Fishing Clayton Lake in St. Clair County, Alabama

• Overview

  Clayton Lake is one of the St. Clair County listings for Alabama. The surroundings are open plain. Surface area runs to about 11 acres — small enough to read in one session. Nearest place of any size is Odenville, 2.7 miles away. Margaret follows at 5.3 miles, then Moody at 6 miles. Round about: Lake Melanie within 3.8 miles, Lake Joyce 4 miles, Luker Lake within 4.3 miles, Tabb Lake 5 miles and Springville Sportsmen Lake within 5.5 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Clayton Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover green sunfish, bluegill, greenbreast darter, largemouth bass and longear sunfish. Local agencies hold the definitive list for this water. The shape of Clayton Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 41°F in January up to 78°F in July. Cold never closes this one. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. The season on Clayton Lake rarely departs from it. Barometer swings matter more than a degree or two.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Lake Melanie, 3.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Clayton Lake may have changed since it was mapped.