When it comes to Tuscaloosa it’s easy to find things to do no matter the time of year. Whether it’s attending collegiate athletic events, experiencing a theatrical performance at the Bama Theatre, dancing the night away at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, or spending hours exploring our great outdoors at one of our many parks, lakes, or rivers, our visitors are always welcome with open arms and warm hellos.
Below you’ll find information (and some discount codes!) for eight events in Tuscaloosa, taking place in 2023.
FIDDLE FEST – THE SOUTHEAST FIDDLE CHAMPIONSHIP
About the Fiddle Fest: Held annually on the campus of Shelton State Community College, this family-friendly atmosphere celebrates the rich sounds of bluegrass and its talented musicians. Old-time music and fiddle music have rich histories in West Alabama with many fiddlers such as Dix Hollis, Y.Z. Hamilton, A.K. Callahan, and more connected to the area. Open to the public to enjoy, contestants will compete for over $7,500 in prize money. The Fiddle Fest will feature music from Iron Horse and will also offer arts, crafts, and other activities.
Date: Saturday, February 25, 2023
Website: https://thefiddlefest.com
VISIT TUSCALOOSA HALF MARATHON & 5K
About the Tuscaloosa Half: Now in its 11th year, the Visit Tuscaloosa Half Marathon and 5k will offer runners an exciting 13.1- and 3.1-mile course that traverses the streets of T-Town. Runners will enjoy a sampling of the rolling hills along the Black Warrior River, the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk, portions of The University of Alabama campus (including a great view of Bryant Denny Stadium), and some of the City’s quaint historic downtown neighborhoods. Sign up today for the largest road race in West Alabama, taking place on Saturday, March 25.
Date: Saturday, March 25, 2023
Website: https://www.tuscaloosahalf.com
DISCOUNT CODE: Receive $10 off with the registration code VisitTCL
Code expires Saturday, January 14, 2023
TUSCALOOSA GAUNTLET
About the Tuscaloosa Gauntlet: Join the Alabama Marines Foundation for their 2nd Annual Tuscaloosa Gauntlet obstacle course race. The racecourse is just a bit over the 5k distance (3.1 miles) and will feature 20+ obstacles, include a Marine regulation O-Course. This one-of-a-kind obstacle course race provides every participant a challenge worth celebrating and directly benefits the Alabama Marines Foundation. Check out this video promotion to learn more and register today!
Date: Saturday, April 1, 2023
Website: https://www.tuscaloosagauntlet.com
DISCOUNT CODE: Receive $10 off with the registration code VisitTCL
DRUID CITY ARTS FESTIVAL (DCAF) PRESENTED BY CADENCE BANK
About DCAF: What started as a one-day arts festival put together by a group of Alabama students has become a staple in the Tuscaloosa community over the past decade. DCAF’s goal is to provide a quality arts and music festival, while also educating, engaging, and inspiring both youth and adults about the arts and humanities within the community. Many undiscovered artists who are now in textbooks, galleries, and museums have exhibited at DCAF over the years. Guests can expect a free two-day festival with live music, 70+ artists, and delicious local food.
Date: Friday, March 31 – Saturday, April 1, 2023
Website: https://www.druidcityartsfestival.com
TUSCALOOSA MAYOR’S CUP 5K FOR PRE-K
About the Mayor’s Cup: Since 2007, over 1,000 runners, joggers and walkers have joined together each year to support Pre-K in Tuscaloosa through this annual race. Having raised almost $325,000 to provide resources for preschoolers throughout the Tuscaloosa area, the Mayor’s Cup is a simple and fun way for the entire community to get together and get involved in supporting education. This 5k course highlights Downtown Tuscaloosa, parts of The University of Alabama including the Walk of Champions, and historic neighborhoods.
Date: Saturday, April 29, 2023
Website: http://www.tuscaloosamayorscup.com
WEST ALABAMA FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL
About the West Alabama Food and Wine Festival: Benefiting the West Alabama Food Bank, the West Alabama Food and Wine Festival showcases the community’s best local restaurants with tasting tables that highlight signature dishes. Wine tastings are also provided by local distributors to introduce trendy and season varietals. After such significant growth in attendance over the years, the 2023 festival will now be held in Historic Downtown Northport. This community festival is great for both residents and visitors and is put together by a wonderful group of community volunteers. Tickets can be purchased online.
