026, with new select weekday daytime hours and 1 p.m. until 10 p.m. on weekends for Santa’s Village.
Tickets for the drive-through and Santa’s Village are available beginning Oct. 1 at oxfordlights.com. Passes purchased in October will be discounted to $20 and automatically entered into a “Golden Ticket” drawing, which includes full admission and extra amenities from Santa’s Village.
“Over the past five years, we have had almost 250,000 come through the show,” said special events coordinator Madison Gardner. “We are looking forward to being bigger and better this year with more to do and the opportunity to come multiple times. We look forward to seeing everyone there and making memories with this special holiday experience.”
First Bank of Alabama returns as the primary sponsor for the Oxford Festival of Lights, which takes place at Choccolocco Park, 954 Leon Smith Parkway.
Pell City Lights in the Park
About 40 miles west, the glow of holiday cheer will also illuminate Lakeside Park in Pell City, where the 2025 Lights in the Park event will showcase more than 70 holiday displays and thousands of twinkling bulbs.
This year’s event opens Saturday, Nov. 29, and runs nightly through Dec. 31, with lights on until 9 p.m. each evening. Admission is free, and community members are already registering to take part in the display.
According to the city’s website, “We are thrilled with the growing excitement and dedication of our participants, which is what makes Lights in the Park such a cherished holiday tradition. As the event continues to grow, we are introducing a new Sustainability Initiative. This change ensures a spectacular and reliable event that brings joy to our entire community for years to come.”
The Sustainability Initiative encourages participants to help maintain and expand the light displays in one of two ways. They can pay a $50 non-refundable contribution fee at registration – funds the Parks and Recreation Department will use to purchase new displays – or provide a receipt showing at least $50 in new lights or display materials purchased within the past six months.
“Participants think of this as a direct investment in the event’s longevity and quality,” the city’s statement read. “Your contribution increases the number of lights in the park, either through your own display or by supporting the Pell City Parks & Recreation display.”
The city hopes the initiative will keep the event growing without losing its community spirit. Lights in the Park is hosted at Lakeside Park, 2801 Stemley Bridge Road in Cropwell, with entry through the Civic Center parking lot. For details or registration, visit pellcity.recdesk.com or follow Pell City Parks & Recreation and the city on Facebook.
Economically speaking, this Coosa River town is hotter than free Taylor Swift tickets in a junior high lunchroom.
Kay Moore remembers not terribly long ago, when Gadsden, especially downtown, seemed to have practically given up the ghost. Back then, she worked at a local bank. The city’s two major employers, Goodyear and Republic Steel, closed. Retail mainstays like Ike Saks, Hagedorn’s and Rutenberg’s tried but did not survive.
But the script has flipped in Gadsden. From downtown to the Coosa riverfront and Noccalula Falls, the city is flourishing. And while others may bill their cities as “comeback towns,” few Alabama municipalities have experienced a resurgence like Gadsden.
Mural artist William Bebee poses with finished product
For the past 18 years, Kay Moore has served as the director of Downtown Gadsden, Inc., the local arm of the Alabama Main Street program, charged with promoting Alabama cities and towns.
DGI sponsors events, promotes downtown via social media, events and in collaboration with local merchants.
“We all work together to make things happen,” she said. “That’s the most positive part of this whole thing. We’ve got a lot of great people here, and we’re continuing to work together. We’ve come a long way in 18 years.”
She added, “My job is to promote what (merchants) do, both individually and as a group.”
And it’s attracting notice well beyond its borders. In August, Downtown Gadsden, Inc., received three Awards of Excellence from Main Street Alabama:
Excellence in Marketing for its banner project.
Excellence in Building Design in the non-historic division, for the renovation of the Mary G. Hardin Cultural Arts Center, and
Excellence in Public Art for the Pitman Hands mural.
Reimagining downtown
What’s now DGI began in 1972 as the Downtown Action Council. Shopping malls were springing up across the country, hurting downtown merchants.
“Back in that day I was just working a block down the street at what was then Central Bank, she recalled. “They got together a group of businessmen to save the downtown, because they could see what was going to happen.”
Despite best efforts, the larger downtown stores closed. Belk Hudson moved to the mall as did Budd’s Men’s Store, Ike Saks, Rutenbergs and Hagedorns.
There are more than 40 lofts in the downtown area
“Belk was the center of downtown. And when that huge store left, it left a big hole downtown.”
The building sat vacant for years until the Cultural Arts Center moved in.
“In the mid-1970s when the mall took off, and downtown became pretty much a ghost town, I was thinking, ‘If I didn’t work downtown, I wouldn’t come downtown. There was nothing. The occupancy rate was about 40 percent. Places were boarded up. It was not a fun thing.”
