Clearance at Bass Pro Shops

Lay Lake

Map: 
Advertise on iFished

Latest Alabama Report

Inland Lake - Caught 28 bigger than hand size. 6 shell crackers over 2 lbs.... Continued


  • Fishing Details
  • Fishing Reports
  • Catch Photos
  • Solar Lunar Charts
  • Local Businesses
Description: 

Lay Lake is a Reservoir in Chilton, Alabama.

Share
Have you fished Lay Lake? Help your fellow anglers out by giving a fishing report, some fishing tips or general information about Lay Lake.
Share

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.

Fishing Description: 

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.

Fishing Tips, Tactics, How-To info: 

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

Name: 
Lay Lake
Waterbody type: 
Reservoir
County: 
Chilton
State: 
Alabama
Country: 
United States
Standard elevation: 
119
Latitude: 
33.092
Longitude: 
-86.487