Date: Sunday, April 30, 2023
Website: https://westalabamafoodandwine.org
KENTUCK FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
About Kentuck Festival: Kentuck has a rich 52-year history as a nationally known crossroads of creativity and community. The two-day festival has its roots in folk art and features 270+ artists, live music, spoken word, activities for children, folk and contemporary craft demonstrations, food trucks, and local craft brews. This festival has been claimed as one of the “Best of Bama 2022” events by Alabama Magazine and has been featured in publications such as the Smithsonian Magazine, Southern Living, and more! Located in Downtown Northport, this is a festival that you just don’t want to miss.
Date: Saturday, October 14 – Sunday, October 15, 2023
Website: https://www.kentuck.org/the-festival
AHSAA SUPER 7 STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
About Super 7: Bringing the best Alabama high school football athletes to Tuscaloosa! The Alabama High School Athletic Association Super 7 State Football Championships are one of the most exciting and highly anticipated sporting events in the state. Over the course of three days, the final two teams from each of Alabama’s seven classifications will compete to be crowned as the new state champions, and in 2023 it’s taking place in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Date: Wednesday, November 29 – Friday, December 1, 2023
Below are additional resources to help you keep up with all of the fun events happening in T-Town.
- – Visit Tuscaloosa Events Calendar
- – The University of Alabama Athletics Calendar
- – Bama Theatre Calendar
- – Theatre Tuscaloosa Calendar
- – Tuscaloosa Amphitheater Concerts
- – Druid City Music Hall Concerts and Events
- – Kentuck Events and Workshops
COMMUNITY ART NIGHTS:
Tuscaloosa and Northport’s art scene continues to grow. While there are many galleries and events throughout the year, each community is home to a monthly art night featuring artists, live music, local food, and more.
- – Kentuck hosts Art Night the first Thursday of each month.
- – The First Friday Art Walk is hosted the first Friday of each month at various locations in Downtown Tuscaloosa.
While this is just a highlight of events taking place in 2023, there really is no such thing as a timeout in Tuscaloosa County. Seated in the heart of West Alabama, the area offers something for sports enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, history buffs, foodies, and for the artists at heart. Ready to plan your next trip to Tuscaloosa? Request a visitor guide today!
The crisp autumn air has arrived and the pumpkins have started to proudly show up on Tuscaloosa’s front porches. Which means that we have good news for those of you looking for things to do in Tuscaloosa in October!
While we may only be a few days into the new month, the festivities of Fall and Halloween are certainly upon us! Tuscaloosa and West Alabama boast many events this time of the year that are fantastic for both residents and visitors. Whether you tack on an extra day or two while visiting for an Alabama football game, or simply want to jump in the car for a quick weekend trip, we hope you’ll support some of these local events when visiting Tuscaloosa.
As always, if the Visit Tuscaloosa team can assist you as you plan an upcoming trip to our community, please feel free to call us at 205-391-9200 or request a visitor guide by submitting this form.
OCTOBER 2022
Tuscaloosa Barnyard Pumpkin Patch
Friday: 1 – 6 pm | Sat & Sun: 10 am – 6 pm
Admission: $12 per person
11453 Turner Bridge Road, Tuscaloosa, AL 35406
The Tuscaloosa Barnyard Pumpkin Patch is something that locals look forward to each year! Admission to the pumpkin patch offers access to many fun activities such as feeding animals, playgrounds, a corncrib, hay play, wagon ride, the Charlotte’s web and much more! Pumpkins are $7 per pumpkin, no matter the size. Kiddos want to ride a horse or pony, or drive a tractor? Those options exist too!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8TH:
Ghost Hunt at Tuscaloosa’s Historic Drish House
7:00 – 11:00 pm
Admission: $50
Just in time for the Halloween Season! This is an Exclusive Paranormal Investigation that Psychic Lesley Ann Hyde and the professional Paranormal Investigation Team, Psychics and TV Personalities The Southern Ghost Girls Have Investigated The Historic Drish House in Tuscaloosa, Al. You will get to Investigate with them for this amazing event. You will get to use Real Paranormal Investigation Equipment just like you see on tv. This is an interactive paranormal investigation and Everyone is Invited to join in the ghost hunt to see what paranormal evidence is discovered. Join the Southern Ghost Girls Team and you will have a hauntingly amazing experience. Click here to purchase a ticket.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16TH:
T-Town Witches Ride
3:00 pm registration, 5:00 pm ride begins
Registration: $25
Benefiting the Arc of Tuscaloosa, this annual bike ride is a whimsical Halloween tradition with participants dressing up as witches and “flying” through the streets of Downtown Tuscaloosa. This two-mile bike ride offers great fun for those over the age of 18. Have children? Bring them for the fun in the kids play area as the adults enjoy the witches ride. New for 2022, the event will also offer a one-mile walk. Prizes will be awarded for the Best Dressed Witch, Best Broomcycle, and the Best Group Theme! Participation is $25 per person. Purchase a ticket by clicking here.