All that has changed. Gadsden’s downtown is on a roll. Moore, a lifelong resident of the city, says the city center is reminiscent of an earlier, prosperous time. Families are coming to Gadsden. While fathers fish for trout at Noccalula Falls or for crappie and bass on the Coosa, moms and their kids shop and eat, or visit Imagination Place or the Gadsden Museum of Art.
“People who grew up here say, it’s like it was a long time ago. And it kind of is … Retail stores are very, very vibrant, and we’ve got good restaurants downtown.”
Those once-empty storefronts are mostly filled with an occupancy rate of about 90 percent, she added. “The ones not occupied are just not ready to be occupied. It’s a cycle.”
A turning point came in 1998 when the city built a downtown streetscape and businesses began to return. First Friday – a mix of food, music and classic cars celebrated on the first Friday of every month – also sparked a return to the city center.
Sylvia Smith, owner of the Stone Market on Court Street, started First Friday in January 2006.
“I give First Friday a lot of credit in bringing businesses and people back to downtown,” Moore said. “(Smith) started it to bring people into her store. Then, the other people on Broad Street started noticing.”
In 2007, First Friday grew, and it took off in 2008.
People aren’t just working, dining or shopping downtown. There are more than 40 loft apartments downtown, with 27 planned in the old Sears building on Forrest Avenue that looks down on Broad Street. Completion of those lofts is expected early next year. An additional 15 apartments are in their early stages. That more than doubles the number of lofts.
“What I’d like to see in the next five years is a huge population of younger people who want to live downtown and bring their friends. They are going to shop, and they’ re going to eat. It’s just a positive impact,” she said. “Young people are wanting to come back. You just see a more vibrant personality downtown.”
Other changes are four-way stops downtown to improve traffic flow and make the downtown more pedestrian friendly. Other plans to improve traffic flow are being considered.
One of DGI’s major fundraisers – the 13th annual Sunset Sips – was Oct. 21. There are 300 tickets available at $50 each. Memorial Bridge is blocked off, allowing revelers to enjoy music, wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres as the sun sets on the water. They are encouraged to continue the celebration by dining downtown. The money raised is reinvested downtown.
“We’re just trying to do things that will bring a positive look to downtown,” Moore said.
Riverfront, Recreation and Rebranding
Meanwhile, Coosa Harbor, the multiuse residential/commercial and entertainment development on the banks of the Coosa River, continues to move forward. The city is completing its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission permit and grant applications, which when approved will allow construction of piers behind Coosa Harbor.
It’s hoped that the pier project will be completed by the late first quarter of 2027. Private sources have already invested some $20 million into the project that’s also being boosted by tax incentives from the city. Coosa Harbor is expected to break ground in 2026 and take two to three years to complete.
Vintage cars one of the many draws at Downtown Gadsden First Fridays
The city has also partnered with Gadsden State Community College to construct 10 tennis courts behind the Gadsden Sports Complex and a cross-country trail that in part, runs along the banks of the Coosa.
The city is also moving forward with its GROW Gadsden plan, and has invested in a $100 million RISE initiative, Reimagine, Invest, Strategic Planning and Economic Development. The initiative is expected to have a $190 million economic impact and create 2,400 jobs.
A gem of the plan is a new Gadsden Athletic Complex, featuring an aquatic center, 16 volleyball courts and 10 pickleball courts, eight basketball courts, four baseball/ softball diamonds and a walking track. The GAC is expected to be online in 2028-29.
A cobblestone hotel is located near the harbor site, but the city is looking for more hotels to meet the expected demand once the GAC comes online. “We don’t have enough hotels to meet the expected demand,” said John Moore, Gadsden’s director of Commercial Development and Community Affairs in Mayor Craig Ford’s office. “We’re three hotels short right now.”
For John Moore, all of this activity from downtown to the river comes down to one word –energy.
“It’s excitement,” he said. “People actually see the vision that the mayor has, that we are progressing, and that we’re a city on the move.”
That progress has even been noticed in America’s corridors of financial power. Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s provide credit ratings for companies, cities and countries.
“Gadsden is no longer classified as an older city (by Moody’s and S&P),” Moore said. “We’re now classified a new and up and coming city. I thought that was absolutely beautiful.”
Changing an image
Had someone told Kay Moore back in the 1970s how Gadsden and its downtown would be in 2025, they would’ve been met with skepticism and a laugh.
“I would have probably thought you were a little bit crazy. It was so dead. You had boarded up places. Now we have so many people downtown. It’s a great problem to have.”
With this beehive of activity from the river to downtown and seemingly everywhere in between, the bottom line is that the city is poised to improve its citizens’ quality of life, John Moore said, not just in Gadsden, but in Etowah County and in northeast Alabama.
