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 bite has been good up until the rain last week slowed down the bite and muddied the water. Anglers were catching a good number of bass in the 2 to 3 pound range, but after the rain mist anglers were only catching a few fish per day. The bite should pick back up once the weather clears and gets warmer. Texas rigged plastics, Lipless crankbaits, square billed crankbaits, and dark colored jigs-n-pigs are good lure choices at this time. |
| Catfish | The catfish bite has slowed down, with only a few anglers catching 10" to 14" blue catfish. Tight lining and trot lining using cut/whole shad are good options during this time. Anglers typically target areas just off of the navigational channel. |
| Crappie | The crappie bite has slowed down as well with only a few anglers targeting crappie right now. Anglers that are catching crappie have been catching them in the 10" to 14" range. Gravel pits ands woody cover in 4-8 feet of water is a good option this time of year. Minnow and jigs are a good baits to use, but contrasting colored jigs work better in muddy water. |
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...