Clay County Public Fishing Lakes

Located in Clay County | What you’ll find: Birding Trail Sites | Parks | Recreational

Three lakes of 13-, 23-, and 38-acres make up Clay County Lakes. Clay County Lakes are located 1 mile west of the east central Alabama town of Delta on State Lake Road.

Fishing: Bass fishing good year-round, with the biggest usually caught from February through April when they are near the bank. Bluegill and redear sunfish are caught by bank and boat anglers from spring through summer. Catfish are caught year-round, but the summer months are best. Crappie fishing is best in February and March. The rules of what may be kept are posted at each lake. Before fishing, check to see what types and sizes of fish may be kept.

Facilities: Clean public restrooms and concessions are available, including a wide variety of fishing tackle, live and artificial baits, and other fishing supplies, as well as drinks and refreshments. An accessible fishing pier makes it easy to reach deeper water without using a boat. Fish attractors have been added around the lake. Boats are also available for rent; a launching ramp is available for anglers with their own boats. Boats may have an outboard motor attached, but anglers may not use the outboard motor, only the trolling motor. Picnic pavilions are available; contact the lake manager.

ALL INFORMATION SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
Clay County Lakes are open Sunrise to Sunset as follows:
February 1 – June 30: open 6 days a week, closed on Thursday.
July 1 – November 30: open 5 days a week, closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
December 1 – January 31: The lake is closed.
But call the manager at (256) 488-0038 to verify the schedule before making the trip.

http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/where/lakes/clay/

Piedmont Plateau Birding Trail Site: The land to the left (east) of the entrance road provides an opportunity to survey old-field habitat. Expect Eastern meadowlark, Northern bobwhite, and Field sparrow throughout the year. Red-tailed hawks hunt here, and this is a good spot for Great horned-owl.  Look for Wild turkeys along the edges of the fields, particularly at dawn and dusk.

The lakes themselves are attractive and open, easily surveyed with minimal effort. There are resident Canada geese and feral Mallards. Wood ducks breed nearby and are regularly seen here. The lake may be one of the better local sites for wintering waterfowl. Barn swallows and Purple martins are common here in the warmer months, and Song and Chipping sparrows are residents here, and there are always herons and egrets present. Look for Osprey and Bald eagles here, as both species nest nearby. The woods surrounding the lakes feature Brown-headed nuthatches and Pine warblers in the many Loblolly pines. Northern parulas, Yellow-throated warblers, and American redstarts are found in the trees near the lake from spring through fall. Note the headquarters/fishing center as the entrance road arrives at the lake. There are restrooms here, and there are dinghies available for rent. A paved road proceeds to the SW from the main parking area, and along it, there are multiple picnic tables. The road is bounded by all-age mixed pine/hardwood forest, which should prove productive for a good variety of songbirds and woodpeckers throughout the year.

Directions:

From I-20 in Heflin (Randolph Co. service stations, some restaurants limited motel lodging), 15 min east of Anniston and 15 minutes west of the AL/GA state line, take exit 199 and follow AL Hwy 9 south 17.2 miles to Delta. At Delta, take State Lake Rd. E for approximately 1.5 miles to the entrance to Clay County Public Lakes.

N33 25.895’            W085 42.130’



Attraction Photos

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