Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett
Logan Martin
As the weather starts cooling off, and we move into the fall time of year, a lot of changes start to happen on Logan Martin. One of the main things that every year is the Fall turnover.
This is where the lake begins to lose oxygen out in deeper water. You can even see the thermocline on your 2D sonar and downscan. You will begin to see shad starting their migration to the backs of the creeks and usually the bass will follow.
This happens especially once the nights begin to get cooler. On top of this, the winter drawdown begins to happen on Logan Martin. Last year, the water level only dropped three feet compared to the usual five in prior years, which is the new winter level.
This time of the year can be a very tough time to fish, but hopefully these tips can help you get a jump start to find fish quickly.
Typically, I fish predominately shallow water. When I say shallow, I mean anywhere from 10 feet or less of water. I’m usually looking for docks, brush and grass for my three main pieces of cover on Logan Martin.
Usually, I will try to start in the grass, especially in the earlier part of September. The first rod I’m going to reach for is a frog. The frog, in my opinion, is probably one of the best ways to get your better than average bite this time of year. Another good option would be a buzz bait.
Once the sun starts to get up, I’ll kind of shift my focus to the docks and brush. There are a couple of rods I reach for this time of year when fishing docks and brush. When the water temp is still in the 75-degree plus mark, I’m usually reaching for the neko rig. The fish are still usually pretty finicky this time of year. This is a great option for getting these fish to bite when they’re not in the biting mood.
Once that water temp gets under 75, that’s when I’ll reach for the jig. The jig is a very versatile bait this time of year. You can fish it around brush and docks. I might even flip it in grass and lay downs as well.
While the early fall time of year can be some of the toughest times to fish on Logan Martin, it can be the most rewarding if you figure them out. Keep it simple this time of year, and you will find success.
Neely Henry
September and October can be a very tricky two months on Neely Henry Lake. The fish are starting to feed up for the winter and especially after the first few cool nights we have.
I really like to focus on docks and grass just like Logan Martin. Typically, I’ll focus on the back half of the creeks this time of year. You also want to make sure there are baitfish in the area.
Most of the time the baitfish will be up near the surface of the water column. So, make sure you keep an eye out for schoolers this time of the year as well.
The Fall turnover is usually right around the corner or is already happening at this point. What that means is the oxygen levels in deeper water are beginning to get very low. The shallow water tends to have a lot more bass activity due to food and oxygen levels. This is why the baitfish tend to be near the surface.
When fishing the docks, I will typically start on the shallower docks. When I say shallow docks, I’m talking any docks five feet or less.
Don’t be afraid to try deeper docks as well. The deeper docks will sometimes get overlooked by a lot of fishermen. This allows fish to use every bit of the water column if they choose to. They can either stay shallow or move deeper, if they please.
A few baits I like to try in these areas are either the neko rig or jig. These two baits give me options throughout about every depth. If it is cloudy and windy, I tend to reach for the buzzbait and cover a lot of water. If it’s more of a slick calm sunny day I like to pitch and flip the jig around wood and docks.
Lastly, another great place to try and find a bigger bite is in the grass. The frog early in the morning is great way to get a bigger than average bite. Once the sun gets high, don’t be afraid to flip the jig as well. You will not get many bites typically doing these techniques, but the ones that do bite will be better than average.
One last tip on grass, do not be afraid to fish super shallow this time of year. Sometimes the fish on Neely Henry get so shallow you can almost see their fins, and the bigger fish will sometimes be in just inches of water.
Give these tips a try and keep your fishing simple this time of year. Fall time is all about trying to find activity. Fish tend to move around a lot but don’t let that fool you.
Keep your bait selection simple and keep covering water, and you will find success.
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 celebrates our 15th anniversary this month. That’s thousands of days we’ve patrolled 220 miles of river, monitored popular recreation sites all summer long, including your favorite lake, and educated countless families about the Coosa!
We began like most riverkeeper organizations: with a handful of people. After learning the Coosa River had been named the 10th most endangered river in the United States by American Rivers, a small group of local environmental leaders gathered and took action on behalf of the river, her communities, and her critters. Since our beginnings in a storage shed circa 2010, we have grown exponentially, introducing our Swim Guide program in 2015 and now celebrating its 10 year anniversary! Our Angler Advocacy & C.R.E.E.K (Coosa River Environmental Education for Kids) programs were introduced later in our 15 years of Coosa Riverkeeper, which continue to educate folks all across the watershed about our mighty river and its unique characteristics.
Our boat is small, but 3,500 members join us through their support for every patrol and water sampling. They are the fuel behind our work to answer simple questions like, “What can I do to make the Coosa healthier for my community?” to ensure the public is aware of water quality impacting the river, recreation, public health, and property value.
Rivers bring us all together, so let’s look after our River like it looks after us!
Psst… You can find downloadable coloring books and nature-themed reading ideas for kids and parents. Enjoy! Visit CoosaRiver.org/Education
Follow Coosa Riverkeeper on Facebook & Instagram @CoosaRiverkeeper For more information, swim over to www.CoosaRiver.org.
NHLA leading effort to create angler’s dream lake on the Coosa
Story by Paul South Photos by Tricia Lybrook
Dave Tumlin has a whopper of a fish story, complete with possibly a spark of the Divine.
It was early Spring. Tumlin and his brother Billy came to fish for Crappie on Neely Henry Lake, the place his family had called home since 1968. The Tumlins were among Neely Henry’s first families.
“There wasn’t anybody here. There was a dirt road,” Tumlin recalled. The brothers went to a spot they’d never fished before. “I always thought it might be a really good place, because the guy had a lit-up cross hanging on his dock. I called it the Jesus Dock.”
Dave Tumlin grabbing a hose for mixing the concrete
They caught – but didn’t keep – over 100 fish that day in that location near the cross. They never moved.
“We were using jigs. We were using minnows. We were using minnow heads off the deck of the boat that fell off the hook,” Tumlin said. “It was a phenomenal day.”
