Fishing in Lee County, Alabama
County seat: Opelika. Population 174,241.
- 5lake pages
- 2listed ramps
- 4river and creek pages
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How Lee County lines up for anglers
Opelika serves as the county seat of Lee County, which counted 174,241 residents in the 2020 Census. On the ADCNR fish-from-the-bank map the county's sites sit in ADCNR Fisheries District IV. A neighbouring state shares Lake Harding, Lake Oliver and Goat Rock Lake.
Lake Harding leads 5 lake guides that reach into the county. ADCNR runs Lee County Public Fishing Lake as a State Public Fishing Lake in the county. ADCNR records 2 listed ramps in the county. Shore anglers get 7 bank or pier sites on the ADCNR map, 3 of them with a pier.
Census 2020 population; NHD lake outlines with the ADCNR reservoir program; ADCNR WFF boat ramp list, coastal boating access and fish-from-the-bank map; read November 1, 2026.
Every mapped put-in across Lee County
ADCNR ramp lists, bank map and public access sites; NHD lake points and river midpoints; GNIS coastal points; read November 1, 2026.
Reservoirs and lakes inside Lee County
| Lake | Acres (source) | Kind | ADCNR ramps | Fish named |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Harding | 4,978 (NHD outline), 52% in Alabama | Georgia Power reservoir | 2 | |
| Lake Oliver | 1,954 (NHD outline), 17% in Alabama | Georgia Power reservoir | 0 | |
| Goat Rock Lake | 971 (NHD outline), 25% in Alabama | Georgia Power reservoir | 0 | |
| Saugahatchee Lake | 346 (NHD outline) | City of Opelika reservoir | 0 | |
| Lee County Public Fishing Lake | 130 (ADCNR) | State Public Fishing Lake | 0 | largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill |
USGS NHD lake outlines (acreage of the mapped outline unless ADCNR prints one), ADCNR reservoir pages and the ADCNR WFF boat ramp list; read November 1, 2026. ADCNR publishes no lake depths.
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- Lee County Public Fishing Lake130 acres (ADCNR); Open sunrise to sunset during the following dates.; February 1 to June 30: Open six days each week (closed Mondays); Jul
A day on a State Public Fishing Lake needs the $7.80 daily permit.
ADCNR State Public Fishing Lakes page and the digest Public Fishing Lake rules, outdooralabama.com, read November 1, 2026.
The fish roster near Lee County
Each bar is a count of nearby water pages, out to 50 miles from Opelika; channel catfish leads.
Species named in ADCNR reservoir and species pages and the ADCNR record lists, counted per water page within 50 miles; not a fish survey.
Named lakes of Lee County without a page
1 more named lakes in Lee County have too few published facts for a page of their own.
| Water | Acres (NHD outline) | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|
| Auburn City Lake | 292 | Auburn |
USGS NHD lake outlines, read November 1, 2026.
Rivers and creeks of Lee County
- Chattahoochee RiverADCNR river page, 1 ADCNR-listed ramp, 6 bank or pier sites, 21 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Chewacla Creek59 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Sougahatchee Creek58 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Uchee Creek44 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
Gauge stations inside Lee County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Sougahatchee Creek At Co Rd 188 Nr Loachapoka, Al. | 11 cfs, 1.27 ft gage height | Nov 11 11:00 pm |
| Chewacla Creek At Chewacla State Park Nr Auburn | 7 cfs, 1.66 ft gage height | Nov 11 10:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 11:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS NHD flowlines and lengths, ADCNR river pages, ADCNR ramp lists and USGS gauges; read November 1, 2026.
Put-ins on the ADCNR lists for Lee County
- Halawakee Creek boat ramp on Lake HardingLake Harding, 2 lanes, 1 dock, 8 trailer spaces
- Po'Boy's (Sandy Point) boat ramp on Lake HardingLake Harding, 2 lanes, 1 dock, 28 trailer spaces
Operator and municipal ramps are not part of these ADCNR lists.
Fishing from land in Lee County
- Chattahoochee Valley Park on Lake Hardingbank access, Georgia Power Company
- Chewacla State Parkbank access, Alabama State Parks
- Goat Rock Recreational Areafishing pier, Georgia Power Company
- Long Bridge Fishing Pier on Lake Hardingfishing pier, Georgia Power Company
- Sougahatchee Lake on Saugahatchee Lakebank access, City of Opelika
- <![CDATA[Po Boy's Boat Ramp]]> on Lake Hardingbank access, Georgia Power Company
- Lee County Public Fishing Lake fishing pierfishing pier, ADCNR
ADCNR WFF boat ramp list (public.dcnr.alabama.gov), ADCNR coastal boating access, fish-from-the-bank map and public access sites layer; read November 1, 2026.