“We are making Gadsden a destination place where people come and spend time with the entertainment we’ll be able to offer, whether its walkability of our downtown or sitting on the Coosa River at Coosa Harbor, or when you’re actually playing night golf over at Twin Bridges once we finish that up,” he said. “There are so many things the city has to offer that aren’t available anywhere else in a 120-mile radius.”
In 2023, the city revamped its seal and logo. Gone are the Emma Sansom Monument, farmland, and the Republic Steel plant, replaced by the Coosa River, Noccalula Falls and downtown. It’s all part of an ongoing effort to create a fresh brand for Gadsden.
“Not only are we changing the culture, but we’re changing the image of Gadsden,” John Moore said. “What I say to our staff is, ‘How do we make the City of Gadsden a cool brand?’ and ‘If the city were a clothing line, would it be a high-end clothing line?’ I don’t know if we’re there yet, but we’re getting there.”
Chapel in the Pines celebrates 60 years of worship on the banks of Logan Martin Lake
Story by Roxann Edsall Submitted Photos
The engine of the approaching personal watercraft quiets to idle speed, the unit plowing through the water headed for the pier. Arriving at the pier moments later, its driver allows it to spin and stop and begins to tie off.
Wearing T-shirts, shorts and visors, the driver and his passenger hop onto the pier, greeting passengers of another arriving boat. Walking past the parking lot, they follow the path into the woods. It’s Sunday on the lake, and they’re headed to church at Chapel in the Pines.
Pets are welcome at Chapel in the Pines
For 60 years now, residents of Logan Martin Lake, along with their guests and visitors to the area, have gathered at the river to worship at the outdoor chapel known as Chapel in the Pines. Since its inception, the plan has always been for the service to be short and informal, allowing both time to worship and time to play on Sunday mornings. Visitors are encouraged to come to the 30-minute non-denominational service in casual attire, then hit the water to continue lake-loving activities for the rest of the weekend. Services are held at 8:30 a.m. beginning the first Sunday in May and continuing through the September.
Weekly church services at Chapel in the Pines are a ministry of Pell City First United Methodist Church. “We are happy to be able to offer the community an opportunity to gather at a weekly ecumenical service,” said Pell City FUMC senior pastor Rachel Gonia. “People who are here visiting during the summer have a place to come when they’re away from their home church.”
The message is delivered by a different preacher each week, with a representation by each religious denomination in the local area. That was one of the unique things that drew Sue Pat DuBose and her late husband, John, to Chapel in the Pines in 1984, eventually serving on the chapel board for five years. “We lived across the street, and we’d hear people singing, but we couldn’t hear the speaker,” says DuBose. “So, we walked over, and we enjoyed it so much. It was exciting, because, at that time, you never knew who the preacher was going to be or who was going to do the music.”
These memories were among many shared at the end of this season of Chapel in the Pines during an anniversary celebration honoring the history of this Logan Martin tradition. Deanna Lawley, a former chapel board member, recounted events from its early years. “It was like a homecoming when the season began,” she remembers. “We’d go over there when it was still dark to sweep off and around the benches before the people arrived.”
That was when Chapel in the Pines was in its first location in Pine Harbor Marina, where University Marine at Pine Harbor Marina is now. Pine Harbor Resort developer Thomas Casaday set aside land there with an outdoor chapel in mind to encourage lakeside residents, particularly those in Pine Harbor, to make time to worship while enjoying the lake.
For 49 years, the 16-foot tall cross at the marina at Pine Harbor drew people to the outdoor worship space. When the long-team lease expired in 2014 and negotiations to renew the lease with the new owners failed, the search was on for a new home.
A cross marks the way to the outdoor chapel
Sam Huffstutler, Pell City FUMC pastor at the time, worked with the Chapel in the Pines Board and found a partnership with city leaders in Pell City. The resulting deal with Pell City gave the church authorization to build a 300-seat outdoor amphitheater at Lakeside Park. The traditional Christmas Eve service that year was the first service held at the new location.
Chapel in the Pines welcomes believers from all denominations at any stage of their faith journey. Creating a community of faith in the lake community and serving local and global partners through acts of faith and service is their mission. Any money collected above small operating costs goes back to the community through grants given out to local nonprofits, such as the St. Clair County Boys Ranch, Gateway Community Garden, The Gideons International and First Priority.
Celebrating community and common ground is an important reason that Carl Wallace, author of Lake Ramblings, attends Chapel regularly. “Love of the lake provides us a common ground for a diverse community,” says Wallace. “Chapel in the Pines is an extension of the common ground and provides a predictably safe place, a place of encouragement, a place of worship.”
