It can definitely be dangerous but the water literally raises 3 ft or so for each turbine that is running so 90% of what you saw will be under 4 or so ft of water with 2 gates open.

Never go inside the red area with turbines running, be very careful in the yellow area with one turbine running, until you know the water and rocks very well I wouldn't attempt going into the yellow area on the left. Never run your outboard in the blue areas with only 1 turbine running. Never get caught in the purple area when they turn the turbines off, you will be stuck there until they turn the turbines back on. The water will try to suck you into the purple area when they turn the turbines off and you are within about 20 yards of it, there is a concrete wall that sticks 6 inches out of the water with the turbines off but most of the time you can't see it with the turbines running unless the water is really clear and most likely won't hit it with your outboard.

^^^^ good info here

Thanks. Very helpful.

Mitchell Dam (lake jordan) is much easier to fish/navigate and about the same distance from vestavia. Bankhead dam as well just fyi

What is the water temperature coming out of the dam when they are generating right now? I have been fishing downstream from there catching a few but have yet to run up too the dam. I used to read some reports years ago from a guide named Charles Henry that really caught them good up there. He passed away though. I have a inboard jet boat and a 7/16 thick hull so the rocks won't be so bad for me.

I fished a couple times with Charles. He was a hell of a fisherman.

I looked at my temp gauge around glovers ferry yesterday and it was at 79-80

That's to hot for the big ones. I'm going up to the Cumberland river this weekend. I hope we get on some big ones.

Good luck, Ive always wanted to go to the Cumberland river.

turbine is broke at Bankhead so all the current you get there is the flood gates. Don't think Ala power is going to repair it either.

There are tons of rocks and no fish .shut you're pie tfd1224

who the hell you think you are telling me to shut my mouth. I put a map on here so my friends on here don't get hurt or killed. Great first post by the way.

North end of the left yellow area is where I've caught most of my fish. Just outside of the big rock.

Set your pocket knife out beside your anchor rope. I know a guy that had to crank up and go over to another guys boat, and cut his anchor rope. Another turbine came on and the guys anchor was hung on a rock. Poor guy didn't know what to do when the water was getting higher. So he sat there and held onto his seat. Lol...

Found this on alabama powers Web site and they have one for every dam. Found it helpful.

Just above #8 is where most of the fish are.

Bump for Beadelscomb.

Different dam I believe