Now president of the Neely Henry Lake Association, Tumlin and the NHLA members, along with a small gathering of devoted volunteers, want other anglers to have divine days on the lake. They’re working to boost fish populations by constructing fish habitat.
For nearly two decades, the lake association, in partnership with Alabama Power, has worked to create new habitats for the Crappie, bass and other species that call Neely Henry home.
The organization joins with the utility biannually to build and place new fish habitats on the lake. The most recent event occurred in March. The date for fall construction has not yet been set, Tumlin said.
The evolution of an angler’s idea
The association got hooked on fish habitats thanks to a member’s idea.
“One of our members, who is a tournament fisherman, ran into a buddy from another lake who told him about this partnership with the power company,” Tumlin said. “So our member got in touch with the power company and asked what we needed to do to do it at Neely Henry.” The answer? “Just ask.”
NHLA did ask, and it all started with hundreds of discarded Christmas trees that had seen their Yuletide glory fade into precious holiday memories.
“As best I can recall, it all started at Ten Islands and at Rainbow Landing,” Tumlin said. “(The utility) would bring two or three giant dump trucks and dump the Christmas trees in the parking lot.”
From there, some 10 to 20 NHLA members and other volunteers would tie the trees together in bundles of five evergreens, weighted with concrete blocks. Some volunteers bundled. Others loaded them om the barges, and still others dropped the weighted trees into the lake.
“Alabama Power supplied it all,” Tumlin said. “Christmas trees. The rope to tie them together, gloves, water for us to drink if it was too hot, concrete blocks, then the barges we would load those on. It’s really been a neat evolution and a great partnership.” The association tells the utility where they want the habitat placed and the water depth.
It takes a large group effort to put the buckets together
There was one problem with that inaugural habitat build. Just as grass withers and flowers fade with the seasons, Christmas trees in lakes disintegrate over time. And the numbers of discarded Christmas trees declined.
That led to another idea: Spider blocks. Hundreds of ‘em.
Tumlin explained: “If you can visualize a two-hole concrete block with half-inch PVC pipe, four feet long or so. Six or eight of those legs, if you will, are sticking out of the holes. Then we would pour concrete in the holes and let it dry. That was not quite as labor-intensive as the Christmas trees. That took a lot of people and a lot of effort.”
But the Spider Blocks created their own web of challenges.
“We had to wait a week for the concrete to set up, “Tumlin said.” It was difficult to load them. The concept was a lot like the Christmas trees, but (the blocks) last a lot longer. We did them for a couple of years.”
An upside of the blocks was that moss would grow more quickly, providing a buffet for fish. Then the food chain took over. “The little fish would eat the moss and the big fish would eat the little fish,” Tumlin said.
In its current incarnation, the NHLA habitat construction relies on durable five-gallon plastic buckets. “We went from Spider Blocks to Spider Buckets,” Tumlin said. “We’ve been doing that for the last six or seven years (including a hiatus during the pandemic).”
The concept is similar to the blocks, with PVC “legs” and concrete in the buckets. But with an assembly line process, projects like the one last fall at Greensport Marina, took less than two hours. Volunteers place 100 buckets in the water – 20 in each location, known only to volunteers – to create artificial habitats. The buckets create an almost permanent presence under the water.
“Then, we wait for something good to happen.” Tumlin said. “Magic.”
He added, “A lot of fishermen come out to help because they want to know where the habitats are going to be.”
Tumlin praised Alabama Power and its partnership with NHLA and volunteers. “We just supply the labor.”
Spider buckets going in the water
And adults aren’t the only ones getting into the act. Last year, a homeschool group of kids came and helped with the project while learning the science of fish habitats and biodiversity.
“They came out. We gave them gloves, and they helped build with us.”
A driving force has kept the lake association committed to the biannual habitat builds. “When this came along, all of these members were really pumped up and said, if we can go out and put out 300 Christmas trees that’s got to help the fish habitat, which means we’ll have more fun. It’ll be exciting for us, and it will help the lake at the same time.”
He added, “That’s probably the biggest driver, knowing that on our own, without great expense, partnering with the power company, we could improve the fish habitat and the fish population on the lake.”
The effort also strengthens the Neely Henry community. “You get to see some guys you only see twice a year,” Tumlin said. “It’s always fun to catch up on family and tell the fishing stories.”
It’s rewarding, he said. “Knowing that we’re helping this lake and the camaraderie, those are the two biggest drivers. Knowing that in a small way, we are making this lake a better place, it helps not only us, but everyone who uses and enjoys this lake.”
And the habitat effort says something about lake residents and folks who enjoy the lake. “There are a lot of caring people who live on this lake that go above and beyond to keep it the beautiful body of water that it is.”
All of the bodies of water in the region have groups looking to protect them – Logan Martin Lake Protection Association, Neely Henry Lake Association, Coosa Riverkeeper, just to name a few.
Oxford High School students at a Watershed Science Day
Calhoun and Talladega counties have the Choccolocco Creek Watershed.
Flowing from the headwaters of the Talladega National Forest into Lake Logan Martin at Lincoln, Choccolocco Creek drains nearly 376 square miles of land across four Alabama counties. It’s home to about 70 fish species, including the threatened holiday darter, pygmy sculpin and blue shiner, and supports 22% of Alabama’s freshwater fish species despite covering less than 1% of the state’s land area.
Jennifer Yates Hudson, district coordinator for the Calhoun County Conservation District and the Choccolocco Creek Watershed project, said the nonprofit’s role goes beyond conservation science.
“The Choccolocco Creek Watershed is a non-profit organization supporting area projects that improve the quality of life for our communities through promoting recreational and outdoor activities while protecting our natural areas and water quality,” Hudson said.
Inspiring Adventure
Two programs currently encourage residents to get outdoors: the 100 Choccolocco Miles Challenge and the Choccolocco Ambassadors program.
Hudson explained that the 100 Miles Challenge is “designed to inspire our regional communities to lead active, healthy lifestyles while exploring our beautiful watershed areas.” Participants can hike, bike, swim, paddle, walk, ride or roll 100 miles each year within the watershed. All miles also count toward the statewide 100 Alabama Miles Challenge.
