POWERGRAMS

37 Winn started catching striped bass in 1978, pulling in an occasional 5-pounder, then 10-pounders before bigger ones started breaking his lines. As he increased the test-line strengths, he caught a 21-pounder, which he had professionally mounted, thinking he'd never beat that weight. Soon he caught a 23-pound striper, had it mounted; then a 37-pounder, had it mounted; then a 39-pounder, and had it mounted. "It just kept going up," Winn said. "When the state found out, they couldn't believe it." And, of course, he had the 51-pound, 9-ounce striper mounted, which found a home for the next 25 years on the entrance wall at the Fisheries Section of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) in Montgomery. "It was a big secret for a long time," Winn said of his Yates fishing hole. "But once the secret got out, these boys started coming from Georgia and Tennessee and catching all the big ones." Winn grew up on Alabama Power lakes as his dad, Norman, worked at Lay and Jordan dams part of his 38 years with the company. Denny put in 40 years and his son, Clay, is working at Jordan Dam on the latest stop in his 26-year career, which has included Bouldin and Martin dams. "I was walking in and out of these old powerhouses when I was in diapers," Clay said. "When I was little, dad would put a life jacket on me and I would fish for bream while he caught bass. I still fish two to three days a week. I've caught three catfish over 50 pounds and there's no telling how many I've caught over 40 pounds. I've got a spotted bass on the wall that's over 7 pounds." Classical B.A.S.S. and Top of the Charts Alabama's record for spotted bass is 8 pounds, 15 ounces, caught by Phillip Terry on Smith Lake in 1978. From little kids tossing their first fishing line to older folks pulling in a colossal carp, lakes formed when Alabama Power built dams for clean energy have brought joy to people for nearly a century. The company lakes covering 157,000 acres statewide are routinely listed among the top fishing spots in America, and the proof is in the pulling. Some of the largest fish ever caught have been pulled from Alabama Power reservoirs, as certified by the International Game Fish Association (IFGA). The Miami-based organization lists many world records from the 11 company lakes, while the Alabama Fish & Game Division shows eight state records, including a record-breaking fish caught near the banks of Gorgas Steam Plant. Fifty years ago, B.A.S.S. began sponsoring fishing tournaments across the nation that each year produce a world champion fisherman during the "Classic" competition reserved for regional winners and Top 3 finishers. Alabama Power lakes have hosted seven Classics, which is more than any state outside Alabama. Winn has top trophy catches on wall at home. Feeding the fish is a daily ritual for Winn.

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