St. Clair County Farmers Market in Pell City is a growers’ market, meaning it is grown locally. The market itself has grown locally, too, necessitating a move to Lakeside Park this year.
The market moved from the Avondale Walking Track to Lakeside Park in the parking lot by the boat launch. The market got underway June 5 and will be open each Wednesday, weather permitting, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the summer.
Veggie Bucks for the kids are back thanks to community sponsors. Children ages 5-12 can come by the St. Clair County Extension tent to receive a $3 voucher to spend on the fruits or vegetables of their choice.
St. Clair County Farmers Market is an effort by the St. Clair County Extension Service.
Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett
Logan Martin Lake
Logan Martin can be a tricky lake during the months of July and August. However, these two months are still great times to fish if you know where to look.
Specifically talking about July, there are still plenty of offshore fish to be found. Fish may be in offshore brush piles or actual schools.
If you find schools of fish, they tend to move around a lot this time of year, so you may have to play chase with them! You must keep an open mind and use your electronics to stay on them.
The schools may move from where you previously found them, but they will usually stay within eyesight of where they were. Once I’ve found a school, I will typically try to catch the active ones first. Usually, the biggest in the school will eat first.
My first bait of choice always is a deep diving crankbait. The reason the crankbait is always a good first choice is it allows you to get back into a school more quickly if the fish choose to bite.
If the school doesn’t seem to want to bite, or maybe there’s a lack of current in the system, I will reach for either a flutter spoon or a hair jig. These two baits are a little more subtle than the crankbait and will trigger bites if the fish are not as active.
Transitioning into the month of August, for me, brush piles and docks start to play a major role in catching bass. Once the schools start to break up after being pressured all summer long from being fished on hard, these fish will usually branch off and start getting in brush more heavily.
My favorite depth to target these fish is in anywhere from 10 to 15 feet of water. A couple of baits you might want to try are a crankbait or a finesse jig. Traditionally, I let the fish tell me what they want.
If you have a low pressure day (during the week), usually they’ll be more in the mood to chase the crankbait down and eat. On the other hand, the jig is a lot better option if it is slick calm, sunny and a lot of boat traffic.
Give these tips a try during the hottest part of the year, and you might find the dog days of summer are not so bad after all.
Neely Henry Lake
Neely Henry has always been a good summertime lake in years past for me. Anglers can catch fish from a foot of water all the way out to 20 feet of water.
My better than average size fish will come shallow, especially early in the morning. I will usually target the area from the Highway 77 bridge section down.
Early in the morning, I will always start with either a hollow body frog or swim jig, trying to cover as much water as possible. This allows me to pick off those active fish in the lower light.
I will either look for willow grass or seawalls on the main river to start with. If there is plentiful cloud cover, I will stay shallow either a lot longer or all day if the fish are still showing activity.
If the sun does decide to show up, that’s when I’ll move a little deeper. Typically, in July, there will still be schools of fish to be found. These schools can be found on roadbeds, long points and ledges.
Generally, my first cast in these schools – just like Logan Martin – will be a crankbait. Once the school shuts down, I will play cleanup with either a jig or a drop shot.
Once August rolls around, I will still have the same morning routine as July. The only difference is that I will start mixing in a lot more dock fishing. The reason being, much like Logan Martin, the schools break up from either pressure or maybe even lack of oxygen out deep if there hasn’t been any rain.
I will keep my bait selection pretty simple. I start out with either a finesse jig or Texas rigged senko. These two baits will get a bite no matter what the conditions might be.
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.
If you have plans scheduled for June 1, you might want to reconsider them. That date is reserved for Pell City’s largest event of the year – Hometown Block Party.
Taking place from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. in historic downtown Pell City, this annual event is expected to draw around 18,000 people from Pell City and surrounding areas.
Organized by the Greater Pell City Chamber of Commerce, the Hometown Block Party serves as a platform to showcase local businesses and highlight the talents of local artisans, musicians, craftsmen and more.
Crowds gather for live entertainment and fun for the whole family
According to Chamber Director Urainah Gladwell, the 2024 edition of the event will feature over 100 vendors offering an array of items, including T-shirts, candy, tumblers, local art, furniture, home decor, jewelry and more.
