Falling tree limbs in Birmingham kills one person also known as US Highway 431 or the Florida Short Route was temporarily closed Friday after a truck spilled poultry remains between Lurleen B Multiple crews were on-site conducting cleanup operations Authorities urged drivers to avoid the area if possible Click the search icon or 'view more results' to see all results The views from Lake Guntersville State Park were potentially distracting for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies meeting Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources When the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) staff scheduled AFWA’s annual Wildlife Diversity Program Managers Meeting at Lake Guntersville State Park they didn’t realize the potential distraction just outside the meeting room windows Sitting on the banks of one of the most productive fisheries in the nation Lake Guntersville State Park’s lodge atop Taylor Mountain offers stunning views of the 69,000-acre reservoir on the Tennessee River The meeting was the first time the AFWA event had been held in Alabama The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division hosting.  AFWA’s Director of Conservation Initiatives admitted he was a bit surprised to see the natural diversity and beauty of Alabama’s landscape “I really didn’t expect to be in the mountains in Alabama,” Humpert said and now with the lake and having this view This is a group who studied to be biologists and when you’re in a room with a view like this and it’s just special to be in this place with this magnificent view they (lodge staff) asked if they should pull the shades Humpert said several other revelations about Alabama occurred during meeting week “We learned about the incredible diversity here in Alabama,” he said “This state is really on the map globally for salamanders and aquatic species We got a chance to learn about the biological riches of Alabama and got to spend some time at Cathedral Caverns.” Humpert said this meeting has been held for 30 years in late winter the time of the year when wildlife diversity managers from around the nation get a chance to discuss topics that are affecting their work spend time together and reinforce relationships “This meeting is a little bit unique because the states are getting ready to submit their third generation of their State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAP),” he said “A lot of this meeting will be about the action plans and the vision for the future of the wildlife diversity programs We have a small team that surveys all the states to better understand the structures and challenges of wildlife diversity programs.” Section Chief with Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries served as host for the event and talked about the amazing diversity of animals found in Alabama “What this meeting means to us is an opportunity for other states to recognize the immense number of non-game species in Alabama,” Silvano said “We are first in the nation in aquatic biodiversity (fish crayfish and snails) and third in the nation for herps (reptiles and amphibians) Hosting this meeting here puts Alabama on the forefront across the nation as being an epicenter of wildlife biodiversity It gives us great pleasure to have all the state wildlife diversity program managers here to talk about the future and the visions of conservation for both non-game terrestrial and aquatic wildlife “This meeting also allows us to showcase what Alabama is doing we focused specifically on projects and accomplishments of our non-game programs We have people here from Idaho and Montana Some of those states don’t have the diversity we have and are blessed with in the Southeast For people to see the complexities of the natural systems and animals we’re dealing with tends to be eye-opening It also lends to fostering communication among states networking and problem-solving for future conservation needs for all of these animals.”  and Carrie Threadgill display snakes commonly found in Alabama the gray rat snake in front and corn snake discussed what the future holds for wildlife diversity conservation “What the states are doing is under-resourced permanent funding that we’ve been working on for decades But there is a lot of important work happening to prevent Endangered Species listing and preserve wildlife diversity “We capture action items throughout the meeting and try to capture between 25 and 30 action items It’s not just a meeting where we get information It’s about tying these states together on certain species because species don’t know state boundaries Sometimes these species even have international ranges the collaboration that happens helps develop whole life cycle range-wide conservation for fish and wildlife.” Silvano added that a lack of dedicated funding is a hurdle that non-game species programs continue to face “We went through an exercise that identified three to five revelations that are most important to address in terms of conservation of wildlife particularly non-game species,” Silvano said Most of the programs that non-game species are funded under are non-mandatory appropriations so they can come in and out of the budget.  “The WSFR (Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration) program is a mandatory appropriation That is one the hunters and anglers contribute to through excise taxes paid into the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funds Those are allowed to be used for conservation actions for both game and non-game species we use those funds to not only manage the habitat as a whole but the habitat management we do relates back to the functioning of the native ecosystem and habitat we are managing with a multi-species approach on our WMAs (wildlife management areas) not just for game species but also non-game species funding sources is one of the biggest issues that any agency faces with non-game species We have a very small pot of money that can be used for amphibians which are some of the most endangered species we have The future of conservation is really pivotal in having a voice about the importance of managing for endangered species and their habitats.” Alabama State Parks Director Matthew Capps gave a presentation about bringing people together at Alabama State Parks Capps oversees 21 State Parks that encompass more than 48,000 acres with three golf courses 200 cabins and cottages and 2,600 campsites Alabama State Parks sees 6.2 million visitors annually who produce a $375 million annual economic impact WFF Assistant Director Fred Harders gave a history of the division the diversity of ecosystems and habitats across the state and the different WFF programs for wildlife and fisheries conservation biologist with Auburn University’s Natural Heritage Program showcased the ongoing effort to reestablish the Eastern indigo snake in Conecuh National Forest The Eastern indigo project started in 2006 and the program was able to start releasing captive-raised indigos in 2010 with the release of 17 adult snakes Additional snakes have been released each year with a goal of releasing 300 snakes to improve the chances of establishing a viable population WFF’s Mercedes Maddox shared about the amazing success of restoring populations of bald eagles in the state Maddox said banning the pesticide DDT and other conservation measures caused the eagle population to rebound enough that bald eagles were downlisted from endangered to threatened in 1995 and then delisted in 2007 has 71,400 nesting pairs of bald eagles and an estimated 316,700 individual birds Alabama’s wintering golden eagle population continues to provide biologists with more data on the species through game camera observations and telemetry surveys around the state during the winter Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center Supervisor Paul Johnson considered one of the foremost authorities on mollusks in the U.S. gave a presentation about the incredible diversity of aquatic species in Alabama and how the center is propagating and trying to reestablish a number of endangered or at-risk mussels and snails in Alabama waters ADCNR's Amy Silvano shows off the threatened gopher tortoise to the AFWA meeting attendees. Photo by David Rainer Official Web Site of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources © 2025 Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources 64 N. Union Street, Suite 468 - Montgomery, Alabama 36130 Falling tree limbs in Birmingham kills one person, another injured Nugent expressed gratitude to the Guntersville Fire Department, Waterfront Volunteer Fire Department, Guntersville Rescue Squad, and the Marshall County Sheriff's Office for their assistance. BREAKING: Former Chatt. Prep. teacher Kenya White intends to plead guilty to enticement charges in federal court. Major League Fishing "Super Bowl" begins on Guntersville Lakeby Richard Simms — Six professional anglers from the NewsChannel 9 viewing area will be competing in one of the most lucrative and prestigious bass fishing events in the world beginning tomorrow (April 3) Bassmaster Classic was the undisputed "Super Bowl of Bass Fishing." In recent years competition from the Major League Fishing (MLF) tournament circuit - with a new format live online coverage and lucrative purses - has attracted the top bass anglers from around the country While both the Bassmaster Classic and MLF events claim to produce "the world champion of bass fishing," many bass tournament followers believe MLF has clearly surpassed B.A.S.S you probably already know that those prestigious bass fishermen will all be on Guntersville Lake beginning tomorrow (April 3) competing in the new Super Bowl of Bass Fishing - the Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2025 Obviously the first part of the name is a bow to the primary sponsor the name REDCREST is because the prominent red MLF logo itself is symbolic - a crest - representing MLF's family-like atmosphere among anglers I do know that if you like to root for "the home team," - meaning MLF competitors who call the NewsChannel 9 viewing area home - you have several to choose from Competing on Guntersville this week (in alphabetical order) are: The 50-angler field will compete April 3-6 for the championship trophy and $300,000 prize that comes with it Guntersville has long been synonymous with tournament bass fishing Five-bass limits in many tournaments in recent months have broken the magic 30-pound barrier Perhaps the most impressive thing about Guntersville isn’t just the caliber of fish it’s producing but the fact that even a constant barrage of fishing pressure hasn’t seemed to slow it down a fisheries supervisor for the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division who oversees the lake said there’s no way to even estimate the number of tournaments held on Guntersville – it’s multiple per week just about every week of the year there will be some fish in all three phases of the spawn which means there should be plenty of bass on and around the banks with multiple ways for anglers to target them “An angler can find fish that they may feel confident about fishing for on one end of the lake the back of a creek; and then another angler might find fish mid-lake on the main river off of a flat or a point and they could be 20 miles apart and both be on really doesn’t expect many pros to sight-fish for bedding bass He said the key will be finding pockets with enough beds that an angler can fan-cast around the boat and pick them off He said it’s not unusual to catch 