Lay Lake Fishing Spot

• Acreage: 12000
• Elevation: 522'
• Last Modified By: vinny60 on 09/15/09 09:10 AM
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Lay Lake is a 12,000-acre reservoir located thirty-five minutes south of Birmingham off I-65 and fifteen miles south of Columbiana in east-central Alabama. Lay Lake borders St. Clair, Talladega, Shelby, Coosa, and Chilton Counties. The primary uses for this reservoir are hydroelectric generation and recreation. Lay Lake is popular for tournament fishing and boating recreation. There are seven public access areas with bank and boat access to the tailwaters. Lay Lake is best known for its spotted and largemouth bass fishing. There is a good abundance of largemouth bass up to 18 inches and with moderate numbers of larger bass. There is a very good abundance of spotted bass up to 18 inches with moderate numbers of larger fish. Crappie, 9- to 12-inches are moderately abundant and are found throughout the lake associated with woody cover and weed beds. In 1993 a 9-inch minimum length limit was implemented on crappie to help protect younger fish. Anglers have supported this length limit overwhelmingly. Bream fishing is also very popular in Lay Lake. Bream offer a good summer fishery in creeks with woody cover and around weed beds. The best fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, and bream occurs in creeks and shallow water sloughs. A high quality largemouth and spotted bass fishery exists at Lay Lake Reservoir. Anglers targeting spotted bass should fish riverine portions of the lake. The tailwater fishery below Logan Martin Dam is excellent for hybrid striped bass and catfish. Striped bass are also present. The tailwater area is also popular with anglers who enjoy fishing for largemouth and spotted bass when shad are running along the banks. This is an extremely high use fishery, which is very popular with local anglers.