Like a diamond that is deep, clear and blue, Lewis Smith Lake is one of Alabama’s treasures. Located in Walker, Winston and Cullman counties, this 21,200-acre lake is different than most other Alabama reservoirs. If you typically fish a shallow, stained body of water, then your first trip onto Smith Lake can be intimidating. Watching your depth finder jump to 200 plus feet can leave you feeling lost. However, like most lakes, the majority of bass, bream and crappie fishing is done by casting to the numerous large rocks and fallen trees along the shoreline. With 500 plus miles of shoreline, it isn’t that difficult to find fish. An hour north of Birmingham or south of Huntsville and just off I-65, the lake is not difficult to find.

Smith Lake also produces monster striped bass. Fish in the 40+ pound range are present, and some anglers feel a 50+ pound Smith Lake record should be caught soon. Anglers have fought several huge fish that broke off. One angler hooked a fish that, "had to go at least 70 pounds;" the big one that got away. Special striped bass regulations apply. Live shad, available locally, are the preferred bait. It is illegal to possess blueback herring in Alabama.

2005 data from Auburn University indicated the striped bass in Smith Lake grew about 2 pounds each year so a 20-pound fish is about ten years old.  Striped bass are a little fatter in the Ryan Creek arm. Outdoor Alabama article.

Can't wait to see the data over the next couple of years. Even though the blueback herring are illegal to fish with, they are going to help the lake in the long run. They're thriving in the deep cold water, and seem to increase in numbers and size with every year that passes. I expect that the striped bass will be growing at a higher rate than ever before.