When the world went sideways during the height of COVID-19 when many places of worship shut their doors for a time, Chapel in the Pines became a place of spiritual peace for many in the Logan Martin area. Organizers found a way to still gather for worship, allowing seating in every other pew and encouraging social distancing.
During that time, Wallace was still writing his Saturday morning “Lake Ramblings” on Facebook and posted about the precautions he and his wife, Mar, would make to allow them to participate in chapel.
“We’d take our lawn chairs and sit up on the hill across from the entrance to the amphitheater. We’ll be socially distanced, but we’ll be part of the service,” Wallace recalls. “We talked about that experience in ‘Lake Ramblings’ the next week and comedically called the hill ‘Scaredy Cat Hill.’ The next Sunday, we had nine more on the hill, then 12 more, then a bunch of us. Scaredy Cat Hill allowed us to gather in that common ground of Chapel in the Pines and gave us the encouragement we so desperately needed.”
Scaredy Cat Hill is no longer necessary, thankfully. Still, Chapel in the Pines continues to be the source of encouragement to many families, even as they say their final goodbyes to loved ones. DuBose chose to hold the memorial for her husband at Chapel after he passed away in April. “My husband loved Chapel so much and always told me when he passed, he wanted his service held to be held there,” said DuBose.
Suellen and Jim Dargan chose the chapel as their wedding venue and left by personal watercraft after tying the knot
Suellen and Jim Dargan rented the spot for their wedding in May of 2022. Both were serving and volunteering at Chapel in the Pines and consider it a very special place. “We both wanted something special and unique for our wedding,” said (Jim) Dargan. “And we wanted it there so we could travel on our Sea-Doo to and from the ceremony.”
Traveling to church by boat or personal watercraft, whether for church or for special occasions, gives Logan Martin Lake lovers another way to make memories with family and friends. “We’ve made lifelong friends who are more like family through Chapel in the Pines,” says Chapel Board member Amy Stinson.
Chapel in the Pines will hold a Christmas Eve service again this year at 3 p.m. You’ll want to drive the car to that one and maybe bring a blanket or two.
Editor’s note: The amphitheater at Lakeside Park where Chapel in the Pines is held can be rented for weddings, birthdays, or other special events by contacting Pell City Parks and Recreation.
Six times. Six wins. Not bad. Not bad at all for Logan Martin fan favorite Salli O’Donnell as she capped another win in the Great Alabama 650’s 2025 edition with a first solo finish, first female finish and third overall.
Finishing first overall and first tandem winners, Bobby Johnson and Matt Taylor, captured the top titles in a time of 5 days, 9 hours, 3 minutes.
Overall Solo and Female Solo winner Sallie O’Donnell heads to Logan Martin portage
Chris Thomas was first male solo finish, and Trey Reaves, last year’s solo and overall top finisher, was in tandem this year with John Wellens. They finished second overall.
A 650-mile Alabama professional ultra-endurance paddle race through Alabama Scenic River Trail on Weiss Lake, Neely Henry, Logan Martin, Coosa River and Alabama River to Mobile Bay and Fort Morgan, the epic event stretched from Oct. 4-14. Racers have 10 days to complete, but the winners arrived at Mobile Bay and Fort Morgan at the 5-day mark.
The Alabama Scenic River Trail (ASRT) maintains and promotes the core National Water Trail, along with a network of over 6,500 miles of paddling trails throughout the state.
Paddler navigates the trail
The organization’s trail network spans from North Alabama mountain streams and whitewater rapids to South Alabama’s river deltas, making it one of the most varied water trail networks in the nation.
As a nonprofit, ASRT operates through collaborations with local partners, organizations, and outfitters, serving as the state’s paddling resource for all skill levels.
The Great Alabama 650, ASRT’s signature race, highlights the full scope of these waterways, promoting appreciation and recognition of the state’s exceptional water recreation opportunities.
There’s something about the lake, the Fall and the holiday season. It’s like three gifts all wrapped up in one enticing package.
Of course, the lake is a gift all year long, but Fall adds its own special feel as leaves finally begin their seasonal change in color, their reflection in the water painting a perfect picture. And then there’s Thanksgiving and Christmas – a season where memories are made, traditions return once again, and gatherings take on their own warm glow of celebration.
I saw a sign once that read: “Christmas is better at the lake.” If you’re a lake lover like me, the sentiment goes a step further – Everything’s better at the lake.
After the final summer surge, Labor Day, things around these parts seem to settle down. But not for long. Lakeside Live Musicfest took the stage in September with a bigger, better edition at Lakeside Park.
