Wilson
Lake in northern Alabama (near Florence and Muscle Shoals) is a small,
15.6-mile long lake found between Wheeler Lake and Tennessee River’s
reservoir Pickwick Lake. This smallish impoundment of 15,930 surface
acres features some of the best Alabama bass fishing in the state, and
is also home to a wide variety of other freshwater fish species. As
in many other Alabama lakes, good-sized largemouth bass, smallmouth
bass and spotted bass are frequently caught here. In addition, striped,
hybrid-striped and white bass reeled in from Wilson Lake have been known
to weigh in at 20 to 30 pounds or more. Wilson Lake has no minimum size
limit is effect for largemouth and spotted bass. The minimum length
for smallmouth bass is 14-inches.
The tail waters of Wheeler Dam are a very popular Alabama fishing spot,
both for boat and bank anglers. Bank anglers can use the fishing platform
directly below the dam. During the fall, informed anglers will cast
here for smallmouth bass. Other species that gather below Wheeler Dam
in the spring are hybrid and saltwater striped bass. During the winter
sauger can be bagged here while blue and channel catfish flock to the
tail waters in the summer.