15 or more fish without moving There’s also the ever-present question of how big of a role forward-facing sonar will play Pros will be allowed to use forward-facing and 360-degree sonar for only one of three periods each day Anglers will declare their use of the technologies before the start of the period of their choice Fans watching on the live stream will see an indicator on SCORETRACKER next to each angler’s name showing who is actively using the technologies Davis thinks it’ll be most useful to identify the pockets containing the largest populations of bass during practice not so much to catch them – although there could also be a few pros who use forward-facing sonar to target groups of offshore fish during the first period then head shallow in search of spawners the rest of the day “I can’t even fathom how many pounds these guys are going to weigh in,” he said Format - Catch-weigh-immediate release of every scorable bass per day Weigh-ins, along with a free outdoor expo, will be held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville along with all four days of competition to be streamed live on MLFNOW! from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and the Major League Fishing channel on Rumble Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInGUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - The Guntersville Police Department has advised that a roadway will be closed due to a landslide from last night’s storm until further notice for repairs and cleanup This story will be updated once the roadway is reopened Click Here to Subscribe on YouTube: Watch the latest WAFF 48 news sports & weather videos on our YouTube channel According to court documents obtained by WAFF Morgan Young was found guilty of criminal conspiracy to commit robbery Young’s co-conspirator Kenov Williams was convicted last August for the murders of 19-year-old Elias Lopez and 17-year-old Enrique Alvardo according to Marshall County District Attorney Jennifer Bray Young was originally charged with capital murder but took a plea deal for conspiracy to commit a robbery The product recommendations on our site are independently chosen by our editors many of them dream of becoming legendary professional fishermen — not Major League Baseball stars or football heroes one of those dreamers who went on to become a legendary pro just minutes from the Coosa River and not far from other famous fisheries such as Guntersville and he just finished racking up his third Major League Fishing Redcrest Championship win “Bass fishing is king here,” Connell told Wired2Fish you’ll see bass boats everywhere—being towed down the interstate Back to Connell’s dream: He grew up bass fishing with his older brother he had teamed with his brother to win his first bass tournament The bug bit so hard that the Connells started fishing in four tournaments a week And Dustin knew what he wanted to do for a living when he grew up: become a pro fisherman That goal even influenced his choice of college He went to the University of Alabama and majored in marketing “It really prepared me for becoming a pro.” There were valleys to go along with those peaks Connell felt he was prepared for the competitive aspects of the sport “I was a broke college kid,” he said. “I fished a couple of Bassmaster Opens I took off for a year to work construction and build up some money I didn’t know if professional fishing was for me.” Then he won a Bassmaster Southern Open and earned enough to restart his career Today, at age 35, he is already considered one of the best pros on Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour with seven tournament wins and more than $2 million in earnings Three of those titles have come in the Major League Fishing Redcrest Championship tournament the star-studded championship event of the national circuit After taking his third win this year during the event from April 3 – 6 Connell is the only angler to accomplish that feat and he is already being compared to the likes of Rick Clunn and Kevin VanDam “I never think about my legacy in the sport,” he told Wired2Fish My only goal right now is to get more people into fishing and to promote how much fun it can be.” His most recent Redcrest championship, a four-day tournament on Lake Guntersville in Alabama that wrapped up April 6 typifies why Connell is so good at what he does But Connell knew it would take something special to stand out from the crowd “I knew everybody was going to be fishing the flats flipping to those light-colored areas that bass had fanned out to nest “But you can’t set yourself apart by doing that I decided to make the 70-mile run to Nickajack Dam to get away from the crowd and fish in my comfort zone.” he caught and released 27 scorable bass (minimum of 2 pounds) weighing 87 pounds and ran away with the Redcrest title and $300,000 Wesley Strader was second with 29 bass totaling 79 pounds It was the second consecutive year Connell won the Redcrest championship and further cemented his reputation as one of the era’s greatest anglers Perhaps even more satisfying for Connell is that he didn’t have to use his forward-facing sonar to catch his bass fishermen have used social media to criticize young anglers for relying on high-priced electronics to zero in on bass Connell is a master at using forward-facing sonar but he is proud of the fact that he can fish old-school “It’s so easy to fall into that negative mindset in the world of social media,” he said “Everyone is so polarized about how people catch fish these days There are a lot of good people out there in the fishing world and those are the people I want to surround myself with Brent Frazee is a fish head who lives with his wife Jana and two yellow labs Millie and Maggie on a private lake in suburban Kansas