OCTOBER 24 – 28:
Haunting at the Museum (Gorgas House Museum)
9:00 am – 12:00 pm | 1:00 – 4:30 pm
810 Capstone Drive, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Hosted at The Gorgas House Museum, located on campus, this year’s event will run from October 24-28 and will provide FREE haunted tours sharing the spooky stories associated with this home, which is one of the oldest structures on The University of Alabama campus. Former UA President and Confederate General Josiah Gorgas passed away in this home… but his spirit is apparently alive and well.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25TH:
Tech or Treat
6:00 – 8:00 pm
Tuscaloosa Gateway Innovation and Discovery Center | 2614 University Blvd. East Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Do you have a little princess, superhero, goblin or ghoul who loves science and technology? Gather up your trick-or-treat enthusiasts and join the City of Tuscaloosa for Tech or Treat at the Gateway on Tuesday, October 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. Similar to “trunk-or-treat,” at the City’s Tech or Treat, families go from table to table collecting candy. At each table, children are introduced to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) opportunities by interacting with City departments and community organizations. Tech or Treat is free and open to all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27TH:
Northport Police Department Fall Festival
5:00 – 8:00 pm
Kentuck Park | 3401 5th Street, Northport, AL 35476
Put on your best costume and join us for Northport Police Department’s Fall Festival October 27th from 5:00pm – 8:00pm at Kentuck Park. We’ll have trick-or-treating, bounce houses, a hay ride, a costume contest, food trucks, and a whole lot of fun!
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28TH:
Haunting at the Museum (Alabama Museum of Natural History)
4:30 – 7:00 pm
Alabama Museum of Natural History | Smith Hall on Campus
The Alabama Museum of Natural History visitors are encouraged to attend this fun after-hours event to celebrate Halloween with spooky children’s stories, crafts, mad scientist experiences, and much more! Free and fun for all to attend.
Tuscaloosa Public Library Boook-tacular
6:00 – 8:00 pm
1801 Jack Warner Parkway, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
All ghouls and ghosties are invited to a Boooook-tacular evening at the Main Branch of the Tuscaloosa Public Library. They will have food and activities for the entire family to enjoy, including face painting, balloon animals, games, a petting zoo provided by Tuscaloosa Barnyard, and summer reading favorite, Roger Day! They will also be joined by frightfully fantastic community organizations and local food trucks with wicked good refreshments. Don’t miss this ghoulish celebration at the most booo-tiful library of the river!
Harvest Jam in Midtown Village
5:30 – 8:30 pm
Midtown Village
Beer Tasting Ticket: $5
Come JAM with Midtown Village! Harvest Jam will be held on Friday, October 28th from 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM on the green!
This free fall event is for music fans, farmers market shoppers, craft beer lovers, and families! Enjoy a craft beer tasting presented by Adam’s Beverages, live music, pop-up vendors, and activities! Donations from the craft beer tasting will benefit Child Abuse Prevention Services in Tuscaloosa, AL. Grab your beer sample, and then select the perfect pumpkin at our Pumpkin Patch benefiting Child Abuse Prevention Services!
Click here to purchase a BEER TASTING ticket for $5.
Freaky Friday 8k Run
8:00 – 11:00 pm
101 Bridge Avenue, Northport, AL 35476
Registration: $30
The 13th annual Freaky Friday 8K Run takes place on a scenic yet scary course during the darkness on the Friday before Halloween, “Freaky Friday”. There will be a post-race awards ceremony complete with food and drinks at Dreamland Barbecue along with a costume contest prior to the start of the run. Local radio stations and craft beer will also be on hand for registered runners. Click here to register!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29TH:
Boo! In the Park & Touch-a-Truck
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Sokol Park | 5901 Watermelon Rd. Northport, AL 35473
Tuscaloosa County Parks and Recreation Authority is hosting two free events: Boo! in the Park and Touch-a-Truck on Saturday, October 29 at Sokol Park from 9:00 a.m. – noon. The Touch-a-Truck event will include sensory friendly “quiet time” (no sirens, etc.) from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. followed by the exploration of all types of vehicles from 10:00 a.m. – noon. Vehicles will include heavy equipment/machinery, tractors, fire trucks, cars, and trucks. The annual Boo! in the Park will be held concurrently and consist of carnival-like games, candy, and more. The Tuscaloosa Police Department plans to join with their helicopter and a K-9, as well as the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter and the Tuscaloosa Public Library.