Local restaurants and chefs will have delicious food and drink items for sale, too.
Several nonprofit organizations will man booths at the event to share information, raise funds, and give away fun prizes. It is seen as an opportunity for the community to learn about the different nonprofits in the area and gain insight into the services they provide.
“The Pell City Hometown Block Party was actually started in 1999” as a class project of Leadership Pell City, the forerunner to Leadership St. Clair. “So, this is our 25th year hosting this event, and it has continued to grow over the years,” said Glidewell. “People of all ages can find something they enjoy at the block party.”
The block party’s mission is a basic one. “We simply want to bring people together for a great time,” she said. This free outdoor festival is an ideal setting for people to enjoy live music, connect with neighbors, and take pride in the community.
Downtown streets are closed to vehicle traffic, opening the entire area up for this year’s festivities, which boast four music stages featuring a variety of music: rock, country, R&B and a “Homegrown” stage featuring local schools and church groups. Bands play on stages strategically set at downtown intersections around the courthouse square, city hall and Cogswell Avenue.
There will also be a separate kids’ area complete with carnival rides and games. “Foam Zone Parties of Odenville was a big hit at last year’s event. All the kids, and the parents, had a blast,” Glidewell said. Reflecting on last year’s success, she added, “We are hoping they will come back again this year.”
Confirmed food vendors include The Main Squeeze, Q&A Concessions, Down South Catering and several others.
And don’t worry, the fun isn’t just reserved for the kids. There are plenty of entertaining activities lined up for adults, too. “This event is for everyone,” Glidewell noted.
Back by popular demand, the Hometown Block Party’s car show will make its grand return for this year’s festivities. It will feature an impressive lineup of over 80 vehicles.
“I love seeing how much joy this event brings to our community,” Glidewell said. “Everywhere you look, people are having fun, smiling, interacting, and in line to get some delicious treats. Everyone looks happy.”
Vendor applications are still being accepted until May 20. Those interested can visit www.pellcitychamber.com for a vendor application. The deadline for vendor applications for early bird pricing ($50) is May 12. May 13-20, the price will be $75 for a booth.
With the opening in April of Alabama Cancer Care’s new 10,000-square-foot facility overlooking the Coosa River, Gadsden is expanding its healthcare footprint in northeast Alabama.
One of the things that makes Gadsden unique for a city its size, is that it’s home to two full-service hospitals – Gadsden Regional Medical Center and Riverview Regional Medical Center – as well as Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital. The city appears to be following the lead of neighboring Birmingham, transitioning in part from a “smokestack economy” to one propelled by the service sector.
It will still recruit manufacturing firms, but leaders are diversifying. “We’ve not abandoned continuing to recruit for manufacturing, we’ve just broadened our scope,” said David Hooks, director of the Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority.”
Hooks, former executive director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs under then-Gov. Jim Folsom, Jr., said Gadsden is becoming a major health care hub serving northeast Alabama and Northwest Georgia.
“I thought it was imperative that we capitalize, not only on keeping those hospitals open, but growing them and adding health care services with them. The cancer centers is one of the first indications of our doing that,” Hooks said.
The push to expand Gadsden’s health care offerings are part of an effort to build a diverse economy, driven by tourism, recreation, health care and industrial growth. The city is also fast becoming a sports and cultural center. City officials hope to transform one-day visits to three-day stays.
“The City of Gadsden has traditionally been viewed as an industrial city,” Hooks said. “As we now move into the 21st century, we are looking to broaden our economic base and become a destination city.”
The $6.5 million center means that residents in a 10-county region won’t have to travel to Birmingham for treatment.
Mayor Craig Ford at the grand opening
In fact, when he became the IDA director in 2019, he targeted the health care sector as a major component of the area’s economic development drive.
“One of the first things we did was look at the target markets that we had in place and looked at where we should be expanding, and we added two (sectors). We added food and farming, and we added health care.
“Health care has been the fastest growing industrial sector of the last 20 years, and it will continue to be the fastest growing industrial sector for the next 20 years,” Hooks said.
“We have a major health care community in the area; we’re a regional health hub, and there’s no reason for us not to continue to develop that growth,” Hooks said.
Mayor Craig Ford agreed.