City but he gets the biggest thrill from catching big bass and crappies He worked for The Kansas City Star for 36 years before retiring in 2016 he won more than 65 awards for his writing and photography The best online fishing resource to learn and stay current on the latest fishing gear and other local officials celebrate the reopening of the newly renovated Brown’s Creek Public Boat Ramp Representatives from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Lake Guntersville Chamber of Commerce and Marshall County Tourism and Sports took part in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday to celebrate the reopening of the newly renovated Brown’s Creek Public Boat Ramp (also known as the Jaycees Boat Ramp) located at 3375 Alabama Highway 69 in Guntersville Brown’s Creek is one of 21 public boat ramps operated by ADCNR that provide access to outdoor recreation on Guntersville Reservoir one of Alabama’s premier boating and fishing destinations The facility was temporarily closed in September 2024 for a nearly $1 million renovation that included a new three-lane launching slab and a new 150-foot floating access pier The facility also features 64 trailer spaces and security lights and is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible “This renovation project provides improved access to some of the best boating and fishing anywhere in the nation right here in Guntersville,” said Chris Blankenship “There are several boating access improvement projects currently in the works throughout the state and we look forward to reopening those facilities so that anyone can enjoy quality time on Alabama’s waterways We are grateful for Governor Kay Ivey’s continued support for these projects and for the partnerships that make the improvements possible.” Guntersville Mayor Leigh Dollar said the newly renovated boat ramp will have a positive impact on the local community and areas surrounding Lake Guntersville “This boat ramp is one of our biggest assets with boaters anglers and even boat racers using it throughout the year,” Mayor Dollar said “Lake Guntersville is one of the largest lakes in the Southeast and we are pleased to have solid launch ramps that are easy to access and easy to use We appreciate the partnership with our state Conservation Department and the work they have done on the boat ramps here at Lake Guntersville.” Katy Norton with Marshall County Tourism and Sports said boat ramp improvement projects like this one not only improve access to outdoor recreation but also help support the state and local economy "Lake Guntersville is a billion dollar business for our community and it generates millions in tourism revenue every year that is recirculated into the local economy,” Norton said “We are proud that our state continues to improve and upgrade assets such as boat ramps and our state park facilities so that tourism can continue to grow." Alabama Senator Wes Kitchens and State Representative Jeana Ross were unable to attend the ribbon cutting event due to the upcoming legislative session but they each provided statements in support of ADCNR’s renovation efforts at the Brown’s Creek Public Boat Ramp “Lake Guntersville is consistently ranked one of the best fishing and recreation lakes,” said Sen “I want to thank the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for their commitment in helping every boater enjoy the lake This new boat ramp will allow countless visitors easier access to the lake for years to come.” “I would like to give a special thank you to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for this wonderful new boat ramp that will provide much upgraded access to Alabama's largest lake,” said Rep “The improvement of this popular public facility will greatly enhance the recreational boating experience enjoyed by residents and visitors on beautiful Lake Guntersville.” This project is part of a series of boat ramp improvements currently in progress throughout the state Additional boating access improvements in north Alabama that have been recently completed include a new three-lane launching slab at the McFarland Public Boat Ramp facility on Pickwick Reservoir in Florence An access pier at McFarland is also scheduled to be replaced in 2025 The Brown’s Creek boating access improvement project was completed through a partnership between ADCNR and the City of Guntersville Funding for the project was primarily provided through the Wildlife Restoration Program under the federal Pittman-Robertson Act Additional funding was provided by the City of Guntersville and Innovate Alabama a statewide public-private partnership focused on entrepreneurship technology and innovation with a mission to help businesses grow roots in Alabama Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInGUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A portion of Gunter Avenue in Guntersville was closed Friday morning due to a partial building collapse According to officials with the city of Guntersville remained closed until about 2:30pm that afternoon Guntersville Fire Marshal Matt Lang said a call was received around 3:53 a.m WAFF crews at the scene said the second floor fell into the first floor with shattered windows along with furniture that seemed to have fallen from the top floor into the bottom floor was also impacted by the partial collapse on Old Town Street Officials say debris from the damaged building obstructed the roadway The Guntersville Police Department was on scene diverting to Lurleen B Wallace Drive and finally onto AL Highway 69/Henry Street “It is unusual for the area but in Guntersville we do have a lot of old buildings and um with anything if you don’t I don’t know if it’s a maintenance thing,” said Lang “Just one of those freak accidents that happened to happen here but I think it may have been a little bit weather-related.” Officials say first responders are continuing to secure the area Multiple crews including the Alabama Department of Transportation are actively working on resolving the situation No injuries have been reported following the damaged building which was the former Marshall County Legislative Office Those who must travel in the area are urged to be patient People in the area are urged to find a different route as traffic will be impacted Officials said the Marshall County Courthouse will be delayed two hours Lang said officials are continuing to investigate the cause of the incident Click Here to Subscribe on YouTube: Watch the latest WAFF 48 news 1/43AHSAA 5A boys semifinal: Guntersville vs Vigor.