Halloween at the Transportation Museum
1:00 – 4:00 pm
1901 Jack Warner Parkway NE, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Visitors are encouraged to come to the Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum in their costumes on Saturday. October 29 from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm and see the costumes from the year 1905 on display in the new Threaded Through History exhibit! The Museum will be decorated with fun Halloween outdoor inflatables and fall cut-outs. There will be holiday music, candy, and light refreshments.
15th Annual Rocky Horror Picture Show
8:00 – 11:00 pm | Ticket Price: $20 – $27
Bama Theatre | 600 Greensboro Ave. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Pink Box Burlesque is back at the Historic Bama Theatre on Saturday, October 29th for their 15th Annual Rocky Horror Picture Show! It’s an artistic composition with a humorous and provocative stage show that you just simply don’t want to miss. Doors open at 7pm. Costume Contest (with cash prizes) at 8pm. Show starts at 8:30 pm. Click here to purchase tickets today.
Editor’s Note: Russell Jones of Coker, Alabama, is a USCG Certified Guide on the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa County, as part of the Alabama Guide Service. Tailrace fishing below Bankhead and Holt dams can be outstanding during certain times of the year because you can catch a wide variety of fish at night, as well as during the day. The success of tailrace fishing is dependent on how much current is being generated by the hydroelectric plants, the spillways and/or both. The amount of current and the color of the water in the tailraces will dictate how you should fish, and what lures you should use. You can contact Russell Jones at 205-454-7313; www.alabamaguideservices.com; and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaGuideService/.
During the summer months, some of the best tailrace fishing will be at night on the Black Warrior River. Fish often hold in the underwater structure in the tailraces, especially bass. Due to this, one of my favorite lures is a Bandit 200 crankbait that I’ll paint solid-black. I’ll reel it very slowly, try to get it down to the bottom and bounce it off the rocks because that time is usually when the bass will attack. The Bandit 200 is a small-profile bait, but it can really be effective at the dams at night, when the current’s not running. I’ll also use the Valiant jig – in brown or watermelon colors – and the shakyhead rig at night around the rock piles that I find with my depth finder.
I must admit that my favorite tailrace to fish is the one at the bottom of Bankhead Dam – also known as Lock 17 – at the head of Holt Lake. However, there are numbers of rock piles in this tailrace that will eat-up the lower unit of your motor. So, never run very fast when you start getting close to the dam. Normally, when I’m fishing the tailrace, I have my big motor kicked-up, so that if my boat hits a rock pile, it will ride over it. I’m also being very cautious with my trolling motor when I’m moving around in this tailrace, to keep from damaging my propeller or the shaft of my motor. I keep my depth finder on to continuously look for different rock piles and bottom structure that I may not have seen before.
If you’re fishing a tailrace at night, LiveScope sonar can be very effective at showing you the rock piles that you may run into in front of the boat or that are present in the slack water in the daytime. However, when the current’s running, and the water’s very turbulent, your LiveScope won’t be nearly as effective as in the slack water or when night fishing with no current. If you’re in the tailrace in the daytime and there’s hardly any current at all but plenty of slack water, a LiveScope can help you locate those underwater rock piles that the bass hold in and behind when the current’s running and mark them as waypoints so you can fish them in the daytime when the current’s running.
Fishing Black Warrior River Tailraces in Tuscaloosa County when the Spillways are Running
Editor’s Note: Russell Jones of Coker, Alabama, is a USCG Certified Guide on the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa County, as part of the Alabama Guide Service. Tailrace fishing below Bankhead and Holt dams can be outstanding during certain times of the year because you can catch a wide variety of fish at night, as well as during the day. The success of tailrace fishing is dependent on how much current is being generated by the hydroelectric plants, the spillways and/or both. The amount of current and the color of the water in the tailraces will dictate how you should fish, and what lures you should use. You can contact Russell Jones at 205-454-7313; www.alabamaguideservices.com; and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaGuideService/.
When the Warrior River starts to flood upstream of Bankhead Dam, often the spillways will be opened to allow some of that excess water to move downstream. Depending on how many of the spillways are open, this time can be dangerous to fish in the tailrace. However, if you can see slack water and stay there, you’ll catch a good number of fish.
Usually when the spillways are open, the water will be muddy. So, I’ll fish with bright-colored lures. I’ll be using a Rat-L-Trap, a spinner bait, brown – or green-colored Valiant jigs and an Alabama Rig with big white swimbaits on it. Then, I’ll try to cast it out and get it in the current. We’ll still be looking for the same type of fish that hold in the tailrace – spotted and largemouth bass, saltwater striped bass, hybrid striped bass, catfish, white bass, drum, skipjack (hickory shad) and any other fish that have come upriver to feed on the abundance of shad holding and feeding in that swift water.