Classroom in the Forest is another educational opportunity
The Ambassadors program seeks outdoor enthusiasts who post photos, videos and blogs about their experiences. “Our hope is to inspire communities to get out and experience Choccolocco Creek Watershed firsthand,” Hudson said.
Recreation and Future Projects
The Choccolocco Kayak Center, launched seven years ago in partnership with the City of Oxford, remains one of the group’s most visible projects. The center offers casual paddlers easy access to the creek. Future plans include extending kayaking opportunities and creating a Blueway into Lincoln.
The watershed is also developing plans for a Choccolocco Nature Center and outdoor multiuse trails. Hudson said the project aims to establish “a regional area conservation hub that promotes a love of environmental literacy and serves as a nature-based center for community activity.”
Educating the Public
Education is a key part of the watershed’s mission. Each year, the group hosts workshops and seminars about conservation practices, cost-share programs and current projects. “We also host education workshops and ‘Watershed Science Days’ for students and teachers,” Hudson said, adding that topics include water quality, forestry and wildlife, soil health and land use impacts.
Faith Christian students and teachers help with a cleanup effort
Stewardship also begins at home, she said, encouraging homeowners to be “good backyard conservationists,” using practices such as water conservation, mulching, composting, planting trees and installing rain barrels.
Protecting a Crucial Resource
“Protecting natural resources in any watershed is necessary to maintain the health and well-being of all living things, both now and in the future, and is essential for maintaining community sustainability,” she said.
For Hudson, that means balancing recreation, conservation and education — and ensuring residents understand the creek’s value. “Clean, healthy watersheds depend on an informed public to make the right decisions when it comes to the environment and actions by the community,” she said.
Story by Roxann Edsall Photos by Mackenzie Free Submitted Photos
Even as summer winds down, families are enjoying making memories on Logan Martin Lake. Boats pulling tubes of squealing children pass by, personal watercrafts bounce on the waves, finding air off the wakes of larger boats. Pontoons filled to the brim with friends and family cruise along, tunes heralding their passing.
Can it get any better? Why, yes, it can!
Enjoying ice cream from the bow of a pontoon boat on a hot summer day
The children are usually the first to see it. Even those too young to read can recognize the signature lime green pontoon boat with a flag that reads two happy words – Ice Cream. Hopping up and down, they frantically wave their arms to let him know they’re screaming for ice cream. The Ice Cream Man on the Lake pilots his sweet ride to within arm’s reach of the crowd, and the ordering begins.
Somehow, ice cream seems to be a leveling agent. No matter what age or maturity level, people just seem happier, and certainly cooler, with an ice cream in hand, especially if they’re also in or around the lake. It’s a treat that would be hard to transport on the water, which makes the delivery to one’s boat even more of a memory-making event.
Pelham and Angie Smith have made many happy memories with their children that include the Ice Cream Man on the Lake. “We get it pretty often,” says Pelham. “This is the first time in the last couple of years, though.” Their 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old children aboard give the experience an enthusiastic thumbs up.
This is the fifth summer that Keith O’Neal, along with his wife, Elaine, have operated the ice cream boat on Logan Martin Lake. When they bought the boat from a friend, they did it with the idea of having some kind of food service boat on the lake. Their first idea of a hotdog and hamburger boat was rejected after assessing the challenges associated with cooking food on a boat. Then they heard from a friend about an ice cream boat operated on Harris Lake in Wedowee and decided to bring the idea to life on Logan Martin Lake.
O’Neal, who owns and operates six other businesses, says they don’t do this for money. “We do it for the fun,” says O’Neal. “It’s seeing children happy. We make sure everyone who wants to buy one gets one. And if a child doesn’t have the money, we’re not going to leave them out.
“We take care of people,” O’Neal goes on. “If they don’t have the money with them, we’ll give them the ice cream, and we’ve had them track us down months later to bring the money.” They offer 24 items and, to keep everything simple, all items are $4 each. They take cash, Cash App and Venmo, but no debit or credit cards.
Greg and Amy Stinson had cash in hand when they cruised up to the boat for an ice cream sandwich and a Snicker’s ice cream bar.
“We pulled up to the boat on our jet ski and they used a pole to pull us in position to order,” said Amy. “They were both very friendly, and the ice cream bars were a refreshing treat on a hot day.”
Refreshing and wonderful is just how Audrey and her three kids described their experience with the Ice Cream Man on the Lake. They’re gathered with friends and fellow boaters at Fireball Flatts. Half the crowd are in the water trying to cool off on this scorching summer afternoon. The other half are in the boats in the shade of their Biminis. The sight of the ice cream boat had the children going crazy to flag him down.
The purchase of a Batman cherry-flavored ice cream and a Ninja Turtle ice cream on a stick brought smiles to the faces of the younger children. An original Bomb Pop was the choice for some of the older kids, while a more mature Snicker’s ice cream bar was chosen by an adult in the group.
While O’Neal says they do this for the fun of it, the venture represents a considerable amount of work. “We spend thousands of dollars on product from the distributor and load the freezers and generator on the truck, which, thankfully, we have a crane to do,” says O’Neal. “This is all before we bring the boat to the water to launch. And most of the time, we have people who want ice cream before we can even get on the water.”
It also takes a lot of work to keep both the ice cream boat and the customers’ boats from bouncing off each other with the waves.
That’s the job of one of at least two people aboard. Depending on the weekend, they have as many as six people working on the boat. “We have four bumpers on the sides of our boat all the time,” explains O’Neal. “But the boats still hit.”
O’Neal says they want to deliver the ice cream safely, so they watch the weather closely. “If the weather forecast calls for 50% chance of rain or higher, we don’t go out,” O’Neal says. “The freezers and generator don’t need to be in the bad weather and neither do the people.”
Peanuts! Get your peanuts!
