It is a man-made 44,000-acre reservoir formed by constructing the Martin Dam on the Tallapoosa River. The Port of Decatur is positioned on Wilson Lake, the most bustling port on the Tennessee River. Lay Lake, with a shoreline of 289 miles, is the oldest lake on the Coosa River. Lay Lake, Alabama, USA. Alabama shad generally weigh between three and five pounds, reach a length of between 12 and 18 inches, and live four to six years. Since the program was initiated in the late 1940s, its purpose has remained unchanged: provide quality fishing at an affordable price in areas of Alabama that lack sufficient natural waters to meet the needs of the public. ], 11 Plants That Repel Rats & Mice 2023 [Plants Rodents Hate], 10 Best Ferns for Pots & Containers 2023 [Updated], 10 Best Small & Dwarf Trees for North Carolina 2023 [Updated], 10 Plants That Repel Cats 2023 [Plants Cats Hate], Facts & Guide to Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens), Facts & Guide to Brown Trout (Salmo trutta). When crappie fishing in Alabama, anglers generally know the top destinations. The lake is very fertile and has a good population of bass and the baitfish they feed on. Its highlight may be the . Aliceville Lake is a 8,300-acre lake on the AL/MS border, 50 miles west of Tuscaloosa. Fairly easy to catch, particularly when they are feeding, crappies are often caught in vegetated areas. Aside from daily fishing throughout most of the year, night fishing is also organized during the summer. Adult Gulf sturgeons live for 30 to 40 years. William Bill Dannelly Reservoir AKA Millers Ferry Reservoir is the 35,000-acre body of water behind the Millers Ferry Lock & Dam, on the Alabama River in Central Alabama. Each lake is intensively managed to provide quality fishing on a sustained basis. Alabama Wildlife. Rivers and the Mobile Delta - Information about fishing . Alabama offers a great abundance of fresh fishing lakes to fish at. Pickwick Lake crosses from Wilson Dam to Pickwick Landing Dam with 67.34 mi and is situated in Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Many of these lakes offer fishing boats for rent. Tennessee River: A total of 178 species have been documented in the Alabama section of the Tennessee River system. It can be found in silty streams, rivers, reservoirs, and swamps with a mild current. Largemouth bass is very common, as well as spotted bass. Alabamas fish species are spread across 16 river systems in three major drainage groups. It is illegal to transport any live baitfish caught from streams, rivers, public lakes or reservoirs in Alabama, away from the waters where caught or to import live baitfish from streams, rivers, public lakes or reservoirs from any area outside the State of Alabama. *, Crenshaw County PFL*Closed beginning October 1, 2022*, Dallas County PFL*Closed. Bass tournaments and recreational fishing activities generate considerable revenues for Alabamas state and local economies. Popular among many local recreational anglers, it is distinguished from its bluegill cousins by its coloration. Males possess vivid colors, whereas females may look muted in comparison. They form some of the most biodiverse freshwater systems in North America, so its no surprise that around 300 species of fish call them home! Redear sunfish are more populous in the lower half of Alabama, where they may often be found in slightly saline waters. Some of these boast year-round trout fishing opportunities, but strict possession limits must be observed. The total surface area of Alabamas major freshwater rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and ponds is about 563,000 acres. The state record for rainbow trout was fished in 2006. Blue Catfish wikimedia commons/AJ4TBama. Alabama Power Environmental Affairs Specialist Mike Clelland says the devices, also known as spider blocks, give fish better places to feed and grow. The southeastern state of Alabama is home to a rich array of natural resources. Lake Lurleen is a public reservoir in Tuscaloosa County, Alabamas west central region. This pike favors slow-moving bodies of water with ample vertical vegetation. Guntersville Lake is the largest Alabama lake with a surface area of 69,100 acres. The largest populations of alligator gar are found in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta system. As such, its a very popular tourist attraction with the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge managing the area. White bass fishing is fair with Alabama rigs, crank baits or jigs in creek channels. Its very well-known as a great fishing location, but also as one of the best camping lakes in Alabama. Although not native to our coastal rivers. They may also consume young of their own kind if food is scarce. The state record, which