Part of a series on |
Fishing |
---|
Regional |
Rockies |
Other |
Alabama has a rich history and diversity of freshwater and saltwater sport fishing opportunities within its extensive rivers systems, farm ponds and the inshore and offshore saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico., [1] [2] The Bass Angler's Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), the leading promoter of competitive bass fishing was founded by Ray Scott in 1967 in Montgomery, Alabama. [3] Alabama hosts numerous local, regional and national fishing tournaments every year.
Alabama supports 11 million angler fishing days with expenditures of three-quarters of a billion dollars, so join in the fun! [2]
Alabama hosts 47 reservoirs larger than 500 acres (2.0 km2) that cover 551,220 acres (2,230.7 km2), 23 Alabama State Public Fishing Lakes, and 77,000 miles (124,000 km) of perennial rivers, streams and the Mobile Delta as well as over 60 miles (97 km) of shoreline along the Gulf Coast that provide fresh and saltwater fishing opportunity.
The Official Freshwater Fish of Alabama is the Largemouth Bass. [4] In general, Alabama freshwater fishing is a warmwater fishery, although stocked trout are available in several locations. The most targeted species are largemouth and smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, brim (bluegill, shellcracker, etc.), stripe (white bass, striped bass and hybrids) as well as catfish. There are limited fisheries for shoal bass, walleye and sauger. Big rivers and reservoirs dominate the freshwater fishing landscape in Alabama [5] but there is also an abundance of small streams, creeks and ponds available. The Tennessee Valley Authority, US Army Corps of Engineers, Alabama Power, and the Alabama Department of Natural Resources all maintain and promote freshwater fishing access on the waters they oversee.
Below is a table of state freshwater fishing records. [6]
Species | Weight | Date | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Bass, Largemouth | 16 lb 8 oz | 11/3/1987 | Mtn. View Lake, Shelby Co |
Bass, Redeye (b) | 3 lb 2 oz | 3/8/2000 | Choccolocco Creek |
Bass, Rock | 1 lb 6 oz | 5/6/1995 | Paint Rock River |
Bass, Shoal (now protected in Alabama, release when captured) | 6 lb 11 oz | 2/25/1996 | Halawakee Creek |
Bass, Smallmouth (c) | 10 lb 8 oz | 10/8/1950 | Wheeler Dam tailwater |
Bass, Spotted (b) | 8 lb 15 oz | 3/18/1978 | Lewis Smith |
Bass, Striped | 55 lb | 1955 | Tallapoosa River |
Bass, Striped Hybrid | 25 lb 15 oz | 9/13/1996 | Sipsey Fork |
Bass, White | 4 lb 9 oz | 2/14/1987 | Warrior River |
Bass, Yellow (a) | 2 lb 8 oz | 4/12/2000 | Guntersville Reservoir, Jackson Co. |
Bowfin | 18 lb 6 oz (8.3 kg) | 7/31/2005 | Lake Tuscaloosa |
Buffalo | 57 lb | 4/13/1990 | Guntersville Reservoir |
Bullhead | 3 lb 13 oz | 4/8/1984 | Private Pond, Montgomery. Co. |
Carp, Common | 35 lb | 4/19/1980 | Bear Creek, Colbert County |
Carp, Grass | 73 lb | 4/10/2012 | Guntersville Reservoir |
Catfish, Blue (b) | 120 lb 4 oz | 3/9/2012 | Holt Reservoir |
Catfish, Channel | 40 lb | 6/17/1967 | Inland Lake |
Catfish, Flathead | 80 lb | 6/22/1986 | Alabama River, Selma |
Catfish, White | 10 lb 5 oz | 4/3/1981 | Chambers Co. Public Lake |
Crappie, Black (tie) | 4 lb 5 oz | 6/2/1997 | private pond in Jefferson Co. |
Crappie, White | 4 lb 9 oz | 5/8/2000 | Lake Martin, Tallapoosa Co. |
Drum, Freshwater (b) | 41 lb 8 oz | 7/24/1949 | Wilson Reservoir |
Eel, American | 5 lb 8 oz | 5/11/1989 | Lake Shechi, Chilton Co. |