The ice cream boat is not the only snack boat on the lake. Two summers ago, they were joined by a second snack boat afloat, the peanut boat by Lakeside Peanut and Concessions. Scott and Shandi Martin own and run the company and are on the water nearly every weekend of the summer selling three flavors of boiled peanuts.
Selling peanuts to a passing boat
Scott prepares the peanuts at home, a process that takes two days. He then loads them on the boat in the morning before heading out. They typically sell three flavors – original, Kickin’ Cajun and Dill Pickle, occasionally adding specialty flavors like The Logan (steakhouse flavor) and Garlic Lemon Pepper. They’re even considering a Ghost Pepper flavor for Boo Bash on Logan Martin.
They also offer Shandi’s specialty flavored lemonades and fresh fried pork skins. Lemonade is $5 for a 16-ounce cup. Peanuts are eight dollars for a 32-ounce cup and pork skins are $10 for a gallon bag.
Martin refers to his wife as “the brains of the operation.” Shandi, he says, does everything but the cooking. She does the labeling, ordering and the “going and getting.” His days are already busy with his full-time truck driving job. The couple also plans to reopen their Lakeside Peanuts and Concessions land-based food truck in October.
Carrying peanuts
back to waiting crowd
Meanwhile, Martin says they sell out almost every time they go out on the water. They cater more to the adults, who, he says, like to have peanuts with their “cold beverages.” “We even get messages from people when we’re not able to get out asking where we are,” he says. “Some of the same people come week after week.”
Wendy Farmer is a huge fan of the peanut boat. She and her husband, Jeff, recently found the boat north of the I-20 bridge. They had some friends onboard their boat who had never tried boiled peanuts, so Wendy insisted they get some. “When the owners heard that our friends had never even heard of boiled peanuts, they gave us a cup of Cajun flavored ones for free,” Wendy recounts.
“Our daughter, Atley, ate the regular ones and loved them,” added Wendy, “and she’s a picky eater. And Jack, our son, literally ate them for breakfast the next two days.” The family also considers it a lucky day to find the ice cream boat afloat.
Both the peanut boat and the ice cream boat have Facebook pages. Both Martin and O’Neal post to their pages before they head out each weekend to let fans know what section of the lake they can be found on a given day. Check them out on their pages – Lakeside Peanuts and Concessions and The Ice Cream Man on the Lake.
Scott refers to his customers as his “Awesome Peanut Fam.” “We’re all family,” he says, “straight up.” Every weekend, then, is just a family reunion. Nuts included.
From majestic American Bald Eagles to elegant Great Egrets, Canada geese and Great Blue Herons, Logan Martin Lake is a bird-lovers paradise.
But perhaps the lake’s most popular bird these days, save maybe chicken on the grill, doesn’t have a single feather. In fact, it’s best known as a toddler’s iconic bathtub buddy. Submitted for your approval – the rubber duck.
Thanks to Stacy Deegan and her late husband Brian, the shores of Logan Martin teem with the hidden non-feathered friends. It’s the hottest scavenger hunt this side of summer camp, as folks comb the area for the numbered ducks, take a selfie with their find for posting on Facebook, then hide them again for another hunter to discover.
It’s a fun twist on catch and release.
Every duck is tagged with instructions. Take a photo of the foundling, post it on the hunt’s Facebook page, then re-hide it for another hunter to find. It’s a year-round event, so it’s always rubber duck season.
Duck No. 494 found at Pirate Island
Known officially as the Logan Martin Duck Hunt, it’s a Facebook group the Deegans hatched in 2023 to track the movements of the rubber quackers. Stacy took the notion a step further with the scavenger hunt. They began with 10 numbered ducks. The first duck was hidden near Pier 59.
“We just got in the truck one day and started driving around the lake looking for public places to hide the ducks,” she said. “The first place we hid one was the Pier 59 boat ramp. We just kept driving around and hiding the ducks and created the Facebook group.”
The couple had so much fun, they started hiding more ducks. Each toy bird has a QR code that can be scanned, and the discovered duck’s image goes straight to Facebook.
Brian Deegan passed away last year, but Stacy continued the hunt, she said, “not as a tribute to him, but I did release some ducks that had tags with ‘In Memory of Brian Deegan’ and his dates. So, I had a round of memorial releases there.”
The Duck Hunt has been on for two years, and the number of toy ducks has grown to nearly 500. They come in all colors.
“It’s been so much fun,” Stacy said. “My neighbors have been helping me out with the ducks.” And this year, there’s a new wrinkle that’s – as they might say in The Hamptons – just ducky.
There are golden ducks secreted away – 14 of them – and whoever discovers one wins a prize. “I was able to get some local businesses to donate prizes,” Stacy said.
For example, Lakeside Candle Co., Pell City Coffee and Pier 59 are among the donors, as well as Porky Pirate Barbecue. One local Realtor is offering a cash prize for her firm’s gold duck, Deegan said.
In another ducky development, the Duck Hunt will be part of the fourth Boo Bash event this year. “It’s just another leg (of the hunt),” Deegan said. “It’s another way to have the ducks out for people to have fun with it.”
Five of the Boo Bash quackers will have prizes worth $100 for the finders, thanks again to donations from local businesses.
Found at Logan Martin LakeFest and Boat Show
Like Boo Bash, the wildly popular Halloween hullaballoo, the Duck Hunt aims to build a stronger sense of community on Logan Martin.
But it also takes a page from a social phenomenon called geocaching. According to geocaching.com, it’s “an any day, any time activity that can take you to amazing and beautiful places. Geocaches are physical containers hidden all over the world you can find from a set of coordinates.” There is a Geocaching app. For more information, visit geocaching.com.
“It’s a really cool idea,” Stacy said. “It’s getting families to get outside and get away from their phones and computers and get on the hiking trails and look for hidden treasures or hidden caches. People all over the world hide things everywhere that you don’t know about.”
She added, “Geocaching is what inspired me to hide the ducks and get people outside to look for something fun. Just something extra, especially on the lake, where there’s already plenty to do.
“But I just imagine the smile on a kid’s face when they are running out of Tiki Hut, and they find a little rubber duck.”