weighed a whopping 151 pounds (68 kg), was fished in the Tensaw River in 2004. The latest TVA results showed that Wheeler and Guntersville's average fish each weighted about 2.1 pounds. Lake Guntersville has many varieties of habitat. This sturgeons native habitats, much like those of Alabamas other endemic fish, are definitely in need of more effective conservation efforts. Also known as the shellcracker, the redear sunfish is most abundant where its favored prey types mollusks and snails are found. The fish, which was caught in Tannehill State Park, weighed a total of 9 pounds (4 kg). Areopening date will be announced at a later time. Apart from fish, they are able to consume many types of amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals. This exotic fish is one of the most troublesome invasive species on the planet. Its populations help control the growth and spread of macroinvertebrates and, in turn, serve as a vital food source for secondary and tertiary consumers. A reopening date will be announced at a later time. Alabama's Bass can reach impressive sizes. Spawning success of both species has been confirmed in the Choctawhatchee and Conecuh rivers but not in the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers. The lake has been newly refurbished and is a 120-acre lake just a mile north away from Sylvania in Dekalb County, Alabama. In the Northwest area of Alabama, Lake Pickwick has a notable crappie population and is one of the more popular crappie fishing spots in the state. Alabamas geologic formations are important factors in the diversity of the states fish communities in several ways. When was Lay Lake built? At most, they usually grow to a modest length of about 13 inches (33 cm) and rarely weigh more than 2 pounds (0.9 kg) at maturity. Mettee, Maurice F., Patrick E. ONeil, and J. Malcolm Pierson. As a carnivore, it feeds on smaller fish. The orangetail shiner is the only endemic species whose entire coastal river range is contained within Alabamas borders. Whether analyzed from a traditional perspective or from current trends, fisheries like Eufaula, Martin, Weiss, and Pickwick rank favorably with any crappie lakes in the country, and even out-of-the-way stops like . The ideal spot to rest while fishing is in Guntersville State Park! With a great population of largemouth bass, as well as spotted bass, its the best lake for bass-fishing in Central Alabama. The most popular areas are the Wilson Dam tailwater and the basin at Colbert Fossil Plant, where warm water attracts fish during the winter. Jordan Lake is a 6,800-acre impoundment located 25 miles north of Montgomery in central Alabama on the Coosa River. It is home to the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series Championship, which initially started in 2013. Many lake-dwelling forms of the species are able to grow up to 20 pounds (9 kg), but riverine forms are much smaller in adulthood and max out at around 5 pounds (2.3 kg). Lay Lake covers 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) and has a shoreline about 289 miles (465 km) long. Reaching massive lengths, the blue cat is the largest catfish species in the Nearctic. Expect good largemouth bass fishing and channel catfish year-round and enjoy a good mixture of fish on this lake. Male and female spring pygmy sunfish exhibit markedly different coloration. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. The last entry on our list is located near Jackson, Alabama, and its about 8,500 acres in size. Lake Guntersville extends 75 miles with rich hardwoods and pine! Each lake is intensively managed to provide quality fishing on a sustained basis. There are plenty of bass, crappie, walleye, catfish and sunfish. Able to feed on practically all forms of living and decaying animals, this phenomenal species is likewise abundant in the Alabama River. Though the state is relatively small, its variation in terrain is nothing short of diverse. He, Freshwater is one of Alabama's greatest assets. These minnows possess attractively vivid coloration in adulthood, especially during the breeding period. One of the best fishing targets in Alabama is the elegant Lake Martin. Birmingham: Oxmoor House, 2003. Click the images and links above for species details. Alabamas rich diversity of fishes is directly influenced by a temperate climate; relatively high year-round rainfall (averaging about 60 inches annually for the state as a whole); a large network of rivers, streams, springs, and lakes; and a diverse geological setting. Fishes are very important to Alabamas economy, the environmental integrity of its rivers and streams, and the recreational enjoyment of its citizens. Its difficult for most freshwater fish to match the expansive spread of the common carp, which