Smallmouth Bass in Alabama
Alabama smallmouth bass: creel, season and waters.
- 10 a daycreel
- 10 lbs., 8 oz.record
Pick for smallmouthPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of the species, not an Alabama water: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
The Alabama picture for smallmouth bass
For smallmouth bass, the governing freshwater line reads "Black Bass". The row sets 10 a day, and its season is open all year. Fish in that group are added up together against one number. Its scientific name, per ADCNR, is Micropterus dolomieu.
Owen F. Smith set the Alabama mark of 10 lbs., 8 oz. in 1950, at Wheeler Dam Tailwater. It appears on 2 lake, river or Gulf pages, Wheeler Lake and Wilson Lake among them. Check Duck River Reservoir and Guntersville Reservoir and its Tributary of Town Creek: 6 waters carry their own rule.
For the smallmouth herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 Size and bag for smallmouth bass in Alabama
| Row as printed | Waters | Creel and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | Public fresh waters statewide | 10 a day | open all year |
Includes combinations of largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, Alabama, shoal and those species formerly known as “redeye” bass, which are now known separately as Coosa, Warrior, Cahaba, Tallapoosa and Chattahoochee bass, based on their respective drainages. The Alabama bass was formerly known as spotted bass in the Mobile drainage. No more than five of the daily creel limit of 10 may be smallmouth bass. See exceptions fo
Limits as printed in the Official 2026-2027 Alabama Hunting and Fishing Digest (ADCNR, eRegulations edition) (limits page; digest PDF), read November 1, 2026.
The smallmouth bass rule, water by water
| Water as printed | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Duck River Reservoir | Black bass | It is illegal to possess any black bass between 14 inches and 22 inches in total length. Only one of the ten fish can be over 22 inches in total. |
| Guntersville Reservoir and its Tributary of Town Creek | Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass | It is illegal to possess any largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 15 inches in total length. |
| Lake Jackson at Florala | Black bass | Creel limit of five black bass greater than 12 inches in total length. Only one of the five can be over 22 inches in total length. |
| Pickwick Reservoir | Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass | It is illegal to possess any smallmouth bass or largemouth bass less than 15 inches in total length. |
| Wheeler Reservoir | Smallmouth bass | It is illegal to possess any smallmouth bass less than 15 inches in total length. |
| Wilson Reservoir and its Tributaries of Big Nance and Town Creeks | Smallmouth bass | It is illegal to possess any smallmouth bass less than 15 inches in total length. |
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.
Record smallmouth bass certified in Alabama
| List | Weight | Angler | Water | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| freshwater | 10 lbs., 8 oz. | Owen F. Smith | Wheeler Dam Tailwater | October 8, 1950 |
ADCNR (Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division for freshwater; Marine Resources Division State Record Fish Committee for saltwater); freshwater list, saltwater list, read November 1, 2026.
Alabama water that holds smallmouth bass
Impoundments holding smallmouth bass
- Wheeler Lake57,278 acres
- Wilson Lake15,500 acres
ADCNR reservoir, river and public fishing lake species lists, the record waters and the MRD inshore species; largest waters first.
Other Alabama fish beside smallmouth bass
- Alabama Bassfreshwater
- Largemouth Bassfreshwater
- Redeye Bassfreshwater
- Shoal Bassfreshwater
- Spotted Bassfreshwater
- Hybrid Striped Bassfreshwater
- Striped Bassboth
- White Bassfreshwater
- Yellow Bassfreshwater
Reservoirs, rivers and bays close to Smallmouth Bass, pictured
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Robert Nunnally, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Curtis Palmer, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Marshall County CVB, CC BY 2.0
Before targeting smallmouth bass in the Heart of Dixie: questions
What bag does Alabama set for smallmouth bass?
Per the row, 10 a day; open open all year.
When was the Alabama smallmouth bass record set?
10 lbs., 8 oz., by Owen F. Smith, 1950 (Wheeler Dam Tailwater).
What Alabama water should I try for smallmouth bass?
Start at Wheeler Lake and Wilson Lake; 2 pages carry it.
Is the smallmouth bass limit different on some Alabama waters?
It changes on 6 waters, Duck River Reservoir among them.
Can I keep smallmouth bass all year in Alabama?
It reads open all year.
What does it cost to fish for smallmouth bass in Alabama?
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.
Where do I send an Alabama smallmouth bass record?
Certified scales, two witnesses, a biologist identification and the official form within three months.
What do Alabama anglers call smallmouth bass?
ADCNR lists it as Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu).
Line up a day on Alabama smallmouth bass
Every water listed above has ramps and limits on its own page.