Fishing in Morgan County, Alabama
County seat: Decatur. Population 123,421.
- 2lake pages
- 2listed ramps
- 2river and creek pages
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Sizing up Morgan County for a rod and reel
123,421 Alabamians lived in Morgan County at the 2020 Census, with Decatur as the seat. ADCNR bank-access sites here carry the ADCNR Fisheries District I label.
Of 2 lakes with a page here, Wheeler Lake covers the most ground. Trailer boats have 2 listed ramps here on ADCNR lists. ADCNR's bank layer shows 12 bank or pier sites here and 1 pier among them.
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.
Plotting Morgan County ramps, banks and lakes
ADCNR ramp lists, bank map and public access sites; NHD lake points and river midpoints; GNIS coastal points; read November 1, 2026.
Morgan County lakes ranked by outline acreage
| Lake | Acres (source) | Kind | ADCNR ramps | Fish named |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler Lake | 57,278 (NHD outline) | TVA reservoir | 16 | largemouth bass, spotted bass, smallmouth bass |
| Morgan Lake | 25 (NHD outline) | lake | 0 |
Lakes over the Morgan County line, closest to Decatur first.
| Lake | From Decatur | Acres (source) | Kind | ADCNR ramps | Fish named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moulton City Lake | 16 miles west | 73 (NHD outline) | lake | 0 | |
| George Lake | 25 miles south | 159 (NHD outline) | lake | 0 | |
| Lake Catoma | 27 miles southeast | 527 (NHD outline) | lake | 0 | |
| Sportsman Lake | 27 miles south | 30 (NHD outline) | lake | 0 | |
| Little Bear Creek Reservoir | 29 miles west | reservoir | 0 | largemouth bass, black crappie | |
| Lewis Smith Lake | 35 miles south | 21,200 (ADCNR) | Alabama Power reservoir | 3 | striped 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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Within 50 miles of Decatur, more pages list black crappie than any other fish.
Species named in ADCNR reservoir and species pages and the ADCNR record lists, counted per water page within 50 miles; not a fish survey.
Mapped ponds of Morgan County still waiting on a guide
Morgan County has 1 more named lakes, shown by mapped size.
| Water | Acres (NHD outline) | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|
| Crabtree Slough | 129 | Decatur |
USGS NHD lake outlines, read November 1, 2026.
Streams that wind through Morgan County
- Tennessee RiverADCNR river page, 205 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Flint CreekADCNR river page, 1 bank or pier site, 41 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
Morgan County creeks listed here only (2)
- Shoal Creek (Morgan County)12 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- West Flint Creek47 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
USGS readings across Morgan County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Flint Creek At Red Bank Rd Se Nr Decatur, Al | 83 cfs, 9.23 ft gage height | Nov 11 10:30 pm |
| Cotaco Creek At Florette Al | 9 cfs, 2.47 ft gage height | Nov 11 11:00 pm |
| Flint Creek Near Falkville Al | 7 cfs, 2.67 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.
Boat ramps of Morgan County
- Cotaco Creek (Sharpe's Ford) boat ramp on Wheeler LakeWheeler Lake, 1 lane, 20 trailer spaces
- Hickory Hills (Flint Creek 67) boat ramp on Wheeler LakeWheeler Lake, 1 lane, 1 dock, 18 trailer spaces
Other public ramps exist beyond the ADCNR lists.
ADCNR shoreline spots across Morgan County
- <![CDATA[Ingall's Harbor]]> on Wheeler Lakebank access, Decatur
- Dry Branch on Wheeler Lakebank access, Decatur
- Flint Creek (Hwy 67 causeway) on Wheeler Lakebank access, Decatur/Wheeler NWR
- Flint Creek Fishing Pier on Wheeler Lakefishing pier, Wheeler NWR
- Flint Creek off Hwy 31bank access, NA
- Flint Creek off Hwy 31 on Wheeler Lakebank access, ADCNR/Morgan County Sheriff
- Hartsellebank access, Hartselle Parks and Recreation
- Talucah Beach Day Use Area on Wheeler Lakebank access, Wheeler NWR
- Wheeler NWR Rock House Dewatering Unitbank access, Wheeler NWR
- Wilson Morgan Parkbank access, Decatur
- Cotaco Creek on Wheeler Lakebank access, ADCNR/Wheeler NWR
- Hickory Hills Boat Ramp on Wheeler Lakebank access, ADCNR/Wheeler NWR
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.
