I think most people have not adapted to the style of fishing that Guntersville has been conditioned less to. Sure, used to catch them regularly using the same ole soft plastic presentation but they have become conditioned to that and the smaller younger fish aren't. Case and point, most people aren't willing to buy 3 or 4 bull shads to tie up for different depths and different lines but I can go out to a few places every morning and usually either get a big bass to boil over or hook up on it. Yeah it's a $50 bait but it works. Also, ledge fishing is as good as it ever was and will remain this way until the fish become conditioned to more people getting out deep and using electronics to locate shell beds and shad. Bigger fish react more to fishing pressure than the 14.5" squeakers
Beats me, I live a mile or less from the lake and On any given day that I fish during "ledge season" it's pretty well bumper to bumper out there. People have been ledge fishing with big baits as long as big bass have been living on the ledge. Pressure has a lot to do with the down cycle, but I wouldn't say that the fish are necessarily trained to avoid certain baits. They are just a dumb little fish, they eat when they are hungry or when opportunity prevails. Don't give them too much credit.
Most Bass fishermen that I know have no problem spending money on bull shads or any bait for that matter and cost is usually the least of the factors.
This area trying to kill every stitch of grass in the lake for the last few years, lack of stocking programs and unrealistic pressure from tourneys/ anglers are all reasons for the down cycle. Sure, it may be a "natural" cycle in nature, but man have definitely helped.
On a different note, I've seen ALOT more grass this year in a few coves that I fish regularly than the last few years. These were coves that they completely eradicated the grass in the last few years. Will that stuff come back thicker after they get rid of it? Kind of like after an area gets logged?
. Figures. I could definitely tell that City/County Park and the whole Roseberry Creek area are more grown up than the last few years.