Clean your boat trailers! Giant Salvinia is a highly invasive floating aquatic plant that is present in this lake. Please remove all vegetation from your boat trailer before leaving the launch areas.
*Columbus Lake is part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE). The MDWFP Fisheries Bureau manages the lake's fisheries resources and provides weekly fishing reports.
Covering 8,910 acres, Columbus Lake is the largest reservoir along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. It was opened in 1981 and is owned and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The reservoir extends 22 miles from Aberdeen Lock and Dam (mile 357.5) to Columbus Lock and Dam (Stennis Lock and Dam, mile 334.7). Historically, Columbus Lake has been a popular destination for bass and crappie anglers from around the state and the west central region of Alabama.
Fishing Report
| Species | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bass | The bass reports are slow to fair but should pick up as we move further into fall. Smaller fish are being caught, but the quality bite is a little tougher to find. Some topwater action is being reported on the lower end around water willow and pads with buzzbaits and frogs. Spinnerbaits or shad-imitating lures should be effective as we move into fall and bass begin feeding more heavily. |
| Crappie | The crappie bite is slow. Anglers are having luck around deeper banks in the old river runs, laydowns, and the gravel pits, and targeting woody cover in various depths to find fish. Jigs and/or minnows are going to be the best options. |
| Catfish | No recent reports on catfish. The deep side of the old river run between the marina and the East Bank boat ramp is a good place for tightlining. Most catfish baits (cut/whole shad, liver, nightcrawlers) are catching fish. Jug fishing can be good just along the channel. |
Giant salvinia is a highly invasive aquatic plant found throughout the Tenn-Tom Waterway. It is critical that anglers visiting the lake clean their boats and boat trailers to reduce the possibility of transferring this plant to other water bodies. Giant salvinia is extremely difficult to eradicate once it becomes established.
Columbus Lake Special Regulations
Columbus Lake Special Regulations
Creel and Size Limits
| Species | Lengths to Release | Daily Creel Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bass (combined largemouth, spotted and smallmouth) | 14 inches and under | 10 per angler |
| Crappie (combined white and black) | 9 inches and under | 30 per angler |
Statewide creel and size limits apply to all other fish species
*Columbus Lake Interactive Map
Find and learn more about *Columbus Lake...