Another tactic that I may use when there’s a lot of current coming from the spillways and/or the hydroelectric plant is I’ll cast topwater lures in the slack water just off the current. I’ll be using a walking bait like the Zara Spook, a popping bait and a buzzbait. Many times, some of the better-sized fish may be holding on that current seam between the slack water and the current from the dam. When those fish see activity on the surface, they’ll often attack.
Editor’s Note: Russell Jones of Coker, Alabama, is a USCG Certified Guide on the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa County, as part of the Alabama Guide Service. Tailrace fishing below Bankhead and Holt dams can be outstanding during certain times of the year because you can catch a wide variety of fish at night, as well as during the day. The success of tailrace fishing is dependent on how-much current is being generated by the hydroelectric plants, the spillways and/or both. The amount of current and the color of the water in the tailraces will dictate how you should fish, and what lures you should use. You can contact Russell Jones at 205-454-7313; www.alabamaguideservices.com; and Facebook –https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaGuideService/.
I like a big spinner bait when I fish in the tailrace to see what’s biting, and where the fish are holding. The current will decide what size spinner bait I use – either a 3/4- or a 1/8-ounce spinner bait. When I’m fishing a spinner bait in the tailrace, I don’t use a trailer. Some days I may use a trailer hook, but more than likely, I won’t. I like either a solid-white or a shad-colored spinner bait – like gray and white with sparkles in it. If the water’s muddy, I prefer a chartreuse-colored spinner bait and skirt. The blades on my spinner baits will be silver, double willow-leaf blades – one large and one small. The willow leaf seems to get the spinner bait down faster than the Colorado blade on a spinner bait does. I also like a 7’3” rod and usually will fish the spinner baits on fluorocarbon line – generally 17-20 pound test.
Editor’s Note: Russell Jones of Coker, Alabama, is a USCG Certified Guide on the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa County, as part of the Alabama Guide Service. When fishing on the Black Warrior River, Tailrace fishing below Bankhead and Holt dams can be outstanding during certain times of the year because you can catch a wide variety of fish at night, as well as during the day. The success of tailrace fishing is dependent on how much current is being generated by the hydroelectric plants, the spillways and/or both. The amount of current and the color of the water in the tailraces will dictate how you should fish, and what lures you should use. You can contact Russell Jones at 205-454-7313; www.alabamaguideservices.com; and Facebook –https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaGuideService/.
The Alabama Rig holds five jig heads with a soft, plastic swimbait attached to each jig head. In Alabama, you can use all five jig heads on your Alabama Rig. However, in other states, you only may be able to use two or three jig heads. I’ll place 1/4-ounce shaky head jigs on each one of the five wires of the Alabama Rig. Some anglers prefer a lighter jig head, but I like the 1/4-ounce to get the rig down quicker to where I think the fish are holding, as well as keeping it off the bottom, by reeling fairly fast. I use either 3.5 NetBait Little Spanky swimbaits on the jig heads or True Bass Hollow Body swimbaits. The True Bass swimbaits are tougher than the Little Spanky ones and somewhat more expensive. When I’m fishing with the Little Spanky ones, I like the bright, pearl-colored bodies. When the river’s water is clear, I like the True Bass colors that resemble a shad better than the Little Spanky ones.
I fish the Alabama Rig on a flipping stick big frog rod that’s either 7’6” or a 7’11” long. I use 50-pound-test braided line. Some people prefer to use a monofilament line, but I’m more comfortable using braided line, like Berkley’s Power Pro braid. The secret to catching fish on the Alabama Rig in the tailrace is to reel it fast enough to keep it from getting hung in the bottom, yet slowly enough to get it down close to the bottom. The first time I start throwing it, I may get hung-up a couple of times, but I usually can pop my line and get the rig off of whatever it’s hung.
For instance, if I’m fishing a 20-foot bottom, I want the Alabama Rig to be between 15 – 20 feet deep, possibly 18 feet. If I’m fishing in 8-10 feet of water, I try to keep the Alabama Rig in 6-7 feet of water. The Alabama Rig also has blades on it that give the bait a lot of flash. Using this bait, I catch a wide variety of fish. I’ve caught 20-pound catfish, 15–20 pound stripers, hybrid striped bass – often two or three at a time – largemouth bass, spotted bass, drum and skipjacks (hickory shad). However, I’m really targeting spotted bass and have caught three spotted bass on one Alabama Rig before at the same time. The biggest was a 3-pounder, and the other two were 12-14 inches long. I’ve also caught two, 4-pound spotted bass on the same Alabama Rig at the same time.
