Fishing Woodland Lake in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

• Overview

  Woodland Lake is one of the Tuscaloosa County listings for Alabama. Open plain runs right down to the water. About 3 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. On size it sits at the modest end of our Tuscaloosa County list. Some 3.5 miles away sits Holt, the nearest settlement. Tuscaloosa lies 4.7 miles off, Northport another 5.7 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Woodland Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Species logged nearby in open biodiversity records include bluegill, green sunfish and longear sunfish. Local agencies keep the authoritative list for each water. Woodland Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 81°F, the coldest about 43°F. The season runs year-round, with the peak either side of summer. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. The season on Woodland Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is East Lake, 1.4 miles out. For Woodland Lake in particular, ask before you travel.