Lake Nicol near Holt: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lake Nicol is a Tuscaloosa County water, in Alabama. Height above sea level is 341 feet. Surface area runs to roughly 311 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. It ranks high for size among our Tuscaloosa County listings. Nearest place of any size is Holt, 4.3 miles away. Tuscaloosa is the closest city, 8.1 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lake Nicol

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover speckled darter, blackbanded darter and bluegill. Local agencies hold the definitive list for this water. On Lake Nicol a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 80°F; the cold one sits at 42°F. The year never really closes; it just gets uncomfortable in summer. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. The season on Lake Nicol rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is a mapped slipway roughly 0.9 miles away. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Lake Harris, 1.7 miles out. Check the position on Lake Nicol before loading the car.