Gar, Alligator | 151 lb 5 oz | 8/13/2004 | Tensaw River |
Gar, Longnose | 32 lb 14oz | 4/18/1985 | Jordan Reservoir |
Gar, Spotted | 8 lb 12 oz | 8/26/1987 | Cotaco Creek |
Herring, Skipjack | 3 lb 4 oz | 5/2/2012 | Mulberry Fork |
Muskellunge | 19 lb 8 oz | 12/31/1972 | Wilson Dam tailwater |
Paddlefish | 52 lb 12 oz | 3/18/1982 | Wilson Dam tailwater |
Perch, Yellow | 1 lb 15 oz | 2/26/2000 | Wheeler Reservoir, Limestone Co. |
Pickerel, Chain | 6 lb 6 oz | 6/24/1976 | Dyas Creek, Baldwin County |
Pickerel, Redfin | 0 lb 11 oz | 8/24/2010 | Armstrong Creek, Wash. Co. |
Redhorse, Silver (a) | 14 lb 14 oz | 4/24/1995 | Wilson Dam tailwater |
Sauger | 5 lb 2 oz | 3/5/1972 | Wilson Dam tailwater |
Sunfish, Bluegill (a) | 4 lb 12 oz | 4/9/1950 | Ketona Lake, Birmingham |
Sunfish, Green | 1 lb 9 oz | 8/10/2005 | McLamore Pond, Walker County |
Sunfish, Longear | 8 oz | 5/12/1990 | Yellow River |
Sunfish, Redbreast | 1 lb 4 oz | 6/12/2010 | Choctawhatchee River |
Sunfish, Redear (b) | 4 lb 4 oz | 5/5/1962 | Chattahoochee State Park |
Trout, Rainbow | 9 lb 1 oz | 4/22/2006 | Mud Creek, Tannehill State Park |
Walleye | 10 lb 14 oz | 6/24/1980 | Weiss Reservoir |
Warmouth | 1 lb 12 oz | 4/25/1986 | Farm Pond |
(a) World Record, Rod And Reel (b) Previous World Record, Rod and Reel (c) Previous World Record, Any Method | |||
Alabama has excellent access to the offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico from Mobile and Perdio Bays. Inshore and estuarial fishing opportunities are extensive in both upper and lower Mobile Bay, but extend from Grand Bay in the Mississippi Sound on the West to the western shores of Peridio Bay near Orange Beach, Alabama.
The Official Saltwater Fish of Alabama is the Tarpon. [7]
Species [8] | Weight | Date |
---|---|---|
Amberjack, Greater | 127 lb12oz | 06/19/81 |
Angelfish, Blue | 2 lb3z | 04/29/01 |
Barracuda, Great | 52 lb4oz | 07/15/05 |
Barrelfish | 12 lb 0 Oz | 07/07/06 |
Bass, Longtail | 5 lb 10 Oz | 07/15/06 |
Bass, Striped | 55 lb 0 Oz | 06/22/76 |
Bigeye | 3 lb 2 Oz | 06/28/06 |
Bluefish | 17 lb 4 Oz | 06/05/04 |
Bonito, Atlantic | 5 lb 5 Oz | 12/31/94 |
Brotula, Bearded | 19 lb 8 Oz | 08/09/97 |
Catfish, Gafftopsail | 8 lb 13 Oz | 07/11/92 |
Catfish, Sea | 3 lb 1 oz | 5/2/2012 |
Chub, Bermuda | 10 lb 5 Oz | 6/17/2006 |
Chub, Yellow | 7 lb 4 Oz | 10/22/2002 |
Cobia | 117 lb 7 Oz | 4/18/1995 |
Creolefish | 0 lb 13 Oz | 1/28/2004 |
Crevalle Jack | 39 lb 4 Oz | 8/20/1994 |
Cubbyhu | 2 lb 3 oz | 7/13/2013 |
Croaker, Atlantic | 4 lb 0 Oz | 9/3/1994 |
Doctorfish | 1 lb 4 Oz | 9/13/2007 |
Dolphinfish, Common | 60 lb 0 Oz | 5/27/1989 |
Dolphinfish, Pompano | 4 lb 2 oz | 6/30/2012 |
Drum, Black | 61 lb 0 Oz | 4/20/2002 |
Drum, Red | 45 lb 9 oz | 7/9/2013 |
Escolar | 62 lb 7 Oz | 04/27/03 |
Filefish | 8 lb 8 Oz | 10/12/1991 |
Flounder, Southern | 13 lb 3 Oz | 10/15/1975 |
Grouper, Black | 106 lb 3.2 Oz | 8/11/2012 |
Grouper, Gag | 74 lb 8 Oz | 1963 |
Grouper, Red | 34 lb 10 Oz | 3/23/2002 |
Grouper, Scamp | 29 lb 10 Oz | 07/22/00 |
Grouper, Snowy | 52 lb 9 Oz | 07/07/06 |
Grouper, Warsaw | 226 lb 0 Oz | 07/18/88 |
Grouper, Yellowedge | 46 lb 9.2 oz (21.13 kg) | 6/30/2012 |
Hake, Southern | 3 lb 4.5 oz (1.49 kg) | 4/23/2006 |
Hind, Red | 2 lb 14 Oz | 07/17/87 |
Hind, Rock | 3 lb 7.2 oz | 7/17/2012 |
Hind, Speckled | 39 lb 13 oz | 5/28/2011 |
Jack, Almaco | 47 lb 8 Oz | 05/11/02 |
Jack, Horse-eye | 15 lb 5 oz | 7/10/2007 |
Kingfish, Gulf/Southern | 2 lb 15 Oz | 09/04/01 |