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Randy Kennedy | preps@al.comCoaches often worry about their shooters adjusting to a different background in a large building like Legacy Arena But there was no reason for concern for coach Lee Riley and his Vigor Wolves Vigor came out blazing against Guntersville hitting eight of its first 16 3-pointers to open a big lead and cruise to a 71-53 win in Wednesday’s Class 5A semifinal who have now reached the state championship game for a second straight year will face either Wenonah or Sylacauga for the title Saturday at 10:45 a.m Riley and Guntersville coach Brett Self both had the same reaction to the blistering start for the Wolves “We have never shot 3s so well,” Riley said Said Self: “They hit shots we had not seen them hit before I think when they started so hot we got a little rattled.” nailed a 3-pointer 33 seconds into the game Jermaine Tate connected on three shots from long range then Aslan Jones completed the first-quarter onslaught with another 3 in the final minutes of the quarter Vigor led 17-6 after one quarter while connecting on 5-of-11 3-pointers The Wolves made three more 3-pointers in the second quarter to lead 34-12 at the half Jones had a breakaway dunk just before the break to put an exclamation point on the dizzying half Any doubt about the outcome was put to rest late in the third quarter Jones converted an old-fashioned three-point play then had a steal that led to a dunk and a 3-pointer to spark a 10-0 run the Wolves had their largest lead at 44-16 “We came out on fire because we had to redeem ourselves from last year,” Tate said Star of the game: It was everyone who attempted a 3-point shot for Vigor The Wolves finished with 10 makes from long range Ke’Viasz Malone (13) and Holley (10) led Vigor in scoring Guntersville got 16 from senior point guard CJ Scott Guntersville was 1-of-15 from 3-point range meaning the Wolves outscored them by 27 points from behind the arc They said it: “We just never got into a rhythm in this game But this senior class built a foundation for Guntersville basketball.” -- Guntersville coach Brett Self Vigor is one of only six schools to send its boys and girls teams to the Final Four Vigor’s tradition-rich athletic program has never won a state championship in boys basketball who reached the state championship game last year against Fairfield have a chance to change that Saturday morning Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices representatives from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) and the City of Guntersville will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the reopening of Brown’s Creek Public Boat Ramp located just off Highway 69 on Lake Guntersville The media and public are invited to attend Brown’s Creek reopened in January 2025 after a major renovation that included a new three-lane launching slab and a new 150-foot floating access pier Date and TimeThe ribbon cutting event will take place at 2 p.m LocationThe boat ramp is located on the west end of the Alabama Highway 69 Bridge on Lake Guntersville.Google Maps Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pg53Tazq7ap6gjM9A Speakers•    Commissioner Chris Blankenship ADCNR•    Mayor Leigh Dollar City of Guntersville•    Katy Norton About Brown’s Creek Public Boat RampBrown’s Creek is one of 20 free public boat ramps on Guntersville Reservoir operated by ADCNR that offer access to outdoor recreation on one of Alabama’s premier boating and fishing destinations The facility features a new three-lane launching slab and a new 150-foot floating access pier as well as 64 trailer spaces Brown’s Creek Public Boat Ramp is also Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accessible AcknowledgementsThis boating access improvement project was completed through a partnership between ADCNR and the City of Guntersville Lake Guntersville Fishing Report / Photo Courtesy of pixabayWith REDCREST 2025 fast approaching professional angler Justin Lucas shared insights into the current conditions on Lake Guntersville and what anglers can expect as they compete for the championship title A post shared by Justin Lucas (@justinlucasbass) According to Lucas, the lingering winter has kept water temperatures stable for an extended period, but now, the lake is finally warming up. We’ve had a lingering winter without much fluctuation, but now the water temperatures are finally rising. The days are getting longer, and the sun is heating the water, which should lead to a full-blown spring spawn. The way things are shaping up, I don’t see how we won’t have spawning fish on beds everywhere. I think this will be the biggest spawning wave of the year.” Guntersville, one of the most renowned bass fishing destinations in the country, is known for producing giant largemouth bass during the spawn. With warming temperatures aligning perfectly with the tournament schedule, anglers can expect to encounter a high number of bedding fish throughout the event. When asked about the most