Chapel in the Pines, Logan Martin’s ‘come as you are’ church at the amphitheater at Lakeside Park, celebrated its 60th anniversary in September with a packed house reminiscing about its formation just after the lake itself was created.
October saw Boo Bashers – dock to dock trick-or-treaters and revelers – making their way up and down Logan Martin for a day of ghoulish good times. There was even a “Boo Slough” with activities and trick-or-treating at the park. The day ended with an after party to celebrate at Tiki Hut.
The lake was busy that day as was Neely Henry with paddlers from all over the world navigating Alabama’s waterways in the longest paddle race in the country – a grueling test of endurance from Weiss Lake in the north to Ft. Morgan in the south.
Downtown Gadsden and the riverfront have been mighty busy these days, taking advantage of their own vantage point with leaders bolstering efforts to enhance downtown and all along the waterfront.
In this issue, we’ll take you inside the kitchen and lakeside home of Erik and Erica Grieve, who cook up something special for our readers. And our bass pro, Zeke Gossett, offers tips, tricks and trends on Neely Henry and Logan Martin this time of year to make the fishing fun and best of all, productive.
It’s all right here in this issue of LakeLife 24/7. Turn the page and discover it all with us.
They call it the world’s longest paddle race and at 650 miles across Alabama’s waterways, it is one of the world’s toughest endurance races, too.
Only 47 percent who start the race at Weiss Lake in Alabama’s north even make it to the finish line at Mobile Bay’s Fort Morgan, underscoring the resilience and sheer determination it takes to complete the grueling trek.
The Great Alabama 650 Race returns Oct. 4-14, embarking on yet another adventure that draws fans up and down Neely Henry and Logan Martin lakes as paddlers head further south.
It takes paddleboard, canoe and kayak paddlers along the core of the Alabama Scenic River Trail, which sets a couple of records on its own as the longest river trail in a single state and the longest national water trail.
Great Alabama 650 first-place finish
Traditionally, paddlers arrive in Gadsden on Neely Henry in the nighttime hours of Day 1 and reach Logan Martin on the morning of Day 2. From whatever vantage point fans can find with a view of main channels, a growing base of fans watch each year as paddlers make their way along the lakes.
Popular spots in Gadsden are along the riverwalk at Coosa Landing. Logan Martin tends to watch from lakeside homes or near the portage at Logan Martin Dam.
Or, they keep up with each racer’s progress on a live map on the race’s website, alabamascenicreivertrail.com/great-alabama-650. You can even volunteer for an even closer view and personal experience by registering on the website.
Racers have 10 days to complete the 650-mile course, but the 2024 male solo winner, Trey Reaves, finished in 7 days, 3 hours and 20 minutes. It was back-to-back wins for Reaves, who finished the 2023 edition in 6 days, 1 hour and 31 minutes. Record time was set by West Hansen in 2021 with 5 days, 19 hours and 9 minutes.
Ryan Gillikin was the female solo winner in 2024 in 8 days, 18 hours, 37 minutes. From the race’s inception in 2019 through 2023, Salli O’Donnell won all of them, setting the record in 2021 of 4 days, 22 hours, 39 minutes. O’Donnell has become a fan favorite on Logan Martin.
There’s also a two-person tandem team category, too, with Jessica Nance and Candi Hill capturing the 2024 title in 8 days, 22 hours, 35 minutes. The record is held by Paul Cox and Joe Mann at 4 days, 17 hours, 4 minutes in 2021.
They weather rain, wind, sun and fluctuating temperatures, from rushing whitewater to river deltas – all in hopes of completing this grueling race with prize purses worth $2,000 each. They’ll quickly tell you it’s not for the money, it’s the challenge.
So, grab your binoculars or find a closeup, waterfront perch and enjoy the race. It’s not just an adventure for the paddlers, it’s a lake life event you won’t want to miss.
The home is decorated with a mix of antiques and new pieces
For most folks living on the water, entertaining large crowds of family and friends is part of summertime fun. For Lauren and Jason Ayres, who live on Neely Henry Lake in Southside, it’s just everyday life.
The couple has seven children, a son-in-law, and a grandchild on the way, so feeding big groups of people is nothing out of the ordinary. “We cook just about every meal we eat,” Lauren said. “They love to eat whatever we cook.”
The fact that some of the kids have dietary restrictions, coupled with the family’s desire to spend as much time outdoors as possible, means that mealtime can have a few challenges.
“We try to cook big on Friday, Saturday and Sunday so we can have leftovers during the work week,” said Jason, a doctor at Southside Family Medicine. “As our boys get bigger, though, that’s harder and harder to do.”
