Bibb County Lake to Reopen – Fantastic Alabama Fishing Expected
Alabama DCNR 03.12.13
Bibb County Lake will reopen to the public for fishing at sunrise on Friday, March 15, 2013. The lake is located at 1147 Walter Owens Parkway, West Blocton, AL., 35184, approximately five miles north of Centreville off Alabama Highway 5. Fishing is limited to daylight hours only. Initially, the lake will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, but will be open six days a week once the managers settle into their new lakeside home.
Bibb County Lake was drained in 2010 and restocked with bluegill, redear sunfish (shellcrackers), largemouth bass, and catfish in 2011. After the tornado of April 27, 2011, the lake remained closed while the fishing piers, pavilions, and a concession building were rebuilt.
Bass fishing is expected to be excellent in 2013. There is no daily creel limit on largemouth bass, only a 14-inch maximum length limit. Windrowed timber created during the lake’s construction and woody debris from the tornado make Bibb County Lake a worm fisherman’s paradise, and any method of fishing soft plastics is likely to be successful. Anglers should downsize their lures since they are fishing for one and two-year old fish.
“Anglers are enthusiastically encouraged to harvest bass that are less than 14 inches in length,” said Stan Cook, Fisheries Section Chief for the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. “Bass selectively harvested in this manner will promote an abundance of quality fish.”
Bream (bluegill and redear sunfish) are also abundant at Bibb County Lake. The creel limit is 20 bream per angler, per day. Bream of any size can be harvested. Channel catfish anglers can keep six catfish of any size daily. Before leaving the lake all anglers are required to take their catch to the concession building and have the lake manager count and weigh them. Biologists use this important information to sustain high-quality fishing.
In addition to a fishing license, a daily fishing permit ($3) is required for all anglers age 12 and older. A fishing license is not required for Bibb County residents fishing with a pole and line (no reel) from the bank or pier. Fishing licenses are available from probate offices, some sporting goods retailers, online at www.outdooralabama.com/licenses/, or by telephone at 1-888-848-6887.
Anglers can bring their own boats, but a $3 launch fee is required. If you do not own a boat, rental boats are available as are trolling motors, batteries, and lifejackets. Only trolling motors are permitted on the lake, but outboard motors may be used to launch or load your boat.
A wide variety of refreshments, snacks, fishing tackle, rods, reels, and live bait are available in the newly constructed, wheel chair accessible concession building. Restrooms are also available.
Bibb County Lake is managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Additional information about the lake can be found at outdooralabama.com, or by calling the lake managers Cindy and Tim Holder at (205) 938-2318.