“We are constantly looking for ways to grow (health care) in Gadsden and recruit companies that offer different types of services and treatments,” Ford said. “Look at Birmingham and what a great job they have done with UAB and how that complex has really grown that area of the city.”
Gadsden City Council President Kent Back said that while Gadsden Regional offers cancer care, Alabama Cancer Center’s market research shows a need for another cancer care facility.
Back believes the natural beauty of the Coosa riverfront will lift the spirits of patients during their treatments.
“I think that’s going to be a game changer,” Back said. “Most cancer treatment facilities don’t have that kind of amenity. This company has a history. They’ve been successful.”
Studies in Europe and in the United States show that cancer patients who are treated closer to home can have more positive outcomes. Area residents won’t face the travel and parking hassles of a trek to Birmingham.
“If you live in Ider, for example, Birmingham can be pretty intimidating to travel and navigate and park,” Back said. “They’d rather come to Gadsden and get treatment.”
The new center is located on the old National Guard Armory site in an agreement forged during the administration of then-Mayor Sherman Guyton.
Kim Clebine, Bobbie Martin and Justin Steinman show off a stereotatic radiation therapy linear particle accelerator
Current Mayor Craig Ford said Gadsden was selected as the home for the new, full-service oncology center because of its location. Some 16 new jobs will be created.
The new facility will help the city and county maintain its health care presence to serve Gadsden and the surrounding counties, Hooks said.
“The particular services that this facility will render will allow people that are currently driving out of the county for these services to Birmingham and other areas, to be able to stay close to home and receive the appropriate care that they need here in Etowah County.”
With its proximity to a hospital and to the burgeoning riverfront entertainment district, the growing healthcare facility can fuel Gadsden’s economic growth, both on the Coosa and downtown.
“If you look at what happened in Birmingham with UAB and the resurrection of the southside of Birmingham, Birmingham’s growth has been driven by health care services. I think you can see Gadsden’s economy driven by the health care sector around that facility as well,” Hooks said.
“Gadsden has a similar economic base to what Birmingham used to be, just smaller,” he added. “I think there’s a lot to be learned from that. I think there’s an opportunity for us to redevelop downtown. I think Gadsden has an opportunity to be the gateway to all of northeast Alabama.”
The impact will not be just be felt in Alabama, but reach into Georgia as well. Gadsden has the impetus to improve its services and grow its opportunities, Hooks said.
“We, as a city, need to continue to improve our services, broaden our services and give people a reason to drive in this direction.”
There’s nothing quite like a warm summer day by the water, and as far as Terry and Cheri Grabany are concerned, the warmer the better. In fact, 900 degrees is just about perfect – for making dinner in their lakeside pizza oven, that is.
Terry built the wood-fired oven by the water’s edge of their Logan Martin Lake home about seven years ago, and since then, feeding family and friends has been as easy as (pizza) pie.
“Pizzas are just so quick and easy to do,” Terry said. “I buy all the stuff, and everyone makes their own,” Cheri added. They’ve tried just about every topping combination over the years, and whether it’s brisket and veggies, Canadian bacon and pineapple, or just lots of cheese (their grandchildren’s favorite), every version has offered a slice or two of heaven.
“There’s nothing better,” Cheri said. So, what exactly makes it so good? In addition to enjoying the mouthwatering meal, “you get to be out here and see all of this,” Terry said, gesturing at the sunlight bouncing off the water and the trees and flowers dotting the shoreline. “It’s just beautiful.”
Fresh from the oven
Everything about their move to the lake in 2015 has been beautiful, in fact. Although they bought the lot and the single-wide mobile home that was on it at the time as a weekend retreat, it wasn’t long before the lure of full-time lake life became too strong to ignore. They made the move in 2021 before building their 3-bedroom, 2 bath cottage in 2022.
Since then, the lazy days of summer – and fall, winter and spring – have meant lots of time with family and friends. The focus is on food and fun, which is where Terry’s construction expertise has come in handy.
He’s worked in equipment maintenance for the City of Hoover for the past 24 years, and his building skills have served him well when it comes to the mechanics of making food for a crowd. He’s built everything from a 20-foot barbecue trailer used for Hoover’s Pig Iron BBQ Challenge and SEC baseball tournaments to a 12-foot oven used to make giant apple pies for the city’s annual Celebrate Hoover Day.