Dealing with logistics, however, is the couple’s specialty. Lauren has always homeschooled the kids, who now range in age from 13 to 25, and even though there are desks upstairs, a lot of schoolwork has always been done around the kitchen table. “I’ve learned to stay close to the kitchen,” she said. “There’s always something to cook or clean up, and there’s plenty of laundry to do.”
That’s why it’s a good thing the couple makes a good team. “We’ve learned in our house that it’s divide and conquer,” Jason said. “The kids have their chores, and Lauren and I just figure out what works best for us and get it done. Otherwise, we’d never get to sit down.”
Party of 10
It’s a system they’ve had plenty of time to perfect. Lauren and Jason both grew up in Gadsden, and the high school sweethearts have been together since she was 14 and he was 15. They got married after graduating from Auburn University, and they lived in Birmingham while he attended medical school and completed his residency.
Interior French doors work well with the home’s mixed decor
Although they didn’t necessarily plan to move back home, life has a way of working out for the best. “The hospital here called and offered us a job, and 22 years later, we’re still here,” Jason said. “This is where we felt like God was leading us.”
The lure of being near family was a strong one, especially as theirs was growing – sometimes pretty quickly. As their first four children – Maggie, Rebecca, Janie and Porter – got a little older, Lauren and Jason adopted their youngest three – Davidson, John and Patrick – from China over a two-year period from 2012 to 2014.
Even though the girls have left home now (Maggie, now 25, is married and living in Birmingham; Rebecca, 24, is in veterinary school at Mississippi State University; and 18-year-old Janie just started her freshman year at Mississippi State), there are still plenty of mouths to feed each day. Some of the four boys must have gluten-free diets, so Lauren and Jason have adapted recipes to meet their needs.
“Summer food is easy because Jason grills a lot, and we do a ton of fruits and salads,” Lauren said. The boys loved grilled hots dogs by the pool, so Jason uses the outdoor kitchen for that and for making rotisserie chickens, as well. Tilapia tacos and smoked chicken wings are summertime favorites, too.
Salads are even better with blackberries from their three bushes and tomatoes that they grow in containers on the deck. “Our plants were still full of them in October or November of last year,” Jason said. “They wouldn’t ever turn red, so we had a lot of fried green tomatoes. We figured out how to make them gluten-free.”
Homemade ice cream is another family favorite, and there’s always a batch being made or stashed in the freezer. One of their easiest recipes, made from cocoa, whipping cream and condensed milk, is a favorite and a go-to for church gatherings. “Everyone always wants us to bring this because it tastes just like a Wendy’s Frosty,” Jason said.
The boys (Porter is 15, Davidson and John are both 14, and Patrick is 13) love to paddle board and ride tubes in the afternoon, so the family’s meal prep philosophy is “the quicker the better.” As a result, the Crock-Pot gets called in to service fairly often.
“On the weekends we’ll stick stuff in the Crock-Pot so we can go sit by the pool or go out on the boat,” Jason said. “We spend hours out here, so when we come back in, dinner’s ready,” Lauren added.
Water time lasts well into the fall, so it doesn’t get a rest once summer’s over. “Last November we were out in the backyard with swimsuits on,” Lauren said. As the weather turns cooler, the meals get a little heartier, but the focus is still quick and easy meals. “In the fall and winter, we like lots and lots of soup,” Jason said. “The boys love soup.”
Creating a home
Sharing all those meals requires lots of dishes, but Lauren has got it covered. She loves china, especially the cabbageware she collects in pink, blue and green. When they moved into their waterfront home two years ago, she had a custom cabinet built between the kitchen and dining room to help house her dishes.
Everything you need to entertain by the pool
The rest is stored in buffets, china cabinets and other furniture pieces she has collected, largely from estate sales and antique stores. “I used to go to antique stores with my father, and he would always say that if you bought something at an antique store, you don’t pay a markup, and it will never lose its value,” Lauren said.
These days, she and Jason enjoy hitting the sales together. “It’s fun for me, too,” he said. “She has a system. If she sees something (online) that she likes, she’ll take a screenshot, and we make a run for it.”
Their home is a beautiful mix of antiques – some they’ve painted and some with the original finishes – paired with newer pieces from one of her favorite stores, Ballard Designs. Over the years, they’ve found a number of Henry Link chests and cabinets, most of which they have painted in colors ranging from a bright Kelly green, navy and salmon to a robin’s egg blue.
The pink, green and blue colors are carried throughout the house, and are most evident in the kitchen, which features navy steel appliances and light blue cabinets. “I’ve had the blue color of the cabinets picked out for years,” she said.
Before moving to their current home, they built a house in Whorton’s Bend, where they lived for 12 years. She wanted to have blue cabinets there, but everyone talked her out of it. “Everyone said to go neutral, so I did, and the people who bought the house painted the cabinets blue, just like I wanted to.”
