North Alabama holiday trout fishing opportunities

Over a thousand pounds of trout are being stocked into each of two North Alabama lakes prior to opening day on Nov. 23.

North Alabama anglers who'd like to sample rainbow trout fishing without making the long drive to the Smokies can give it a try close to home thanks to two public fishing lakes not too far away.

Madison County Public Fishing Lake, near Gurley, is the closest option for Huntsville residents--it's just 11 miles out of the metro area, and offers 105 acres of open fishing, including fishing from shore and pier.

The season for trout there will open Friday, Nov. 23, after the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries stocks some 1200 pounds of rainbows from 1 to 2 pounds into the lake. The trout are not stocked earlier because they require cold water for survival--the stocking is put and take, with all the fish not harvested by spring perishing as the water heats up. Two added stockings of 1200 pounds are planned for later this winter.

Lake manager Chris Coultas says the fish are more than willing to bite when first put into the lake, having just come from a hatchery where they're fed daily by humans.

"The first day, I've seen people catch them on a bare gold hook," says Coultas. "They take Roostertail spinners, little spoons, flies--and of course Berkley Trout Bait and live worms, which we sell at the tackleshop."

There are ample areas to fish from land around the lake, with small peninsulas built out from shore to provide access. Don't expect to have a spot all to yourself, though--Coultas says some areas of the shore are shoulder-to-shoulder on opening day.

The fee is $5 per day for access, and all anglers must have an Alabama fishing license as well. The limit is 4 trout per angler per day, and you must check out through the tackle shop to have fish weighed in. The lake also has bass, panfish and catfish.

The shop rents aluminum boats with electric trolling motors, which are $26 for all day. Anglers can launch their own boats for $3. Only electric motors may be used on the lake, but bass boats and other vessels with outboards can be used provided the outboard is not started.

Madison County Public Fishing Lake is open Friday through Sunday until January 6, 2019 (closed on Christmas and New Year's Day). The lake will reopen for spring fishing on February 1, 2019.

The location is 2501 County Lake Rd, off Hurricane Creek Road northeast of Maysville. For more information,

For more information, call lake managers Chris or Cole Coultas at 256-776-4905; the WFF Fisheries Section at 334-242-3471; or visit www.outdooralabama.com/alabama-public-fishing-lakes-pfls/madison-county-pfl.

There's also a public fishing lake at Jasper, southeast of Cullman, and this lake is also being stocked for a Nov. 23 opener on trout fishing.

This lake is much smaller, at 2 acres, but it will be heavily stocked with 1,000 rainbow trout of 1 to 2 pounds.

Walker County Public Fishing Lake is open from sunrise to sunset six days a week (closed Wednesdays) until December 11. The lake will close for winter on December 12 and reopen for spring fishing on February 1, 2019.

The lake is located 3 miles southeast of Jasper, Ala., just off U.S. Highway 78. The same regulations and limits apply as at the Madison County Public Fishing Lake, with a $5 daily permit and a limit of 4 trout daily.

For more information, call lake manager Charlie Skalnik at 205-221-1801; the WFF Fisheries Section at 334-242-3471; or visit www.outdooralabama.com/alabama-public-fishing-lakes-pfls/walker-county-pfl

For those seeking a more classic trout fishing opportunity, the first several miles of the outflow below Smith Lake Dam, between Cullman and Jasper, offer good trout fishing as well--the cold waters here are stocked year around, and there are a few hold-over fish of 3 pounds and more, though most are around 12 inches long. There are numerous fishing piers on the river off the dam access road, which runs north off S.R. 69 at the bridge. Riverside Fly Shop, on the east side of the bridge, has a full line of trout fishing gear and can give you the scoop on how to catch the fish. They also rent drift boats;

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