Fishing in Walker County, Alabama
County seat: Jasper. Population 65,342.
- 3lake pages
- 4listed ramps
- 4river and creek pages
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Sizing up Walker County for a rod and reel
65,342 Alabamians lived in Walker County at the 2020 Census, with Jasper as the seat. ADCNR bank-access sites here carry the ADCNR Fisheries District III label.
Of 3 lakes with a page here, Lewis Smith Lake covers the most ground. Anglers without a boat often start at Walker County Public Fishing Lake, a State Public Fishing Lake. Trailer boats have 4 listed ramps here on ADCNR lists. ADCNR's bank layer shows 5 bank or pier sites here and 2 piers 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 Walker 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.
Walker County lakes ranked by outline acreage
| Lake | Acres (source) | Kind | ADCNR ramps | Fish named |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Smith Lake | 21,200 (ADCNR) | Alabama Power reservoir | 3 | striped bass, black crappie, bluegill |
| Bankhead Lake | 4,114 (NHD outline) | Alabama Power reservoir | 0 | striped bass |
| Walker County Public Fishing Lake | 163 (ADCNR) | State Public Fishing Lake | 0 | largemouth bass, striped bass, hybrid striped bass |
Lakes over the Walker County line, closest to Jasper first.
| Lake | From Jasper | Acres (source) | Kind | ADCNR ramps | Fish named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County Public Fishing Lake | 31 miles southwest | 60 (ADCNR) | State Public Fishing Lake | 0 | largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish |
| Haleyville City Lake | 32 miles northwest | 21 (NHD outline) | lake | 0 | |
| Sportsman Lake | 33 miles northeast | 30 (NHD outline) | lake | 0 | |
| Holt Lake | 36 miles south | 3,296 (ADCNR) | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir | 0 | largemouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass |
| George Lake | 36 miles northeast | 159 (NHD outline) | lake | 0 | |
| East Lake | 37 miles southeast | 23 (NHD outline) | lake | 0 |
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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- Walker County Public Fishing Lake163 acres (ADCNR); Open sunrise to sunset during the following dates.; February 1 to June 30: Open seven days each week; July 1 to December
Budget $7.80 per day for the public lake permit.
ADCNR State Public Fishing Lakes page and the digest Public Fishing Lake rules, outdooralabama.com, read November 1, 2026.
Which species show up near Walker County
Within 50 miles of Jasper, 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 Walker County still waiting on a guide
Walker County has 1 more named lakes, shown by mapped size.
| Water | Acres (NHD outline) | Nearest place |
|---|---|---|
| Rattlesnake Lake | 184 | West Jefferson |
USGS NHD lake outlines, read November 1, 2026.
Streams that wind through Walker County
- Sipsey Forktrout tailwater, ADCNR river page, 1 ADCNR-listed ramp, 2 bank or pier sites, 72 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Mulberry ForkADCNR river page, 2 ADCNR-listed ramps, 1 bank or pier site, 116 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Black Warrior RiverADCNR river page, 168 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Blackwater Creek70 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
Walker County creeks listed here only (5)
- Blue Water Creek9 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Buck Creek (Walker County)10 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Hurricane Creek (Walker County)4 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Lost Creek58 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
- Wolf Creek43 mi of NHD channel inside Alabama
USGS readings across Walker County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Sipsey Fork At Sipsey, Ala | 334 cfs, 35.16 ft gage height | Nov 11 9:15 pm |
| Blackwater Creek Near Manchester Al | 25 cfs, 2.25 ft gage height | Nov 11 8:15 pm |
| Lost Creek Near Oakman Al | 11 cfs, 1.16 ft gage height | Nov 11 9:00 pm |
| Mulberry Fork At Cordova Al | 75 cfs, 11.07 ft gage height | Nov 11 8:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 11, 2026 9:33 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 Walker County
- Cordova boat ramp on Mulberry ForkMulberry Fork, 1 lane, 1 dock, 10 trailer spaces
- Lynn's Park on Mulberry ForkMulberry Fork, 1 lane, 18 trailer spaces
- Parker's Landing on Sipsey ForkSipsey Fork, 1 lane, 18 trailer spaces
- Smith Lake Dam boat ramp on Lewis Smith LakeLewis Smith Lake, 6 lanes, 2 docks, 107 trailer spaces
Other public ramps exist beyond the ADCNR lists.