In an effort to be sensitive to the lake environment, Stacy intentionally conceals the ducks in areas where the rubber creatures can’t slide into the water.
“The idea is to not have them fall into the water and float away,” she said. “I made a conscious choice in the beginning not to place the ducks in the water.”
The end goal of the Duck Hunt? Good old-fashioned fun and a ton of smiles.
Found Duck 146 in Ocean Lakes Family Campground, Myrtle Beach, SC. These ducks will travel
“Just something to put a smile on somebody’s face,” Stacy said. “I usually tell people, enjoy for a minute, then re-hide it for someone else to find.”
She hopes the hunt will become a Logan Martin mainstay. Globally, the rubber ducks are enjoying a renaissance and have waddled out of the tub, so to speak. Many Jeep owners have dashboard rubber ducks. In the UK, there’s a whole store devoted to the beloved toy.
Once, Brian Deegan concealed 50 tiny ducks throughout the family’s Logan Martin house.
“I would love to do it as long as I can. The rubber ducks are not expensive at all. I just do it for fun. If it were expensive, I’d probably try to monetize it. But I don’t want to monetize it. I just want it to be fun. As long as I’m financially able to put these little ducks together and hide them for people, and they enjoy it, I’m going to do it.”
Every duck find posted on Facebook is an affirmation. “Every time someone finds a duck and posts it,” Stacy said, “that’s my reward.”
For more information, follow the Logan Martin Duck Hunt (Rubber Ducks) Facebook Page.
They call it the tipping point – when an idea grows from a tiny spark to a spreading wildfire. And Logan Martin has certainly tipped the scale right over with an idea sparked from a conversation between lake residents Kelli Lasseter and Sonya Hubbard about dock-to-dock trick-or-treating.
Their ‘what if’ gave way to ‘Let’s try.’ And even the likes of Paul Harvey, who made famous the phrase, “Now you know the rest of the story,” wouldn’t know the rest of this one. It hasn’t been written yet. Each October seems to bring a new chapter in the evolution of Boo Bash on Logan Martin Lake.
Since those early days, it has grown from a few hundred to well over a thousand people and boats participating. They’ve added a partner – Logan Martin Lake Protection Association – and a cause – lighted buoys (Boo-ees) for safety at night on the lake. They’ve added a presenting sponsor – Tiki Hut. They’ve added a land event – Boo Bash at Lakeside Park.
And the inspiring part is it’s all done by volunteers wanting to bring the lake community together as one if only for a day. That’s what we call giving back to the community.
Lucky for the rest of us, we see plenty of other examples of people and organizations up and down Logan Martin and Neely Henry lakes doing likewise – seeing a need and filling it.
Take Neely Henry Lake Association, for instance. They saw a need for fish habitats, so they partnered with Alabama Power, and are making it happen year after year.
Another annual ‘do gooder’ is the Alabama 650, the world’s longest paddle race that showcases the state’s waterways and beauty, including Logan Martin and Neely Henry.
If you spot a little yellow rubber ducky around Logan Martin, you’ve landed a spot in a huge scavenger hunt that nets prizes and a cycle of fun as ducks are rehidden all over the lake community. Again, idea, spark, wildfire!
A couple of entrepreneurs had an idea that in lake season months when boaters are out enjoying the lake, it sure would be convenient – and welcome – to deliver goodies right to them.
So, on weather-permitting weekends, Lakeside Peanut Company and Ice Cream Man of the Lake pilot their ‘shops’ out to where the demand is – by boat. The end result, of course, is plenty of satisfied customers enjoying a diverse menu of ice cream and boiled peanuts.
As with any issue of LakeLife 24/7, there’s plenty more. From a spectacular lakeside kitchen and stunning home to the island vibes of a Jamaican restaurant opening to pro angler Zeke Gossett’s tips on catching the limit, it’s right here in this edition.
When you’re an ophthalmologist in the business of helping your patients see better, it goes without saying that a clear, beautiful view is always the main focus.
Open great room and kitchen with expansive view from windows produces ‘wow factor’ the minute you walk in
It’s even more important when you’re also in the market for a house on the water. The good news is that David Lewis and his wife, Wendy, got exactly what they were looking for when they found their home near Stemley Bridge on Logan Martin Lake a year and a half ago. And these days, they enjoy captivating sights as far as the eye can see.
Whether they’re watching Fred, one of the two herons that regularly hold court on their dock, cheering for a child learning to wakeboard, or enjoying the antics of a family of geese, there’s always something that grabs their attention. If that weren’t enough, they get to enjoy both sunrises and sunsets from their vantage point.
“I can just get lost looking out the window,” Wendy said. “You never know what you’re going to see.”
They almost missed out on it all. “We passed on this house the first time we came through. It was dark, and we didn’t get to see all this,” Wendy said, gesturing to the great room’s wall of picture windows overlooking the sparkling water.
“We decided to come back one more time, and this time we came back during the day,” she said. “The second we opened the door, we were like, ‘This is it.’ It’s just so peaceful here. We have enjoyed it so much.”
The 3-bedroom, 3 ½-bath house is perfect for hosting family and friends with its open floor plan, expansive views, and outdoor living spaces that include a pergola and an atrium with a hot tub. David is an avid hunter and fisherman, so he keeps the freezer stocked with venison and fish, which makes entertaining easy.
“The Traeger is the best investment I ever made,” David said of his wood pellet grill. “You can just set the temperature, throw something on, and it does what it’s supposed to do.”
Making a house their home
The Lewises were living in Anniston when David decided in late 2023 to take a job with Alabama Vision Center in Pell City. They were excited for the career opportunity as well as for the chance to live on Logan Martin full-time.
The atrium features hot tub and breathtaking view
“We’re water people,” Wendy said, adding that they have a place in Gulf Shores as well as a cabin in the woods in Heflin that’s on a private lake with property where David hunts and fishes. “Both of our families had places around Riverside, so we had a connection to the water and this lake.”
