It’s a fishing day

Lewis Smith Lake fishing conditions · Alabama

Sit it outno largemouth bass window clears the bar in 36 hours

Largemouth bass is the best bet here today.

Frost Advisory until Sunday 7 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 53 for largemouth bass, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 533 pm
  2. 53
  3. 53
  4. 536 pm
  5. 43
  6. 43
  7. 439 pm
  8. 43
  9. 33
  10. 33Sun
  11. 33
  12. 43
  13. 433 am
  14. 43
  15. 33
  16. 336 am
  17. 33
  18. 33
  19. 339 am
  20. 43
  21. 43
  22. 4312 pm
  23. 43
  24. 43
  25. 433 pm
  26. 33
  27. 33
  28. 336 pm
  29. 33
  30. 33
  31. 339 pm
  32. 33
  33. 33
  34. 33Mon
  35. 33
  36. 33
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Largemouth bass range 55–85°

Wind
10 mph

From the north

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:50 pm

Sky
Partly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
59°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Alabama regulations for these waters.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

53Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Release 13–15".

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Largemouth, Alabama and spotted bass from 13 to 15" must be released; 10 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lewis Smith Lake

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

53Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

9" minimum · 30 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Alabama: 9" minimum, 30 crappie a day. Weiss is 10"; impoundments under 500 acres and the Chattahoochee reciprocal waters have no minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Alabama

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

53Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Alabama: no limit on catfish under 34"; only 1 catfish over 34" a day. The 34" rule does not apply in the Perdido, Conecuh, Blackwater, Yellow, Choctawhatchee, Chipola and Chattahoochee basins.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Alabama

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

53Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Alabama lists carp as a commercial or non-game fish (Rule 220-2-.45). Carp are not named in the statewide creel and size table (Rule 220-2-.35), so no daily or size limit applies, and seasons for commercial fish are open year-round.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Alabama

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.10 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:50 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:14 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:20 pm–4:20 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 9:40 pm–11:40 pm
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:20 am–6:20 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Outdoor Alabama (ADCNR) has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A deep, clear 21,000-acre reservoir in north Alabama famous for spotted bass and a put-grow-take striped bass fishery, plus largemouth, crappie, and channel catfish in the timbered coves. Public ramps serve the lake from county parks and Bankhead National Forest land.

Alabama: 10 black bass a day; largemouth, Alabama and spotted bass from 13 to 15" must be released, and only 2 striped bass over 22" may be kept. The clear, deep water grows trophy spotted bass and stocked stripers.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Wheeler Lake35 mi · AlabamaBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory
57Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lewis Smith Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lewis Smith Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lewis Smith Lake?

Lewis Smith Lake is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Common Carp. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lewis Smith Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lewis Smith Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lewis Smith Lake have?

Lewis Smith Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Alabama: 10 black bass a day; largemouth, Alabama and spotted bass from 13 to 15" must be released, and only 2 striped bass over 22" may be kept. The clear, deep water grows trophy spotted bass and stocked stripers.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lewis Smith Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Lewis Smith Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lewis Smith Lake tidal water?

No. Lewis Smith Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.