Alabama is one of those states you have to visit to understand its inherent beauty. The abundance of nature and both national and state parks in Alabama is exceptional. If crappie fishing is high on your list, it’s hard to find a better state than Alabama.
In fact, four of the top 50 best lakes for crappie fishing belong to Alabama. That number becomes more noteworthy when you realize that crappie schools are prevalent in almost every lake in America, no matter where on the map the lakes are.
Everybody has their preferred fishing method, but Missouri live minnows do the trick just fine in Alabama. If you prefer a jig, that’s fine as well. Just slow troll something silver that’s ⅛”, and you’ll fill your boat or kayak with crappie in no time.
9 Best Fishing Lakes in Alabama
Alabama has four lakes in the top 50, but Alabama is certainly not known for crappie. If you have ever fished in Alabama’s lake, you probably already know that crappie are prevalent, but you’re probably not going to break any world records catching them. That’s just fine. We’re just looking for crappie, and here are the best lakes to find them in.
1. Logan Martin Lake
This lake falls in the tenth spot on the top 50 list and just being on that list means the lake is home to plenty of crappie. The main allure of Logan Martin Lake is the largemouth bass, but there are plenty of black and white crappie here as well.
The lake covers 15,000 acres of area and crappie are prevalent all year long. During the summer months, you’ll do better with a sonar. Crappie swim lazily in the water and travel in schools of 12 to 15 at a time. A decent sonar will pick up these schools in 15’ water easily.
2. Claiborne Lake
Claiborne Lake is located just south of Miller’s Ferry Lock and Dam, along the Alabama River. It’s not a huge lake, covering roughly 6,000 acres or so. It’s a good location, and you will find luck both on the lake and on the river itself.
3. Lake Wedowee
This is another lake often overlooked by anglers who aren’t local to the area. In fact, many crappie spawn, grow, and die of old age here without ever seeing a hook. The lake is in East Alabama and south of Interstate 20.
The lake doesn’t sit in the town of Wedowee but is just outside of it. If you talk to the locals there in the town of Wedowee, they will tell you that a spider lure is the best rig to catch crappie on Lake Wedowee.
4. Bear Creek Lakes
This is actually a series of lakes, otherwise known as the Bear Creek Development Authority. They aren’t quite oxbow lakes but give them a few more centuries, and they may be cut off from the Tennessee River entirely.
It’s a series of three lakes where the crappie fishing is outstanding. Like many crappie hotspots throughout Alabama, only the locals seem to know much about them. If you had to choose one of the three lakes, Cedar Lake has the largest crappie population.
5. Lewis Smith Lake
Local Anglers are well aware of the excellent crappie fishing opportunities in Lewis Smith Lake. Out-of-towners flock to Lewis Smith Lake for the spotted bass, but the crappie fishing is pretty good as well.
The thing is, there hasn’t always been a high crappie population in the lake, at least not enough for the locals to notice. They are now. The word on crappie fishing in Lewis Smith Lake is spreading fast, so if you’re planning a trip, put this one first on your list.
6. Lake Eufala
Not to be confused with the lake in Oklahoma of the same name, Alabama’s version is a reservoir that covers 45,181 acres. Back in October of 2014, the lake was tested for its fishing population, and the black crappie were found to be exceptionally abundant.
7. Lake Frank Jackson
Lake Frank Jackson is in Frank Jackson State Park, Opp, Alabama. The crappie tend to congregate around the dam, and anglers like to go after them with jig lures and Missouri live minnows.
8. Lake Pickwick
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. It covers 43,000 acres and is known for having the biggest crappie out of all the lakes in Alabama.
9. Lake Demopolis
Another reservoir on the list, Lake Demopolis has always been popular for the number of white crappie it produces. However, black crappie are on the rise there as well. According to local anglers, nothing about the water has changed, but black crappie are about 50/50 with white crappie today.
Bottom Line
Alabama is much larger than it looks on a map and it’s rife with lakes and reservoirs throughout the state. Most of these lakes have their own, resident population of crappie. Alabama isn’t known for being the crappie fishing capital of the world, but the state offers plenty of crappie fishing opportunities.
There is a lot of country in Alabama, seemingly untouched by civilization. Talking to the local population surrounding certain lakes and reservoirs is the best way to find out where the crappie are.
The people in Alabama are very friendly and welcome. Just be careful because they’ll talk your ear off and are likely to come fishing with you.
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