Although the Lewises did some renovations before moving in, the house had already been added onto a few times before they bought it. The house, originally a small guest cabin for the house next door, has come a long way since its humble beginnings.
It started out as a single-story home with two bedrooms and one bath, but the next owners built a two-story addition that includes the master bedroom and bath, the great room and a larger kitchen, as well as a shop, office and bonus room downstairs. They also added a porch off the kitchen. After that couple sold the house, the new owners enclosed the porch, making it a sunroom, and converted the downstairs shop into a Man Cave.
When Wendy and David bought the home in December 2023, they focused on cosmetic changes, replacing flooring and lighting throughout the house, brightening things up with paint, and remodeling a bathroom. They raised the roof on the house’s front porch and added beams and a tongue-and-groove ceiling to make it feel more like a lake home. Landscaping by OnPoint Land Management was the perfect complement, Wendy said.
They also updated the kitchen with new granite countertops and moved the doorway that connected the kitchen to the sunroom to the other side of the island so they could add double ovens where the door once stood. Removing a wall in the great room opened up the room even more, making hosting a crowd easier.
“This house is great for entertaining, and it’s made it a whole lot easier to host a fair number of people,” David said. Their house in Annison had a smaller kitchen, and the only seating area was the dining room table. Now, they have lots more counter space, bar stools at the island, plenty of seating in the great room, as well as tables in the dining room, sunroom and outside.
What’s cooking?
Open floor plan lends itself to cooking and entertaining
Although the Lewises love creating great meals together, their cooking approaches are a little different. “My husband is the better cook,” Wendy said. “He can go look and say, ‘I’ve got this, this, and this, so I can whip this up.’ I have to plan what I’ll cook, make my grocery list and go to the store.”
David said he mastered the basics in Boy Scouts, where “I learned to put food over fire,” and he later followed his mother’s example of “adding a pinch of this and two fingers of that.” He also picked up some skills during the nine years he lived in New Orleans while completing his internship and residency and working at his first job.
“Everybody cooks down there, and I got a little better,” he said. “I’m not a gourmet chef or anything, but I can put stuff together.”
In the summer, they cook a lot of fish, and they especially like blackened red snapper. “We like to cook in an iron skillet,” Wendy said. “That really helps with the blackening of the fish. And he can just come up with a sauce right off the top of his head, so he’ll figure out the sauce, and I’ll figure out which vegetable to put with it.”
Roasted potatoes are a favorite. “They’re so easy to do,” Wendy said. “I just dice them up, drizzle them with olive oil and put Cavender’s (seasoning) on it. You’ve got to be generous with your flavors.
Wendy and Logan, the dog who adopted them
In the colder months, they do a lot of venison burgers, as well as a dish that has become a favorite. “We call it Spicy Creamy Deer Pig,” David said with a laugh. “Roll up (venison) cube steak with cream cheese and jalapenos and wrap it in bacon.”
Being able to have the whole family over for the holidays, host a gathering for David’s office, or have friends over on a football Saturday is what the Lewises have loved most about their life on the water.
They also enjoy the quieter moments. “It’s just so relaxing,” David said. “We’ll take the boat out when I get home from work, and we just enjoy watching all the birds and schools of fish.”
Wendy said she couldn’t be happier with their decision to move to the lake full-time. “There’s not just one best day here,” she said. “Every day is the best day.” Add cheese to top and return to oven until cheese is melted.
Blackened Red Snapper with Dave Sauce
Ingredients:
1 small onion, diced
2 cups mushrooms
¾ of a bell pepper, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
½ to ¾ cups red wine
1 cup beef or chicken stock
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Oregano
2 tsp corn starch
Red Snapper fillets
Butter
Blackening seasoning
Directions: To make the sauce, saute onions, mushrooms and bell pepper for 7-8 minutes on medium/high heat. Add tomato, and after 3 minutes, add the wine. Let it reduce by half, then add stock. Season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and oregano. Add corn starch. Turn down to simmer while cooking the fish. Add blackening seasoning to fish and cook in a skillet with butter on higher heat for 3 minutes on each side, or until flaky. We like to serve fish with roasted Brussels sprouts and couscous.
Cajun Cream Sauce
Serve over Blackened Red Snapper atop a bed of asparagus
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, copped.
4 cloves garlic, diced
½ cup chicken stock
1/3 cup white wine
½ cup heavy cream
Cajun seasoning to taste
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
Directions: Cook tomatoes in olive oil over medium/high heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until onions are translucent. Add garlic and chicken stock and allow it to slightly cook down. Add white wine and allow to reduce by half. Stir in cream and let it simmer while you add your favorite Cajun seasoning to taste. Add parsley and parmesan cheese.
Rectifier Cocktail
Irish Whiskey
Baileys Irish Cream
Kahlua
Add equal parts of each to a lowball. Stir well and serve with a sprig of mint or shaved chocolate.
Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Graham Hadley Submitted photos
Beyond the typically Southern fare of barbecue, fried fish and chicken comes a new contender to stake a claim on a piece of the dining landscape around Logan Martin and Pell City.
In relatively short order, Kami Thai, Sushi and Asian Fusion has opened and expanded to accommodate a growing fan base.
Monalisa preparing a shrimp tempura appetizer
Located inside a storefront across from Publix, Kami – Japanese for divine being – is becoming a culinary destination point that marries flavors and traditions together in a celebration for the senses.
Much like Asian fusion cooking itself – one can only expect the unexpected. Technique, imagination, cultures and innovation combine to create this culinary adventure.
You might say the experience is a reflection of the Monalisa Gibson’s own journey from native Bali, Indonesia, all the way to a home in Alabama. She married a Clay Countian, Bobby Gibson, whom she met through friends.
She has been working in the restaurant industry for 20 years as sous chef and pastry chef, having been involved in the start-ups of other restaurants, including eight years at Shiki Thai and Sushi in Birmingham. “I supported three restaurants, and I wanted to do my own.”
