Pickwick and Wilson have some giants. An October/November trip on the humps from Koger Island Down to Riverton would be a good place to start for your smallmouth.

After the last 2 years flooding had flattened every hump from yellow creek to the cypress creek

OK so the wife and I decided not to go anywhere this weekend for her birthday. Instead we decided to wait until the water temp cools off a bit for more fish to move shallow. I think we have decided to go to Pickwick, Wilson or Wheeler in October and spend a couple days trying to catch small mouth. Any tips on what's good water temps for smallmouth, which lake to go to, what section of the lake and what baits to throw at them? I've caught two in my life and it was just junk fishing.

I would go to Wheeler. I have had my best luck there.

First time up hit Wheeler. Much easier to figure out. Lower 1/3 is best for smallies pea gravel banks near Elk River will be hot. Remember their just Spots with a tan. Hit the same stuff in the same type areas.

Stripe is right.

Go stay at Joe Wheeler State Park, enjoy the park, fish all in there and Elk, gawk at all the shad, catch smallies. October is great. Probably will see a lot of deer in the park, too.

Made reservations at the park for Oct. 14-16. Hope the weather is nice.

I'd go to Wilson below Wheeler dam and drift the tuffies in the tail race for smallmouths. You may catch a ton of drum but that's where I would attempt to catch smallmouths.

🥱🥱🥱

Yea, I’ve got a good friend that lives in Decatur. Yesterday I told him I was coming up to fish mid October on Wheeler. He said I should fish tailrace on Wilson as well. I’ll probably fish Wheeler on day and Wilson on or two days since I’ve never fished Wheeler.