ADCNR shoreline spots across Walker County
- Jasper Memorial Park Pondbank access, City of Jasper
- Smith Lake Powerhouse on Lewis Smith Lakefishing pier, Alabama Power Company
- Mulberry Fork Fork Fishing Area on Sipsey Forkbank access, ADCNR
- Smith Lake Dam Public Boat Launch on Lewis Smith Lakebank access, ADCNR
- Walker 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.
Alabama limits that apply in Walker County
Every Walker 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 Walker County water (3)
| Water | Species | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Lewis Smith Reservoir | Largemouth bass, Alabama bass, Spotted bass | It is illegal to possess any largemouth bass, Alabama bass or spotted bass between 13 inches and 15 inches in total length. |
| Lewis Smith Reservoir | Saltwater striped bass | It is illegal to possess more than two saltwater striped bass that exceed 22 inches in total length in the daily creel limit. It shall be unlawful to intentionally cull from the creel any saltwater striped bass from June 15th to October 15th. Culling is defined as removing and releasing a saltwater |
| Mulberry Fork and Sipsey Fork and their tributaries (Blount, Cullman, Lawrence, Walker and Winston counties) | Walleye | Illegal to take or attempt to take walleye by any method; any walleye taken must be released immediately with least possible harm. |
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 Walker County
| Species | Weight | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotted bass | 8 lbs., 15 oz. | Lewis Smith Lake | 3/18/78 |
| Striped bass | 69 lbs., 9 oz. | Bankhead Lake | 2/28/13 |
| Striped Hybrid bass | 25 lbs., 15 oz. | Sipsey Fork | 9/13/96 |
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.
Walker County shops and fishing guides
Bait counters in Walker County
- Jbs Fishing Linebait and tackle shop, Dora
- Pat's Archery & Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Jasper
- Tackle Worldbait and tackle shop, Cordova
- Walker County Public Fishing Lakebait and tackle shop, Jasper
- Duskin Point Marinamarina, Jasper
- Franklin Ferry Marina & Cafemarina, Adger
Yellow Pages listings and guide or charter business pages (county of the business), read November 1, 2026.
In the Walker County neighbourhood
Walker County town guides
- Jasperpop. 14,572
- Sumitonpop. 2,444
- Dorapop. 2,297
- Carbon Hillpop. 1,769
- Cordovapop. 1,728
Neighbouring county guides for Walker County
- Winston County25 miles north
- Fayette County27 miles west
- Jefferson County28 miles southeast
- Cullman County34 miles northeast
Line and reels from Piscifun before a run to Walker County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
The country around Walker County through a lens
Photo: T.K. Mc, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Quinn Rossi, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Birmingham Photographer J.g, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ralph Daily, CC BY 2.0
Questions on the water inside Walker County
Can I trailer a bass boat into water in Walker County?
Count 4 listed ramps, 4 of them WFF.
Which lake tops the acreage list in Walker County?
Lewis Smith Lake, 21,200 acres by ADCNR.
What fish do Walker County waters hold?
Black crappie lead the count of water pages within 50 miles, then bluegill, channel catfish and largemouth bass.
Where can Walker County anglers buy bait?
Try Jbs Fishing Line; there are 6 in all.
Do guide services list a Walker County business address?
No charter or guide listing names it.
Which Alabama town houses Walker County government?
County government sits in Jasper.
What will a visitor pay to fish in Walker County?
Freshwater privileges for a year cost an Alabamian $17.45; anglers from elsewhere pay $68.20.
What county lies closest to Walker County?
Closest by centre point: Winston County, Fayette County and Jefferson County.
Which digest exception rows reach Walker County?
The 2026-27 digest prints 3 water exceptions reaching this county, starting with Lewis Smith Reservoir; the table above shows each.
Can I fish a state-run lake in Walker County?
Yes: Walker County Public Fishing Lake (163 acres (ADCNR); Open sunrise to sunset during the following dates.; February 1 to June 30: Open seven days each week; July 1 to December).
Which ADCNR record lines name Walker County water?
Spotted bass, 8 lbs., 15 oz., from Lewis Smith Reservoir (3/18/78).
Spend a weekend fishing Walker County
Lake pages list ADCNR ramps, species and limits.