Editor’s Note: Adam Hollingsworth is the president of the University of Alabama Fishing Team and explains, “I went back to college because I spent the first years of my life after high school in the military and as a police officer. I eventually want to be a U.S. Marshal. I currently have a degree in criminology and plan to start my master’s degree at the University of Alabama in the fall of 2022.”
In the future, the City of Northport, Alabama, while working together with others, is hoping to build a facility where 200 boats can launch and have a bait shop, as well as offer many parking spaces.
Right now, several boat ramps are close together on the lower end of Holt Lake. Rock Quarry Boat Ramp (https://www.recreation.gov/activitypass/4baaca95-f6a4-11ea-ab86-ea94e31cc891) and Rocky Branch Launch (https://www.recreation.gov/activitypass/cb0dde80-f6a4-11ea-bc4c-a2c064eb4d04), that’s larger than Rock Quarry, are only one mile apart. Deerlick Creek Campground (https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232571) is located in-between these marinas and isn’t as big. When you come out of Rock Quarry Boat Launch you’ll see Eagle Cove Marina (https://marinas.com/view/marina/7ecqx9v_Eagle_Cove_Marina_and_RV_Park_Cottondale_AL_United_States), which is where anglers generally will meet to start a tournament. When you combine the capabilities of all the marinas right now, 100 boats can be launched for a tournament.
One of the best bass-fishing locations as you come out of Rock Quarry Marina and go north toward the Lock 17 Dam, is Red Eye, found on the right-hand bank as you go upriver and only a 10-minute ride. You’ll go past a coal chute where coal is loaded on barges. Generally, barges are parked on the other side of Red Eye. Several sandbars come off of this spot, and one of them is very shallow. On the weekends, many pleasure-boat riders will park there and have a party. I’ve found that the outside edge is a good place to catch fish, and that the sandbar usually produces best when there’s a current coming through the lake.
Editor’s Note: Adam Hollingsworth is the president of the University of Alabama Fishing Team and explains, “I went back to college because I spent the first years of my life after high school in the military and as a police officer. I eventually want to be a U.S. Marshal. I currently have a degree in criminology and plan to start my master’s degree at the University of Alabama in the fall of 2022. I love to fish for bass.”
At night when the power plant at the Lock 17 isn’t running, I can catch bass there with either a buzzbait or a spinner bait. Some of the best tournaments in the hot months are held at night when the spillways aren’t running current. Also, you can dodge the heat of the day then, making bass fishing more fun. Most of the night tournaments begin just before dark and continue until after midnight.
My two favorite lures for fishing below Lock 17 at night are the Crusher Pro Buz buzzbait just before dark, and the Crusher Lures Moon Crusher spinner bait after dark. I prefer this spinner bait because the Moon Crusher increases my hook setting ratio. I also like its big thumper blade that triggers more bites when calling bass from long distances with the vibrations it gives off.
The two colors I like are black/hot pink and crushed tequila. I fish the Crusher Lures Moon Crusher on the edges of grass and over logs and other debris. I’ll fish this lure on a 7’ or a 7’3” iROD Lone Star Special in a medium-heavy action with a Lews Tournament Pro 7.5:1 gear ratio reel and PowerPro 20-pound-test braided line.
Editor’s Note: 27-year-old Jalen Conner is a native of Tuscaloosa and has been fishing Tuscaloosa County’s Holt Reservoir for eight years. A criminal justice student at Tuscaloosa’s Stillman College, Conner fishes two bass tournament trails – the S.A.B.A and the Jim Austin.
I’m often asked, “Why aren’t more bass tournaments held on Holt and Oliver reservoirs?” I think many Alabamians don’t even know where Holt or Oliver are located and probably never have read about where we fish, and what lures we use for bassing there. We’re not like Guntersville Lake in North Alabama or Lake Eufaula in Southeast Alabama that have been publicized on TV and in magazines and social media. Holt and Oliver are like hidden gems on the Black Warrior River and are more community lakes that no one, except the community, knows about or fishes. Local anglers know about the great fishing available on the Warrior River in Tuscaloosa County at Holt and Oliver reservoirs. But, they don’t tell anyone else, although some club tournaments are conducted here.
Another reason I believe other tournaments don’t come to this section of the Black Warrior River is because most of our boat ramps are single or double. I realize that big tournaments generally are held in regions with at least five ramps and parking for 200 or more vehicles and trailers. I’d really like to see a fishing facility built here like the ones at Lake Guntersville and Lake Eufaula that bass fishermen could launch more than one or two boats from at a time and offer parking for spectators and participants.