She followed her heart when they moved to this house, just as she did when she selected the many treasures that make up the rest of her collections. She loves the Andrea by Sadek Fishnet porcelain figurines, and she has cats, bears, a kangaroo, frog and rabbits in the pattern. She also collects chinoiserie pieces, including groupings of blue and white ginger jars, colorful vases, as well as Chinese porcelain planters. Like her furniture, they are a mixture of antiques and new pieces.
One of her favorite collections is her Staffordshire dog figurines. “I bought my first set when I was 22,” she said, pointing at a pair of porcelain dogs on a shelf in a stairwell. “It was my first big girl purchase,” she added with a laugh. Others are perched in cabinets and on shelves and furniture throughout the home.
Although it’s been said that kids today don’t want their parents’ stuff, Lauren said that isn’t the case in their family. “My girls love all of this, too,” she said. In fact, it has become something of a running joke that they write their names on the bottom of things they like with a Sharpie marker.
“When Janie was about 13, she was putting up Christmas decorations and saw something she really liked,” Lauren remembered. “She said, ‘I’m Sharpie-ing that,’ and wrote her name on the bottom. Ever since then, the other kids will say, ‘Has Janie already Sharpied that, because I want it.”
Lauren said she occasionally sells things on Facebook when her collections grow too large. “I’ll post things on Facebook, and one of my girls will call and say, “I wanted that,’ so I’ll have to delete it off my page,” she said.
The treasures will soon be moving with them to a home 15 houses away. While they love the home they’re in the process of selling, Lauren and Jason found one with a layout that works better for married children and grandchildren.
There was never any question they’d be staying on the water, though. “Once you’ve lived on the water you can’t ever go back to not being on the water,” Lauren said. “We have the best sunsets here, and we just love sitting out on the deck and having lunch or dinner with a view of the water.”
There’s a peace about it that has become a vital part of their lives, Jason said. “The biggest boat traffic we have in here is people coming to fish,” he said. “After being at work all day, it’s so nice to come home and just be able to walk out the door and get on the boat. It’s just calming.”
Blackberry Salad
Romaine and green leaf lettuce
Cooked bacon, crumbled
Fresh blackberries. Home grown are the best!
Goat cheese crumbles
Sliced almonds
Dressing
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
Season with basil or cinnamon to taste
Steak
We prefer thick filets.
Let meat come to room temperature and season on all sides. We use Kinder’s Seasoning, The Blend (salt, pepper, and garlic).
Place a small amount of low smoke point oil in a cast iron skillet and heat to just the point of smoking. Sear the edges first for one minute each.
Sear the first side for 3 minutes and the second for two. Place several pats of butter and some minced garlic on the steak and place in a preheated 450-degree oven.
We prefer medium, so we cook to 130 degrees and then remove and place on a plate and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice and serve with your choice of sides!!
Smoked Cream Cheese
1 block of cream cheese scored slightly on the top
Cover on all sides with seasoning of choice. We use Kinder’s Seasoning, The Blend (salt, pepper, and garlic).
Place cream cheese block on cast iron or grill-safe pan Smoke at 250 degrees for 2 hours
Cover with pepper jelly of your liking
Enjoy with crackers or chips.
No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 can condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Whip the whipping cream with a stand or hand mixer until the cream has stiff peaks.
Add milk, vanilla and cocoa powder and mix until combined.
Signature lakewide event to be even bigger and better in 2025
Story by Paul South Submitted Photos
Boo Bash, one of the lake’s fastest growing and most popular events, is back for its fourth Halloween celebration of costumes, candy and camaraderie for trick or treaters of all ages.
Boo Bash 2025 is set for Sunday, Oct. 5, from noon to 4 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, Oct. 12 from noon to 4 will be the makeup date.
More than 1,500 people participated in last year’s festival of frightful fun, an increase of more than 50 percent over a drought-stricken 2023.
For newcomers who have never participated in the fall event, lake residents decorate their docks and welcome a trick or treat fleet of boaters and their costumed crews. And, taking a page from the 1959 movie Godzilla, Boo Bash will also make mischief on land and water. Boo Bashers can gather at Lakeside Park, where restaurants and other sponsors also get in on the fun.
Don’t panic. While the giant amphibian wanted to destroy Tokyo, Boo Bash remains committed to building a better, safer, stronger lake community. Proceeds from the event will again go toward helping the Logan Martin Lake Protection Association fund solar-powered buoys – “BOO-ees” in Bash lingo – to be placed in shallow water to protect boaters.
Last year, Boo Bash raised enough money to fund 10 of the beacons. So far in the program, LMLPA has placed 70 buoys on the lake.