She finally decided with the encouragement of friends and family that it was her turn to be the entrepreneur along with her business partner, Kadek Ani Tresna Dewi, she opened Kami. Her husband works in Pell City, and they and their family live nearby, so they decided on Pell City as the place to open this new venture.
It was the right choice, she said. “The people in Pell City have been so welcoming. It’s something new. They don’t have Thai, so I thought we would open here and give them something new.”
It’s a sharp departure from the typical Southern menu. “We use more spices” and different methods of cooking, she said. “Here, everything is fried.”
Her favorite to make is “Fusion Beef Rendang – beef stew cooked for hours with coconut milk and aromatic yellow rice.” With a nod to the South, there’s a Thai catfish on the menu – a mix of southern fried catfish with a Thai sauce.
Spicy Thai beef salad
On the menu, you’ll find “the best of Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and beyond. Indulge in fresh sushi, soul-warming ramen, bold Thai curries, rich Indonesian specialties and Asian-inspired cocktails.”
Dig a little deeper and find appetizers like Panang Curry Pot Stickers, vegetable and pork dumplings served with a panang sauce, and Crab Angels, crab and cheese-stuffed deep friend wontons with Thai sweet creamy sauce.
Try one of the coconut soups. There’s chicken, shrimp and tofu to choose from.
Noodles and rice are prepared in varying ways as are the entrees and Ramen.
A vast array of Sushi, popular Japanese dishes that feature raw fish are prepared nigiri and sashimi style. What’s the difference? Nigiri combines sushi rice with the fish, while sashimi presents thin slices of raw fish or other seafood without rice, served with wasabi and soy sauces.
Kami’s famous cinnamon bread pudding topped with ice-cream and chocolate, another local favorite
The choices for rolls are abundant. A roll is wrapped in sushi rice and with the seafood as the filling.
For the less adventurous, there are cooked rolls as well, like the popular California Roll. Some even have a familiar ring to them even if the ingredients might not – the Logan Martin Roll is cream cheese, fried shrimp tempura, topped with crab stick, eel sauce, cream spicy sauce, Smelt roe and green onion.
On the other side of that culinary coin, Gibson has her own American favorites, more specifically, Cajun: “Shrimp Po’ Boy and Gumbo,” she said without hesitation. But a Southern staple, Peach Cobbler, ranks up there as well.
The restaurant had its soft opening in March in a smaller space and was able to expand next door before having a grand opening for both in May. “I don’t want to disappoint,” Gibson said. “I want people to enjoy themselves. I don’t want them to wait a long time to sit.”
Creamy Crab Angel wontons
So, when Celeste Boutique closed next door, Kami was able to claim that space, expand the bar and offer a more spacious dining area to seat 70-80 people. “It was a good sign when the space next door opened up.” But after investing so much in the initial renovation and opening – the kitchen was built from scratch to enable preparation of the expansive menu – “it took faith to make it happen.”
But, she concluded, “Things happen for a reason.” As she gestures toward the new dining room and bar, she notes, “it was a good opportunity. It felt so good for people to be comfortable and have space to sit down and enjoy their food.”
Her desire is that “when people come here, I want them to feel at home.”
Story by Carol Pappas Photos by David Smith Submitted photos
At 97 feet high, Logan Martin Dam towers over the lake it created 60 years ago.
It casts quite an impressive shadow on the water below, but its impact on the region casts a much wider net – on its economy, recreation, residential, business, tourism and of course, electricity.
It was commissioned in 1964 as the second dam constructed during Alabama Power Company’s program in the 1950s and 1960s to further develop the Coosa River as a source of hydroelectric power. In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower signed into law the authorization to build the dam as part of the Coosa River Project.
Downstream view of spillway construction
The Coosa River Project included Weiss, Neely Henry and Bouldin dams and the redevelopment of Lay Dam. At the time Logan Martin was being built and opened, Neely Henry Dam wasn’t named yet. It was just referred to as Lock 3.
During the planning stages, Logan Martin Dam was called Kelly Creek, named for the nearby creek that flows into the Coosa River. Later, it would bear the name of Logan Martin Jr., a circuit court judge in Montgomery and former Alabama Attorney General. In 1921, Alabama Power named him general attorney for the company his brother, Thomas Martin, co-founded.
When the floodgates closed, it would create Logan Martin Lake in 1965. By the numbers, the lake is 17,000 acres with 275 miles of shoreline along its length of 48.5 miles. Its deepest point is 69 feet. Its elevation above sea level is 465 feet, and its area of watershed draining into the reservoir is 7,700 square miles.
The concrete section connecting St. Clair with Talladega counties and forming the dam on Logan Martin Dam Road stretches the length of more than two football fields at 612 feet. Three turbines power generators, producing more than 400 million kilowatt hours annually.
The story unfolds
Old newspaper clippings tell about the evolution of the dam transforming this part of the Coosa River from a long, skinny river system to a much more expansive lake.
Guy H. James Construction Co. of Oklahoma City, OK, won the contract, according to the December issue of Shelby County Reporter, for the “concrete powerhouse substructure, concrete spillway and approximately 1.5 miles of earthen kikes. The cost cited was $28 million, exclusive of the land. Peak employment on the dam project was projected at 450.
The January 5, 1961, St. Clair News-Aegis reported that the construction would begin the following week on “gigantic Logan Martin Dam.”
The story predicted “A vast recreational area will be opened up with Pell City as the center when work on Logan Martin Dam is done. It will be a fisherman’s paradise with boating, skiing, camping and other outdoor type recreation expected to draw hundreds every week …”
When they ‘backed up’the water
Of course there were challenges along the way. The News-Aegis story went on to tell about the fate of the town of Easonville. “Highway 231 will be routed around Easonville, which will be under water after competition of the dam. The bodies in two or three cemeteries in the Easonville community will be moved to other burial places.”
Main construction area looking east
It certainly didn’t happen overnight. It took four years to build. “After completion of the dam, from one to three weeks would be required to fill the lake,” that same story reported. Locals called it “backing up the water.”
