Also known as Aliceville Lake or Pickensville Lake by locals, Aliceville Reservoir is a relatively small, 8,300-acre (33.6 km2), man-made lake sitting on the border of western Alabama in Pickens County and eastern Mississippi. The Aliceville Reservoir is impounded by the Tom Bevill Lock and Dam and hosts the corresponding Tom Bevill Lock and Dam Visitor Center near its banks. The Visitor Center is an educational establishment perfect for learning about the lake’s history and ecology.
While the Tenn-Tom unites commerce between states, the Aliceville Reservoir, one of 10 lakes located along the famed waterway, unites fish enthusiasts. The reservoir is packed to the brim with sunfish, and anglers from both Alabama and Mississippi frequent the lake for superb largemouth bass and crappie fishing. For the convenience of fishers, licenses from both states are recognized here. Fishers can enter the lake from public access areas like the Raleigh Ryan Access Area, the Pickensville Recreation Area, or Marina Cove.
Aliceville Lake Fish Species
1) Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
The largemouth bass is the most popular catch at Aliceville Reservoir and is ubiquitous throughout the entirety of Alabama State. They are robust fish with olive-green bodies and silvery undersides, and a dark band running horizontally along the lateral line. Largemouth bass prefer warm, shallow water filled with thick vegetation from which they can stalk prey. They are voracious feeders and are often top predators in their respective ecosystems – not only thanks to their aggressive temperament but also due to their spiny, protective dorsal fins. Largemouth bass feed on pretty much anything that moves, from crustaceans, gastropods, and aquatic insects, to other fish and amphibians.
In 1980, 100,000 largemouth bass were stocked in Aliceville Reservoir. The largemouth’s abundance, combined with its eagerness to snatch at any bait, is perhaps what makes it a treasured sports fish in the lake. Anglers can expect largemouths here to range from 10 – 18 inches (25.4 – 45.7 cm) in length. When searching for largemouths in Aliceville Reservoir, fishers should target areas with slow-flowing water and dense underwater foliage, like Camp Pratt and Big Coalfire. The best time to catch largemouths is during the morning and late in the day, though you might find some in the early afternoon on overcast or rainy days.
2) Spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus)
The spotted bass, along with the largemouth, are collectively referred to as the black basses – a term used to describe fish in the genus Micropterus. Spotted bass, also known as Kentucky bass, can tolerate more turbid waters than largemouths. They also have a square, rough patch on their tongues that is absent in relative species. The word “spotted” in the common name refers to the rows of black spots lining its underside.
Though related, spotted bass do not usually occupy the same habitat as largemouth bass, preferring rougher, deeper waters. Though marginally smaller than the largemouth (averaging 12 – 17 inches or 30.5 – 43.2 cm), these fish are still aggressive ambush predators and put up an exciting fight when hooked by anglers. Spotted bass generally feed on crayfish, smaller fish, and aquatic insects by using their mouths to generate suction and siphon up unsuspecting prey. Like other sunfish species, spotted bass nest in the substrate on the lake floor and can live up to 6 years.
In Aliceville Reservoir, anglers are only permitted to keep possession of ten largemouths and spotted bass per day.
3) White crappie (Pomoxis annularis)
Another compelling draw for fish enthusiasts, white crappies are one of two crappie species found in Aliceville Reservoir. They are deep-bodied, silvery fish that enjoy gentle or mildly turbid waters with submerged plant litter. White crappies are an Alabama favorite “panfish” – a term referring to delicious fish that are about the size of a frying pan. The best time to find white crappies is before April spawning, when schools of these fish join with black crappies and form a “feeding frenzy”. During pre-spawning feeding, schooling crappies frantically attack shad and minnows in shallow water.
White crappies spawn from April to June, when they move deeper in the water column to construct nests in colonies at the bottom of the lake. After eggs are laid, male crappies guard the eggs and juveniles. Peculiarly, when white crappie fry hatch from their eggs, they retain their yolk sac on their heads, which is an easy way to identify white crappie larvae.
White crappies proliferate excessively and, if left unchecked, can easily overpopulate lakes. In fact, in its non-native regions in the north-western United States, explosions of white crappies can endanger other fish taxa like salmon, as they feed excessively on juveniles. White crappie spikes are not only detrimental to other species, but also to their own populations. Intraspecific competition will produce overall smaller fish and adversely affect freshwater food webs.
4) Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
Black crappies, like the white crappie, belong to the sunfish family, the Centrarchidae. These fish, also known as calico bass, are far more sensitive to their environment than their cousin species. Black crappies require deeper, clear, slow-moving waters, and are heavily dependent on herbaceous cover. White and black crappies are incredibly difficult to differentiate – not to mention that they regularly hybridize with each other – so many anglers collectively refer to the two species as “crappies”.
Black crappies are overall darker than whites, averaging 9.5 inches (24.1 cm) in size. The most accurate way to tell the two apart is by counting the number of spines on the dorsal fin. Black crappies have 7 – 8 spines while white crappies have 5 – 6. Additionally, the bodies of black crappies are dotted with irregular dark speckles, while white crappies may sport more regularly arranged vertical bands. Like white crappies, black crappies can oftentimes overpopulate lakes.
