Guntersville is ready for the 2014 Classic

Alabama's Lake Guntersville will play host to the super bowl of bass fishing in 2014, and by the looks of things, this fishery is primed and ready!

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<p>Elite Series pro Kevin Hawk prepares his implements for a chilly morning on northern Alabama's Lake Guntersville. Guntersville is site of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic. There is no doubt that this premier event will showcase what a stellar fishery Guntersville is, and also has the potential to produce record breaking weights and attendance at the weigh-ins in Birmingham, Ala., come Feb. 21-23.</p>
Elite Series pro Kevin Hawk prepares his implements for a chilly morning on northern Alabama’s Lake Guntersville. Guntersville is site of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic. There is no doubt that this premier event will showcase what a stellar fishery Guntersville is, and also has the potential to produce record breaking weights and attendance at the weigh-ins in Birmingham, Ala., come Feb. 21-23.
<p>Hawk manages to wrangle a healthy Guntersville bass on a swimbait — NOT on an umbrella rig — within minutes.</p>
Hawk manages to wrangle a healthy Guntersville bass on a swimbait — NOT on an umbrella rig — within minutes.
<p>Hawk is hooked up again. This one ate the Keitech swimbait, as well. He was slow rolling it around shallow flats as the bass were on the verge of pulling up to spawn.</p>
Hawk is hooked up again. This one ate the Keitech swimbait, as well. He was slow rolling it around shallow flats as the bass were on the verge of pulling up to spawn.
<p>He welcomes this one aboard.</p>
He welcomes this one aboard.
<p>Hawk, a Guntersville resident, explains what phase of the spawn the fish are in. On this day, they were mostly prespawn with a few smaller fish on beds.</p>
Hawk, a Guntersville resident, explains what phase of the spawn the fish are in. On this day, they were mostly prespawn with a few smaller fish on beds.
<p>He fires a cast across a grassy point with a Duo Realis Vibration lipless crankbait.</p>
He fires a cast across a grassy point with a Duo Realis Vibration lipless crankbait.
<p>He connects!</p>
He connects!
<p>It's a healthy prespawn fish.</p>
It’s a healthy prespawn fish.
<p>Later, this one fell for a Duo Realis M65 crankbait. In a half day's work, Hawk was well on his way to a healthy limit. Hawk hopes to be in contention come the Classic next February.</p>
Later, this one fell for a Duo Realis M65 crankbait. In a half day’s work, Hawk was well on his way to a healthy limit. Hawk hopes to be in contention come the Classic next February.
<p>Guntersville guide and Hartselle, Ala., native Brent Crow shows off his secret bed fishing bait: a magnum Zoom Fluke in watermelon red. Crow also guides on lakes Pickwick, WIlson and Wheeler. He can be reached at 256-466-9965 or <a href=
Guntersville guide and Hartselle, Ala., native Brent Crow shows off his secret bed fishing bait: a magnum Zoom Fluke in watermelon red. Crow also guides on lakes Pickwick, WIlson and Wheeler. He can be reached at 256-466-9965 or www.northalabamabass.com
<p>Crow fights a frisky Guntersville bass. </p>
Crow fights a frisky Guntersville bass. 
<p>Crow has seen melanistic markings like this on a bass before, but not to this magnitude!</p>
Crow has seen melanistic markings like this on a bass before, but not to this magnitude!
<p>Here's a close-up shot. The markings are thought to be of no consequence to the bass or humans. They're just rogue pigment cells.</p>
Here’s a close-up shot. The markings are thought to be of no consequence to the bass or humans. They’re just rogue pigment cells.