By April 4, 1965, The Anniston Star was reporting about the rising of the water. “Don’t look now, but Logan Martin’s filling,” wrote John McCaa Jr. “Yes, within a month, “Old Coosie” will have swelled back of Logan Martin Dam, lost her sluggish, muddy look and fingered out into cleared land to form a full lake for the first time since the gates closed last August.”
He went on to set the scene. “Newly built piers and boat launching platforms which have appeared so strange sitting high and dry for the past several months will soon be doing their job in easing thousands of area waterbugs into Alabama’s newest water recreation area.”
McCaa said most would see the reservoir as a “fishing and watersports wonderland. But behind the four years of construction and seven months of waiting for the filling process up to summer pool level, is a threefold purpose and a $46.1 million investment.”
In the April 14, 1963, edition of Talladega Daily Home (now, The Daily Home), “Expenditure for Logan Martin Dam on the Coosa River near here, now under construction and scheduled for completion in 1964, is the largest addition contemplated by the Alabama Power Company this year.”
The report was based on the testimony of R.L. Harris, company vice president in charge of electric operations, before the state Public Service Commission. Some may think the name familiar. It is. R.L. Harris Dam on Lake Wedowee was named for him. In this bit of history, though, he was testifying in a hearing on the company’s petition to issue $16 million in first mortgage bonds and $5 million in preferred stock.
Build it, and they’ll head this way.
By 1964, a “big real estate boom” was underway, according to the Birmingham Post Herald. It ran a photo of one of the new developments on the lake. “It is known as Treasure Island and contains both residential and marine developments,” the caption said.
One new resident at the time commented for the paper. “I’m just 40 minutes from Birmingham via the expressway and that isn’t bad at all when you consider what I have at the lake.”
Placing head covers on Unit No. 3 turbine
Prices, the story noted, range from $500 for the least desirable plots of ground to more than $5000 per lot for the choice sites.” Average lot price today – $150,000 to $250,000, say lake Realtors.
“Commercial enterprises such as the Pine Hill (Harbor?) marina and Treasure Island marina are rapidly going up on Logan Martin shores to meet the demand of boating and fishing crowds,” the story said. “New roads are rapidly appearing all around the lake as new homes go up and service enterprises are built to serve the residents.”
A story in the Birmingham News Jan. 5, 1964, displayed photos of the newly constructed dam and the “new” Stemley Bridge, connecting Pell City and Talladega.
“Flood gates of the Logan Martin Dam will be closed this week – and a beautiful 20,000—acre lake will begin to fill up,” wrote Jack Hopper. “This waterway of the Coosa, when completed, also will provide a mecca to industrial prospects and will be one of the most beautiful recreational spots in the Southeast.”
Underscoring the early growth, Hopper noted, “This area is already showing indications of the favor it will meet with thousands of persons as recreational site. Many cabins already have been completed and owners are awaiting next May, when the lake reservoir will be full.”
Pell City Mayor Sam Burt predicted the potential impact, citing 600 waterfront lots purchased at the time, and homes and cabins already going up. “I think we will have the most beautiful lake frontage on the Coosa River,” he said. “And our closeness to the metropolitan area of Birmingham will be a big help.”
Prominent businessman and president of the Chamber, J.D. Abbott said the water was attracting a number of industrial prospects. “We are going to purchase an industrial park and will have everything ready for industrial prospects. Pell City is now doubling its water supply and will be ready when the dam is completed.”
The story goes on to talk about construction in “the near future” on a $500,000 marina on the lakefront, named Pine Harbor Marina. The property would eventually house a restaurant and motel as well as an 18-hole golf course.
The Dam Road
Even the Dam Road captured headlines. “Talladegans will soon have a more direct route to St. Clair County across Logan Martin Dam,” The Anniston Star reported Sept. 16, 1965. “A new half-mile section of road, plus a section of the dyke road, is being constructed by county crews under a negotiated contract with the state for $100,000, including engineering and inspection services. According to District 3 Commissioner John Giles at the time, the new road would provide easier access to the lake and a shortcut to Birmingham for residents in the Renfroe area.
Dam Dedication
Gov. Lurleen Wallace was unable to attend the formal dedication of the sam because she had been hospitalized, and Lt. Gov. Albert Brewer spoke at the ceremony held on a rainy Saturday, June 24, 1967.
Early construction of Logan Martin Dam in 1961, showing the Coosa River, which runs through the middle of today’s lake
He called the dam and reservoir project a “vote of confidence in the future of Alabama,” according to an Anniston Star article that covered the event. “ …A few years from now, water may well be our most valuable commodity.”
Today’s Reflections
As officials reflect on the face of today’s region with the benefit of those six decades, it is easy to see that being in the right place at the right time makes all the difference.
“To say the creation of Logan Martin Lake was a transformational event for Pell City would be an understatement,” said Pell City Manager Brian Muenger. “It provides an irreplaceable benefit to our residents, as well as the hundreds of thousands of guests that flow into the City each summer.”
The numbers bear him out. St. Clair County tax data shows more than 3,800 lots within 100 feet of the lake, the assessed value of which is more than $800 million. That figure is for the county as a whole, but nearly half of that value is within the city limits of Pell City.
Only 1,800 of the 3,800 lots claim a homeowners exemption, which indicates that around 53% of owners are part-time or seasonal residents.
Over the past three years, the lake has averaged more than 1.5 million visits each year. Monthly visits during peak season, May to July, are more than 2.5 times higher than off-peak months, November to February.
St. Clair County Economic Development Executive Director Don Smith agreed with Muenger’s conclusion that the lake’s creation was transformational for the region.
“Pell City and Riverside have had three very impactful events in 60 years – the construction of I-20 in the 1960s, the creation of Logan Martin Lake in 1964-65, and the opening of the Honda plant in 2001,” Smith said.
“All three have brought increased wealth into our communities with the lake generating an incredible amount of property tax from the new lake homes and sales tax from tourism,” he said. “More and more communities are investing in ‘placemaking’ projects to make themselves a more desirable location to visit and live, but our communities already have it because of Lake Logan Martin.”
