Fishing Mills Lake Lower in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

• Overview

  Mills Lake Lower is a Tuscaloosa County water, Alabama side. The bank is 272 feet above sea level. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Gordo sits 11 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Northport lies 11 miles off, Tuscaloosa another 12 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Mills Lake Lower

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover gulf darter, longear sunfish, tombigbee darter, blackbanded darter and bluegill. Presence in the area does not guarantee a fish on the day. Read Mills Lake Lower before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 42°F in January up to 80°F in July. Heat sets the pattern from late spring onward. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. At Mills Lake Lower the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Lake Arnedra, 2.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at Mills Lake Lower are worth checking on the day.