Alabama Fish Species & State Records The state of Alabama offers a variety of fishing including lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. Bass tournaments and recreational fishing activities generate considerable revenues for Alabamas state and local economies. This stunningly colored ray-finned fish grows to a maximum length of just 2 inches (5 cm). 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. With 68,000 acres, spanning 75 miles from Nickajack Dam to . Anglers can expect to catch largemouth bass and spotted bass. Alabama is revered as one of the most popular spots to fish for bass in the country. NOW PROTECTED IN AL. Over the years, this lake has grown into a popular fishing destination, offering plenty of smallmouth bass. Its possible that no individuals exist outside of this area. The black bass may be more difficult but worth finding. Black crappies are known for being prolific breeders with a tendency to overpopulate small bodies of water. Lake Guntersville is a 68,000-acre lake located on the Tennessee River in the northeast corner of Alabama. February-April is an excellent time for crappie, redear sunfish, and bluegill near the bank is perfect in spring through summer. Catadromous fishes spend most of their life in fresh water and migrate to salt water to spawn. With 500 miles of shoreline and 27 square miles of water surface, this lake is very popular amongst locals as a fishing ground. Its one of the best fishing lakes in West Alabama, and its been managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers since the 1980s. They begin moving downstream toward the coast in August and September. Chambers County PFL is closed due to draining and restocking. Located a bit northern from our previous two entries. Your email address will not be published. During the 2012 Alabama Nongame Symposium, the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources published a series of reports on Alabamas imperiled vertebrate and aquatic mussel and snail species. The best catfish angling on the Coosa River is at Lay Lake and Lake Mitchell. 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. Pickwick Lake is a 43,000-acre reservoir located in the extreme northwest corner Alabama on the Tennessee River. Walter F. George Lake, which is best known as Lake Eufaula, is located on the Chattahoochee River between the states of Alabama and Georgia. It occupies a narrow climate range, where it thrives best in the vegetative zones of streams. Its actually very close to Wheeler Lake, as the two are separated by a dam. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books, 2004. Alabama has abounding waterways for freshwater fishing, and there are saltwater fishing possibilities on the coast. In addition to its rich nongame fish fauna, the Tennessee River is one of the finest fishing areas in the United States for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and sauger. In fact, the world record bluegill came from a small private lake in central Alabama way back in the early 1950s. Visit AA-Boats-Boating.com to find information about fishing boats in Alabama and other boating information. White crappie and black crappie have become established in many lakes. A growing understanding of the direct relationship between water quality and the health of Alabamas fish communities has prompted many state and federal agencies to incorporate fish community sampling as part of their regular water-quality monitoring programs across the United States. They may also be tricky to catch as they rarely stray away from cover. Excellent largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, shoal and redeye bass fishing opportunities are available to anglers in many lakes and ponds in Alabama. After spawning is completed, the adults die. 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. These migration routes were blocked, however, when high-lift hydroelectric dams and navigation locks and dams were constructed on lower sections of the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers. You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Also maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Coffeeville Lake is a great fishing location with campsites, showers, and a boat ramp. Lay Lake is a 12,000-acre reservoir fed by the tailwaters of the Logan Martin Dam. Known for being an aggressive black bass, the smallmouth can easily out-compete larger types of bass despite its moderate size. This total not only includes about 325 described (formally named) and undescribed (recognized but not formally named) native freshwater species, but also 15 introduced (nonnative) freshwater species, and 100 or more marine species. The Mobile Basin provides some of the best game fishing habitat and opportunities in North America. See: Alabama List of U.S. National Forests. Additional information and rules for each lake is available from the lake manager, the Alabama Fisheries Section at (334) 242-3471, or the PFL Biologist, Jonathan Brown. This carnivorous fish is found in many of Alabamas rivers, large streams, and estuaries. However, it is still very rich in terms of fish species, with bass, bluegill, and channel catfish very common in the area. There are also large populations of bluegill, crappie, catfish, and white bass. Three speciesAlabama shad, ashy darter, and boulder darterhave disappeared from their type localities, but individuals of all three still exist at other locations within their known ranges. It is the largest of all black bass species as its adults are able to weigh as much as 25 pounds (11 kg) in productive waters. Coastal River Systems: Alabama sections of seven coastal river systems located on either side of the Mobile basin are inhabited by 139 fish species. Its highlight may be the . Several of these contain water that is clean enough to drink and is thus perfect for the needs of many aquatic animals and plants. 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. As they rely on visual cues to feed, their success rate as predators is best in high-visibility waters. Upland and consistently cool bodies of water are preferred as feeding and spawning zones. Lake Jordan is recommended for bank fishing. 