That’s why, when the Grabanys’ daughters asked Terry if he could make a pizza oven, his reply was a simple, “I guess.” He did his homework first, researching fireproof bricks and mortar and the best way to build the outdoor oven. “Most of the time when the girls ask, I make it happen,” he said.
The pizza oven gives Cheri and Terry one more option when entertaining. In addition to the kitchen, where Cheri handles the meal prep and sides, Terry built a barbecue trailer of his own. They’ve got two smokers, a grill big enough to cook 50 hamburgers at a time, and a boiler they use to make Cajun dishes.
“We feed people here,” Cheri said with a laugh. “It’s an all-day thing,” Terry added. “Whatever anyone wants, we’ll cook it. We’ll have barbecue for lunch and then fire up the pizza oven and put barbecue on pizzas that night.” S’mores, which they have discovered are even more ooey and gooey when cooked in the pizza oven, are the perfect end to lots of perfect lake days.
Meant to be
Owning a home on the water was always part of their future plans, but about 10 years ago, Terry decided he didn’t want to wait. Although the couple lived in Hayden, he started looking at properties on Logan Martin, where Cheri’s brother’s family and other friends and relatives live and where their daughter and son-in-law, Lindsey and William Weller, have since bought a home.
“It was always a retirement dream,” Terry said of buying a lake home. “I was raised on the Warrior River, and I always wanted to come back to the water.”
In 2015, Terry spotted a house near Stemley Bridge on Craigslist, but when he called about it, the owners said they already had an offer. The Grabanys asked to see it anyway, and they fell in love with the view. “I sat down in the swing (that is still on their pier) and looked out over the water and said, ‘I can do this,’” Cheri remembers.
The folks who had made an offer on the home missed the deadline, so the owners asked Terry and Cheri if they wanted it. “We wrote it up on a legal pad and a handshake,” he said.
“We just knew it was going to work out,” Cheri said. The house number was the same as their home in Hayden, where they’d raised Lindsey and her sister, Cory. And the cost of the house was just 97 cents more than the amount they had available from financing and the savings they planned to use.
In addition, when Cory told a friend from work about the house her parents bought, the friend realized that it used to be her family’s home. “We just knew God had his hand all over this,” Cheri said.
The Lord also provided a peaceful place for her to heal. Less than six months after buying their lakeside retreat, Cheri was diagnosed with colon cancer. A month later, she had a melanoma removed, and the next year doctors discovered she had a brain tumor.
Despite the three diagnoses, Cheri is cancer-free today and is grateful for all she survived. “Terry always says, ‘I wish it had been me,’ but I tell him I’m glad it wasn’t,’” she said. “He’s not a talker, and he wouldn’t go up and tell people everything that God did like I do.”
Details matter
The lake provided the perfect balm during the healing process and became a refuge during the COVID pandemic. In 2021, after Cheri retired from her bookkeeping job at Hayden Elementary School, they began thinking about moving to the lake full-time.
The decision got a lot easier to make in March of that year when “someone came and knocked on the door of our house in Hayden and asked if we were interested in selling,” Cheri said. “God had his hand in that, too.”
Terry’s prowess as sketch artist seen in Saban portrait
Not long after moving into the mobile home, “we had some pretty bad weather,” she said. “We had trees cracking all around us and I told him if I was going to stay here, I was going to need a house.”
Once they decided on a floorplan and some of the finishing touches, Terry, a pencil portrait artist, drew up the very detailed house plans. “I’ve drawn all my life,” he said, estimating that the portraits, which almost look like black and white photographs, take about 30 to 40 hours to complete. “I’ve just never had a designated space to draw.”
He does now, after recently finishing the attic space that includes a drawing nook by the window. The room, which has a ping pong table, television set and plenty of toys, gets lots of use when Cory and her husband, Caleb Townsend, and their children, Cora Jane and Case, head to the lake from their Gardendale home. “We’re trying to get them to move to the lake, too,” Cheri said.
Although Terry has created portraits of celebrities including Nick Saban, Lucille Ball and Adele, his favorite is the one he drew of Case. While Cheri loves that one, as well, she’ll always have a soft spot in her heart for the drawing of two puppies in a basket. “He gave that to me when we were dating. Actually, we had broken up, and he used that to woo me back,” she said with a laugh.