effective lures for Guntersville during the spawn, Lucas highlighted the Berkley PowerBait MaxScent General, fished weightless on a wacky rig. "Any Green Pumpkin or Watermelon variation of the MaxScent General will be the key to triggering the right bites," Lucas said. Justin Lucas recommends the Berkley Powerbait Maxscent The General Worm for spawning bass / Courtesy of Tackle Warehouse"When fish are spawning they won’t chase as much—they're locked onto their beds That’s why a bait like the Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General is perfect It stays in the strike zone longer and forces reaction bites from bedding fish," Lucas noted That said, Lucas emphasized that moving baits could still play a role under the right conditions. "I would keep a vibrating jig and swimbaits, like the Berkley PowerBait CullShad Swimbait, on the deck of my boat for situations when the right conditions present themselves." With REDCREST 2025 lining up perfectly with the spring spawn, all signs point to a high-caliber event on Lake Guntersville. The combination of warming temperatures and longer daylight hours is expected to bring one of the biggest waves of spawning bass this season, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive tournament. Qualifying Round, Day 1: 50 anglers. Total weight carries to Qualifying Day 2.Qualifying Round, Day 2: 50 anglers. Top 20 Two-day weight total advance to Knockout Round.Knockout Round: 20 anglers. Weights are zeroed. Top 10 advance to Championship Round.Championship Round: 10 anglers. Weights are zeroed. Placement is determined by the day’s heaviest weights. Top angler crowned REDCREST Champion. David Dudley leads day one with 71-08, nearly 10-pounds ahead of second place. / Major League FishingBass fishing veteran pro David Dudley sits on top after Day 1 of the 2025 REDCREST on Lake Guntersville. But on Guntersville, is a 9-pound lead safe?...FULL STORY HERE. 50 Professional Anglers Takeoff For REDCREST 2025 / Courtesy of MLFThe 50 professional anglers that will compete at REDCREST 2025 are:  The Precision Sonar Lock Box, featuring a secure lock and easy application, designed to enforce MLF’s 2025 forward-facing sonar rules. / MLF​Major League Fishing (MLF) has implemented new electronics regulations for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour to promote fairness and emphasize anglers' traditional skills The key changes are:​Limited Use of Forward-Facing and 360-Degree Sonar: Anglers are restricted to using forward-facing and 360-degree sonar during only one of the three daily periods Each angler must declare their chosen period for using these technologies during the preceding break The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on each day of competition (April 3-6) from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. MLFNOW! is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com Television coverage of MLF’s Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2025 Presented by MillerTech Energy at Lake Guntersville will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m with the Championship Round premiering on Saturday New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery with re-airings on Outdoor Channel and Vice TV ​The REDCREST 2025 Outdoor Sports Expo is a free family-friendly event organized by Major League Fishing (MLF) in conjunction with the REDCREST 2025 Championship the expo will be held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville Date & Time: April 4-6, 2025 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Location: Von Braun Center The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER BIRMINGHAM — Guntersville boys basketball just couldn't get its shots to fall in its AHSAA Final Four loss to Vigor for the second straight season at the AHSAA Basketball Championships behind a huge first half Vigor knocked down eight 3-pounters in the first quarter who hit four to lead all scorers with 14 points Guntersville's Dadrien Waller finished with 10 points and four rebounds The Wildcats could never get the deep ball to fall starting the game 0-for-11 until midway through the fourth quarter and only making one deep shot Vigor was led by Jones with 19 points and Tate with 21 points Vigor shot more than 40% for the game and forced 19 steals GADSDEN CITY: Gadsden City's Jakobi Sharp toughs out AHSAA Final Four performance through injury GLENCOE: When is the AHSAA basketball state tournament? Schedule, locations The Wildcats struggled on offense in the first half shooting just 24% and going 0-for-7 from 3-point range unable to keep up with barrage the Wolves laid out from deep It's the second straight Final Four for the Wildcats who finally punched through after Elite Eight appearances the two years prior winning their area and placing second in the Marshall County tournament Vigor will play for the Class 5A state title at 10:45 a.m You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience FORT PAYNE – Like a famous set of men from Fort Payne the Oak Mountain Eagles kept rolling on like an 18-wheeler through the state of Alabama as they took their roadshow to the Border Wars and emerged with a pair of commanding victories After starting off the week with a 10-0 home win over the Northridge Jaguars on Tuesday Oak Mountain defeated the Fort Payne Wildcats 8-0 on Friday Before going north to take part in the Border Wars showcase the Eagles were in dominant form against a Class 6A Final Four team from 2024 in Northridge Oak Mountain scored five goals in each half to earn the mercy-rule win where Owen Wells posted a shutout in net Luke Jovanovich assisted on half of those goals as he ended the night with five assists Nate Wright also had a multi-assist night with two assists Grant Naumann and John