Anglers in Aliceville Reservoir can make the most of fishing trips by searching for both crappies and largemouth bass simultaneously, as they normally occupy similar habitats. Successful lures for crappie include crappie jigs, tubes, and live minnows. In Aliceville Lake, all white and black crappies smaller than 9 inches (22.9 cm) must be released. The daily limit per person of both crappie varieties is 30 fish.
5) Redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)
Have you ever seen a fish crush a shell in two? Redear sunfish are more commonly called “shellcrackers”, a nickname referring to their insatiable appetite for snails, whose shells they crack open with their blunt teeth. Along with pumpkinseeds, redears are the only sunfish species to primarily feed on mollusks. They are one of the smaller sunfish present in Aliceville Reservoir, with an average length of 5.8 inches (14.7 cm). In contrast to the redear’s nondescript, pale, light green body and silvery sides, its black operculum (gill cover) sports a bright red or orange spot from which the fish’s common name is derived. They spawn from late April to June, when many males form a colony of nests in one central location.
Redears are one of many forage species that help to maintain largemouth populations in the Aliceville Reservoir. They are more likely to be found in stagnant, secluded areas of the lake. Crickets and small spinner baits are recommended when fishing for them.
6) Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
The term “bluegill” may be used by fishers to identify any small member of the sunfish family, but in reality, the name refers to the species Lepomis macrochirus. Another minute fish species in Aliceville Reservoir, the bluegill is a deep-bodied, laterally compressed fish with an olive-green dorsum that fades to a reddish-yellow underside, especially under the head.
The scientific epithet macrochirus translates to “large hand”, a reference to the fish’s severely flattened, oval body. Bluegills have small jaws that do not extend beyond the front of the eye, and a dark blue spot on the operculum. They may also have 5 – 9 vertical stripes running along the sides of their bodies, though these are not always apparent. Bluegills in Aliceville Reservoir are on the small side, usually around 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) long.
Bluegills are also called bream in Alabama, however, the term “bream” can refer to several marine and freshwater species across multiple families. They are intelligent and extremely individualistic fish, and they can even have different personalities! Foraging strategies differ between individuals, and some fish are bold risk-takers, while others are more reserved.
7) White bass (Morone chrysops)
Don’t let the name “bass” deceive you! While you may think this fish is a relative of the largemouth, the white bass actually belongs to the temperate bass family, the Moronidae. White bass, also called silver bass or sand bass, are silvery fish with two dorsal fins and dark backs. They have narrow, horizontal stripes running from behind the operculum to the base of the tail along the upper half of their bodies. Though Aliceville Reservoir is an Alabama bass hotspot, white bass are somewhat rare here.
White bass are considered an easy catch by many anglers and are regular bycatch for fishers seeking largemouths or catfish. They swim near the water’s surface where, during the morning and evening, they school in an aggressive feeding frenzy to mercilessly attack gizzard and threadfin shad. You can even see shad jumping from the water in a desperate attempt to escape their ravenous predators! This feeding frenzy is a favorite for white bass lovers, who fish for frenetic white bass in a “jump fishing” session.
White bass are fully-fledged surface dwellers, not only feeding near the water’s surface but also spawning there. White bass spawn in the early spring during March and April. A single white bass female can lay nearly one million eggs in one season! Eggs hatch quickly after only three days.
8) Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Aside from bass fishing, Aliceville Reservoir is famed for outstanding catfish! The channel catfish and relative species belong to the Ictaluridae family, the North American catfishes. An Alabama native, the channel catfish has a narrow, scale-less body with a deeply forked tail. Like most Ictalurids, the channel catfish has long barbells or “whiskers” protruding from its lower jaw, which notably extend beyond the upper lip. These barbells are used as sensors by catfish to detect food, though that’s not the only way that they can find their next meal. The channel catfish’s entire body is covered in taste receptors, and it is aptly nicknamed the “swimming tongue”.
Channel catfish in Aliceville Reservoir measure around 11 inches (27.9 cm) and can grow up to 20 inches (50.8 cm) long. Anglers here usually scope out catfish near the mouths of creeks using bait tailored to these unique scavengers. Popular catfish baits include shad, chicken, and liver. Anglers should practice extreme caution when handling channel catfish. When catfish are threatened, the needle-like spines on their dorsal and pectoral fins become more apparent, and cuts from these spines can lead to infections.
9) Flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)
This catfish is often mistaken for the channel catfish but is distinguished by its square caudal fin and overall larger size. Like channel catfish, flatheads prefer to hide out in deep water, but they usually populate areas that are more densely packed with submerged plant cover. Though catfish are primarily thought of as calm scavengers, flatheads are yet another predator sitting at the top of Aliceville Reservoir’s food web. Flathead catfish have no known natural predators and love feeding on live fish like shad, largemouth bass, and even other catfish.
