August 2026 — St. William Seafood Festival & Late Summer on the Lake

St. William Seafood Festival — August 29-30

The St. William Seafood & Music Festival is one of the biggest annual events in Marshall County. Held at the Foley Center at 915 Gunter Avenue in downtown Guntersville, the festival features all-you-can-eat Gulf Coast catfish, fried shrimp, Cajun crab boils, crawfish, and hushpuppies prepared by more than 20 food vendors. Live music plays throughout both days with regional bands covering Southern rock, country, and blues.

The festival runs Saturday and Sunday and typically draws thousands from across North Alabama. Arts and crafts booths, a kids' zone, and silent auction round out the weekend. Guntersville Getaway is a 12-minute drive from the Foley Center, making it an easy base for a weekend of seafood and lake time.

Late Summer Bass Fishing on Lake Guntersville

August on Lake Guntersville is hot and humid with air temperatures regularly reaching the mid-90s and surface water temperatures holding between 82 and 86 degrees. Bass respond by ambushing shad and bluegill against the thick hydrilla and milfoil mats that blanket the backs of creeks and shallow flats across the 69,000-acre reservoir.

The key to late summer success is timing. The first two hours after sunrise produce the most aggressive topwater action. As the sun climbs and the heat builds, bass retreat under the thickest mats where they hold in the shade. Punching through the mat canopy with heavy tungsten weights and creature baits produces bites well into the afternoon. Brown Creek, North Sauty Creek, and Siebold Creek all hold excellent grass mat systems in August.

What's Working

• Hollow body frogs (black or white) walked over matted hydrilla at dawn and dusk
• Buzzbait (3/8 oz, black skirt) along grass mat edges in 2 to 4 feet
• Texas-rigged creature bait (1 oz tungsten) punched through the thickest mat canopy
• Topwater poppers and walking baits over submerged grass in open water at first light
• Swim jig (1/2 oz, bluegill color) retrieved parallel to grass edges in 3 to 6 feet

Beating the Heat at Guntersville Getaway

Late summer guests at Guntersville Getaway take advantage of the early morning bite from the private dock, then retreat to the air-conditioned cabin during the heat of the day. The covered dock provides shade for afternoon fishing sessions, and the sheltered cove stays cooler than the open lake. After dark, the dock lights attract baitfish, which in turn pull bass and catfish within casting range for a night fishing session under the stars.