Clean your boat trailers! Giant Salvinia is a highly invasive floating aquatic plant that is present in this lake. Please remove all vegetation from your boat trailer before leaving the launch areas.
*Columbus Lake is part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE). The MDWFP Fisheries Bureau manages the lake's fisheries resources and provides weekly fishing reports.
Covering 8,910 acres, Columbus Lake is the largest reservoir along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. It was opened in 1981 and is owned and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The reservoir extends 22 miles from Aberdeen Lock and Dam (mile 357.5) to Columbus Lock and Dam (Stennis Lock and Dam, mile 334.7). Historically, Columbus Lake has been a popular destination for bass and crappie anglers from around the state and the west central region of Alabama.
Fishing Report - 10/28/2024
| Species | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bass | The bass bite is continues to be slow for most anglers. Fall is upon us and the fishing is up and down. Expect that as the temperature decreases, the bite should improve. Low-light hours will be the most productive, but the shallow bite will extend further into the day as we move further into fall. You might be able to find some off the shoreline structure on the channel and the gravel pits near the east bank ramp. Buzzbaits, frogs, and weedless swimbaits have been popular lure choices. A weightless senko or some other straight tail worm is a good backup presentation when fish aren't hitting topwater lures. Target any wood close to the channel drop-off with Texas-rigged soft plastics, jigs, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. |
| Crappie | The crappie bite is slow. As mentioned with the Bass; expect that as the temperature decreases, the bite can improve. The deeper banks in the old river runs and gravel pits seem to be the most productive. Jigs and minnows are your best bait choices. Alternate between the two to increase the chances of a bite. |
| Catfish | The catfish bite is slow to fair. Some are biting along the channel and below the dam. Nightcrawlers, whole shad, and cut bait have been productive baits. Most anglers are using trotlines or jugs. Some anglers are starting to target catfish with rod-n-reel combos along the channel. |
Giant salvinia is a highly invasive aquatic plant found throughout the Tenn-Tom Waterway. It is critical that anglers visiting the lake clean their boats and boat trailers to reduce the possibility of transferring this plant to other water bodies. Giant salvinia is extremely difficult to eradicate once it becomes established.
Columbus Lake Special Regulations
Columbus Lake Special Regulations
Creel and Size Limits
| Species | Lengths to Release | Daily Creel Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bass (combined largemouth, spotted and smallmouth) | 14 inches and under | 10 per angler |
| Crappie (combined white and black) | 9 inches and under | 30 per angler |
Statewide creel and size limits apply to all other fish species
*Columbus Lake Interactive Map
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