The 5 Best Fishing Lakes in Alabama

Whether you’re out on the water trying to set a new personal record or you just want to enjoy the thrill of fishing with friends, you first need to know which lakes provide the best chances for success. Discover the five best fishing lakes in Alabama!

1. Walter F. George Lake

Location: Eufaula, AL

Walter F. George Lake is on the border between Georgia and Alabama. It’s known as the “Big Bass Capital of the World,” and you can access it at any time throughout the year. It’s free! This lake is also commonly referred to as Lake Eufaula. Here, you can picnic and camp, but you can also go boating and fishing. You have 85 miles of the Chattahoochee River to enjoy and well over 600 miles of shoreline. It’s known as the “Bass Capital of the World” because you can find spotted bass, white bass, largemouth bass, and striped bass. You can also find blue gill, common bream, blue catfish, black crappie, and channel catfish!

2. Wheeler Lake

Location: Northern Alabama

This is the second-largest lake in the state and runs along the Tennessee River. Wheeler Lake was created to generate hydroelectricity and also to assist with flood control. There are plenty of recreational activities for you to explore at Wheeler Lake. For anglers, it’s a popular spot to visit year-round. Some of the most popular fish species you can find in the lake include smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and spotted bass. There are also blue catfish, bream, and crappie found in Wheeler Lake. In fact, a blue catfish world record was set at this lake in 1996!

There are multiple launch facilities around the lake and several marinas as well. Take your boat out or enjoy a kayak or canoe out on the water. This is a popular lake for national fishing tournaments as well. It’s an Alabama Bass Trail Lake, which allows hundreds of new anglers to compete in a tournament. Keep in mind that you do need your freshwater fishing license to fish in this lake but once you have that, you’re all set to head out and enjoy a relaxing fishing trip!

3. Lake Guntersville

Location: Northeast Alabama

To visit Lake Guntersville, you have to head up to Northeast Alabama. The state park is massive and offers 6,000 acres of beautiful woodlands. You can also splurge and enjoy a resort environment if that’s your preference. There’s plenty to do here including golfing, zip-lining, hiking, biking, and, of course, fishing! This lake spans from Nickajack Dam to Guntersville Dam for a total of 75 miles. It contains 69,000 acres and throughout the perimeter of the lake, you can find private marinas and free boat ramps. Nearly 70% of the anglers fishing at this lake are looking for largemouth bass but you can also find redear sunfish, bream, sauger, catfish, bluegill, and long-eared sunfish. Since there are so many boat ramps available, this is a great lake if you like going out on your kayak to fish.

4. Pickwick Lake

Location: Florence, AL

Pickwick Lake runs from the Wilson Dam over to the Pickwick Dam in Tennessee. During the summer season is when the lake is at its fullest. At this time of the year, there are nearly 500 miles of shoreline and 47,500 water surface acres. Anglers typically go for largemouth bass in this lake, but Pickwick Lake is also known for its fantastic smallmouth bass fishing. Other fish species you can find at this lake include crappie, sauger, blue catfish, and channel catfish. There are some restrictions at Pickwick Lake that you should be aware of before you head out. For example, there is a 14-inch minimum size restriction when it comes to smallmouth bass. Additionally, crappie has to be longer than nine inches in order to take it home with you!

5. Neely Henry Lake

Location: Northeast Alabama

Neely Henry Lake is one of the best fishing lakes in Alabama. It boasts nearly 340 miles of shoreline, and it covers more than 11,000 acres. You have multiple recreational opportunities at this lake that include swimming, boating, and fishing. You can take out a jet ski, enjoy water sports, or just enjoy the day fishing. Some of the fish you can find at Neely Henry Lake include spotted bass, white crappie, largemouth bass, striped bass, and bluegill. Additionally, you may come across white bass, hybrid striped bass, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, and red-ear sunfish. Look for freshwater drum, gizzard shad, or threadfin shad as well!

Summary of the 5 Best Lakes in Alabama for Fishing

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