Smith Lake Information
Smith Lake impounds approximately 21,000 acres with over 500 miles of shore, primarily in Cullman and Winston counties. It is a deep, clear lake with dozens of different feeder streams, winding bays, and sloughs. Steep bluffs cradle much of the lake, with water depths dropping as deep as 60 or 70 feet just a few yards offshore. The water often appears emerald green, and a bass that strikes a lure 10 feet down can be seen as it hits. Access to the lake is easy from Cullman via Alabama Highway 69.
Anglers begin their search for spotted bass on Smith Lake by fishing points, and because there are hundreds of coves along the shoreline, there is no shortage of points. Smith Lake is a difficult lake on which to pattern the bass because the fish are frequently moving as they follow their main food source, shad.
The big bass months on Smith Lake are February, March and early April with October and November being excellent times. Action continues through the summer, but is best very early and late, or at night. Crappie action is best in April or May with striped bass hunting good year-round.
There are several well-known fishing areas on Smith Lake, with Dismal Creek being the most famous with two world spotted bass having been caught here. Other good spots are Brushy Creek and Rock Creek. There is not a great deal of shallow standing timber in this impoundment, so crappie anglers concentrate in the backs of coves, along some of the shallow shorelines, at feeder streams and near piers and boathouses. The Gulf Coast strain of striped bass were first stocked in Smith Lake in 1983 and restocked each year reaching maturity with weights over 20 lbs. in approximately 5 years. Trolling with a deep diving lure and a bucktail jog rigged onto a three-way swivel can produce good results in late spring and and continuing through late fall. Good top-water action for stripers can be had during the cooler months of the year casting a Red Fin or similar top-water lure. The best all around method for catching big striped bass is fishing live-bait such as shad or large shiners.
Smith Lake is holder of the five past World Record spotted bass catches and is billed as number one for spotted bass and number three for crappie in Alabama.
Smith Lake Information