The 2024 event drew a big crowd, even while going one-on- one with an Alabama football game. “It actually went really well,” said Kelli Lasseter, who along with her partner Sonya Hubbard, leads an ever-growing corps of Boo Bash merry pranksters. “We made the decision to move it back to Sunday because it did interfere with so many of the children’s fall sports. There were also some safety concerns from last year that we hope moving it back to Sunday can help resolve. Safety is priority number one.”
Tiki Hut at Rivers Edge teams up with the LMLPA to put the event together
Boo Bash is again teaming with the Logan Martin Lake Protection Association, The Tiki Hut at River’s Edge and the City of Pell City. As of this writing, a sponsorship drive was underway.
For the first time in 2024, the event featured a land component and that, along with the Tiki Hut open in what’s normally the off season, last year was unique, Lasseter said. Tiki Hut, a wildly popular summertime stop, usually closes for the season on Labor Day. But in 2024, it opened for Boo Bash and will do so again in 2025.
“Having Tiki Hut open was really cool, as was the addition of the land stop,” Lasseter said. CEPA also got into the spirit on Pirate Island with a theme that would make Blackbeard raise the Jolly Roger. They will be back in 2025.
Another fun new partner will be the Logan Martin Duck Hunt, which has had folks scavenging the lakeshore for numbered rubber ducks. Lasseter hopes the quackers will attract new Bashers from the upper part of the lake and its sloughs.
The year-round scavenger hunt is another treat in the Boo Bash Halloween bag, boosting the event’s mission to build community.
“We are really excited to partner with the Logan Martin Duck Hunt. A scavenger hunt has been on the list for awhile and this was just a perfect way to make that happen for everyone.” Lasseter said.
Stacy Deegan, co-creator of the hunt, is excited to be joining the Boo Bash spook-tacular.
“Boo Bash stands alone as being a significant event for lake residents and friends of the lake,” she said. “We are honored to be asked to collaborate with the organizers.
“Incorporating the Logan Martin Duck scavenger hunt with Boo Bash just adds a little bonus activity and gives the participants more to look forward to and enjoy,” Deegan added.” You can’t have too much fun, can you?”
Neal Stephenson, president of the Logan Martin Lake Protection Association, said the association’s work to place the hazard buoys began in 2019, and the partnership with Boo Bash began last year.
“I think the partnership that our organization has done with Boo Bash has given our organization more visibility on the lake,” Stephenson said. “It’s increased our ability to donate more buoys to this program because our funding is based on volunteer donations. Because of this partnership with Boo Bash, we were able to accelerate and increase the number of buoys we have to donate to the lake.”
Stephenson is excited about the possibilities for Boo Bash 2025 and the LMLPA’s drive to place 100 buoys on the lake.
“If we have another year this year like we did last year with Boo Bash – between that and our own donations – we should be getting close to our goal,” Stephenson said.
Even in the sweltering July heat, momentum for the Fall’s Boo Bash was mounting, Lasseter said. “Excitement is already building. People are reaching out to us – new people who want to host a pier and our incredible host piers that continue to come back every year,” Lasseter said.
An example of the buzz? One new lake family doesn’t have a pier yet but plans to decorate their pontoon and float it out to greet revelers with treats.
Lasseter hopes Boo Bash and its stories will have a long life – a Halloween treat for generations on Logan Martin.
“I hope that Boo will continue to grow in this community and bring people from all walks of life together long after we’ve passed the torch to someone else.”
Events like Boo Bash and the duck hunt and places like Pirate Island are needed, Lasseter said, especially in tough times like today.
“It’s so important to take a break from the heaviness of day-to-day stuff,” she said. “To have just one day not to have any worries or cares and be able to tap into imagination and fun is everything to so many. Letting go of those worries for a few hours and enjoying the moment is something I love.”
Boo Bash sends a clear message, Lasseter said.
“What an amazing community we have on Logan Martin Lake. How selfless the people are to give hundreds of dollars of their own money to make this event happen,” Lasseter said. “I hope everyone walks away with smiles and memories. Oh, and bags full of wonderful treats!”
And as far as what Lasseter hopes people will remember about Boo in the years to come? Well, she had this to say. “When they think about Boo Bash, I want them to remember the fun they had but more importantly, I want them to remember the amazing people on this lake who made it all possible. Logan Martin is a very special place and Boo Bash is just one example of our residents’ hospitality and generosity. I am not sure you find this everywhere, but you will always find it here.”
Editor’s Note: For more information about Boo Bash on Logan Martin Lake, visit its Facebook page at Boo Bash on Logan Martin or email them at boobashonloganmartin@gmail.com.
