Demopolis Lake

Fish and Fishing in Lake Demopolis

Demopolis Reservoir is a 10,000-acre reservoir located near the City of Demopolis in Marengo County. Demopolis Lake is downstream of the towns of Eutaw in Greene County on the Warrior River and Gainesville on the Tombigee River. This reservoir is the second largest lake in the Black Warrior-Tombigbee system. The lake extends 48 miles upriver on the Black Warrior River and 53 miles up the Tombigee River. There are modern campgrounds, many day use facilities, as well as primitive camping areas and numerous public access areas with bank and boat access to the tailwaters available on Demopolis Reservoir.

The region around Demopolis Reservoir is excellence for hunting. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has public lands that are available for hunting. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources manages the Demopolis Wildlife Management Area. Different permits are required to hunt each areas.

Since being impounded in the early 1950s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Demopolis Lake has become best known for it’s excellent largemouth bass fishing. On October 1, 1995, a 14-inch minimum length limit was implemented on all black bass. The goal of the length limit was to increase the abundance of preferred-size (15- to 18-inch) bass and increase angler’s catch rates for bass of all sizes. Based on recent sampling by the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and last year's bass tournament data, the largemouth bass fishery appears to be strong.

Crappie are another great source of recreational fishing in Demopolis Reservoir. In 1993 a 9-inch length limit was implemented on crappie to help protect this popular sportfish. Currently, 9- to 12-inch crappie are relatively abundant in Demopolis Reservoir. Some other good fisheries located in the Demopolis Reservoir include hybrid striped bass and bream. Bream provide a good summer fishery in creeks with woody cover and around weed beds.

The tailwater fishery below Warrior Dam, one upstream arm of Demopolis Reservoir, is excellent for hybrid striped bass and catfish. It is very popular with local anglers, primarily boat anglers. The upstream tailwater area below the Gainesville Dam is also popular with bank and boat anglers from Alabama and Mississippi, who enjoy fishing for catfish, drum, and hybrid striped bass. This is a high use area with access to both banks.

It is illegal to possess blueback herring in Alabama. Regulations designate legal capture methods for bait and specify additional species that may not be used for bait.

Link list (disclaimer):

Fishing license information may be found at: www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/license/. Instant licensing is available via the Internet (2% fee), via the telephone by calling 1-888-848-6887 ($3.95 fee), or at 900 vendors and probate offices in Alabama. All youth age 15 and younger fish for free.

Possession and creel limits for Alabama public waters are listed at: www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/regulations/

Bass fishing quality at Demopolis Reservoir is assessed here.
If you are a member of a bass club, please consider being a part of our Bass Angler Information Team. We use information from clubs to help better manage your lakes for fishing.

State fish management information and Alabama reservoir location, size and elevation are listed at: www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/where/reservoirs/

The U.S. Corps of Engineers information about Demopolis Lake is listed at: www.sam.usace.army.mil/

Fishing Guide:
Reed Montgomery, www.fishingalabama.com/ 1-205-663-1504, ALABASSGYD@aol.com

Navigation charts of Demopolis Lake may be purchased through: www.sam.usace.army.mil/PA/charts.htm

Local information includes Double Creek Lodge (cabins and deer hunting), Mimosa Ridge Cabins,  Best Western, and under "Demopolis Lake" at al.com/parks/central.html

Bass fishing reports Lake Demopolis may be available at: www.wmi.org/bassfish/reports/alabama.

During July of 2003, the US Army Corps of Engineers installed steel log fish attractors at Dempolis Lake near Foscue Creek at 1 site and 2 sections. These fish attractors are also found near Big Prairie Creek at 2 sites and 3 sections, McConico Creek at 1 site and 2 sections and Rattlesnake Bend at 2 sites and 2 sections. These fish attractors have a red and white "Fish Attractor" buoy are in water 10-20 foot deep.

Demopolis Wildlife Management Area information is listed at: www.outdooralabama.com/hunting/land/wildlife-areas/wmamaps/

It shall be unlawful to intentionally stock or release any fish, mussel, snail, crayfish or their embryos including bait fish into the public waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries as provided in Rule 220-2-.42 except those waters from which it came without the written permission of a designated employee of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources authorized by the Director of the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries to issue such permit. The provisions of this rule shall not apply to the incidental release of bait into the water during the normal process of fishing.

The Fisheries Section's District III biologist can answer specific questions about Lake Demopolis at  Jay.Haffner@dcnr.alabama.gov.

This site is prepared by the Fisheries Section of the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The site is presented for information only; the Fisheries Section cannot be responsible for the quality of information or services offered through linked sites, disclaimer. To have your site included, send your URL, email address, or telephone number to the Fisheries Web Master, Doug.Darr@dcnr.alabama.gov. The Fisheries Section reserves the right to select sites based on relevant and appropriate content, of interest to our viewers. If you discover errors in the content or links of this page, please contact Doug Darr. Thank you.