Will Peterson each had two goals on the night while Peterson also added an assist Sam Collins finished with a goal and an assist Gerardo Rodriguez and Ben West had a goal apiece Facing off against the Border Wars host Fort Payne the Eagles came out firing on all cylinders scoring the opening goal and three more before the break to take a 4-0 lead into halftime Oak Mountain doubled its scoring output in the second half without seeing a lapse on defense The Eagles finished off the 8-0 win to start the weekend on a high note Collins led the offense with a hat trick as he had three goals and an assist off a team-high 10 shots and Jovanovich finished the game with two goals and two assists Naumann earned a goal and an assist off four shots and Wright and Dennis each scored a goal apiece Capocci finished the game with three assists as he helped create some of Oak Mountain’s biggest goal-scoring chances alongside his eight shots Alexander Chaidez-Cruz took the win in goal as he made two saves during the 80-minute match to secure the clean sheet alongside his defense Oak Mountain outshot Fort Payne 15-2 with shots on goal alone and had 36 total shots the Eagles showed no mercy in their battle with the defending Class 5A runner-up and one of the favorites to claim the title in that classification Oak Mountain had one of its most prolific halves of offense all season scoring seven goals in the first 40 minutes to take a 7-0 lead into the break The Eagles kept their side of the pitch clear as Owen Wells didn’t have to make any saves during his 70 minutes in goal The attack took advantage by scoring three more goals in the second half to secure the mercy-rule win he was a perfect 5-for-5 converting his shots on goal and five of his seven total shots found the back of the net Rodriguez had two goals and an assist off five shots and Capocci joined Rodriguez with a brace as he had two goals on the day off four total shots and three shots on goal Jovanovich had another prolific offensive day as he finished with a goal and three assists and Wright rounded out the scoring with a goal while Will Farley had an assist 1 Eagles will look to add another big notch to their resume as they face the Class 6A No Just one AAC game is on Monday’s college basketball schedule That contest is the Wichita State Shockers squaring… The Memphis Grizzlies (38-22) face the Atlanta Hawks (27-33) as 8.5-point favorites on Monday take on the Brooklyn Nets (21-39).… The Wichita State Shockers versus the North Texas Mean Green is a game to catch on the Monday… The Monday college basketball slate has plenty of exciting matchups in store Our computer model has suggested picks… What would make you consider a digital subscription to Shelby County Reporter View Results – The Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has reopened the Brown’s Creek Public Boat Ramp in Guntersville The boat ramp is just off Highway 69 on Lake Guntersville During the closure a new three-lane launching slab and a new 150-foot floating access pier were installed The facility also features 64 trailer spaces and security lights and is Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accessible ADCNR and the City of Guntersville will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, to celebrate the completion of the renovation project. The ribbon cutting is tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. Additional information about the event will be posted to www.outdooralabama.com when available This boating access improvement project was completed through a partnership between ADCNR and the City of Guntersville Log in to leave a comment An official website of the United States government The Guntersville VA Clinic turned into a place of celebration on December 20 a Veteran who is reaching a remarkable milestone of 100 years The celebration began with a surprise visit from Santa Claus who arrived early to greet the birthday guest of honor asked Santa for only one thing—continued good health “Hard work and eating healthy.” Stowe captivated the room with stories from his remarkable military career he volunteered to serve during World War II fulfilling his duty as a cook both overseas and stateside during World War II “More people were volunteering back then It was just what you did—you served your country.” As local media outlets provided excellent coverage of the celebration Stowe was presented a certificate expressing VA’s gratitude and heartfelt wishes for continued joy He also enjoyed his favorite coconut cake with milk fresh from the farm “I always get excellent care at the VA,” Stowe remarked “I’ve heard a few people grumble but that’s just people who grumble about anything.” Following is a breakdown of the five most effective baits used by the Top 10 finishers at the 2025 REDCREST Championship on Lake Guntersville in Alabama Third place finisher Zack Birge was among the half of the Top 10 field that credited a bladed vibrating jig / Major League FishingI would say this first bait is a fairly obvious choice for a tournament where most of the bass A vibrating jig was mentioned five times among the Top 10 anglers but surprisingly not by the tournament winner who consciously decided to stay away from the shallow weedy areas everyone else was targeting The anglers used craw/creature baits for pitching around spawning fish / Major League FishingA Texas-rigged craw or creature bait was mentioned by four of the 10 final anglers Third place finisher Zack Birge used a Zoom Baby Brush Hog Chris Lane threw a Bass Pro Shops XPS Log Father in tilapia magic and Ron Nelson said a creature bait was best for him on Day 1 Pretty consistent among these anglers was using these baits for pitching around spawning fish Dustin Connell used both the Crush City Freeloader