Flatheads spawn from June to July, when visitors to Aliceville Reservoir can find them guarding nests near sunken logs or underwater crevices. Young fish school together, but become solitary as they mature, making them harder to catch. Anglers at Aliceville Reservoir report the best flathead catches at the northern section of the lake. If you successfully land a flathead, be sure to add grilled catfish to the dinner menu that night! Flathead catfish are renowned by many as the uncontested tastiest catfish species.
10) Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)
The blue catfish looks exactly as you would expect it to – a gargantuan, pale blue fish and the largest member of the Ictaluridae family. Blue catfish in Aliceville Reservoir frequently grow to an astounding 33 inches (83.8 cm) and are more common near the southern end of the lake. It can be easy to confuse blue catfish with channel catfish, but the best way to tell them apart is by looking at the anal fin. The blue catfish is the only one of the three species present in Aliceville Reservoir that has a straight-edged anal fin, the fin sporting 30 or more rays. The channel catfish also has several spots mottling the body, while the blue catfish has none.
Unlike channel and flathead catfishes, the blue catfish thrives in fast-flowing waters and is usually active during the night and at dawn. Blue catfish are also capable of hybridizing with channel catfish, creating a superior hybrid that is important for commercial purposes due to its disease resistance and fast growth rate.
In Aliceville Reservoir, there is no daily catch limit on catfish less than 34 inches (86.4 cm) long, but anglers are only permitted to keep only one fish over 34 inches of the three catfish species.
11) Freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens)
The freshwater drum is an unmistakable fish, with a nearly level underside and dramatically humped dorsal surface. They are benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish whose flat bellies aid them in swimming along the lake floor. They are the only drum species (the Sciaenidae family) to spend their entire lives in freshwater systems.
Visit Aliceville Reservoir between May and June to hear freshwater drums broadcasting their signature mating call – a noisy, deep grunt that they use to attract females. Drum make this sound not by using vocal cords, but by rubbing their muscles against their swim bladders and making loud vibrations. For this reason, they’re also sometimes called freshwater croakers. Unlike many other fish who lay their eggs in the protection of vegetation or nests, freshwater drum females lay eggs in open water. In fact, eggs will float on the lake’s surface and travel vast distances for several days until they finally hatch!
There are many conflicting opinions about the freshwater drum as a game fish, but it’s definitely worth giving filleted drum a try and deciding for yourself!
12) Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum)
Gizzard shad is decidedly not a kitchen favorite for most anglers, but it makes a delectable meal for Aliceville Reservoir’s bass! Gizzard shad spawn in schools in shallow water from April to May, where males and females haphazardly release eggs and milt in sizeable quantities. This irresistible gathering of food is more than enough to get largemouth bass to emerge from their preferred hiding spots, and anglers often use shad mating season to meet their personal largemouth quotas. When gizzard shad aren’t schooling, anglers can use them as excellent largemouth bait!
Gizzard shad are also called “skipjacks” because Aliceville Reservoir visitors may occasionally see one skipping across the lake’s surface on its side, much like a pebble thrown across the water. It should be noted though, that while gizzard shad may be affectionately called skipjacks by some, the real skipjack shad, better known as the skipjack herring, is a completely different species (Alosa chrysochloris).
The most noteworthy characteristic of this silver fish is its dorsal fin, from which the last ray protrudes posteriorly like a hair-like extension. Gizzard shad in Aliceville Reservoir average around 6 inches (15.2 cm) long and are key forage fish for maintaining the reservoir’s primarily piscivorous populations. Though overall beneficial to game fish, concerns have been raised by scientists about the gizzard shad’s potential to outcompete juvenile crappie for food. Gizzard shad consume aquatic plankton by filter feeding, a dietary overlap with juvenile crappie who are unable to consume fish yet. Adult gizzard shad are bottom-feeders, and also eat algae, aquatic insects, or decaying organic matter, which is why they rarely bite lures.
13) Threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense)
A close relative of the gizzard shad, threadfin shad belong to the herring family, the Clupeidae. They are overall silvery, flat fish with a dark blue or black back that fades lighter towards the underside. They have a dark purple spot behind the gill cover, and a long, thread-like extension from the dorsal fin, similarly to gizzard shad.
Threadfin and gizzard shad often school together, and trying to determine the difference between them may leave you scratching your head. It takes a discerning eye to tell the two species apart. The most obvious difference between the threadfin and gizzard shad is the fins – threadfin fins are overall much more yellow than those of the gizzard shad, though the intensity of coloration varies from fish to fish. A more reliable way of telling the two apart is by counting the rays on the anal fins – threadfin shad have 20 – 25 rays while gizzard shad have 25 – 39 rays. Overall, threadfin shad are nearly half the size of gizzards, in fact, they’re small enough to fit in the palm of your hand! Threadfins average 3.2 inches (8.1 cm) in Aliceville Reservoir.
While gizzard shad are bottom feeders, threadfin shad prefer to dwell in the euphotic zone of the lake, as they depend on light for feeding. They are extremely sensitive to surrounding conditions and cannot survive in temperatures lower than 42.8 °F (6 °C). For this reason, threadfin shad populations in Alabama often decline during winter.