If I could create a fishing facility for Tuscaloosa County, I’d like a pavilion for contestants to bring their fish in their livewells on their boats to the weigh-in and then be able to drive their boats and vehicles to a parking lot with 200-300 parking spaces for boats and trailers. Also, I’d like to have access to restrooms near the boat launch and/or pavilion. In addition, there needs to be easy access to return the bass back into the water after each bag of fish is weighed.
I believe that realistically, this dream of mine and other Tuscaloosa County fishermen could come true in the next three or four years. The City of Northport is working to try and find enough available land to build a fishing facility like I’ve described and to work with the appropriate individuals or organizations that help secure the funds to build this type of facility. The facility will be for Tuscaloosa County residents and also attract larger bass-tournament trails to come here, fish in our waters, stay in our hotels and motels, eat some of the finest Southern food anywhere and meet some of the friendliest people in the world. Regardless of whether the actual site is, a fishing facility like this will help all of Tuscaloosa County.
Editor’s Note: Adam Hollingsworth is the president of the University of Alabama Fishing Team and explains, “I went back to college because I spent the first years of my life after high school in the military and as a police officer. I eventually want to be a U.S. Marshal. I currently have a degree in criminology and plan to start my master’s degree at the University of Alabama in the fall of 2022.”
If you put your boat in at Rock Quarry Boat Ramp and go north, away from Holt Dam, you’ll go around a bend, then on up a straightaway, and at the next opening on the right, that will be Pegasus Creek. You’ll see a point and a shoal at the mouth of the creek. Bass like to stack-up at that point during the summer months. There’s a main channel in this creek and two secondary creeks that feed into Pegasus on the right as you go up the creek. Then, you’ll see that Pegasus opens-up into a big flat. Often, the bass will stack-up in those shallows chasing shad. You can catch bass on that bank. The main part of the channel is about 15-feet deep in the summer, and I’ll primarily fish a Rapala DT-6 or a DT-8 crankbait there.
Less than a mile from Pegasus Creek, continuing north on the left-hand side of the river, you’ll see plenty of grass that’s a productive place to fish for bass, if the current is running and pushing the bass into the grass there. An underwater stump field is in that grass, and I usually come off-plane, so I won’t hit those stumps. You can fish the grass and the stump row all the way down that grass line for bass.
The next-productive spot I like to fish is about 2-miles upstream at Davis Creek – on the right-hand side of the river. I think that Davis Creek may be fed from a cold-water creek because there’s usually a lot of clear water there. If the river’s muddy, you can go into Davis Creek and identify where the muddy water and the clear water start to mix. A small ledge right at the mouth of Davis Creek is where the two, different-colored waters often mix. That’s where I like to cast a crankbait. After I fish that area, I’ll go up into Davis creek and start fishing a swim jig.
When you come out of Davis Creek and go north, be sure to run your side-scan sonar to learn where old Lock 16 was located. Or, you may be able to find this old dam with your lake map or other up-to-date mapping functions. There are all types of underwater rubble where the dam blew out. You can fish the upcurrent side or the downcurrent side of old Lock 16. I like to fish with a jerkbait there. I’ve also enjoyed some really-good action fishing at night around this underwater dam.
You can tell when you’re getting close to old Lock 16 because a boat ramp is on your right with a small swimming area. You can see some concrete on the right-hand side above the swimming area that once was a part of the old lock and dam. On the left-hand side is some concrete leftover from the bridge that was once there. The underwater rubble from Lock 16 is about 16- to 25-feet deep that provides an underwater current break where the bass like to hold and ambush baitfish as they come over the top of the underwater dam. I’ve caught spotted bass before in the middle of the dam at old Lock 16 and largemouths on either side of the dam near the bank.
When you leave old Lock 16 and continue upriver, you’ll see Lock 17. When the power plant at the dam is generating current, that’s when you can fish that current and catch some very-nice spotted bass.
With Outdoor Writer, John E. Phillips, and Jalen Conner
Editor’s Note: 27-year-old Jalen Conner is a native of Tuscaloosa and has been fishing Tuscaloosa County’s Holt Reservoir for eight years. A criminal justice student at Tuscaloosa’s Stillman College, Conner fishes two tournament trails – the S.A.B.A and the Jim Austin.
