Fishing at Lay Lake
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Inland Lake - Caught 28 bigger than hand size. 6 shell crackers over 2 lbs.... Continued
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Lay Lake is a Reservoir in Chilton, Alabama.
Do you have a question about Lay Lake, ask it here.
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. Seven public access areas offer bank and boat access to the lake.
Since being impounded in 1914 by the Alabama Power Company, Lay Lake is best known for its spotted bass and largemouth bass fishing. A high quality largemouth bass and spotted bass fishery exists at Lay Reservoir. Largemouth bass up to 18-inches are abundant and with moderate numbers of larger bass. Spotted bass up to 18-inches are very abundant 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. Anglers targeting spotted bass should fish riverine portions of the lake.
In the upstream end of Lay 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 bass and spotted bass when shad are running along the banks. The 2002 Bass Masters Classic was won in this area. The Logan Martin tailwater is an extremely high use fishery, very popular with local anglers.
Currently, anglers are practicing a great deal of catch and release. Fish consumption advisories exist for Lay Lake. Consult the Alabama Department of Public Health before consuming fish from Lay Lake.
Alabama Power Company has improved fishing by providing habitat in this lake. Coordinates of these habitat improvements are available as an Excel spreadsheet or a GPS download from www.alabamapower.com/lakes/fishdata.asp
Alabama - Inland Lake Fishing Report
Caught 28 bigger than hand size. 6 shell crackers over 2 lbs.... Continued
Alabama - Inland Lake Fishing Report
Fished for two hours and within the first hour we had a 7.5lb largemouth and a 6lb in the boat. After that it was too cold to keep fishing so we heade... Continued
Alabama - Madison County Lake Fishing Report
Fished from 7am until rain set in at 11am.Found a bed a bluegills and filled a cooler very quickly.Nice size.Would have finished out the day fishing f... Continued
Solar Lunar Best Fishing Times - Lay Lake, Alabama
Lay Lake, Alabama - Solar Lunar Chart - May 17, 2012
Moon Phase ![]() | Waning Crescent | Sun Phase ![]() |
Rise 4:45 Transit 11:42 Set 18:41 | Fish Major Periods 8:43 - 11:13 0:00 - 0:00 | Activity Minor Periods 15:28 - 16:58 2:06 - 3:36 | Day Rating |
Lay Lake, Alabama - Solar Lunar Chart - May 18, 2012
Moon Phase ![]() | Waning Crescent | Sun Phase ![]() |
Rise 4:44 Transit 11:42 Set 18:41 | Fish Major Periods 9:27 - 11:57 0:00 - 0:00 | Activity Minor Periods 16:23 - 17:53 2:38 - 4:08 | Day Rating |
Lay Lake, Alabama - Solar Lunar Chart - May 19, 2012
Moon Phase ![]() | Waning Crescent | Sun Phase ![]() |
Rise 4:44 Transit 11:42 Set 18:42 | Fish Major Periods 10:13 - 12:43 0:00 - 0:00 | Activity Minor Periods 17:17 - 18:47 3:14 - 4:44 | Day Rating |
Lay Lake, Alabama - Solar Lunar Chart - May 20, 2012
Moon Phase ![]() | NEW at 17:50 | Sun Phase ![]() |
Rise 4:43 Transit 11:42 Set 18:43 | Fish Major Periods 10:59 - 13:29 0:00 - 0:00 | Activity Minor Periods 18:10 - 19:40 3:53 - 5:23 | Day Rating |
Lay Lake, Alabama - Solar Lunar Chart - May 21, 2012
Moon Phase ![]() | Waxing Crescent | Sun Phase ![]() |
Rise 4:43 Transit 11:42 Set 18:43 | Fish Major Periods 11:48 - 14:18 0:00 - 0:00 | Activity Minor Periods 19:01 - 20:31 4:36 - 6:06 | Day Rating |
Businesses Located Near Lay Lake
Bait and Tackle
- T & N Bait Shop
- 446 County Road 55
- Clanton, Alabama
- (205) 755-2394
- Big Bass Bait & Tackle
- 1402 Highway 14 W
- Prattville, Alabama
- (334) 365-0600
- Martin's Bait & Tackle
- 1165 Lightwood Rd
- Deatsville, Alabama
- (334) 569-1123
Boating
- International Boat Rentals Incorporated
- 2521 Arbor Cv
- Birmingham, Alabama
- (205) 967-8176
- Alabama Small Boats Incorporated
- 2800 Cahaba Village Plz
- Birmingham, Alabama
- (205) 977-7010
- Limestone Park Canoe Rental
- 1531 Limestone Pky
- Brierfield, Alabama
- (205) 926-9672
Food
- Full Moon Bar-B-Que
- 470 Colonial Promenade Pky
- Alabaster, Alabama
- (205) 620-4442
- Jim 'n Nick's Bar-B-Q
- 200 Union Hill Dr
- Birmingham, Alabama
- (205) 879-1589
- Hog Heaven Bar-B-Que
- 11843 Highway 25
- Calera, Alabama
- (205) 668-4644
Gas / Convenience Store
- Pit Stop Convenience Store
- 760 Heflin Ave E
- Birmingham, Alabama
- (205) 796-0020
- Shop & Save Convenience Store
- 3925 Jefferson Ave Sw
- Birmingham, Alabama
- (205) 925-6318
- Billy's Convenience Store
- 5530 Eastern Valley Rd
- McCalla, Alabama
- (205) 477-5590
Real Estate
- Continental Real Estate Management
- 2214 3rd Ave N, #104
- Birmingham, Alabama
- (205) 251-5911
- Ponder, Glenn - Ponder Properties Coml Real Estate
- 850 Corporate Pky, #106
- Birmingham, Alabama
- (205) 408-9911
- Southeastern Real Estate Solutions
- 147 Lewis Rd
- Columbiana, Alabama
- (205) 669-1312
Lodging
- Holiday Inn Airport
- 5000 10th Ave N
- Birmingham, Alabama
- (205) 591-6900
- Lake Martin Corporate Vacation Rental Property
- 183 Larkwood Ln
- Dadeville, Alabama
- (256) 825-7317
- Lake Martin Vacation Rentals
- 5610 Highway 49 S
- Dadeville, Alabama
- (256) 825-2225








