Alabama limits that apply in Morgan County
Every Morgan County water without its own digest row uses the statewide limits. Freshwater privileges for a year cost an Alabamian $17.45; anglers from elsewhere pay $68.20.
| 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 |
Special limits printed for Morgan County water (1)
| Water | Species | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Wheeler Reservoir | Smallmouth bass | It is illegal to possess any smallmouth bass less than 15 inches in total length. |
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.
Big-fish marks from around Morgan County
No record on the ADCNR lists traces to Morgan County water, so the closest record waters within 70 miles are shown.
| Species | Weight | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Striped Hybrid bass | 25 lbs., 15 oz. | Sipsey Fork | 9/13/96 |
| Spotted bass | 8 lbs., 15 oz. | Lewis Smith Lake | 3/18/78 |
| Freshwater drum | 41 lbs., 8 oz. | Wilson Lake | 7/24/49 |
| Rock bass | 1 lb., 6 oz. | Paint Rock River | 5/6/95 |
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.
Tournament dates in Morgan County
0 of 1 organizer events linked to Morgan County are still to come.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 2026 | Wheeler Lake | Wheeler Lake | Alabama Bass Trail |
Organizer schedule and results pages (ADCNR publishes no tournament calendar), checked November 2026.
Morgan County shops and fishing guides
Bait counters in Morgan County
- Decatur Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Decatur
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Decatursporting goods store, Decatur
- Brickyard Landing Marinamarina, Decatur
- Dry Creek Marinemarina, Decatur
- Jay Landings Marinamarina, Decatur
Hire a guide in Morgan County
- SouthernCats Guide Servicecatfish guide, Decatur
Yellow Pages listings and guide or charter business pages (county of the business), read November 1, 2026.
In the Morgan County neighbourhood
Morgan County town guides
- Decaturpop. 57,938
- Hartsellepop. 15,455
- Pricevillepop. 3,512
- Trinitypop. 2,526
- Falkvillepop. 1,197
Neighbouring county guides for Morgan County
- Cullman County22 miles south
- Limestone County26 miles north
- Madison County27 miles northeast
- Lawrence County28 miles west
Line and reels from Piscifun before a run to Morgan County
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Reservoirs, rivers and bays close to Morgan County, pictured
Photo: Kev Cook, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Kev Cook, CC BY 4.0
Questions on the water inside Morgan County
Can I trailer a bass boat into water in Morgan County?
Count 2 listed ramps, 2 of them WFF.
Which lake tops the acreage list in Morgan County?
Wheeler Lake, 57,278 acres by its NHD outline.
What fish do Morgan County waters hold?
Black crappie lead the count of water pages within 50 miles, then largemouth bass, bluegill and blue catfish.
Where can Morgan County anglers buy bait?
Try Decatur Bait & Tackle; there are 5 in all.
Do guide services list a Morgan County business address?
1 guide or charter are on file for it.
Which Alabama town houses Morgan County government?
County government sits in Decatur.
What will a visitor pay to fish in Morgan County?
Freshwater privileges for a year cost an Alabamian $17.45; anglers from elsewhere pay $68.20.
What county lies closest to Morgan County?
Closest by centre point: Cullman County, Limestone County and Madison County.
How many organizer events put boats on Morgan County water?
1 event on file from organizer pages, none ahead yet.
Which digest exception rows reach Morgan County?
The 2026-27 digest prints 1 water exception reaching this county, starting with Wheeler Reservoir; the table above shows each.
Spend a weekend fishing Morgan County
Lake pages list ADCNR ramps, species and limits.