Fishing at William Latham Lake, Pickens County, Alabama

• Overview

  Within Pickens County, Alabama, you have William Latham Lake. The country round it is open plain from end to end. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Pickens County standards. Reform at 2.2 miles is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Tuscaloosa, 30 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on William Latham Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover chain pickerel, cypress darter, longear sunfish, redspotted sunfish and warmouth. It is a record of sightings and surveys, so use it as a guide. On William Latham Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 80°F for July and 42°F for January. The surface stays open the year round. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. It holds true on William Latham Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try McShan Lake Number Two, 4.6 miles away. Confirm before you fish William Latham Lake.