and Mooch Minnow to claim his third REDCREST trophy. / Major League FishingThis is what Connell used to claim his third REDCREST title. In fact, he used two variations—a Crush City Freeloader on a scrounge head and Crush City Mooch Minnow on a 3/8 ounce VMC jig head “I knew if I was going to have a chance to win this event I’d have to do something different,” he said and I also don’t like dragging baits around for spawners that I can’t see I thought my best chance was to fish the current for smallmouth and largemouth and try to make that work.” “I used a 5-inch Zoom Winged Fluke in Tennessee Shad with a 1/8-ounce Big Daddy Spotlighter tungsten jighead I had my forward-facing sonar on when I could but wasn’t using it because the fish were all closer to the bank around boulders.” Second place finisher Wesley Strader used a ball-head minnow to catch a bunch of big Guntersville smallmouth bass / Major League FishingAnother angler who credited some key fish to a ball-head minnow was fifth place finisher He explained that he had used some of his scoping periods looking for roamers moving along the banks “I caught the vast majority of those on a new Yamamoto minnow that will be out at ICAST.” Zack Birge poses with the soft plastic stick worm that was a valuable part of his arsenal on Lake Guntersville. / Major League FishingThree competitors, Zack Birge, Brent Ehrler and Bobby Lane, thanked the always popular, soft plastic stick bait rigged wacky style They all described using it when they could see the white outlines of beds but couldn’t see well enough to watch the fish Bobby Lane said when the wind picked up and he couldn't go weightless he fished a green pumpkin Berkley MaxScent Hit Worm on a drop-shot David Dudley credited a drop-shot among their most useful baits this week “I was fishing a 6-inch Roboworm straight tail worm in morning dawn chartreuse with a 3/16-ounce Ark tungsten weight and a Size 1 Gamakatsu Stinger hook I also fished the Yamamoto Sensei worm in green pumpkin blue flake rigged wacky style on the drop-shot so I could basically fish a wacky rig faster and more efficiently in the wind.” Dustin Connell was the guy who zigged when everyone else zagged / Major League FishingThe 2025 REDCREST on Lake Guntersville showed once again that even one of the most fished lakes in the country can be won by the angler bold and confident enough to do things his own way While the Top 10 all fished a strong event capitalizing on the timing of the bass spawn Connell took the victory by intentionally doing something the rest of the crowd had mostly ignored there have only been seven REDCREST tournaments ever and Connell has only competed in six of them Connell understands what it takes to win with this format in this event Connell gambled on a long run up lake to Nickajack dam / MLF | Phoenix MooreWith storms and wind delaying takeoff at Lake Guntersville on Sunday morning Connell’s decision to run 70 miles to the tailrace below Nickajack Dam was risky His one day total of 27 scrorable bass for 87 pounds 11 ounces was the biggest of the entire event and over 8 pounds more than second place Wesley Strader “I did this tournament my way,” Connell said Looking back at the beginning of the event the fishing wasn’t exactly easy for Connell On Day 2 he made the 70 mile run to Nickajack where he started to climb But only thanks to a flurry of four bass totaling 12-6 in the last 13 minutes was he able to claw his way over the cut line into 17th place Connell was unstoppable on Championship Sunday of REDCREST 2025 / MLF | Phoenix MooreStorms Trigger a Tailrace Feeding FrenzyWith weather shortening the first period on Championship Sunday he worried that his long boat ride may put him in a hole he’d never climb out of he checked SCORETRACK when he finally got to the dam and to his surprise jumping into the lead and never looking back and these suckers bite up here when it’s cloudy,” he said Several times during the post-game celebration / Kurt MazurekWhen the clock ran out at the end of the day it ain’t been easy on me… And to win this tournament with [my son] and my family here Connell credited the Crush City Freeloader and Crush City Mooch Minnow for his success. / Tacklewarehouse.com“I noticed when I was catching two pound or three pound spots, they were spitting up shad that were four inches long. Well, that Freeloader is 4 inches long “And then, whenever it got sunny, I noticed they would kind of ease off on that and I caught them on a Mooch Minnow on a 3/16 ounce VMC Tungsten jighead.” but I don’t think I caught a bass this week looking at them on forward-facing sonar” Wesley Strader had a great day of fishing—just not quite great enough to catch Connell / MLF | Phoenix MooreWith a total of 29 bass that weighed 79 pounds Wesley Strader had a great day—just not quite great enough to catch Connell Connell congratulated Strader on a great effort “I did not want 15 more minutes of him,” said Connell but 30 more minutes and I probably wouldn’t end up standing here [as the Champion].” there were 152 scorable bass weighing 427 pounds 1 ounce caught by the final 10 pros on Sunday the 50 competitors in REDCREST 2025 caught a total of 1,614 scorable bass weighing 4,456 pounds Pro Brent Ehrler earned Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award with a 5-pound 6-ounce largemouth bass that he caught in Period 1 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInGUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A judge denied bond for a Guntersville murder suspect on Tuesday Steven Ward appeared in court Monday for an Aniah’s Law hearing He is accused of shooting and killing his wife, Lesley Ward It was revealed in court Monday that Ward ran from the shooting scene only to show up at the police department later