Special touches
While Cheri and Terry’s house is newly built, it’s filled with family memories and personal touches. Terry made the metal and wooden entry table that holds family photos and a 200-year-old vase that was Cheri great-great-grandmother’s.
A clock her great-grandmother received as a wedding present in 1906 has a prominent place in the guest room, and the images of two little girls that Cheri’s mother cross-stitched for Lindsey and Cory hang over twin beds in another.
Terry made the mantles for the fireplaces in the great room and on the screened porch, which both have an amazing view of the water. And the pizza oven and fireplace were made from stone that was at their Hayden home.
Although they both commute to work – Cheri now works at B&A Warehouse in Birmingham – they agree that making their retirement dream come true a little earlier than planned has been well worth it.
“I love being at the lake,” Terry said. “When you get home from work, it’s just so relaxing. It’s an instant calm when you walk out and see the water.”
Homemade Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza crust or dough
Pizza sauce
Cheese
Favorite toppings, including pepperoni, barbecue, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, ham, pineapple, brisket, etc.
Directions: After a lot of trial and error, and in keeping with their laid-back lake lifestyle, the Grabanys have learned to keep things simple and use pre-made pizza crust and sauce. They provide a variety of toppings and let guests go crazy while creating their own pies. The pizzas bake about 10 minutes, and Terry uses a paddle to lift the pizza to the top of the oven at the end to ensure the cheese is melted well.
Barbecue Ribs
Barbecue Rub Ingredients:
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup paprika
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cocoa
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Barbecue Sauce Ingredients:
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup barbecue sauce
¼ cup apple juice
½ cup apple cider vinegar
Ribs:
French’s yellow mustard
Parkay Squeeze
Apple juice
Brown sugar
Directions: Rub ribs on both sides with mustard and barbecue rub. Smoke for 3 hours on open smoke. (Terry uses peach wood, apple wood or pecan wood.) Put ribs in foil, add Parkay squeeze, sprinkle with brown sugar, and add a little honey and apple juice. Wrap ribs and smoke two more hours. Remove foil and smoke ribs an additional hour. Brush on barbecue sauce and enjoy!
Brother and sister return to the scene of ‘big catch’ year after year
Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Richard Rybka
Kentuckians Gloria Spangler and Richard Donoho don’t know much about sibling rivalry. Their only tussles since childhood have been with a fish – a battle they’ve enjoy fighting together for decades.
From an early age, they developed a love for fishing. Their grandfather taught them on rivers, ponds and creeks, and that passion for fishing sparked long ago is a shared bond that only strengthens now as they age well into their 70s and 80s.
It’s what brings them to Logan Martin Lake twice a year, where they catch a boatload of Crappie with the help of their fishing guide, Curt Simpson, who also lives in Kentucky.
Fishing from the dock to pass the time
Why Logan Martin, Alabama? The answer is easy on this sunny day in late March at University Marine, where their boat is docked. Just a glance at a nearby table reveals a spread of 60 Crappie – all over the 9-inch requirement – caught earlier in the day. “We caught 22 Crappie in two hours,” Richard said. “The Crappie here are bigger than Kentucky. If you caught one that big in Kentucky, we’d be screaming!”
By week’s end, they’ll have 100 plastic freezer bags chocked full of Crappie filets to bring back to family and friends and of course, to savor for themselves. “It’s more than we can eat,” Richard said.
They return to Logan Martin each Spring and early Fall on the same quest – catch as much Crappie as the law allows. “We enjoy being here,” said Gloria. “We love this place.”
They should. It’s paid them more than a whopper in dividends, judging by the catches they proudly display and disburse. “Curt provides everything – the bait, rods, reels. Deep, shallow, he knows where to fish,” Gloria said.
The boat is equipped with state-of-the-art electronics, including a live scope, and they head out each morning with Curt about 7 and return to the marina about 4 or 5. That’s the drill for their seven-day stay.
They have aunts in Gadsden and Lincoln, so they were already familiar with the area. They’ve fished the Coosa River chain of Weiss and Neely Henry, too, but they keep coming back to Logan Martin.
