Pickwick Lake fishing conditions · Alabama

Now until 6 pmSmallmouth bass

The bite peaks at 82.

Right now: 82 for smallmouth bass, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Smallmouth 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.

823 pm
82
82
726 pm
58
58
589 pm
58
58
58Sun
58
58
583 am
58
58
586 am
58
58
589 am
58
58
6812 pm
68
68
683 pm
58
58
586 pm
58
58
589 pm
58
58
58Mon
58
58

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: No reading
Wind: 5 mph
Light: Daylight
Sky: Mostly Cloudy
Air: 58°F
Barometer: Falling
Moon: 5% lit

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.

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

82Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No smallmouth under 15"; no more than 5 smallmouth in the 10 black bass a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Guntersville, Pickwick and Wheeler

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 smallmouth bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

82Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

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

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No largemouth or smallmouth under 15"; 10 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Guntersville and Pickwick

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

Pomoxis spp.

82Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

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

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. 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

Ictalurus punctatus

82Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

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

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. 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

Cyprinus carpio

82Worth the tripNow until 6 pm

Water

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

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. 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
Barometer30.15 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunset today4:53 pm
Sunrise tomorrow6:20 am
MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
Minor solunarToday 3:20 pm–4:20 pm
Major solunarTonight 9:50 pm–11:50 pm
Minor solunarTomorrow 5:30 am–6:30 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 Tennessee River reservoir where Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee meet — nationally known for trophy smallmouth bass below Wilson Dam, plus largemouth, crappie, and catfish in the current breaks and ledges. A premier ledge-fishing destination.

Alabama: 15" minimum on largemouth and smallmouth, 10 black bass a day (no more than 5 smallmouth). The tailwater current below Wilson Dam grows giant smallmouth.

WaterReservoir
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesAlabama
WhereColbert County · 34.9500, -88.2000

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Wheeler Lake70 mi · AlabamaBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory

57Marginal

Kentucky Lake80 mi · TennesseeBest now until 5 pm

100Go

Lewis Smith Lake86 mi · AlabamaNo window clears the barFrost Advisory

53Sit it out

Lake Guntersville116 mi · AlabamaBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory

61Marginal

Tims Ford Lake116 mi · TennesseeBest now until 7 pm

96Go

J. Percy Priest Lake121 mi · TennesseeBest now until 7 pm

100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Pickwick Lake?

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

What fish are commonly targeted at Pickwick Lake?

Pickwick Lake is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, and 1 more. 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 Pickwick 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 Pickwick 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 Pickwick Lake have?

Pickwick Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Alabama: 15" minimum on largemouth and smallmouth, 10 black bass a day (no more than 5 smallmouth). The tailwater current below Wilson Dam grows giant smallmouth.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Pickwick Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Pickwick 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 Pickwick Lake tidal water?

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