Ladyfish | 4 lb 8 Oz | 07/28/06 |
Little Tunny | 21 lb 0 Oz | 1956 |
Lookdown | 2 lb 2 Oz | 08/24/97 |
Mackerel, King | 69 lb 10 oz | 5/6/2012 |
Mackerel, Spanish | 8 lb 12 Oz | 10/19/93 |
Marlin, Blue | 845 lb 13 oz | 7/12/2013 |
Marlin, White | 98 lb 13 Oz | 05/24/97 |
Moonfish, Atlantic | 1 lb 0 Oz | 08/12/03 |
Mullet, Striped | 1 lb 2 Oz | 06/14/03 |
Pinfish | 3 lb 2 Oz | 05/15/01 |
Pompano, African | 39 lb 7 Oz | 09/09/89 |
Pompano, Florida (Tie) | 5 lb 8 Oz | 11/11/99 & 10/21/03 |
Porgy, Red | 7 lb 6 Oz | 06/16/91 |
Porgy, Whitebone | 5 lb 10 oz | 7/17/2011 |
Puffer, Smooth | 10 lb 3 oz | 4/2/2013 |
Rosefish, Blackbelly | 4 lb 13 Oz | 07/13/12 |
Runner, Rainbow | 19 lb 9 Oz | 09/10/06 |
Runner, Blue | 11 lb 2 Oz | 06/28/97 |
Sailfish, Atlantic | 81 lb 0 Oz | 1974 |
Seabass, Black | 3 lb 2 Oz | 07/31/00 |
Searobin, Blackwing | 1 lb (0.45 kg) 13 Oz | 04/24/05 |
Seatrout, Sand/Silver | 6 lb (2.7 kg) 11 Oz | 07/12/97 |
Seatrout, Spotted | 12 lb (5.4 kg) 4 Oz | 05/06/80 |
Shark, Atl.Sharpnose | 16 lb (7.3 kg) 3 Oz | 05/12/06 |
Shark, Bull | 336 lb (152 kg) 8 Oz | 8/3/2012 |
Shark, Lemon | 278 lb (126 kg) 8 Oz | 07/21/95 |
Shark, Mako | 737 lb (334 kg) 0 Oz | 08/20/78 |
Shark, Tiger | 988 lb (448 kg) 8 Oz | 06/24/90 |
Sharksucker | 4 lb (1.8 kg) 7 Oz | 05/12/04 |
Sheepshead | 12 lb (5.4 kg) 15 Oz | 11/20/01 |
Slimehead, Darwins | 4 lb 0 oz | 6/30/2012 |
Snapper, Cubera | 52 lb (24 kg) 0 Oz | 05/20/88 |
Snapper, Dog | 13 lb 4 Oz | 7/16/2004 |
Snapper, Gray | 15 lb 11 Oz | 7/3/2003 |
Snapper, Lane | 8 lb 1 oz | 7/15/2011 |
Snapper, Mutton | 20 lb 12 Oz | 6/25/2006 |
Snapper, Red | 44 lb 12 Oz | 6/1/2002 |
Snapper, Silk | 6 lb 3 Oz | 5/27/2006 |
Snapper, Vermilion | 7 lb 3 Oz | 6/6/1987 |
Snapper, Yellowtail | 6 lb 15 oz | 7/5/2011 |
Spadefish, Atlantic | 6 lb 12 Oz | 4/14/2003 |
Spearfish, Longbill | 53 lb 0 Oz | 5/29/1905 |
Squirrelfish | 1 lb 1 Oz | 8/4/2006 |
Stargazer, Southern | 6 lb 4.5 Oz | 4/13/2006 |
Stingray, Roughtail | 160 lb 0 Oz | 8/6/2000 |
Stingray, Southern | 125 lb 0 Oz | 8/20/1998 |
Swordfish | 448 lb 0 Oz | 9/16/2006 |
Tarpon | 203 lb 0 oz | 8/15/1992 |
Tilefish, Atlantic Golden | 5 lb 0 oz | 5/16/2012 |
Tilefish, Blue Line | 6 lb 12 oz | 5/29/2006 |
Tilefish, Great Northern | 29 lb 4 oz | 5/12/2007 |
Tilefish, Sand | 2 lb 1 oz | 7/24/2012 |
Triggerfish, Gray | 13 lb 8 oz | 5/31/1993 |
Triggerfish, Ocean | 7 lb 10 oz | 8/10/2013 |
Triggerfish, Queen | 7 lb 8 oz | 7/6/1999 |
Tripletail | 37 lb 5 oz | 1979 |
Tuna, Big Eye | 107 lb 1 oz | 8/2/2012 |
Tuna, Blackfin | 35 lb 2 oz | 7/1/2008 |
Tuna, Bluefin | 829 lb 6 oz | 6/3/2006 |
Tuna, Skipjack | 32 b 6 oz | 8/31/2013 |
Tuna, Yellowfin | 22 1b 7.2 oz | 6/3/2006 |
Wahoo | 123 lb 6 oz | 5/6/2006 |
Wreckfish | 68 lb 6 oz | 5/6/2006 |
The spotted bass, also called spotty, or spots in various fishing communities, is a species of North American freshwater fish belonging to the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of the order Perciformes. It is noted for the rows of dark spots below the lateral line, which give it its common name. One of the black basses, it is native to the Mississippi River basin and across the Gulf states, from central Texas through the Florida panhandle. Its native range extends into the western Mid-Atlantic states and it has been introduced into western North Carolina and Virginia. It has also been introduced to southern Africa, where it has become established in some isolated waters as an invasive species.
