It’s a fishing day

Wheeler Lake fishing conditions · Alabama

Now until 7 pmLargemouth bass

The bite peaks at 57.

Frost Advisory until Sunday 7 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 57 for largemouth bass, marginal · inside the best windowTap 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. 573 pm
  2. 57
  3. 57
  4. 576 pm
  5. 43
  6. 43
  7. 439 pm
  8. 43
  9. 43
  10. 43Sun
  11. 43
  12. 43
  13. 433 am
  14. 43
  15. 33
  16. 336 am
  17. 33
  18. 43
  19. 439 am
  20. 43
  21. 43
  22. 4312 pm
  23. 43
  24. 43
  25. 433 pm
  26. 43
  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 · best window

Water
No reading

Largemouth bass range 55–85°

Wind
10 mph

From the north

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:49 pm

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
60°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

57MarginalNow until 7 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

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Alabama: 10 black bass a day combined (no more than 5 smallmouth), no statewide minimum. Guntersville and Pickwick are 15" on largemouth and smallmouth; Lewis Smith protects largemouth, Alabama and spotted bass from 13 to 15".

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Alabama

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

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

57MarginalNow until 7 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

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

57MarginalNow until 7 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

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

57MarginalNow until 7 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

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

57MarginalNow until 7 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
  • Barometer30.11 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:49 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:15 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 67,000-acre Tennessee River reservoir in north Alabama — largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, and trophy catfish, with strong current breaks below the dams.

Nearby

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

Questions people ask

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

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

What fish are commonly targeted at Wheeler Lake?

Wheeler Lake is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth 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 Wheeler 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 Wheeler 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 Wheeler Lake have?

Wheeler Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Wheeler Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Wheeler 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 Wheeler Lake tidal water?

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