Lake Tholocco Fishing
A 640-acre reservoir in Dale County.
Pick for black crappiePiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo, nearby stand in for Lake Tholocco: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
First look at Lake Tholocco, Yellowhammer State style
Lake Tholocco covers 640 acres according to ADCNR and lies in Dale County. Water levels are set by U.S. Army (Fort Novosel), the dam operator. Nearest town on the Census list: Fort Rucker, roughly 4 miles away.
It sits under ADCNR Fisheries District IV.
ADCNR acreage (ADCNR page); operator and kind from the ADCNR reservoir program and dam owner listings; Census 2023 places.
The ADCNR write-up for Lake Tholocco
Here is how ADCNR introduces it:
Background – Lake Tholocco is a 640-acre lake that offers numerous recreational activities. As part of Fort Rucker, special permits from the Fort Rucker Outdoor Recreation Center are needed in addition to an Alabama fishing license. Both permits run from September 1 through August 31.
To hunt or fish on Fort Rucker, each individual 16 years or older is required to have an Alabama state license and a Fort Rucker post permit, both available for purchase at the Outdoor Recreation Center. Military personnel and certain family members may purchase an Alabama license at resident prices if they provide a copy of orders of assignment to Alabama, along with their military identification card, driver license, and hunter safety education card (if hunting). Without an Alabama driver license or copy of orders of assignment to Alabama, patrons will be subjected to non-resident prices.
Fort Rucker Post Fishing Permit Fees (September 1 – August 31):
ADCNR page for Lake Tholocco, quoted, outdooralabama.com, read November 1, 2026.
Species on record for Lake Tholocco
Each fish here comes from an ADCNR page or an Alabama record naming Lake Tholocco; the list is not a survey.
ADCNR reservoir and state lake pages, Alabama state record lists; read November 1, 2026.
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No ADCNR-listed ramp sits on Lake Tholocco; the map shows the closest ones elsewhere.
More ADCNR ramps close to Lake Tholocco
- Newton boat ramp on Hurricane Creek (Dale County)Hurricane Creek (Dale County), 7 miles southeast
- Clayhatchee boat ramp on Choctawhatchee RiverChoctawhatchee River, 12 miles south
ADCNR WFF public boat ramp list (list), read November 1, 2026; ADCNR fish-from-the-bank map (outdooralabama.com), read November 1, 2026.
The digest limits on Lake Tholocco
| Species | Daily limit and size | 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 |
For Lake Tholocco, the statewide limits hold except for the rules printed underneath.
Freshwater anglers need an Alabama fishing license from 16 on ($17.45 resident, $68.20 nonresident for 2026-27); residents 65 and older are exempt.
Limits as printed in the Official 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest (ADCNR, eRegulations edition) (limits page; digest PDF), read November 1, 2026.
Five nearby lakes lined up with Lake Tholocco
Dale County Public Fishing Lake tops this group on size with roughly 92 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Kind | ADCNR ramps | Bank sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Tholocco | 640 | reservoir | 0 | 0 | |
| Dale County Public Fishing Lake | 7 miles northeast | 92 | State Public Fishing Lake | 0 | 0 |
| Geneva County Public Fishing Lake | 22 miles southwest | 33 | State Public Fishing Lake | 0 | 0 |
| Coffee County Public Fishing Lake | 26 miles west | 80 | State Public Fishing Lake | 0 | 1 |
| Pike County Public Fishing Lake | 29 miles northwest | 45 | State Public Fishing Lake | 0 | 1 |
| Crenshaw County Public Fishing Lake | 37 miles northwest | 53 | State Public Fishing Lake | 0 | 0 |
Acres from ADCNR pages where printed, else NHD outlines; ADCNR ramp list and bank map; read November 1, 2026.
Within an easy Alabama drive of Lake Tholocco
Neighbouring Alabama lakes to Lake Tholocco
- Dale County Public Fishing Lake7 miles northeast
- Geneva County Public Fishing Lake22 miles southwest
- Coffee County Public Fishing Lake26 miles west
- Pike County Public Fishing Lake29 miles northwest
- Crenshaw County Public Fishing Lake37 miles northwest
Tackle counters that serve Lake Tholocco
- Boyd's Marinemarina, Enterprise, 13 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Dothansporting goods store, Dothan, 19 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Dothansporting goods store, Dothan, 19 miles
- Riverwalk Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Elba, 22 miles
- Southern Outdoor Sportsbait and tackle shop, Dothan, 22 miles
- City Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Dothan, 24 miles
Alabama towns within a drive of Lake Tholocco
- Fort Rucker4 miles
- Ozark5 miles
- Level Plains7 miles
Which county pages list Lake Tholocco
- Dale Countyseat: Ozark
Piscifun rods and reels lined up for Lake Tholocco
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Telling the Lake Tholocco fish apart, by photo
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Nick Tobler (Cowturtle), CC BY 4.0
Lake Tholocco: answers for an Alabama fishing day
In which Alabama county does Lake Tholocco lie?
The water lies inside Dale County, about 4 miles from Fort Rucker.
What size does the outline of Lake Tholocco reach?
ADCNR gives 640 acres.
How many ADCNR ramps reach Lake Tholocco?
Nearest ADCNR ramp: Newton boat ramp on Hurricane Creek (Dale County), 7 miles.
Is Lake Tholocco a bass lake?
Look for largemouth bass, black crappie, channel catfish and bluegill.
Has the digest written special rules for Lake Tholocco?
Black Bass: 10 a day.
Does a nonresident need a license at Lake Tholocco?
Freshwater anglers need an Alabama fishing license from 16 on ($17.45 resident, $68.20 nonresident for 2026-27); residents 65 and older are exempt.
Is Lake Tholocco a good bet for a bank angler in Alabama?
ADCNR maps no shore access on it.
Which Alabama tackle counter sits nearest Lake Tholocco?
Boyd's Marine, about 13 miles away, tops our shop list.
Gas the bass boat and aim for Lake Tholocco
Every Alabama fee and creel row is one click away.