The striped bass, also called the Atlantic striped bass, striper, linesider, rock, or rockfish, is an anadromous perciform fish of the family Moronidae found primarily along the Atlantic coast of North America. It has also been widely introduced into inland recreational fisheries across the United States. Striped bass found in the Gulf of Mexico are a separate strain referred to as Gulf Coast striped bass.
The largemouth bass is a carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fish in the Centrarchidae (sunfish) family, native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico. It is known by a variety of regional names, such as the widemouth bass, bigmouth bass, black bass, bucketmouth, largie, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, bucketmouth bass, green trout, Gilsdorf bass, Oswego bass, LMB, and southern largemouth and northern largemouth.
Bass fishing is the recreational fishing activity, typically via rod-based angling, for various game fishes of North America known collectively as black bass. There are numerous black bass species targeted in North America, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass or Kentucky bass, and Guadalupe bass. All black bass species are members of the sunfish family Centrarchidae.
Lake Winnebago is a shallow freshwater lake in the north central United States, located in east central Wisconsin. At 137,700 acres, it is the largest lake entirely within the state, covering an area of about 30 miles by 10 miles with 88 miles of shoreline, an average depth of 15.5 feet, and a maximum depth of 21 feet. It has many shallow reefs along the west shore and a drop-off type shoreline on the east. There are several islands along the west shore.
Cape Cod Bay is a large bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Measuring 604 square miles (1,560 km2) below a line drawn from Brant Rock in Marshfield to Race Point in Provincetown, Massachusetts, it is enclosed by Cape Cod to the south and east, and Plymouth County, Massachusetts, to the west. To the north of Cape Cod Bay lie Massachusetts Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Cape Cod Bay is the southernmost extremity of the Gulf of Maine. Cape Cod Bay is one of the bays adjacent to Massachusetts that give it the name Bay State. The others are Narragansett Bay, Buzzards Bay, and Massachusetts Bay.
Logan Martin Lake is a reservoir located in east central Alabama on the Coosa River approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Birmingham, Alabama. This 17,000-acre (69 km2) reservoir was built in 1965 by Alabama Power Company. The lake, nicknamed Lake of a Thousand Coves by locals, has 275 miles (443 km) of shoreline along its 48.5-mile (78.1 km) length sandwiched between Logan Martin Dam on the south and Neely Henry Dam on the north. The depth of the lake is 35 to 110 feet (34 m) with only five feet average water level variance.
Lake Lafayette is a prairie lake located in the coastal lowland in eastern Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida with US 27 / State Road 20 running close on its south side.
An artificial fly or fly lure is a type of fishing lure, usually used in the sport of fly fishing. In general, artificial flies are an imitation of aquatic insects that are natural food of the target fish species the fly fishers try to catch. Artificial flies are constructed by fly tying, in which furs, feathers, thread or any of very many other materials are tied onto a fish hook.
Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area is a 1,980-acre (800 ha) state park located in Fayette County, Illinois, United States. The nearest town is Ramsey, Illinois, and the park is adjacent to U.S. Highway 51. The park is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
Striped bass are perciform fish found all along the Atlantic coast, from Florida to Nova Scotia. A distinct strain has historically existed in the Gulf of Mexico, but the fishery that exists there today is for stocked or reservoir-escapee fish. Striped bass are of significant value as sporting fish, and have been introduced to many areas outside their native range.
Lums Pond State Park is a 1,790-acre (720 ha) Delaware state park near Bear, New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The park surrounds Lums Pond, an impoundment built by the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal on St. Georges Creek. The C&D built the pond as a source of water to fill the locks of the canal that connected the Chesapeake Bay with the Delaware River during the early 19th century. Lums Pond State Park is open for a wide variety of year-round recreation.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) is the state agency responsible for the conservation and management of Alabama's natural resources including state parks, state lands, wildlife and aquatic resources. ADCNR also issues hunting and fishing licenses for the state. The department promotes wise stewardship and enjoyment of the state's natural resources through five divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Supporting those divisions are seven support sections: Accounting, Diversity and Recruiting, Engineering, Information and Education, Information Technology, Legal, and Personnel and Payroll.
The threadfin shad is a small pelagic freshwater forage fish common in lakes, large streams and reservoirs of the Southeastern United States. Like the American gizzard shad, the threadfin shad has an elongated dorsal fin, but unlike the gizzard shad, its mouth is more terminal without a projecting upper jaw. The fins of threadfin shad often have a yellowish color, especially the caudal fin. The back is grey to blue with a dark spot on the shoulder. D. petenense is more often found in moving water, and is rarely found deep in the water column. It occurs in large schools, sometimes with gizzard shad, and can be seen on the surface at dawn and dusk. The threadfin shad may reach lengths of 8 in (200 mm), but only rarely. This fish is very sensitive to changes in temperature and dissolved oxygen, and die-offs are frequent in late summer and fall, especially when water temperature drops to 42 °F. The threadfin shad is a favorite food for many game fishes, including striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and catfish. This fish is widely introduced throughout the United States as a forage for game fish.
The mimic shiner is a species of North American cyprinid freshwater fish in the genus Notropis. The genus Notropis is commonly known as the eastern shiners. It is native to areas of the Hudson Bay drainage, Great Lakes drainage, much of the Mississippi River basin including areas of Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and regions of the Gulf of Mexico extending from Mobile Bay to the drainage of Texas. However, this particular species can be found in other places such as the Atlantic Coast drainage in Connecticut and Housatonic rivers. This genus is usually characterized by almost all having a complete lateral line, 8 dorsal fin rays, a premaxillae protactile, and a silvery or speckled peritoneum. As the common name indicates, this species is difficult to classify in the wild because it looks similar to many other shiners. In fact, some even hypothesize that this species is actually a complexity of many cryptic species. While this is the case, it is important to take more caution to not misidentify this species and to understand its impact on introduced areas.
The fishing industry plays a significant part in the national economy of Pakistan. With a coastline of about 1,120 km, Pakistan has enough fishery resources that remain to be developed. Most of the population of the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan depends on fisheries for livelihood. It is also a major source of export earning.
Piney Run Park is a nature park in Sykesville, located in Carroll County, Maryland. It is Carroll County's oldest developed park and hosts thousands of visitors annually. The park encompasses 550 acres of fields, forest and open spaces, features over 15 miles of hiking trails, a 300-acre lake and many sports and recreational facilities. Prior to being a park, this land was a private farm.
Schumaker Pond is a 35-acre pond created by damming Beaverdam Creek, in Wicomico County, Maryland. The pond is owned by the City of Salisbury and is on the eastern end of the Salisbury City Park. The maximum water depth is 5 feet near the dam, in the old creek channel. In the 1950s-60s Schumaker Pond was popular for swimming, but swimming has since been banned due to the large quantities of E-Coli bacteria in the water. Since then, the pond is often used for fishing.
Powerton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area is a 1,426-acre (577 ha) area of semi-protected habitat on the Illinois River southwest of to the city of Pekin, Illinois within Tazewell County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The parcel is a cooling reservoir owned by NRG Energy, an electric power generating firm, and is operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The lake is used for fishing, with an emphasis on blue catfish. In addition, IDNR states that approximately 60% of the cooling pond is used for duck and goose hunting during legal hunting seasons. The remaining 40% of the pond is maintained as a waterfowl refuge on a year-round basis.