10 Best Lake Resorts in Iowa [Ranked in 2023], Top 17 Drunkest Cities in America [Report 2023], 12 Major Cemeteries in Iowa [Update 2023], 10 Best Ziplines in Iowa You Must Enjoy [Update 2023], Top 17 Most Boring Cities in America [Report 2023]. Adult Gulf sturgeon usually congregate in coastal bays in January and February, begin their upstream spawning migrations into freshwater rivers during winter floods, and spawn from late March into early May. Though it isnt technically a shark, it does have a largely cartilaginous skeleton and a smooth, grey-colored exterior. Jordan Lake holds sunfish, striped bass, white bass, largemouth bass, spotted bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, and hybrid. | Site Maps, About Us, Advertising, Terms & Contact Us |, Site Maps, About Us, Advertising, Terms & Contact Us. 1 Guntersville Lake. If this is your first fishing experience in the state and dont know which spot to pick, choose one of the 15 best fishing lakes in Alabama from the list below: Located in Elmore County, Jordan Lake is close to the city of Wetumpka. Like many permanent cave dwellers, the Alabama cavefish lacks eyes and any traces of pigmentation. Fishes of Alabama. He, Freshwater is one of Alabama's greatest assets. There are 23 public lakes in the state, ranging from small to massive in size. Sauger Able to feed on practically all forms of living and decaying animals, this phenomenal species is likewise abundant in the Alabama River. It is located 15 miles south of Columbiana in east-central Alabama, famous for boating and fishing tournaments throughout the year. Areopening date will be announced at a later time. Freshwater fish can thrive in Alabamas wetlands due to a unique combination of factors. 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. Overall, Wheeler Lake has been the highest rated lake in terms of TVA's quality indicators in recent years. Channel catfish are stocked in every lake during the winter. If you are a fishing guide in Alabama or know of a good resource, please send us information for consideration. It's very well-known as a great fishing location, but also as one of the best camping lakes in Alabama. Aside from daily fishing throughout most of the year, night fishing is also organized during the summer. Able to thrive in clean springs, reservoirs, and ponds (both private and public), it can easily sustain its local numbers through the annual production of millions of juveniles. Although the Alabama shad does not spawn until its second year, small numbers complete upstream spawning runs with adult fish during their first year after hatching. Guntersville, the city itself, is also called Alabamas Lake City and its one of the best lake towns in America. Commercial fishing and catfish farming generate additional millions of dollars in economic benefits for Alabama annually. Despite that, its still one of the best crappie fishing lakes in Alabama. In fact, one-sixth of the states total land area is covered in freshwater resources like lakes, estuaries, reservoirs, ponds, and springs. When adults reach reproductive age, they begin a long spawning migration that carries them downstream into the Gulf of Mexico, around the southern tip of Florida, and north in the Atlantic Ocean to the Sargasso Sea near the island of Bermuda. 9. It is easily distinguished from other cavefish due to the constricted structure of its elongated snout. With the Elk River flowing from the Cumberland . Distinguished by a handful of bizarre features, it looks exactly like the sort of animal youd find in a lightless environment. The U.S. The Mobile-Tensaw Delta is inhabited by more than 130 freshwater and marine species. The remaining survivors rely on the cover of vegetation in spring pools, where they can safely hunt for aquatic invertebrates. With more than 6,350 species, Alabama ranks fourth among, Alabama's river drainages and abundant water resources are one of the state's most distinctive natural features. Rainbow trout is deliberately stocked as a sport and food fish in many of Alabamas lakes. Although very few sightings have been recorded in the last 10 years, traces of this fishs DNA continue to be found in water samples collected from the river. It is a man-made 44,000-acre reservoir formed by constructing the Martin Dam on the Tallapoosa River. Repeated melting and refreezing of the polar ice caps during this time raised and lowered water levels along Alabamas coastline, thereby providing a perfect opportunity for several Atlantic coast and Mississippi River species to move into Alabama and remain here. As a predator, it feeds by lying motionless in productive shorelines, only darting forward to catch unsuspecting prey. Gulf Sturgeon Fish and Wildlife Service. The sport fish found most in Jordan Lake are bass, bluegill, crappie and sunfish. The largest specimens are able to measure as much as 31 inches (79 cm) long! Found in northeastern Alabama, Weiss Lake is about 30,200 acres-wide, with almost 450 miles of shoreline. Mirarchi, R. E., et al., eds. Popular among many local recreational anglers, it is distinguished from its bluegill cousins by its coloration. Guntersville Lake is the largest Alabama lake with a surface area of 69,100 acres. Another remarkably rare fish, the Alabama cavefish is found in just one cave system in the state the Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge. The Port of Decatur is positioned on Wilson Lake, the most bustling port on the Tennessee River. We are looking for information on local guides who offer services within Alabama. Alabama State Public Fishing Lakes - Small, state-owned lakes in Alabama managed for quality bream, bass and catfish fishing. 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! Accurate identification requires a close inspection of the spines on the fishs dorsal fins. This reserve, not so far away from Jordan Lake, has 39,000 acres of water and a 750-mile-long shoreline, making it one of the largest lakes in Alabama. Tagging and recapture studies have demonstrated that some American eel larvae return to the same river systems occupied by their parents. When was Lay Lake built? The lake is one of Alabama's best-kept fishing secrets. Alligator Gar Its a very large reservoir with almost 7,000 acres of water and a 188-mile-long shoreline. ], 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). Mettee, Maurice F., Patrick E. ONeil, and J. Malcolm Pierson. Often considered a living fossil due to its seemingly primitive characteristics, the alligator gar is one fish that will make any onlookers want to do a double take. Paddlefish Also known as the shellcracker, the redear sunfish is most abundant where its favored prey types mollusks and snails are found. About 33.5 trillion gallons of fresh water flow into and out of Alabamas rivers every year. 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