What is the deepest lake in Alabama?

Of the lakes with a published depth, Smith Lake is the deepest at about 264 ft.

Deepest lakes in Alabama: 10 lakes ranked by depth

The deepest lakes in Alabama with a published depth, deepest first. Deep lakes stay cold below the surface all summer, which is what trout and big predators want.

Deepest first

#	Lake	Deepest	Size
1	Smith Lake	about 264 ft	21,200 acres
2	Lake Martin	about 155 ft	44,000 acres
3	Lake Wedowee	about 121 ft	9,780 acres
4	Walter F. George Lake	about 100 ft	45,200 acres
5	Lake Mitchell	about 90 ft	5,850 acres
6	Lay Lake	about 88 ft	12,000 acres
7	Cedar Creek Reservoir	about 80 ft	4,200 acres
8	Logan Martin Lake	about 69 ft	15,300 acres
9	Weiss Lake	about 62 ft	30,200 acres
10	Lake Guntersville	about 60 ft	69,000 acres

1. Smith Lake

Smith Lake covers 21,200 acres. It lies near Double Springs. Lewis Smith Dam holds it on the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River. Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass and bluegill are the draw. The deepest water is around 264 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Smith Lake is the deepest lake in Alabama and is known for its clear water. The water is known for being clear: lighter line and natural colours help.

Smith Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Lake Martin

At 44,000 acres of water, Lake Martin is a big lake. The fish here are spotted bass, striped bass, largemouth bass and crappie. At about 155 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer.

Lake Martin today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Lake Wedowee

Lake Wedowee is a reservoir of 9,780 acres of water. It lies near Wedowee. It is the Tallapoosa River behind R.L. Harris Dam. The usual Alabama mix applies: largemouth bass, crappie, white bass and catfish. It goes down to about 121 ft. R.L. Harris Dam, completed in the early 1980s, impounds Lake Wedowee on the upper Tallapoosa River.

Lake Wedowee today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Walter F. George Lake

Walter F. George Lake is a reservoir of 45,200 acres of water. You will find it right by Georgetown. The fish here are largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie and catfish. The deepest water is around 100 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three steep ledges and a point drop-off: good places to start. Lake Eufaula is nicknamed the "Big Bass Capital of the World.".

Walter F. George Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Lake Mitchell

At 5,850 acres of water, Lake Mitchell is a good-sized lake. The lake is about 31 miles south of Montgomery. Mitchell Dam holds it on the Coosa River. Like most lakes its size in Alabama, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill. The deepest water is around 90 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Mitchell Dam, completed in 1923, was one of the first major hydroelectric dams on the Coosa River.

Lake Mitchell today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Lay Lake

Lay Lake is a reservoir of 12,000 acres of water. It lies about 25 miles northwest of Hoover. It is the Coosa River behind Lay Dam. The fish here are largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie and bluegill. The deepest water is around 88 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Lay Dam, built in 1914, was Alabama Power's first hydroelectric plant.

Lay Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Cedar Creek Reservoir

Cedar Creek Reservoir is a reservoir of 4,200 acres. It lies within an easy drive of Decatur (about 50 miles). Expect largemouth bass, striped bass, crappie and catfish. It goes down to about 80 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Cedar Creek Reservoir, completed by TVA in 1979, is used for flood control and has no hydropower plant.

Cedar Creek Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Logan Martin Lake

At some 15,300 acres, Logan Martin Lake is a big lake. It lies right by Riverside. Largemouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass and white bass are the draw. At about 69 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Logan Martin Lake is nicknamed the "Lake of a Thousand Coves.".

Logan Martin Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Weiss Lake

At 30,200 acres, Weiss Lake is a big lake. It lies next to Cedar Bluff. It is the Coosa River behind Weiss Dam. Crappie, largemouth bass and striped bass are the draw. The deepest water is around 62 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Weiss Lake is nicknamed the "Crappie Capital of the World.".

Weiss Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Lake Guntersville

Lake Guntersville covers 69,000 acres of water. Expect largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill. It goes down to about 60 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and an upper arm: good places to start.

Lake Guntersville today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

The clearest of them

Smith Lake is known for clear water. On a clear lake fish see a long way: lighter line, natural colours and longer casts make the difference.

Fishing deep water

In summer a deep lake splits into a warm top layer and a cold bottom; fish hold near the line between them, often 20 to 40 ft down. A depth finder, a slow troll or a jig dropped straight down finds them.