Curt’s the one who encouraged them to try Logan Martin. Since then, it has been a return engagement twice annually for years. Gloria worked at Franklin Bank & Trust for 50 years in Bowling Green, and that’s how she met Curt. He had retired from IBM but was working as a courier at the bank. “When he found out I liked to fish, every five minutes, he was in my office,” she said.
Curt’s own love of fishing led him to the fishing guide business in retirement and with Gloria and Richard’s zeal for the sport, it was a perfect match. “He’s a good guide and a good friend,” Richard said.
Curt was steered toward Logan Martin back in 2004 by a guide on Weiss Lake, Butch Young. “He introduced me to Logan Martin. I fell in love with it.” Now, he guides 30 to 40 trips a year.
He always liked his job at IBM, a job he held for 31 years, he said, “but IBM didn’t let me fish a lot.” Retirement did, and Young mentored him. “All my skills were honed through Butch Young.”
Curt’s enthusiasm for Crappie fishing is contagious and along with the day’s limit of Crappie, the siblings have definitely caught it. Richard and Gloria enjoy their time together out on the water with Curt leading the way. “The rest of the family thinks we’re crazy,” Gloria said. “We have fished when it’s been snowing and scraped the ice off the seats of the boat to fish.”
They’ve fished after a tornado. They’ve endured hail and lightning. “That’s the best day. After that, you can catch fish,” Gloria said.
The enjoyment of it all is evident from the smiles that never seem to leave their faces as they recall their angling adventures over the years and their close-knit kinship. “We’ve never had an unkind word in our whole life,” Gloria said.
She credits their upbringing with the closeness of their family. They have a sister and brother, too. “She’s the oldest,” Richard said, pointing toward Gloria. “So, I take care of all them,” Gloria retorted.
“Our mother was soft spoken,” she added. “She worked hard, and she always wanted the best for her children. She was proud of us, and she told us that. We’ve always tried to live up to that.”
As Richard and Gloria pull in another day’s limit of Crappie, it’s suspected it would be a sight their mother would be proud to claim.
Crappie tips from a successful guide
Ask what fishing guide Curt Simpson fishes for, and the reply is simple: “Just Crappie.” His website gives more than a hint of that laser focus – crappiecurt.com.
He “fell in love” with Logan Martin years ago, and the lake has been his getaway and his treasured ‘fishing hole’ ever since.
Curt shares his knowledge with clients and was willing to give a few tips to our readers.
On this week in March, where they caught the day’s limit every day for a week, these were the tools of the trade:
The lure: Black Chartreuse Charlie Brewer Sliders and fishing grubs
The rod: BnM 7.5-foot
The line: 4-pound K9 Clear Fluorescent
So, take a tip and try your luck when Crappie season hits February to May and early Fall, and your “Gone Fishin” should hold a lot more promise.
Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett
Logan Martin Lake
Logan Martin’s water levels will be changing during the months of May and June, and in turn, the patterns of bass will change during these months as well.
Early in the month of May, you can still see bass on beds and also catch fish out deep. Typically, in May, bass will be very spread out and in very different phases of the spawn. However, for the majority of the time in May, your better fish are still going to be shallow.
The water on Logan Martin is just starting to rise and get to summer pool. Typically the fish will follow this water up and stay shallow during May. There are a couple of key baits I like to use in order to catch fish while they’re in their post spawn funk.
First bait I’m going to reach for early, especially in the morning, is a swim jig. What I like about the swim jig is that it is very versatile. This bait is great around almost any kind of shallow structure, such as docks, trees and grass.
The swim jig allows me to cover water fast and efficiently in order to capitalize on the daylight bite. Once the sun finally starts to get up, I’ll start casting to isolated structure with a wacky rigged worm. This is a great way to just get bites and get those post spawn fish to bite.
I usually target really shallow docks with this bait, along with casting to what bedding fish might be left.
Once we start getting into the month of June, the water temps will begin to rise, and the shallows will begin to slowly lose oxygen, especially if there is lack of rain. The fish will start schooling up on the end of long points and humps – anywhere from 10 to 20 feet of water. I also like to target brush piles in this depth.
