Fishing in Alabama / Birmingham

     From fishing along the side of a quiet lake, to renting a fishing boat with a trolling motor, Birmingham and the surrounding areas offer many opportunities for both the family and serious fishermen alike.

     Purchasing a Birmingham "citymap" is very helpful for locating your destination and planning ahead for your day at the lake. Familiarize yourself with the area around your destination so that if you need to reference the map while driving, you can quickly orient yourself.

     Many lakes that rent fishing boats also rent trolling motors and 12 volt deep cycle batteries. Renting a trolling motor and battery can be expensive. I recommend buying a trolling motor / battery and taking them with you when you plan to rent a fishing boat. I usually prefer to pay a small rental fee for a fishing boat rather than take my own. I would normally only take my own boat when there are no rental services available.

     A trolling motor can be a great long-term investment and provide a great alternative to paddling. A deep cycle or marine cranking battery should be purchased for use with your trolling motor. If you plan to use this equipment at least twice a year, it is better to purchase in contrast to renting.

     One note: When buying a trolling motor, buy a small trolling motor with around 30 pounds of thrust. The large motors will not push these fishing boats much faster but they will consume large amounts of energy from the battery (smaller ones are also easier to put in and out of the car).

Birmingham Area Lakes:

• Lake Purdy: Located on the Jefferson and Shelby County line, Lake Purdy offers both fishing boat rental and bank fishing. Lake Purdy is owned by the City of Birmingham's Water Works and is open to the public for recreational use. Lake Purdy may be accessed along Hwy 119 (Cahaba Valley Road) and Hwy 143 (Grants Mill Road). The boat rental area is along Hwy 119, look for the signs. You may access Lake Purdy by taking I-459 and exiting on the "Grants Mill Road" exit or Take Hwy 280 and turn onto Hwy 119.
  
  
• Oak Mountain State Park: Located within the perimeter of Oak Mountain State Park are four different lakes. One lake is primarily a recreational lake (swimming, canoeing, paddleboating, etc.) and another is primarily for cabin guests. The two remaining lakes are fishing lakes. The two fishing lakes are called the upper and lower lake, you will see why upon arrival. The best way to decide which lake to fish is to ask an employee of the park which lake people have been having the best results.
  
  
• Bayview Lake: Located near Sylvan Springs in an area known as Mulga, Bayview Lake is often overlooked as a fishing destination by many in the Birmingham area. There are few access points for boats and limited banks to fish. You may put the boat in the lake at the Hwy 57 bridge. You will have to carry the boat a short distance to the water's edge. Asside from the difficulty accessing the lake, Bayview is a great lake to fish. It is remote, quiet, and large. You can catch a variety of fish such as bass, bream, and crappie all from a small lure. Although Bayview is the best fishing spot I have been in Birmingham, I have not been there in some time. I think there may have been some damage done from a fire in the Birmingham area. Bayview Lake is fed by Village Creek which runs through the City of Birmingham. A fertilizer plant experienced a fire and the runoff from the water used to fight the fire went into Village Creek, which in turn carried the fertilizer into Bayview Lake.
  
  
• B Mountain Lake: Located just off of Hwy 150 on Maxwell Road. Maxwell road is located just across Hwy 150 from Hwy 6 also known as Parkwood Morgan Road. B Mountain Lake is private but open to the public for a fee of $2.00 per person. There is a small box at the entrance where you may pay upon arrival. B Mountain Lake is a small lake offering both fishing from rental boats or from along its banks. You may also bring your own boat or trolling motor and battery.