What is the Deepest Lake in Alabama?
The deepest lake in Alabama is Lewis Smith Lake. Commonly called Smith Lake, this man-made reservoir is not the biggest lake in the state but it is the deepest. Smith Lake is located in north central Alabama about 45 miles northwest of Birmingham. It is a popular recreational lake for boating, swimming, water sports and fishing. The Clear Creek Recreational Area is located in the Bankhead National Forest which has a campground with access to the lake. Wake up early, hit the lake for some early morning fishing then spend the afternoon on the nice sandy beach. Clear Creek is just one of the many parks, marinas and resorts on Smith Lake.
How Deep is the Deepest Lake in Alabama?
The deepest lake in Alabama is 264 feet deep. For reference a football field is 100 yards and 260 feet is 83 yards so not quite as long as a football field. That is pretty deep when it comes to lakes. Smith Lake covers 21,000 acres and is the sixth biggest lake in Alabama. Because the lake is fed by many streams and tributaries the lake is one of the cleanest lakes in the south as well. You can bet that some of the best tasting fish come from the cleanest lakes.
How is the Fishing on Smith Lake?
Smith Lake is an excellent fishing lake, with some of the biggest striped bass in the area. You will also find Kentucky spotted bass, hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass and channel catfish. There are 14 boat ramps on the lake including a large one at the Smith Lake Park at the northeast end of the lake. Smith Lake Park is the place to be on the 4th of July with an impressive fireworks display. The campground has cabins, full hookup sites for your camper and tent camping. If you want to fish from shore you can try the fishing pier to see if you can catch a record breaker (or maybe just dinner).
Are there any State Fishing Records from Smith Lake?
Yes! There is one current state record and it used to be a world record! The biggest spotted bass ever caught in Alabama was caught by Phillip C. Terry on Smith Lake. His 8 pound 15 ounce bass is a previous world record holder.
What is the Biggest Lake in Alabama?
The biggest lake in Alabama is Lake Guntersville. The beautiful lake is in northeast Alabama on the Tennessee River created by the Guntersville Dam. Wheeler Lake is not far from Guntersville and is the second largest lake in Alabama, also on the Tennessee River. Lake Guntersville is 69,100 acres compared to Wheeler which is 68,300 acres, so both are comparably large lakes. When comparing the deepness Guntersville is 60 feet deep at the deepest point and Wheeler is 57 feet, so close.
Is the Fishing Better on Lake Guntersville or Wheeler Lake?
Again we find that Lake Guntersville and Wheeler Lake have so much in common. Both lakes offer excellent bass fishing with largemouth bass being one of the most popular catches. You can also find crappie, bluegills, sauger and catfish in both lakes. When you compare fishing records from both lakes you will find there are more records on Lake Guntersville than Wheeler.
What State Fishing Records are on Lake Guntersville?
The biggest grass carp ever caught in Alabama was a 73 pounder caught by Bradley D. Bridges, Sr. on Lake Guntersville. The record carp was caught on April 10, 2012 and the record stands today. Other record breakers from Guntersville include the biggest buffalo fish (57 pounds), biggest white crappie (a tie at 4 pounds 8 ounces) and yellow bass (2 pounds 8 ounces).
How does the Deepest Lake in Alabama Compare to the Deepest Lake in the US?
Lewis Smith Lake is 264 feet deep but when you compare that to the deepest lake in the US it doesn’t quite seem that deep. The deepest lake in the US is Crater Lake in Oregon at 1,943 feet deep. Crater lake is not a man-made reservoir lake Smith Lake, it is a natural lake that formed in an old volcano after it erupted. Mount Mazama erupted around 7,700 years ago and left a huge crater at the top of the volcano. Rain and snow melt filled in deep crater to form the royal blue waters of Crater Lake. There are multiple lookouts around the rim where you can get some amazing photos. For a little more adventure you can hike down the Cleetwood Trail to the waters edge. It is not an easy hike and takes you down 700 feet in elevation from the top. Be aware that the water temps, even in the summer only gets up to 55° or 60°so while you can swim, you may not want to! That is one of the big differences between Crater Lake and the deep lakes of Alabama. A swim in Smith, Guntersville or Wheeler is what makes these lakes some of the most popular recreational lakes in the state.
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