Fishing Report For Lay Lake, AL

By Rick Seaman

May 21, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Lay Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
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Fishing Report Lay Lake, AL

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Lay Lake, AL

Largemouth Bass

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Lay lake is loaded with bass, and there are abundant populations of both largemouth and spotted bass. Lots of fish approaching 20", for both species, are being caught, as are some larger ones. It generally takes a 3-pound average to take top prize in bass tournaments here, and there are many events held annually. The water temperature is in the mid 60's, and the bass are in the spawning cycle. Lots of fish are staging in pockets and coves, and are being caught on a wide variety of lures. Reaction baits, like spinnerbaits, crankbaits, topwater and vibrating jigs are catching nice fish. Stick worms, rigged wacky style, often teases wary bass into striking, and often catches the larger bass.

Spotted Bass

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Lay Lake is widely-known as an exceptional spotted bass fishery for both numbers, and for quality. The fishing is quite good now and expected to remain good throughout the year. Most of the spots are completing the spawn cycle, and can be found in shallow, rocky areas, or in slightly deeper water, just outside their spawning areas. Rocky points and gravel shorelines are ideal places to search, especially nearby deeper water. Worms, drop-shots, tube baits and stick worms are popular baits for spotted bass.

Black Crappie - White Crappie

Uncle Buck's Panfish Creatures Curly Tail Minnow Rigged

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good

Crappie fishing has decent here for many years, better some years than others. Currenty good numbers of crappie, weighing about a pound each, are being caught in the backs of creeks and in shallow pockets. Spring is the premiere time to be on the water as crappie move into shallow coves to spawn. Expect to find crappie in 4 to 8 feet of water. Brush, wood and vegetation are good places to find schools of these schools this time of year. Crappie anglers are casting small crappie jigs or live minnows around cover, and catching lots of fish. Once the Summer sun warms the shallows, crappie retreat to depths of 10 or 15 feet, or deeper. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal. Fish finders and forward facing sonar help locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, spotted bass, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, striped bass and hybrid striped bass at Lay Lake in Alabama.

Lay Lake is a 12,000-acre lake with nearly 300 miles of shoreline. Popular fish species here include largemouth bass and spotted bass, crappie, sunfish striped bass and hybrid stripers. Several areas are accessible for fishing from the bank.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

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Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

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Marinas

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Fishing License

Click here for a Alabama Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".