Editor’s note: this is part 2 of a 3-part series on fishing tips and advice from professional angler Jeff Holland.

Jeff Holland splits his days as both an aquatic biologist and tournament angler who fishes the Bassmaster Southern Opens. He spent a spring day fishing on Lay Lake after a spawn and a late season cold snap and offers the following advice to those hitting the water.

QUESTION: How do you use water current to your advantage?

ANSWER: When you are fishing currents coming into aquatic plants, you can swim your bait through them, drop it through a hole in the vegetation. A lot of times you will be successful.

Why vegetation can help you catch more fish from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

QUESTION: How do I fish in vegetation?

ANSWER: When you fish in vegetation look for movement. Watch the movement of the plants.

QUESTION: What type of vegetation should I look for?

ANSWER: As anglers, it’s important to understand the difference between a native and an invasive plant. If you figure out where the native plants are, and if the invasive plants are controlled, you know where the fish are going to move to. We consider the native plant the good plant. It grows slowly, is easy to manage and most of the time grows where we want it to. Invasive plants, they just outcompete.

For more information about fishing and aquatic plant management, visit apcshorelines.com or download Alabama Power’s Smart Lakes app on your smartphone. Alabama Power manages 11 reservoirs, 14 hydroelectric dams, 3,500 miles of shoreline and nearly 120,000 acres of land on the Coosa, Tallapoosa and Black Warrior rivers.