Creel and size rows for Lee County water
In Lee County, statewide rows apply first; named exceptions override them. The digest fee table lists the annual freshwater license at $17.45 resident and $68.20 nonresident.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | 10 a day | open all year |
| Walleye | 2 a day | open all year |
| Sauger | 5 a day; 15 inches TL minimum | open all year |
| White Bass | 15 a day | open all year |
| Yellow Bass | 15 a day | open all year |
| Saltwater Striped Bass and Hybrids or Combinations | 15 a day | open all year |
| Crappie | 30 a day; 9 inches TL (exemptions apply) minimum | open all year |
| Yellow Perch | No daily limit | open all year |
| Catfish (under 34 inches) | No daily limit | open all year |
| Catfish (over 34 inches) | 1 a day | open all year |
| Bream | 50 a day | open all year |
| Rainbow Trout | 5 a day | open all year |
| Alligator Gar | 1 a day | open all year |
| Sturgeon | Closed Season | Closed season (immediate release) |
| Paddlefish or Spoonbill | Closed Season | Closed season (immediate release) |
| Skipjack Herring | 50 a day | open all year |
Lee County waters named in the exception list (2)
| Water | Species | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee River Tributaries | Shoal bass | It is illegal to possess shoal bass in Little Uchee, Uchee, Osanippa, Halawakee and Wacoochee creeks. |
| Chattahoochee River and its Impoundments and Tributaries | Saltwater striped bass, White bass, Hybrid striped bass | It is illegal to possess more than fifteen White Bass, Saltwater Striped Bass and Hybrids in aggregate and only two may exceed 22 inches in total length. Special creel limits apply in reciprocal waters as specified under regulation 220-2-.122 Georgia Reciprocal Fishing Agreement Regulation. |
Limits as printed in the Official 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest (ADCNR, eRegulations edition) (limits page; digest PDF), read November 1, 2026. Size and creel exceptions as printed in the Official 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest (ADCNR, eRegulations edition), limits page, read November 1, 2026.
Alabama record fish linked to Lee County
The record lists name no Lee County water; these nearby waters, all inside 70 miles, do.
| Species | Weight | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow perch | 2 lbs., 2 oz. | Yates Lake | 3/7/15 |
| White crappie | 4 lbs., 9 oz. | Lake Martin | 5/8/00 |
| Longnose gar | 32 lbs., 14 oz. | Lake Jordan | 4/18/85 |
Alabama state record lists kept by ADCNR (Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division for freshwater; Marine Resources Division State Record Fish Committee for saltwater) (freshwater, saltwater), read November 1, 2026.
Crickets, crankbaits and hired captains in Lee County
Shops in Lee County
- Highway 169 Fishing Pondbait and tackle shop, Salem
- Lakefront Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Opelika
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Auburnsporting goods store, Auburn
- Dick's Sporting Goods Opelikasporting goods store, Opelika
Yellow Pages listings and guide or charter business pages (county of the business), read November 1, 2026.
Minutes from Lee County
Overnight options in Lee County
- Auburnpop. 76,143
- Opelikapop. 30,995
- Smiths Stationpop. 5,384
Adjoining Alabama counties for Lee County
- Chambers County22 miles north
- Russell County24 miles southeast
- Macon County25 miles southwest
- Tallapoosa County32 miles northwest
A Piscifun setup to pack for Lee County
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Reservoirs, rivers and bays close to Lee County, pictured
Photo: Josh Hallett, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Erin Brierley, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Shawn Taylor, CC BY 2.0
Replies on where to fish in Lee County
How many listed ramps serve Lee County?
2 listed ramps, 2 of them on the ADCNR WFF list.
Which Lee County lake has the largest outline?
Lake Harding, 4,978 acres by its NHD outline.
Which fish live in water near Lee County?
Channel catfish lead the count of water pages within 50 miles, then largemouth bass, bluegill and redear sunfish.
Which Lee County stores sell tackle?
4 listed, starting with Highway 169 Fishing Pond.
Which guide listings name Lee County?
The guide listings point to other counties.
Where are the Lee County commission offices?
Opelika is the seat.
Do I need a license for Lee County lakes?
The digest fee table lists the annual freshwater license at $17.45 resident and $68.20 nonresident.
Which counties surround Lee County?
The nearest county pages are Chambers County, Russell County and Macon County.
Do any Lee County waters have special limits?
The 2026-27 digest prints 2 water exceptions reaching this county, starting with Chattahoochee River Tributaries; the table above shows each.
Which public fishing lake serves Lee County?
Yes: Lee County Public Fishing Lake (130 acres (ADCNR); Open sunrise to sunset during the following dates.; February 1 to June 30: Open six days each week (closed Mondays); Jul).
Pick a reservoir or creek in Lee County
Open a lake for its ramps and exceptions.