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Lake Information for Lay Lake
Lay Lake is a 12,000-acre reservoir located thirty-five minutes south of Birmingham off I-65 and fifteen miles south of Columbiana in east-central Alabama. Lay Lake borders St. Clair, Talladega, Shelby, Coosa, and Chilton Counties. The primary uses for this reservoir are hydroelectric generation and recreation. Lay Lake is popular for tournament fishing and boating recreation. Seven public access areas offer bank and boat access to the lake.
Since being impounded in 1914 by the Alabama Power Company, Lay Lake is best known for its spotted bass and largemouth bass fishing. A high quality largemouth bass and spotted bass fishery exists at Lay Reservoir. Largemouth bass up to 18-inches are abundant and with moderate numbers of larger bass. Spotted bass up to 18-inches are very abundant with moderate numbers of larger fish. Crappie 9- to 12-inches are moderately abundant and are found throughout the lake associated with woody cover and weed beds. In 1993, a 9-inch minimum length limit was implemented on crappie to help protect younger fish. Anglers have supported this length limit overwhelmingly. Bream fishing is also very popular in Lay Lake. Bream offer a good summer fishery in creeks with woody cover and around weed beds. The best fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, and bream occurs in creeks and shallow water sloughs. Anglers targeting spotted bass should fish riverine portions of the lake.
In the upstream end of Lay Lake, the tailwater fishery below Logan Martin Dam is excellent for hybrid striped bass and catfish. Striped bass are also present. The tailwater area is also popular with anglers who enjoy fishing for largemouth bass and spotted bass when shad are running along the banks. The 2002 Bass Masters Classic was won in this area. The Logan Martin tailwater is an extremely high use fishery, very popular with local anglers.
Currently, anglers are practicing a great deal of catch and release. Fish consumption advisories exist for Lay Lake. Consult the Alabama Department of Public Health before consuming fish from Lay Lake.
Alabama Power Company has improved fishing by providing habitat in this lake. Coordinates of these habitat improvements are available as an Excel spreadsheet or a GPS download from www.alabamapower.com/lakes/fishdata.asp
Businesses Located Nearby
Bait & Tackle
- T & N Bait Shop
- 446 County Road 55 - Clanton, AL
- (205) 755-2394
- Martin's Bait & Tackle
- 1165 Lightwood Rd - Deatsville, AL
- (334) 569-1123
- Mike's Bait & Tackle
- 1089 Highway 280 - Alexander City, AL
- (256) 212-9850
Boat Rental
- International Boat Rentals Incorporated
- 2521 Arbor Cv - Birmingham, AL
- (205) 967-8176
- Gene's Marine LLC
- 3347 Al Highway 145 - Clanton, AL
- (205) 755-3527
- Alabama Small Boats Incorporated
- 2800 Cahaba Village Plz - Birmingham, AL
- (205) 977-7010
Vacation Rental
- Lake Martin Corporate Vacation Rental Property
- 183 Larkwood Ln - Dadeville, AL
- (256) 825-7317
- Lake Martin Vacation Rentals
- 5610 Highway 49 S - Dadeville, AL
- (256) 825-2225
- Lake Martin Vacation Rental Incorporated
- 8336 County Road 34 - Dadeville, AL
- (256) 825-2225
Bar and Restaurant
- Devena BBQ & Family Restaurant
- 3975 Us-31 - Verbena, AL
- (205) 280-0408
- Hog Heaven Bar-B-Que
- 11843 Highway 25 - Calera, AL
- (205) 668-4644
- Full Moon Bar-B-Que
- 470 Colonial Promenade Pky - Alabaster, AL
- (205) 620-4442