is a remarkably hardy species. NOW PROTECTED IN AL. Bear Creek Reservoir is a 1,500-acre lake in the northeast corner of AL, nearby Atwood. The qualifications for this List of Alabama lakes is that the lake contains sports fish, is open to the public and is managed by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or other state or federal agencies. Young Gulf sturgeons actively feed on benthic (bottom-dwelling) invertebrates in freshwater rivers for one to two years before they migrate downstream into marine habitats. In fact, one-sixth of the states total land area is covered in freshwater resources like lakes, estuaries, reservoirs, ponds, and springs. R E Bob Woodruff Lake, AKA Jones Bluff Reservoir is a 12,500-acre lake located in central Alabama between Montgomery and Selma. Bluegill and redear sunfish are overflowing in this lake. Guntersville, the county seat of Marshall County, is located along the shores of Lake Guntersville. Individuals live in freshwater rivers for 6 to 9 years. Some adults remain in deep pools and around submerged structures in freshwater rivers after spawning ends, and others occasionally migrate between freshwater and marine environments. Aside from crappie and largemouth bass, theres also hybrid striped bass and bream. Other common names for this species are strawberry perch, molly, and red-eyed bream. Gulf sturgeon and Alabama shad are still infrequently encountered in the Alabama, Choctawhatchee, Conecuh, and Tombigbee rivers, Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, and Mobile Bay. Some of their catch is sold locally, but most is cleaned, packed in ice, and shipped to northern markets. Lake Eufaula, AKA Walter F George Lake, is a 45,000-acre lake located in the southeast corner of the state, on the AL/GA border. Cody Wellons / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Its hard, pharyngeal teeth allow it to break tough exoskeletons, giving it a competitive edge in macroinvertebrate-rich lakebeds. Compared to many types of sunfish, the warmouth has a competitive edge in polluted waters due to its tolerance for low-oxygen conditions. Some of these boast year-round trout fishing opportunities, but strict possession limits must be observed. Law Enforcement Contacts Fisheries Contacts Wildlife Contacts The local variation in prey types and wide range of bottom habitats enable its high spawning success rates. It covers more than 45,000 acres and is nicknamed the "Bass Fishing Capital of the World." People come from all over the world to fish from this beautiful lake. Alabama. The upper Coosa and Tombigbee Rivers are recognized nationally for their excellent crappie fishing. Lake Guntersville is a 68,000-acre lake located on the Tennessee River in the northeast corner of Alabama. The redear sunfish is a favorite game fish for local anglers in several coastal rivers. The endangered Gulf sturgeon is an anadromous species that spends most of its adult life migrating between saltwater and freshwater systems. We caught up with Texas native, Bassmaster Opens EQ angler and former Bassmaster Elite Series pro Clark Reehm to . All lakes were originally stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill (bream), redear sunfish (shellcracker), and channel catfish. Walter F. George Lake, Eufaula, AL 36027, USA 3. The scientific descriptions of 71 of Alabamas fish species were based on fishes that were collected at specific sites, known as type localities, within Alabama and Mobile basin tributaries in adjacent states. Additionally, The Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division manage 23 public lakes. Lay Lake is a 12,000-acre lake located 30 miles south of Birmingham in east-central Alabama. It's one of Alabama's most popular lakes for tournament fishing. In Alabama, this fish has been caught in several rivers associated with the Mobile Basin. The distributions and life histories of several riverine species have been altered by the construction of navigation locks and dams, habitat loss resulting from dredging activities, pulsed discharges of cold water from hydroelectric dams, and water pollution. Fishes of Alabama and the Mobile Basin. Located a bit northern from our previous two entries, Neely Henry Lake was formed by the building of the Neely Henry Dam. 1780 County Road 102. As a predator, it feeds by lying motionless in productive shorelines, only darting forward to catch unsuspecting prey. Its rich with largemouth bass, white and black crappie, as well as channel, flathead, and blue catfish. Alabamas numerous freshwater rivers, reservoirs, streams, springs, and lakes are home to more than 450 fish species in 29 familiesthe most found in any other state or province in North America. 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