Jalen Conner and I went fishing upriver from Rock Quarry Boat Ramp (more info here) on Holt Reservoir in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, in early June. From 7:00 am to noon, we caught 10 bass and probably missed twice as many, with the biggest bass weighing about 4 pounds. While that bass was in the live well, it spit-out a crawfish it just recently had been eating. This clued Jalen into the fact that a soft-plastic Zoom Z-Craw was exactly the right bait for the bass we wanted to catch.
“The crawfish color I fish, as well as what most anglers fish on Holt Reservoir, is the Alabama Craw,” Conner explains. “Its main body is orange, and its pincers are red. During the summer months, the Zoom Z-Craw in the Alabama Craw color is the exact color of the crawfish here at Holt at that time. The crawfish will be in the grass, so when the currents aren’t running, or the current’s light, the bass will move into the grass to feed on the crawfish. However, they’ll eat crawfish almost every day during the summer.”
Another color of the Z-Craw that Conner fishes in the summertime is a watermelon red. He dyes the pincers with chartreuse dye. Conner fishes two types of the Zoom Z-Craw – the Junior and the larger Zoom Craw.
“I don’t tell the bass what size of crawfish they want to eat,” Conner explains. “I’ll flip both sizes and colors down the bank and in the grass. Whichever-size Craw gets the most bites is the one I’ll continue to fish. I think the bigger Z-Craw causes a reaction strike from the nearby bass, and that’s why it receives more bites than other baits do.”
Conner went on to explain: “When I’m fishing the Z-Craw, I’ll rig it Texas-style with a Gamakatsu 3/0 hook with a 3/8-ounce tungsten bullet weight in front of it. I then peg the weight to the eye of the hook. Although the Junior and the larger Z-Craws in the Alabama Craw and the watermelon red are my favorite colors, I’ll also fish a purple Craw that looks like a small bluegill. Bluegills and crawfish are what the bass are primarily feeding on in the grass and on the bank structure in the summer at Holt.”
D.J. McEachern: Fishing in Tuscaloosa County at Holt Reservoir
Editor’s Note: D.J. McEachern and his wife, Emily are working toward their PhDs in chemistry at the University of Alabama. D.J. has been bass fishing for 20 years and just recently has joined the University of Alabama’s Fishing Team. He’s been fishing in Tuscaloosa County’s Holt Reservoir on the Black Warrior River in Tuscaloosa for the last three years and catches bass from below Lock 17 all the way down to Holt Lock and Dam. He primarily likes to fish grass in the summertime for bass because grass will give bass good ambush points, shade and oxygen.
“During the summer, Holt Reservoir has a good bluegill spawn, and I don’t believe many people who fish Holt Reservoir flip grass as much as I do. My favorite lures to fish during the hot summer months, all the way through August, include a bluegill popper, like a Berkley Bullet Pop. I also like a flipping bait like the Reaction Innovations Kinky Beaver in the green-pumpkin color that’s 3-1/2 inches long and features flappy tails. I’ll be fishing with 25-pound-test braided line made by Sunline and I don’t use any leader, just a straight braid. I’ll also fish with a Doybns DX795 Champion Extreme, 7’9” flipping rod with a Shimano Curado spinning reel.”
In speaking with McEachern, he catches most of his bass during the summer months near the Lock 15 boat ramp since there’s plenty of grass there on underwater humps, islands and ledges that he can flip.
“I’m known as a bank beater. I like shallow-water fishing for bass better than offshore in the summer months because the bass don’t have to come up through any other atmosphere other than the water depth where they are living. Not having to bring the bass up from deep water isn’t as stressful for them, and they easily can be released and will survive – even on the hottest days.”
Since he knows bass like to feed on bluegills, and almost always there are bluegills in shallow water in the summer at Holt, the shallow-water bass usually bite better than deep-water fish. Of course, a bass in shallow water has to be big enough to get a bluegill in its mouth and eat it, and often will be bigger than deep-water bass in the summertime.
Largemouth Bass Vs. Spotted Bass in the Summer:
“I’d rather catch largemouth than spotted bass. Largemouths are usually the species of bass holding in the grass and shallow water in the summer months. However, my best day of fishing at Holt was in March, 2022. My best five bass there were spotted bass that weighed a total of 20 pounds. I’ve had a lot of days when I’ve caught 15-18 pounds of bass at Holt for a five-fish limit. On an average day, I’ll catch 15-20 small bass. However, I’ve even heard of people catching 10-pound bass out of Holt. For me, a big river bass weighs 4-5 pounds. I try to bass fish two days a week – regardless of the weather or water conditions. But a caution to anyone fishing in Tuscaloosa County and the Holt reservoir is to watch out for logs and other floating trash, especially after a rain.”