My favorite bait to target these fish are a deep-diving crankbait and drop shot rig. Some of the biggest offshore fish I catch all year will come on the crank bait most of the time. The crankbait is an awesome way to really fire up a school of bass and get more fish to bite in the school.
The drop shot seems to excel a lot more in brush piles because it is more of a reaction type bite if you drop it right in the brush pile. I feel like the drop shot is always my best chance to get bit in the brush pile no matter what size of fish might be in the pile. These fish are typically more lethargic since they’re usually pretty beat up from the spawn.
Give these techniques a try and you will find success during these months on Logan Martin.
Neely Henry Lake
Neely Henry is a shallow fisherman’s paradise during the months of May and June. On top of that, a few deep fish will start showing up as well.
Typically, during these months, you will still catch your better fish shallow. I love to fish around shallow grass in the mid-lake region with a swim jig and frog. I usually keep my eyes peeled for bream beds as well.
Another great way to catch fish on Neely Henry is super shallow docks. When I say shallow docks, I’m talking any docks five feet deep or less of water.
I let the weather tell me what I need to throw around them. If it’s in and out clouds I like to throw more of a moving bait like a bladed jig or squarebill crankbait. If it’s slick calm and sunny, I will pick up some type of Texas rigged worm and drag it on the bottom around the docks.
Now, moving into the month of June, some fish will make their move out to deeper water. Most of the time on Neely, I’ll find fish in that mid-range depth around the 10 to 15-foot mark.
Most of the time, you will find these fish off the end of long points or in brush piles. I will use my electronics in order to find these fish as well. I will keep my bait selection simple if I’m wanting to figure out fast if the fish are doing this pattern.
One of my favorite baits to pick up first is a football jig. The football jig is a very versatile bait for offshore angling. I like to either keep it close to the bottom or if I’m wanting to cover water fast, I’ll just swim it close to the bottom.
Another great option if things are tough is a drop shot. A drop shot will produce bites when nothing else will.
Keep an open mind this time of year and don’t be afraid to try something new. It might surprise you how good the fish can really bite on Neely Henry even when the fish might be in in their post spawn funk.
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.
Rivers have a head and a mouth, but don’t have a voice to speak for themselves. That’s why Coosa Riverkeeper exists – to be a voice for the river and the many communities that live, boat, swim, fish, recreate and rely on the Coosa River.
We do this in a variety of ways – through patrolling the waterways, educating the public and advocating for the Coosa River. We have many free services to the public to ensure everyone knows what’s going on across the Coosa basin and how it impacts you, your loved ones, your property and Alabama’s economy.
From May to September, we test the Coosa’s most popular places to swim to help provide people with information about water-quality conditions. That lets people make informed decisions about enjoying the Coosa during the peak season. Check out where we test by visiting our website at CoosaRiver.org/SwimGuide.
If you fish on the Coosa, our Angler Advocacy is your home for all things fishing. Our website features an interactive map showing popular fishing locations, marinas, waterside restaurants and more. We also offer recipes and educate residents about local fish species. Check it out at CoosaRiver.org/FishGuide.
If you’ve got kids or grandkids, our C.R.E.E.K. (Coosa River Environmental Education for Kids) program educates children about conservation and sustainability in fun formats like wildlife workshops, free fishing clinics and so much more.
Whether you are swimming, boating, fishing, driving over a creek or watching a sunset on the Coosa — if you see something fishy (pun intended), let us know. Coosa Riverkeeper’s staff patrol the water and address pollution reports from the public. We will follow up with investigation, testing and help you find the solution.
The Coosa River is so special, which is why we must protect and conserve this mighty river. To learn more and stay up to date on our Swim Guide results, swim on over to our website, coosariver.org.
With a walking trail, mural, butterfly garden and more, community looking better than ever
Story by Paul South Photos by Richard Rybka Submitted Photos
Imagine Riverside without its new playground or there was no colorful mural welcoming one and all to town. What if there were no annual community soup supper, Santa’s arrival or Poker Run?
For the 2,251 who call this lakeside town home or the thousands more who visit each year, the allure wouldn’t be quite so inviting; the quality of life so appealing.
That’s why Riverside Beautification Organization is key to Riverside’s everyday life, making it better – brighter.
