Williams Lake, Alabama: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Williams Lake is set in Sumter County, Alabama. It sits at 187 feet above sea level. At about 29 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. De Kalb sits 20 miles from here and is the nearest stop. For a city, Tuscaloosa is 50 miles off. Also worth knowing: Liars Lake just 1.9 miles, Campbells Lake lies 3.2 miles on, Sumter Lake Number Four just 3.5 miles, Barns Pond lies 5.1 miles on and Woodward Lakes just 7.7 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Williams Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Public wildlife records from this area list bluegill, channel catfish, dusky darter and rock darter. It reflects what has been logged, which depends on who was looking. Williams Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 81°F and January near 44°F. Cold never closes this one. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. On Williams Lake the same rules apply, with local timing. Barometric swings often matter more than the calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Liars Lake is 1.9 miles off. Ask locally about Williams Lake if anything is unclear.