RBO began as a grassroots effort to beautify the city. Its premise is two-tiered: Organize events, activities and projects to benefit and showcase Riverside. And hold fundraisers to achieve those goals.
More than a garden club, the seeds for RBO were planted in 2008, right after Mayor Rusty Jessup took office.
“I knew there was a need for a good civic group here in town,” Jessup said. He met with several women interested in making Riverside a better place to live.
“I just wanted an organization interested in making Riverside a more beautiful place,” Jessup said. “It took off, and they’ve just done so much for our town.”
The small group of five blossomed into a small, all-volunteer group of women. In its early days, the group focused on planting flowers at city buildings and promoting volunteer recycling.
A stroll or drive down Depot Street these days showcases the RBO’s work – flower beds, a welcome sign, Landing decorations for the holidays, city building signage, a new playground at Riverside Park and walking trails in the park. Jessup could make a list.
The 501 (c) 3 nonprofit has grown into a catalyst for the construction of walking trails at the city park, maintaining the Lotus Pond – home to the native American Lotus only found in three places in St. Clair County – and building sanctuaries for birds – bluebirds, osprey, purple martins and wood ducks.
“When we adopted Lotus Pond, we realized that it would be nice to have walking trails throughout the park,” said Laura Pounders, who serves as RBO president. “With several grants and fundraisers, we’ve just now been able to complete the walking trails that connect the playground area to the ballfield area to the ponds and to the back fishing pond.”
The RBO hopes that one day, the area will be part of the Alabama Birding Trail.
“You know, we’re a small town. We don’t have a lot of resources,” Jessup said. “What we do have, we have to spend on police officers, the fire department; we just don’t have a lot of frills. Riverside Beautification Organization has helped to provide these things.”
Chimes in the Park
Grants, contributions from citizens, businesses and fundraising efforts finance the RBO’s efforts, and volunteer labor keeps the work more affordable.
It seems the RBO has done things great and small – from city hall landscaping to logo designs to signs pointing to city businesses and the new playground to lighted snowflakes and a nativity at Christmas.
Their work impacts the city’s ability to attract new businesses and new residents, Jessup said. It’s about quality of life
“It’s a tremendous help,” Jessup said. City parks and signs and the new playground are “things that add to the quality of life. That’s why a civic group (like RBO) is important. Everybody in town wants (these amenities). But they don’t want a tax increase. It’s great to have volunteers who step up and make these things happen.”
The RBO spent over three years writing grants and raising money for playground equipment and the park, Pounders said.
The organization is also trying to do more than beautify. It wants to build stronger ties between Riverside residents. A yearly, communitywide Soup Supper was held in late February and Santa’s arrival came in December.
A new community event to promote local crafters and artists, Spring Fling, is set for March 23. In 2023, 35 vendors sold their wares along with activities for children, including an egg hunt and the Easter bunny. More are expected this year, Pounders said.
Spring Fling turned out to be a fundraiser along with the Poker Run on the river in June, which has become an annual community event.
Future projects to be completed by the Poker Run in addition to the Riverside Post office mural is another mural behind the Landing designed and painted by Penny Arnold that will greet boaters as they prepare to dock or dine at nearby Buck’s Barbecue.
But the RBO is always looking for new ideas and new members in the growing city.
“The biggest thing that they do is that they create a sense of community, a sense of pride in the Riverside area,” Jessup said. “And it’s the kind of pride only citizens can provide. City leadership, we can do everything as far as making ends meet and meeting the basic needs of the community. But the citizens and volunteers of community are really what make quality of life. Without them, we would sorely miss the quality of life that Riverside offers.”
“We’ve clearly gone beyond planting flowers,” Pounders said. “We’ve all fallen in love with Riverside. The river and all the little tributaries that come off of it are beautiful.”
Riverside, she added, is “a pretty little town. Because it’s a small town, you get to know your neighbors. We’ve made so many friendships by opening up the RBO to anybody that’s interested in volunteering and being part of us.”
RBO has a wish five or 10 years down the road. “We could be more of an educational group,” Pounders said. “We could have school groups come into the park and learn about native plants and animals. Community education and participation are important.”
Just like its quality of life.
Editor’s Note:The Riverside Beautification Organization meets monthly and open to all residents. For more information, contact Pounders at juliepounders@yahoo.com
